The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1885-05-19

11xnaspfkkes and HsgIssU0ys
{ IA. oWe i tIsc .M OWNtGSms. s.

peen lfequeht't eeIofe aleeL .seasihg In'
railroad along me State road IS 1t is call
ed and suggested to my mind the condi
t;o,,s ,f stro !, ,snorta tion hefors the roar
80. -. ~. .,.ae e...1s:a, -
was haues anu sle ulhilsussloS MAicl
beset Improvements IN the west. an
not familiar with the legislation invoked
IN f,,rtbara,,ce af nronos;t;ons for omen
- - 8 :
Ing pubic nlgl'Rays, NOT ses.ler 81
with the actual extent OF the means o
communieation beyond the fact, that un
iii affs, 81 ! axtino,sisl,..,6s; 6s;t of the Cher
- t;sIas s,,,,, ,....,5s - ,roro !,
: sas's''' ''.s.. = -
pelng We're suen 20 Mn'e.l g. tlae esxlgencles
of very widely scattered population
ova ha;,,c,. 4 Ita, Il . asss,,;eitio,, of III (
- - -
lnolah iahds gfeas stllal1iqs Ws.s gwen tc
immigration, and the lieh valleys of the
TuckaseeQe the Tennessee and yalIey
,,rass,,sz,, ;,.,os; al.
r., rastless ,,aonla at that ner;od mar.
ticn,arlv nooveJ hv rewarf1l. ;nn,,lse a to
seeL naw terr;tor;sssP P and new bopoes. mes. e., :,
If vas aho1t this time that the oide,
settled nortions of North Carolina. were
half strinned of ponulation rushing in
frantic eacerness with wives and child.
rem and negroes and household goods to
the el Dorado of Georoia Alabama and
Mississinni. A laroe nronortion of this
r,,sh;no tide wes tnrnaJ to WasfeTn
North 9,arolina q VIRGIN territory as rich
as more Southern homes mipht proye to
be. and where lands were cbeaper and
more readily Obtained.
But to reach this new region. ranges OF
mountains had to he crossed increasinp
in number as adventnre aimed fartheI
West There was road iono
travelled from Salisbury. to Asbeyille
crossing the Blue RIDGE without the re-
onirement Of anv snecial enoineerino
skill: for though the road goes up direct
70 .he Swannano4 f1 aas gap tIe grace Is re-, e
ma t Asiisxilie u - at mese "
sno .op =; Sne c1loo MSP SaP " t .no 1851
81, T,,e,,oaa:s H. " @ VII III IL =
foot fnt oftho See @,oo an tbd, ~ ae Uae
loo: =! 1uo oo"oo iuo' I!1I1 10y Mae
asaln ~ SeIy gleaI e:oupLe. ne Noaus MeLe lI
oPeneo up W tnis poinI py County aue.
orlty, " py % Yolun.ary Ti IaDol, VI ny eMl-
EoMeo hao.,na s tbo ct fsna;dSbId "SS - VIC w
sto",o So"oe T T% a. 81 II tInonh III ,o tho ~
s.aSiS S - oP si,S s.ne anu 'ifion sne gap,
"nu lt uomn Ino SeOelN iaoo q ioau Was M
Suc mnicn se5teo tenP1r1re purpose
out Will giaues 30 s9eep tna1 lully load-
~ wagons Eouiu Cy UnIy noxe ny aoupie
.Is tIa Mng..lld, - .ne ooMee was iorliiioaoie'
'ne IIHI: ranlaiaia was HoleS
no popuie..on I:. saeuoi.o saeuoi ou ~ ue,,iaAo ,,'i
greater rfacilltlesDegan TO be loudly made.
Inc people were TOO IeW ana TOO poor 10
undertake great puohc work with their
own means or oy their own lapor; yet TOO
many ana TOO important factors OF great
pupilc lnterests TO DC "hoiiy unneeded.
Appeai was mace 10 the Leglslature
aDout sn9 Io44 10 for tne nrse ald from Ine state
inen, ana Ior long years aItef; tnere was
the same opposlilon 70 turnPfkes Ior the
West as mas since Slsp1aysa1 1 Issei. lo an ran
noronca of The % to1sb@ra nbv of he mon1.
ta;r reo;on The sans bt;ndnass to ;ts 90 =.
ah;1ities the same ;ncradni;tv of is
devaionment To the averooa ieo;sIator
q t,rr1p;Izo n,oont . I1,eII orrodod mood
an,;1ad ,ood Wbo+ oio;,', i,o5 80
M al I L,.a.. Ss fl1d al pHol ~.
,,oun ~. ~. ~ vnS fo. DTuy - sIe "a
pay e.H ~ to ~ II 'S ~ ~ oa1.h ,uH oniy ap
p:oPlia.H :. " olu anu mealsny GGLnlun,
~ ati1o 1ea+h d ua"mu l Sn1 tbo4 pull ~ nn
tern t. nsonia ~ oniv ssLeJ certain ' STATE S "1 aid
to q Instinct common dirt roads sncb
roads however to cross fonr or five ranoes
of mornta;ns which 7nonst ba n,oda rass.
ohla hv io-v orodos axao,,ted arr Nil NTH , On.
o;,,ear;ns sL;i1 and Nth q degraa 1 IF cost
havond fba rasch I of co,nfy am or ;ndiv;ina
means,
AnV ona who hos crossa5 tho Nantab.
oIo ero,, ,1.;Il raol;za tbo yo,.w oroot oh.
sta R c1as that Law across the nafb The
road follows m the valley Of Wavab
Creek nntii If Is well nm among the NOM.
tains and then there these stretches
across If a veritable wall flanked on the
ono hand hv the Wavab Rail- 54q4 feet
in heicht On the other the Little Raid
524O. The curtain which connects the
two is, at its lowe. point, the gap, 415e
feet high. The valley runs deep up into
the mountain and then ends abruptly
so that the remaining distance to the TOP
must be gained by very abrupt ascent
one so nearly perpendicular as to appear
insurmountable. The original trail and
wagon way is still seen, aud still used as
q bride path. The existing road is g
marvel of engineering talent. A series
of long winds, doubling often upon them,
selves, overcome very gradually the as
cent for about two miles. and then begins
that series of short Ziz zaes where each
abrupt turn, brings at near intervals the
end of each turn upon the verge of q
fearful descent long down into the fal
depths below, these ziz zags SO close up
on each other that when seen from below
they present themselves as a series O
parallel lines, the one above the other
At the end of the last of these, the. grade
becomes easy to the top of the gap; bu
the prospect to the rider or the driyel
does not become much more assurin.
until the gap is reached. for the eve fall.
with Involuntary apprehension far dowr
through trees and tumbine WATERFALL
into depths that seem unfathomable.
oc