The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-12
ASHEVILLE.
IT'S SCENERY-ITS CLIMATE.
WHAT 1T HAS-PLACES OF INTEREST,
&c, &C.

| 9CAIbIL5 A9"cN i4ie anu vicinity.
arrived here Wednesday Aug. .2Ist,
and stopped at Eagle Hotel in the
main business part of the city, near
the postofIice and court house. Be-
fore the war, Asheville was but q
small ordinary town of comparative
ly no reputation for progress, pros
perity, health or pleasure.
Hlgh up between the ranges Of the
Smoky mountains, on the North, and
West, and the Blue Ridge on the
| Ea5:, lies the beautiful mountain
region of North Carolina, known as
the Land Of the sky" It's crossed
| by numerous chains Of equal altitude.
IliS broken p,ateau is indenLed
! with lnnumeTable streams, sparkling
riyuiets tumbiing over the opposing
cliffs 10 tue great ocean. Here are
no sultry nights, for when the sun
sets there comes with the shades
Of evening down from the mountains,
or out from the deep gorges, the
most healthrul and delicious atmos-
phere. Hero upon every height
seems to lie repose, and every land
scape seems to extend silent in
vitatiOn to the soiourner 10 stay and
enjoy It's rest.
Here are fertile valleys, where
cereals and fruits cheer tie heart of
man. One of the grandest spectacles
| ever behcld is that Of 4 sun-set
from the mountain height. Never
shall l forget that evening of Aug
ust 26th, where in company with my
guide, we stood oD the top of ''Beau
catcher" mountain and looked down
upon the beautiful city of Asheville
aud upon that scene of resplendent
glory that lay all around us. Far
in the West the sun was slowly sink
ing in bed Of crimson, the horizon
was lighted with flushing radiance
which was infinitely sublimc while
the whole landscape was aglow with
splendOT. We stood enthralled ct
the scene before us, no SOUND IS
heard and no note of bird breaks the
awful stiffness and | could but
heartily exclalm HOw great, good,
mercifll and powerful is the God
who made and gave us such natural
scenery Asheyille, according to
the last survey, is $3.50 feet above
sea-level with the Blue Ridge on
the East, the Alieghanies on the
West and is beautifully situated near
the confluence Of the most beautiful
and romantic of American rivers
the French Broad and SWannaroa.
There is no grander scenery than
here. There is beauty in it all and
its vastness gives it grandeur, But
sometimes during these few days l
have been here, l have $ ca a haze
cling over the landscape, as though
the great invisible hand had thrown
across it all a beautiful veil. Then
the sun wonld soon come up and melt
the mist away and the scope OF ones
vision was again without limit
away-alm0st TO infnitY. There is
perhaps no whevc to be found, q city
Of. only 10000 inhabitants sur
rounded by more attractions than
ASheyille, or where nature has been
moEe lavish in dealing out her rich~
est blessings. The climate is no
where surpassed. The scenery is
unequalied, and while there arc very
many places in and around the city
that ale interesting TO the tourist L
will briefly mention Only few Of
them: Four iron framed electric
towers, hundreds Of feet high, one in
the North, one in the East one in
the West and one in the Sosth, light
up the whole place by electricity ,
and the water works have placed
pure mountain water in all the
houses.
From Conal!y's view TO lie west
may be s,ea Mt. Pisgah, the cold
mountains an1 many other high
peaks,
From Richmond Hill the view is
very fine, especially thst of Freuch
Broad river which may be seen foE
a distance OF four miles. From
"Reau catcher mountain, you look
down the city, nearly a thousand
feet below. giving s. splendid view OF
the whole city and surrounding
country.
Nearly in the centre Of the city
rises g mountain, known as "BatteEY
Porter'-a spot full of wonderful
grandeur and indescribable scenery,
commanding long stretch OF
mountains and waters, of valleys
and hills. Upon this mountain