The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-12-20
WEST ASHEVILLE.
WHAT THE IMPROVEMENT
COMPANY WILL DO,
Electric RaIIway-IrOn Bridge
Broad AVenues-Extens Park
Magnificent HOteI-MOuntain
Water-GOrReOusV Views.

,
Now that Asheville has become bus
ness centre, as we'll as a resort, its sui
urbs are being built up with fine res
dences. But demand for building site
has been created which can only b
filled by some place remote from tn
city, surrounded by picturesque scenery
and yet easy Of access, and affording ;
speedy communication with Ashevill
proper. Such place has been found in tn,
lands of the West Asheville Improvement
Company, which was incorporated il
1889 with a capital of $500,0G), ant
whose president is Mr.. E. G. Carrier
Leaving the square on the electric car
the new depot is reached in few min
utes. From this point new electric
road will be built by the West Ashevillt
Improvement Company up the French
Broad, running parallel with the w. n
c. X. r., and crossing the track below
the junction of the Swannanoa and
the French Broad, near the saw mill o.
the Buncombe County Lumber Com.
pany. At this point an iron bridge is in
process of construction. Two large
stone piers have already been erected
Supported by these, single span, 25O
feet in length, will Join the banks of the
stream. On this side the approach will
be filled in with dirt, while on the other
two spans of 4612 feet each will connect
it with the French Broad avenue which
is now being opened. The bridge is be-
ing constructed by the Wrought Iron
Bridge Company, of Canton, Ohio.
Their representative, Mr.. Thos. Shorbe,
is now overseeing the work and expects
to begin putting up the iron supporters,
etc, in week. The engineer is Mr.. H.
NJ. Ramseur, and the stone work was
given by contract to Mr.. II. NJ. Smith.
The bridge, besides having a track on it
for the electric railway, will have a walk,
five feet wide, for foot passengers, and a
wagon track, fifteen feet wide. 1t will
be a toll bridge, and is under contract to
be finished by the first of October, 1890.
The electric road will cross this bridge,
and, turning to the left, curve along by
the side of the French Broad over a cor.
ner of Tahkeeostee farm, until it strikes
the lands of the West Ashevile Improve
ment Company short distance above
the bend. This property consists OF SOC
acres of land, and is all that stretch Of
territory which runs along the west
ern boundary of Tahkeeostee farm to the
Sulphur Springs road, and extends up this
road to the small frame church and then
sweeps due south until it ends on the
banks of the French Broad 1t has
water frontage of three or four miles.
The French Broad avenue, which is 100
feet wide, skirts the banks of the river at
the base of the gentle slope, which
sweeps back until it reaches a command
ing height 200 feet above the surface of
the stream, and then sinks gradually,
forming a small depression or ravine,
and then, ascending once more, spreads
out into broad plateau, which, with
its well timbered and level expanse,
stretches back to the Sulphur Springs
road. Running parallel to the French
Broad, various avenues, 100 feet in
width, are being opened, intersected by
cross streets, which are 60 feet in width.
On the southern side of this slope three
rows of lots, 100x200 feet, have been
laid out, and on the crest are two more
rows, which adjoin a tract of 20 acres,
which is to be made into park. From
any point on the property you can see
the French Broad winding up and down
the valley, twisting in and out in broad
curves, until it is hidden by the lofty
mountains in the distance. Far up the
mountain top, on the opposite shore,
Vanderbilt's mansion will be secnIover-
looking the entire valley, while Col. Con-
nally's residence stands on the summit
Of prominence farther down the stream,
boldly outlined against the sky. And off
in the distance lies Asheville clearly visi-
BILE, as it sweeps down from the base of
old Beaumont, encircled by its protect
ing chain Of mountain peaks.
The water will be brought through a
FIVE mile line Of eight inch pipes from
Spring mountain, which has been pur-
chased by the company, and lies south
west of West Asheville. On this noun
tain are four large springs and two
smaller ones, which can furnish enough
water to adequately supply population
of 100000 people. The electric road,
skirting the base of the slope, owned by
the company, will continue in direct
line over a branch until it reaches HON.
my creek. 1t will then follow along the
course of this stream over Strawberry
Hill, leaving it where it makes a strong
inward bend, and from there run direct
to the Sulphur Springs hotel.
A branch road will be constructed,
which will run diagonallv from point
half a mile above the toll bridge to the
small church on the Sulphur Springs, and
another branch road will start a short
distance above the church and run south
past the Bungalow, and strike the main
railway at the middle point of the
tongue of land caused by the junction of
Hominy creek with the French Broad
river. The total length of the electric
railway will be six miles, which will be