The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-08-08
MOUNTAIN HAMBLEs:

Blowing Rock.APersoDaJ Points.
BLowING Rock, N. c., July 80.
Il must tell the readers of The
SENTINEL something of the way the
overworked editors of North Caro-
lima enjoyed themselves at the Press
Convention which met at Lenoir
last week.
We were met at Hickory by Bro.
w. w. Scott, of the Topic, and my
friend w. C. Erwin, Esq, mayor of
the town. They told us that the
latch-string of every house in Le-
noir was on the outside to US, and
we found it SO. The people of Lee
noir are remarkably cultured peo-
pie. They have one of the best
newspapers in North Carolina;
they have good schools; they
have gallery of paintings, ex-
ecuted by native talent, that would
do credit to any city in the South.
Through long series of generations
they have maintained high culture
and higher courtesy. It was real
pleasure to them to have us with
them, and they showed it. The
meetings of the Association were
attended by the Lenoir people, and
at every opportunity they were
ready to do or suggest something for
our pleasure. Personally, I recol-
lect the hospitality of Mayor Erwin
with much kindness. For him, for
his family and for his town I shall
always entertain the pleasantest
feelings.
The town of Lenoir is among the
mountains. Its summers are always
pleasant, its air and water pure and
its people charming. For summer
home or for a quiet and restful all
the-year-round home it offers many
attn actions.
From Lenoir we were invited to
visit Blowing Rock, % miles up the
mountains. Leaving Lenoir we go
up a well-made turnpike, SO we'll
graded that our horses can trot a
good part of the way, notwithstand-
ing the climb is $500 feet.
When we reach Blowing Rock
we are right on top of the noun
tains, 4, 800 feet above the seattle
highest summer resort in the noun
tains. 1 have often been asked, How
did the place get its name? l will
tell you: There is an immense cliff
here which stands at the head of a
long, narrow valley. AS the winds
gather and come sweeping up the
valley they strike against this cliff
and go upwards, keeping up almost
always a stiff breeze stiff that it
will usually return a straw hat if
thrown over.
am at the Watauga Hotel,
owned by two most obliging gen
tlemen, Messrs. Finley and Corpen-
mo. The clerk is Col. Lewis S.
Williams, of Charlotte, once Grand
Master of the Masons in North
Carolina, and one of the cleverest
men living. To these gentlemen |
am, like all other guests, under many
obligations for their kindness. They
keep an excellent table and are al
ways ready to do anything for the
comfort of their guests.
On our arrival here, we found
the ballroom beautifully decorated
and a sumptuous supper prepared
in our honor. The decorations of
the ballroom were the handiwork
of Miss Esther Ransom, the accom-
plished daughter of our senior SEN
atOr.
There are several hotels here, and
SO many people that it is impractical
for me to give all the names, SO |
will give none, bnt l would say to
any lady or gentleman in North
Carolina: You will certainly have
friends here. If there are no old
ones here you will make some new
ones in just about fifteen minutes.
The people who come here are OF
the very best people in North and
South Carolina.
The place is not yet fashionable"
and they live simply but we'll. You
get board and room for $25 or
$50 per month, and your outside
expenses are nominal.
To any friend contemplating
mountain trip I would say: | don't
believe You could find more pleas
ant place than this. I have tried
nearly all of them and found none
to compare with it.
Congressman VIM. L. Wilson, of