The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-08-22
Day in the Country.

for Busbee. Station, seven miles
south of Asheviie, at which is the
old Murrey homestead. Busbee
Station isabout two miles distant
from the summit of Busbee Noun
tin. a prominent point in the land
.scape as seen from Asheville. con-
Spicaous from teiag tie ttrminal
peak of Ia, large @l.it:si extends
from Bu k.d-e:.t The Swanna
noa e.h;l, ;.i 6 lag boj tiis the
valley o.. il. Fpr clt Iroad. 1t is
also co ] :,iuuous iIonl lis partially
bare top and sides TAR. from culti-
vatio for the SOL is deep and
rich, and a part o. it for moret than a
hunetred years, annually is green
" kstssaps of gfain grass. oS
S0rihweStefn sideSA little way
below the summit, one BtSsbee Quilt
his cabin and planted Els little
fields long before the county of
Buncombe was formed from the
wilderness. Why he pitched his tents
at such an elevation was explained
to US to be measure of precaution.
His high perch was a watch tower,
from which he could look over the
whole country below him, and Sc
cure himself against the approach of
hostile Indians. These he could
detect, because, in those days, the
ground now, or afterwards, covered
with heavy timber, was then open
and covered with grass, trees being
scattered only thinly here and there.
Busbee died, apparently without de-
scendants, but his name is properly
perpetuated in the mountain, the
postofhce, and now the railroad flag
station.
Fhe postofice itself is an old one /;
for the situation has long had local
importance. In the very earliest
settlement of the country, the first
road cut through the wilderness
from beyond the mountains in the
direction of Tennessee aud Ken
lucky passed by it; and the traces
of the old path over which hundreds
of thousands of hogs, horses. mules
and other animals made their an
nual Journeys into the low coun-
tries, are still to be found. The
Mills Gap road. as it is called, is
still the great thoroughfare between
Asheville and the counties of Polk
and Rutherford, leaving the Hem
dersonville road, now the chief dirt
road, which owes its existence to the
plankroad fcomAsheville to Hender-
sonviIle, built about 1866, and long
since gathered to its fathers and
forgotten
About the Busbee station, the
country Is characterized by series
OF low-lying valleys with gently un-
du9ating surface, and frightened
with frequent sparkling little
streams margined with meadows ;
and the whole is set in a frame work
of wooded hills rising gradually to
the dignity of mountains, bending
in very close proximity the widest
contrasts of scenery and the most
charming combinations OF landI
scape. Nestled down among shade
trees and apple orchards and hang
ing vines is the comfortable hosplta-
Bile house of Mr.. w. R. Murray, his
home for nearly sixty years, and
associated with happy and rea.
sonably prosperous life, now ap'
preaching his 84th birthday, cheer
full, intelligent, and physically ac-
tive; for he accompanied US III al
oar climbs and rambles, and getting
over rough fe-ces with an ease that
put US to shame.
Just west of the house, begins q
beautiful meadow, extending, after
being bi-sected by the Henderson
vile road, a long way down the
stream which rises in the upper
part. This stream is the creation oi
numerous bold springs, some free
stone, most of them mineral. Of the
first, we drank from one which we
are free to say, is the best water we
ever drank, light, sweet and cold
and tempting to numerous libations
We tasted and tested two minera.
springs in stonel throw of the first
which must possess very valuable
mineral qualities, and which have
full confidence of the neighborhooC
Tor miles around. One of these ha'
been analyzed, and contains iron
sulphur, soda, magnesia and alum
Another, not yet analysed, has ever
stronger mineral qualities than this
One spring bursts out of the living
rock in strong current; another
with equally strong current is en-
cased in oak plank. The water o
both is cold, and while strongly
mineral in taste, is pleasant tt
drink. Undoubtedly, if there b,
any virtue in mineral springs at all
/ these must have fine curative prop
i critics and we think the day is no
far off when the Busbee Springs vii
have widespread fame and wei
established reputation.
| But these under present circum
stances cannot be attained. MI
Murray cannot accommodate visi
tors in any numbers, if he can do s
| at all.
A good hotel, with accommoda
ton for a hundred or more guests
| could be erected at small expense
and with the abundance of supple
to be raised on the farm or obtaine
| in the neighborhood, such hote
could be profitable at moderat
charges to guests. A site, immed
ately on the railroad, or the border
of magnificent body Of nativ
i forest, and within short distanc
Of the springs, presents itself to US a
the FIST choice. There are othe
sites equally as favorable. With
seven miles of Asheville, an
reached by a good dirt road, drive
from the city would be as easy an
as popular as they now are to th
Sulphur Springs or to Arden Parl
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