Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-16
AN INTERESTING LECTURE,
Judge Thomas 1. Gardner Addresses tho
Western High School of This City.

Judge Thomas L. Gardner Addresses the
Western High School of This City.
The seventh of course of lectures before the
Western High School was delivered in the Cur
tbs school building last Friday by Judge
Thomas l. Gardner, his subject being "a Trip
to the Mountains of North Carolina and the
Ascent of Mount Mitchell" The discourse in
cluded running sketches of the state, extending
from the rice belt to the sea coast to the cot
ton belt about Cape Fear river. the fine belt
higher up and the oak and tobacco of the
mountainous regions, which includes Mount
Mitchell.
The beautiful country leading from Green's
boro, known as the "City of Flowers and sit
uated about three miles from the noted battle
field of Guilford Court House. fought in 1851,
through western North Carolina along the val
leys and among the spurs and peaks of the
Blue Ridge mountains to the city OF Asheville
in the Gland of the sky, was described i'll n
graphic and entertaining manner. The scenery
along the Western North Carolina railway was
portrayed as beyond description and the exhi-
bition of engineering skill in railroad construc-
ton as something most wonderful. The road
winds in serpentine fashion up the mountain
sides and from one point Of view, at Round
Knob, the track can be seen on the face of the
mountain at seventeen distinct points of eleva-
ton.
THE CITY OF AsHEvILLE.
Asheville was described as being in trans
itory or chrysalis state between the country
village and well appointed city, having much
of the characteristics of both-paved streets ter
minating in veritable ''sloughs of despond
with mud knee deep. the equipage of the nabob
with Its ornamental driver and footmar in top
boots cheek by jowl with the spike team of the
mountaineer made up of an OK or mule with a
rawboned horse
The schools. churches. shops stores hotels
and various industries and attractions of Ashe-
willie were dwelt upon in detail. From the
heights of Battery Park is spread before one to
the westward the Balsam mountains with the
grand old peak of the Pisgah towering over all,
while flowing seemingly at the foot in silvery
lines of beauty are the charming waters that
figures SO oft in song and story-the French
Broad and the Swannanos.
From here and there can also be seen the
crags of the Great Smoky and the Black noun
tains, in the ranges Of which are found the
highest peaks on the eastern side of the con-
tinent In geological sense the Black noun
tains are said TO be the oldest land on the Amer
lean continent. having nineteen peaks over
5000 feet high, the highest, Mt Mitchell, being
6,717 feet
THE ASCENT OF MT. MITCHELL.
The ascent of this famous cloud-crested
peak is not inviting to those unused to rough
and-tumble trip, but once upon the apex the
scene Is one OF overwhelming grandeur and
sublimity, mountains appear behind noun
tains and peaks beyond peaks, dying away into
space blue as heaven and soft as clouds with
the fullness of MONDAY on their unpeoplcd
submits.
Upon the very pinnacle of this towering
height is a monument to the memory of him
whose name this mountain bears and whose
| ashes repose beneath 1t in the awful solitude of
| this lonely summit. This handsome moru-
ment is comparatively new, not having been
erected or completed until 1888. On the
smoothly dressed and handsome pedestal is in
scribed:
Here lies. in the hope Of blessed resurrec
ton, the body OF the Rev. Elisa Mitchell D. d.
who, for thirty-nine years. was a professor OF
the University of North Carolina, and lost his
life iii the scientific exploration of this noun
tain, in the sixty-ninth year of his age June
~, 1851"
Upon the conclusion of his address, which
was listened to with the greatest interest
Judge Gardner presented to the principal of
the school, Prof. b. I. Janney, stick cut from
one of the balsam frs upon the mountain's
summit which had been suitably mounted and
inscribed, and which Prof. Janney accepted in
few pertinent remarks, expressing both his
thanks for the cane and enjoyment of an inter-
| esting and instructive address.
The next address will be delivered by Mr.
John I. Mitchell March 20 On Education
Outside of Text Books