The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-11-28
9Mderspts gate11igeuter.
A Night at E0und Knob.

The most wonderful piece of railroad
engineering that have ever had the
pleasure of seeing is on the line of the
Piedmont Airline in Western North
Carolina. The railway leaves Asheville,
that noted aanitarium, and proceeds as
best it can to get over the Blude Ridge
Mountains. First there is the Swanna
noa tunnel, which is about third of q
mile long. After that there are six other
tunnels somewhat shorter. Then from
the top of the mountain the railway
undertakes to wind its way down into the
valley of the Catawba River, or Mill
Creek. The road here is probably the
crookedest in all creation. 1t winds aud
rewinds and twists and goes over and
under Itself in a way that is perfectly
bewilderiDg to the trsveler who wishes to
know in which particular part OF the
mountain he is. From Little st. Ber
nard, peak that is above the Round
Knob Valley, the railway can be see'! in
seventeen different places, working up
and down the mountains, and no two
sections of the track are on the same
elevation. The train runs down this
crooked iron pathway with all steam
shut of and the brakes turned on. 1t is
scary experience for traveller, but the
road bed is perfect. and has all been rock
ballas,ed and laid with heaviest steel
rails, and no accident has ever yet taken
place on that portion of the line, SO the
chances are, that startling as the ride is
to traveller accustomed to level rail.
Ways, that portion of the track is safer
than many other lines that have less
grades and crooks upon it. But anyhow
it is worth risking something, if it is any
risk, 10 enjoy the wonderful ride winding
round the mountains and descending
into the valley of the Catawba But The
most wonderful sight that ever saw
and I doubt if there is another in the
world to equal it's that seen from the
Round Knob Hotel at midnight. A
party of us stood there to see the night
train from Asheville come down around
that network of curves and heavy grades.
During the couple Of days I stayed at the
Round Knob Hotel was practically q
tresspasser, because the hotel was not
opened aud Col. sprague, anxious as he
may be to receive guest atanother time,
had anything but cheerful look on his
face when two Northern newspaper men
stepped from the train and announced
their intention of staying there for a
couple Of days. However, there is too
much cordial hospitality in the South for
tired traveller ever to be turned away
from anybody's door, even if the door is
that Of an unopened hotel where prepar.
ations are actively going forward to
receive the guests who come to stay there
during the season. We sat up late the
first night talking about the wonderful
III which we found ourselves, and getting
information for intended excursions into
the mountains and up the creeks and to
the waterfalls. 1t was about II o'clock
at night when Col. Sprague said to us:
"Come out on the veranda and see the
midnight train. It's about due now, and
to see it come down the mountains is
sight not to be missed" We all went
out on the broad piazza of the hotel.
The building is situated right beside the
railway track, aud the train that we were
to get the first sight of about mile above
US would have to pass within few feet
of where we stood when it had completed
the descent. The night was very dark,
and there was rumble of thunder over
the pinnacle point of the blue ridge.
The air, however, was luminous with
myriads of fire flies that looked like the
phosphorescent track which follows
ship in the ocean. The roar of the little
Catawba River over the rocks was very
soothing and musical. Not q sound of
the coming train could be heard, because
it nas not yet through the tunnel. In
fact the first intimation that we had of
lis approach was not through sound but
sight. With startling suddenness 8
great pine tree high on the mountain top
stood out in bright relief as if it had been
thrown against the mountain side by
tremendous stereop,icon. It looked like
tree of silver and it was Illuminated by
the white headlight of the locomotive.
Then another tree, and another aud
another stood out on the mountain side,
and finally the rugged, rocky side of the
cutting was illuminated like scene
from Switzerland thrown against the
dark mountain side of North Carolina.
Then came the train with its long CLEAN
ing row of glittering windows, made all
the more startingly plain by the dense
darkness Of the night. Tie mountain
background acted as great sounding
board and sent the roar of the train
across the valley, where it was echoed by
the mountain on the other side of us and
thrown back again in confused Niagara
of sounds. After a moment the train
disappeared as entirely as if it was swal.
lowed up by the earth. II had gone
round to the other side of the mountain
and not sound or sight Of it did we
get for some moments. The hills still
reverberated with its coming, but that
too, died away. And, although every
one listened inteutly, there was not
rumble to disclose its whereabouts. A
few moments after section Of the pine
covered mountain still lower down
flashed into the light, and this time, as
the train turned, the Illuminated disc
few rapidly along the mountain side,
giving the trees the appearance Of rush