Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-10
Senator Vance's Mountain Home.

widest. and most novel situations for a
nome cOncelYable-a veritRbe eyrie in the
mountains.
Lying northeast from the Asheville, a
Instance oil Is miles, tower the highest
mountains OF the Blue Ridge system.
which, from their great height and the
dense growth of dark baisam with which
they are clothed, are known distinctivelv
as the Black Mountain Range. TINS short
range runs at right angles to the = ue
hidEe proper in an east and western di-
recton for about 10 miles. AT it's western
extremity looms Great Craggy, {, 900 feet
In air, and near BY the Bulls Head, two
majestic peaks, bold and rugged in OUT
line, which further on merge into Little
Craggy, this in turn losing itself in the
rolling pillows OF the Blue Ridge to the
southwark. Looking back to the eastern
end OF the Black, towering grandly
anove its lofty neig b bOrS. rises the Pm
nacle. followed in turn by succession of
lesser peaks sweeping of superbly to the
southeast.
In the Wild gorge or valley, surrounded
by this great chain of giant peaks, and
Watered by that lOveliest of mountain
streams, the north fork of the Swannanoa,
lies vast tract OF land, a few wears ago
the haunt OF the wolf, the bear, and the
rattlt snake, but known to-day as Com
llua's tavorite son, ZebGlOn B. Vance.
Here in the heart OF the virgin forest,
with naught but towering crags and
wood peaks tor company, he and his
hRh-spirlted little wife have ordained o
live and make the centre OF their interests
during six months OF each year. What
a contrast TO the whIrl oil winter gayeties
and activities OF which they are bOtn such
ornaments at the capital!
The question naturally arises ''Why
has Senator Vance chosen this wild and
remote spot for his summer home"' Per-
maps the best answer to this question was
gwen few days ago by the Dutch car
penter on the place: "Ny. a statesman
must haf some place to t'ink, don'd YOU
knowW Certainly a more enectual hid
ing place for the "carkIng cares" of po-
Htcal pursuit could Rot be- found than this
-equestered spot, lying as it does some
2, 100 ieet ABOVE the sea and eight miles
from the nearest railway statiOn-truly
"a lodge in vast Wilderness" a bound
less cOntiguity OF shade.'
But it is not solitude only that the SEN
ator and his wife seek in this mountain
retreat. Their intention is to clear the
forest, cultivate the rich soil around
them, and convert the whole Ipto an ideal
pOuntaIn home. Already much has been
accomplished toward his end during tn g
three years since they began the task g,
though as Mrs. Vance terseiy puts it: lit
is no ohIld's play tanning the wilder
ness"
II feel she adds, "as if we're posing
in the character of my great grand
mother in our effort at mastering the
forest.o
Aud certainly the mantle of a brave
and energetic ancestry could not have
fallen upon the shoulders OF one better fit-
cd to the task than this resolute, clear
headed little woman. To see her issuing
her orders Tor the day, and directing the
many branches OF work on The great es-
tate In Inc absence OF the Governor"
would be revelation to those who know
her only as the graceful hostess of the
drawing room. Several large tracts have
already been cleared, on one ot which,
stretching over the long slope Of sunny
hillside. 1000 fruit trees have been set
out while other choice spots are prepar-
ing for vineyards, fields OF gram, the Gull
t.vation Of small fruits, etc.
But greatest and most engTossipg task
OF all is the building of the beautiu III new
home, upon which the builders are now
daily hard at work, and " nicn is rap diy
nearing completion. Their present
dwelling place-a primitive little log
cabin more suggestive OF wild frontier lie
than The abode of a United States Senator
will, by another summer, be exchanged
for this handsome and capacious man
sion, built after the modern "high art'
style of architecture, adorned with por-
ticos and balconies, graceful overs md
oriole windows set in stained glass and
situated on the most beautiful site the
place affords. Its colOring OF French
gray, with trimmings OF myrtle green,
the towers and long slOping roof OF Nene-
iian red harmonic we'll with the greens
OF the surrounding forest, giving JUST the
needful dash OF cOior 10 the scene. Inc
auproach to the house is tn gough a mag
nitcently wooded gorge, shaded by giant
oaks and chestnuts, spruce and hemlock,
maple, poplar and birch; in short, by
every variety Of grand old trees known to
tue forest, while down the raVine rushes
another OF those clear mountain streams,
for which this region is so justly famed.
This great tract, extending over gu acres
of rolling woodland and doJted by III
lovely springs, is TO be cleared OF all
fallen timber and charred or decaying
trunks:Vistas are to be opened IN various
directions to tire graDdest Of the surround
lug peaks, and the whole converted into
what will be known as The Park"
while of the southwest of the house and
bordering upon this great i'm proved sec
ton the IOTeBb Is 10 Ue lGlb III It's
wild aud i'm penetrabe condition.
At the lower or northern extremity OF
the PARK is a beautiful young poplar
grove, covering several acres, and Mrs.
Nance's special delight, each tree stand
ing slender and erect as a young sentl-
mel, clothed in the golden yellow uniform
OF the iail. But the spring, lam assured,
Is the time to see "GOmbro0n" in its
greatest beauty. Then the whole gorge IS
IairIy aglow with the luxuriant fora Of
the region, tiger lilies aud aZaleae, dog
wood. and, above all, the varied glories Of
the rhOdodendron or mountain laurel
tiourishing in rich prolusion on every
band, And small wonder when we note
the ouanty of the soil, as rich and lOam-
iug as that OF prairie farm. As TO the
great variety of hard woods at hand some
idea may be derived from the fac. That OF
the 10 different kinds used IN the building
OF the new house every one was FOUND
within the borders OF "GombroonV
Among the many lofty emnences OF the
Blue Ridge, trendIng of TO tue southwark,
must be mentioned three graceful peaks
aDparently one ut base, but towering each
20 a well-detined apex, resembling in form
an inverted V.
These Mrs. Vance has named appro-
prlately The Three Senator's" Vance,
Veal and voorhees,, while further on. and
stsndlng out boldly between tue "Pinna-
cieU and old "Graybeard," the great
shoulders OF the latter often wrapped IN
suOw-whito mist, IS mount Beck"
named by Senator Vance In honor OF
his admired friend and colleague from