The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-08-13
A JAUNT
TO KINGS MOUNTAIN, N. C.


a On the 8th of July, the writer
: accompanied by an angel, whes'
] sweet, cheerful face and form, nov
since she left, is ever fitting be
fore his mind and in vision appear
, ing IN his dreams, left Morristowr
, on hurried business trip to Gas
, ton county, N. c., adjoining his ole
home, Cleveland county, whose cap
ital, Shelby, his abode since the
war, until he came to this place
} about nineteen months ago, he had
not time to visit, though within II
or Is miles of it. Passing up the
romantic gorge of the French
Broad, whose scenery, wildly grand
and beautiful, was greatly ad-
mired and enjoyed, from Warm
Springs to Asheville, where We hur-
riedly saw safely seated in hack
and bade adieu, with a kiss, said
precious "gem of purest ray serene, ;"
we sped en- over, or rather through
the Blue Ridge, whose lofty peaks
and dark, deep ravines arose grand
ly far above and sank glOomily deep
below US, as every few moments
shooting through dark, dripping
tunnels, the train, like 4 faithful,
well-traincd hound upon the track
of the willy fox, constantly winding
and bending itself about, crossing
and recrossing repeatedly its own
line of descent, until we suddenly
fetch up at the third story of Raund
Knob hotel about sun-dOwn, where
we stop for supper. We shall not
attempt description of the scenery
or the wonderful objects of special
interest horeabout. They must be
seen to be conceived of and appre-
ciated.
1t is worth trip half around the
world to spend an hour near Round
Knob. Frank LeSlie's Illustrated
Newspaper, in it's midsummer num-
Der in an article ON the places Of in
terest in the United States, says
"At Round Knob the most pictures
que point on the Western North
Carolina railroad, the company has
erected fine hotel, from the bal
comics of which a view Of the noun
tains is perfect. At this point is the
wonderful fountain for which is
claimed the strongest pressure Of
any fountain in the world, and
which throws a jet 268 feet high.
1t is at this point also where the
most wonderful engineering feat has
been accomplished. In one view,
the track is plainly visible six times
as it winds around the spur and up
the steep slopes, now and then cross
ing the littfe stream over high
bridge or trestle, and in doing SO
presenting many charming views of
valley and mountain. In contem-
plating this work and scenery, adj
miratisn is divided between the nat
ural scenery and the indomitable
human energy required to penetrate
these strongholds. Colonel A. B.
Andrews, the president of the road,
gives it his constant attention, aid
ed by Major J. W. Wilson, chief en-
gineer, who through many discour~
agements and obstacles has perse-
vered from the beginning to its
completion, and certainly shares
with his able assistants the credit of
placing before the world the most
wonderful piece of engineering in
America"
Having learned, between Ashes
Vile and Round Knob, through an
old acquaintance and friend, Mr.. |
Grant, pleasant, popular, energetic |
and thriving drummer for a large |
Baltimore house, that several of our
lady acquaintances and others from
Shelby and Marion were on beard,
we at once became anxious and
restless to meet them, which we did
pretty soon, and from there to Ma
riOn, where we bade them adieu,
we certainly had gay old time
and we haven't forgot it yeti Reach
ing Hickory, most pleasant little
town at the intersection of the
Chester and Lenoir Narrow Gauge
railroad with the Western North
Carolina road, about IL: 80 p. M.
we stopped over till s a. m. the next
morning, when We left on the Nar~
row Gauge-which skips along as
rapidly and glibly as its "big bud,"
on which we had just rid-for Dali
las, the capital of CASTOR, one of the
richest and most prosperous eoun>
ties in the State. Dallas is very
pleasant, thrifty little town, of some
500 inhabitants-some of the kind
est and most pleasant people we
ever met. We stopped with Uriab
Matthews, Esq, formerly from this
section-Hawkins county, if we
mistake not-who went there, SO he
told us, about the close of the war,
without a dollar. He now owns
good property, large hotel (Which
his good wife knows exactly how to
run Il laTSe sbOrc anu otheT PioP |
erty. lie is q stanch Democrat as
well, and has the respect ard conf
dence of every one. lie made many
inquiries about his old time friends
and acquaintances, number of
whom are in this county, while 9th
ers, of whom we have heard, have
long since passed over the river.
Our few days stay at his house
with his pleasant guests was cnjoy-
ed by US very much. Here too we
met several brother lawyers and
Others whose favors and llindnesses
we highly appreciate. From Dallas
we went up the Airline about 8
miles to Old Furnace Che old fur
mace itself, where, tits said, cannon
balls were moulded during the Rev
olntinnnr1r 1uar many, of xuhieh nrp |