Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-06-26
EAST TENNESSEE.

a pleasanter theme occupies ourmind
and engages the editorial pencil.
We will chronicle the events and i'm
pressions of a trip through that sec
ton of our grand old State, which,
through ignorance of the varied beau
ties, attractions and resources it pos
sesses, is sometimes called the "God-
forsaken." Ever since reading Lang
don G. Haynes eloquent word pic
ture of East Tennessee, we have felt
longing to view the scenes he so
beautifully portrayed, and our wish
was gratified this week.
On last Monday morning, in COM
pany with DR.. Stainback and DIR.
Ramsey, the editor left McMinnville.
Wereached Chattanooga at o'clock,
and spent the afternoon in looking
over that city, and Notwithstanding
the disagreeable rain which fell most
of the time we managed to get a hasty
look at a large portion of the place.
We first took a birds eye view of the
entire city and surrounding country
from the summit of Cameron Hill,
then nearer look at many of the
beautiful residences, churches, pub
lie buildings and business houses.
Time being limited and the weather
exceedingly disagreeable, we could
not visit any Of the numerous manu-
featuring enterprises throughout the
city, but from what we saw we are
ready to vote Chattanooga the blue
ribbon for live, progressive, beehive
growth and industry.
DR.. Stainback got lost after supper,
but turned up again just before train
time. He said he had been looking
through glass door at some menand
boys roll lot of colored balls around
a green covered table, and punch
them into holes on the sides with long
sticks.
.a AT $40 o'clock our party boarded
the train on the East Tennessee, Via
GINA and Georgia Railroad, and after
an all night ride, reached our desti-
nation, johnson City, in Washington
county, at eight o'clock Tuesday
morning. We should have reached
this place at five o'clock, but owing
to some other train being late and the
telegraph wires being down, we were
delayed at Cleveland for three hours.
The E. T. V. & G. is certainly one of
the firmest, smoothest railroads we
ever rode over, and the long passen-
ger trains glide through the beautiful
valleys, sweep around the graceful
curves, and wind in and out through
the mountains at a speed of forty
miles an hour with a remarkable de-
gree of ease and comfort to the pas
sengers. DR.. Stainback came to grief
just before reaching johnson City.
He put his head out of the window to
look at some point of interest, and
away went his fine plug hat. That is
why he came home wearing a straw.
We spent the day very pleasantly at
johnson City, thriving, growing
place of three thousand inhabitants,
containing a number of important
manufacturing enterprises. From
this point narrow gauge railroad
runs out through some gorgeous
mountain scenery to Cranberry, N
G. The road leads over the side Of
the great Roam Mountain, on the
summit of which is situated the ia.
NOUS Cloudland hotel, over six thou
sand feet above the sea level,
On Tuesday afternoon we drove
over to the residence Of Mr.. Geo. w
st. John, near Carriers Depot. Thi:
place is on the Wautauga river, anC
in four miles of the old home place 0
the TaylOrs. Roam Mountain can bt
seen standing like grim sentinel il
the dim distance, and on clear day
the Cloudland hotel is also visible
We found East Tennessee not tn,
trackless waste of mountains we haC
fancied, nor the God-forsaken countr,
we had heard it characterized, but OF
the contrary country well dotte,
over with thriving and picturesqu
towns and villages, broad fields @
waving grain, fertile stretches of hill
and valley, yielding bountiful han
vest of every product of the soil nee
essary to sustain man and beast il
luxurious living. East Tennessee
possesses thousands of acres of tn
finest lands in the State, and alto
gether will compare favorably wit
any other section of the State, an
for beauty and grandeur of naturs