Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-08-27
IN THE ALLEGHANIES.
ONE OF THE VALUABLE MINERAL
RESOURCES
OF North Carolina-A 'sSentinel'' Re-
porter's Fun Among the Mountains
and Interesting Notes About One of
Haywood's Mica Mines.

and Interesting Notes About One of
Haywood's Mica Mines.
STAFF Correspondence OF the Sentinel
WAYNEsvILLE, n. c., Aug. 22.-
AS our party went bowling along over
the Railroad between AshevilIe and
Waynesville, we were struck by the
great productiveness of the soil. Pig
con River Valley seems to be especial
ly blest in this respect and it literally
seems that "the earth needs only to be
tickled with hoe and she smiles with
a harvest"
One of the funny parts of the trip
was to see the passengers hold their
breath and clutch the seats when we
crossed the high trestle near Pigeon
River and saw the land fifty or sixty
feet below us.
When we began to climb the Bal
sams and saw a perfect panorama Of
beauty and grandeur spread out be-
fore our admiring eyes adjectives COM
pletely failed and we could only look
and wonder. Each mountain was q
gem within itself and the filmy clouds
hung around the SUBMITS like veil
woven by fairy fingers. On and on
we went, the scenery everywhere be-
coming more beautiful and picturesque
until we arrived at Waynesville,
where we were in full sympathy with
the poetess, who exclaims:
"Methinks, in all Gods glorious world, there's
scarce a levlar sight,
Than this sweet Haywood valley rare, bathed
i'll the soreened light.
And sure if there's spot on earth nearest to
Heavens gate,
1t nust be this Usopias vale in our fair South
erD State.'
Here we were to spend day or two
and visions of merry girls, mountain
rides and long strings of speckled trout
come i'll rapid review before our i'm
sginatien. AS to the two former our
expectations were fully realized. In
regard to the latter we shall proceed
to relate our experience. The day be-
fore we started; boy had caught $50
trout few miles up the stream, SO We
were bouyant with hope and started
one morning bright and early. There
were three of us; Fatty" "the Dude"
and the "Seary man.
We took old shoes, clothes and leg
gings enough to start secondhand
clothing store and arrived at the scene
of action, changed our pants and shoe.
and proceeded to wade up the stream
The "scary man" was constantly on
the lookout for snakes and when the
"dude" pointed to the ground, jumped
a little to the side and yelled 'Lookye!
Ire thought his fond anticipations had
been realized and seizing one leg with
his hand started for home yelling al
the while, "Great Scott! Pm bit I'm
bit! He got some distance before he
found out that he was "just little too
previous" and then came the time fol
the Dude to show his agility in climb
ing rocks and jumping trees.
We were SO engrossed in the seen
cry that we forgot to keep account o
the number of trout caught SO we re
ally are afraid to say what was th'
number for fear of getting up our rep
utation as the champion "expander.
We took dinner at farm house anC
alth ough when we sat down the table
"howed with milk and honey" Whes
we arose the bouquet was somethin!
like a shadoaU Of its former self an.
looked as if famine was imminent.
In taking friendly chat with "m,
landlord, he gave us a bit of informa
ton about the lealthfulness of tn
county:
"Now you fellers have heerd tha
its mighty healthy up here in thes
mountings, but I'll jest tell you its tn
mcst unhealthy place for certain folk
in the State
/ "Why how is that ? thought
/ "Well now its jest this er way. Hay
wood county is the most onhealth
place in the world for revenuers an
don't you forget it. They most aller
| die young up here, kinder tucker ou
in the bloom of youth you know"
At this there was silence for abou
minute during which FATTY" (wh
had formerly been "revenuer") te
his heart trying to climb up in h
throat and with the assurance that %
jest amt naturally healthy in tn
pars of the kentry fur revenue
mister" we conclsded to start fl
home, FATTY" having suddenly di
covered that he had urgent busiue
to attend to.
On our way back we passed t
Mica Dale (three miles from Wayne
.ville) and gained some information
regard to the mine. 1t is owned
Mr.. Duryea, wealthy New York
and the heirs of John Love. 1t
valued at SO, 900 and it worked pro
erly would yield handsome revenu
: At present it is not in operation.
? a conversation with one Of Che mine
we asked: M
sHow much dc ysu get for g
mica ?"
well, It is made in tive sizes, ge
erally. We make assaall size abe
21x4, for this We get sf.T6per poun
Then we make 8x1O sheets afh G
/ $40 per pound for it. :"
"What do you cut it with, and ht
many pounds can fair hand cut IN
dayf''
:We cut it with large shears a
hands generally average twenty7h
!. pounds of the small size day a
considerably more of the larger siz'
At s43.75 per day from each har
Z It seems tt at the mine ought to p
handsomely, even if the expenses we
heavy and we understand that t