The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-09-21
PROF. ELISHA MITCHELL.
A CHAPTER OF HITHERTO UN-
WRITTEN HISTORY.
Major westaII's Interesting story
of the I.abOriOus Search and sue
ceSsfuI Discovery of the Body of
the. VTnfOrtuuate scientist.

Major WestaII's Interesting story
Ofthe I,abOriOuS Search and sue
ceSsfuI discovery of the BODY of
the Unfortunate Scientist.
1t was the last week in June, 1857 and
about the middle of the five months seS-
sion of the school in central Swannanoa,
where was teaching, when the news
came that Professor Elisha Mitchell had
disappeared, and had possibly and very
probably, lost his life somewhere on the
Black Mountain. He had started on
Saturday to cross the mountain to Big
Tom Wilson'S on Caney river, in Yancey
county, and failing to return on the next
Monday as he was expected to do, his son
an ddaughter, who were with him at Mr..
Stcpp's, and were his assistants i'll taking
his survey of the mountains height, sent
Immediately to Wilson's to see il any
thing was wrong. Finding that he had
failed to reach that place, they at once
had the alarm sounded that their father
was lost. BY this time three or tou
days had elapsed, and Professor Mitchell
not having returned, two or three hun
dred men, from both sides of the great
mount ain, hurried to the search.
The search went on several days, and
every dav the news would come down
the river, that the lost had not been
found. had not yet gone, thinking
there were men enough out already, and
because | had been on a trip to Mt.
Mitchell only six days before DR.. Mitchell
disappeared. But went at last. think
it was on the morning ot the eighth day
after the disappearance, that tw" OF the
citizens of Swannanoa came to the school
house where was teaching, and asked
me if would adjourn my school and be-
come one of fresh company to goto the
mountains in search OF the lost man.
They had been told that had been on
all sides of the Black Mountain and was
quite familiar withevcry face otits rugged
scenery. and that they wished me to lead
their company on the search. con-
scntcd to go as they desired, and we
agreed to meet at AlcXander's at p m,
on that day, with rations for three days.
We met on time at the place appointed,
and at sundOwn we entered the mountain
house, as il was called, where we found
a number Of tired, diSheartcncd men, who
had been again unSuCcvSSiulin their search
for the lost. Mr.. Jesse Stepp was there,
and soon found that, as he was so well
acquainted with every ridge, rimlet and
knob of the mountain, he had at the FIRST
assumed the command ui all the forces,
and had, with good judgment, divided
tho men into squads, with leader to
each squad, and that the search had had
much system and order. Mr. Stepp then
owned and lived at what is now called
the Patton house at The foot of the noun
tain. Prof. Mitchell made Mr.. Stepp's
house his headquarters.
We slept and rested at the mountain
house that night as well as we could on
the floor, without bed or blanket. The
nights were the shortest of the year, and
we were ready for business at 4 O'Clock
next morning. At the order ofMr. Stepp
to get ready to march, the men began
to hang up their knapsacks and pro
vision bags to nails and pegs in the walls
of the house, but | swung mine to my
back Mr.. Stcpp came 70 rIc and said !:
"You must not try to carry that load
with YOU; lust take a snack in your
pocket. That is the way we have been
doing, for we always come back here at
night" MIR. Stepp," answered, 81
came out to hunt DR.. Mitchell and |
don't know where shall be when night
comes, but | am going to take all my
provisions along"
The whole company was conducted by
Mr. Stcpp to a bench of the mountain
where a ridge divergcs toward the Ivy
side, and halt was called for division
of forces. We were then not more than
eight hundred yards from the first knob
of the Black, where the county lines OF
Buncombe and Yancey corner. There
Mr.. Stepp divided his force into squads,
over which he appointed leaders. There
were few men that he thought not able
to stand hardships, that he formed into
a company, and as was school teacher,
he supposed would be a proper leader
tor them; so he told me to take charge OF
Mr., Calvin Patton who was afflicted
with asthma and X. c. Patton whose
weight was about $50 pounds. Some
OF the men who had gone up with me.
refused at first to go with any one else
till Mr.. Stcpp told them that he had ap-
pointed me to take charge of the in
valid" corps, when they all gave in but
a Young man. William Burgn. who de
cared that he had solicited me 70 come,
and that he would 90 with 10 one else.
| then had three men with me, and
was directed to 20 to the top OF the first
knob and then hunt around it at radius
of about four hundred yards from it,
top.
MIR. Stcpp then left us, and with all but
my squad of four, went to the lett, where
they were to search in regions not ye;
gone over. After they had gOnel started
off i'll the path that leads by the first
knob on the left, toward what is now
called Mitchell's peak. We had gone in
the path four or five hundred yards
when Mr.. Calvin Patton said in tone
of dissatisfaction: tom, where are you
going? Here we are still i'll the path
that men have gone and come every day
for week, and We are not doing any
good. see we are passing the ground
over which we were directed to look
and we have not even looked from The
path" told him that about one hun
dred wards further on we would find q
spring of very cold water where We
would stop and have consultation
After we had assuaged our thirst, said
"Now gentlemen, came here with yor
to find the lost man if possible, but an
not going by the direction OF any man
Mr.. Stepp is not now with us; he is di
rccting somewhere else. am not going
to obey orders. My opinion is that this
path in which we have been walking, i:
the way DR.. Mitchell Travelled when HI
started to Wilson's. | know these noun
tains, for have been all over them ant
all around them. Dr. Mitchell knew
trom too, and, as he started to go t.
Wilson's on Caney river, he would mo-
go any other way. One who knows tn,
mountains would not go any other way
And, gentlemen, so far we have beer
walking in the lost mans tracks. Tha
is my opinion"