Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-12
CHATTANOOGA
4 Charming City 7svtA Bright
Future.

After leaving Nashville we crossed
the Cumberland mountains and Thurs
day morning found us in the prosperous
and growing metropolis of Chattanooga.
AS before we were m ct by local recep-
ton committee who escorted us to the
Read House and Southern Hotel where
we had breakfast. After breakfast the
party were taken with four electric cars
to the foot of Lookout Mountain dis
lance of two and one-half miles from
! the hotels. There are three routes to
| the crest of this mountain. The COM
mon dirt road, the wide gagged railroad
and the incline grip railroad. The
power house is located at the foot of the
mountain. The incline is very steep
probably about the same slant, or more
SO, than the roof of an average house.
Our party were taken up the incline.
The cars will accommodate about As per-
sons The height is 400 feet, and the
length of the incline railway is 1850
feet. AS you ascend about half way up
you pass the other car which is coming
down. AS you enter the car for the
first time and look up at the hotel and
depot at the top of Lookout mountain
and realize the danger you would be in
if any accident occurred to any part of
the machinery, it makes one shudder
with fear. Yet we were told by the
engineer that they average $780, 900 peo-
pie a season and there never was an
accident since the line was put in. How
ever we felt greatly relieved when we
reached the top of this historic noun
tain. After arriving at the hotel you
still have several hundred feet to climb
by stairway to reach the apex. Here
we assembled in group and had our
photograph taken. From here you
have delightful view of the Tennessee
river and it's valley in which Chattanoo-
ga nestles. Different gentlemen were
with the party who had taken part in
the battles of Lookout mountain. They
explained each officers position in both
armies. Mr.. Ed. Mclaughlin, of st.
Point, who served his country in the
late unpleasantness and had part in
this battle speaks of the positions as
follows:
"Below and to our left is where Hook
er fought above the clouds. Below and
to our right the eye sweeps the plain
and finally rests upon Mission Ridge,
up which and over which, in the face of
the deadly fire of one of the best armies
the Confederacy ever produced, the
brave boys in blue charged and swept
everything before them like chaff before
the wind. From that point nearly every
part of the battle field can be seen, and
one can imagine how surprised the
rebels must have been to see the Union
lOlC CS lloNlllS oul IOi t1lS dttdSh Liz
final struggle occurred on the 18th of
November, 1868. 1t was at that time
that Grant moved his center forward.
The rebel line occupied the crest of
Mission Ridge, and from that elevation
the evolutions of the Union troops on
the plain below were in full view, and
the sight must have been a thilling one
The movements of the Union forces are
described by the Confedates as being
as regular as upon dress parade. And
when they got ready and moved for
ward it was beyond the powers of the
Confederacy to stop them. They swept
up and over the ridge, driving the enc
my from what had been considered an
impregnable position and captured ~
pieces of artillery and 5000 prisoners.
To look upon a field where such a battle
was fought is to make ones heart swell
with pride for the achievements and
proves of his countrymen; the exulta
ton being saddened only by the thought
that to accomplish it cost so many lives
and so much human suffering,-in the
South as we'll as in the North,-for in
that great conflict the killed and wound
ed numbered nearly 5000 men,"
The views from this mountain are the
most extensive in the United States ex-
tending over an area of 500 miles in
extent and including the seven states
of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North
and South Carolina, Virginia and Ken
lucky. On the narrow gagged railroad
which follows along the side of the
mountain we visited the following points
| of interest: Sunset Park and Rock: the
Grotto; the Garden of the Gods; Noahs
Ark; Damon and Pythias; Mohamet's
! Tomb; Eighth wonder of the World ;
and the Devils fire place. These are
some of the most interesting natural
| formations on this wonderful mountain
that are the objective points of interest
to every one.
We next visited Cameron Hill, a
beautiful mountain which we had to
ascend its height by grip cars same as
we did Lookout. Here also they have
a hotel, observatory, dancing hall, etc