Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-04

the main line, to Mr.. Vanderbilts place
is owned by him. and is used solely for
conveying building material and salaries
TO the men. 1t is called the Vanderbilt
system. Twenty thousand dollars per
month is the sum paid at present to men
working on the grounds, aside from
those wso are building. And yet my
grounds, especially on Monday, present,
think, a more cheerful appearance
than hisn does. | often tell him that
when our folks are rinsing out their
white clothes in the second water, and
placing my new parboiled shirts on the
lawn to bleach, | know Of no landscape
gardener who can begin to get such eff
fects as we do.
Mr.. Vanderbilt is very popular here,
especially on Saturday evenings; but he
is not loved alone for his vast wealth.
| Here, as on Staten Island or in the city,
he IS known as a quiet, studious, thor
ough gentleman and scholar, as well as
a good judge of the native wines made
here in the mountain Businesses of the
state out of the grains and cereals of
Carolina, an~used to shorten the long
stage waits formerly so painful when the
governors of the two Carolinas were
thrown together.
The richest of gold mines known, prior
to the acquisition of California, was found
In North Carolina, and yielded $500 to
the bushel. Possibly the reader thinks
that | am trying to be facetious, but
that was the rate-$500 to the bushel of
earth-tor 1t was a placer mine-or
$1,000 900 while the mine was being
worked. Then it suddenly became flood
ed, and believe is still little moist as
this letter goes to press
Diamonds of fine water, and from one
half to two karats in weight, have been
found IN the state, but not in sufficient
quantities TO interfere with agriculture.
Fine detached crystals of zircon, gar
nets and graphite occur in Franklin.
Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties.
North Carolina is also headquarters for
granular or crystalline corundum, or
emory. Arsenic, antimony, bismuth. /
cobalt and nickel are also met up with |
here, but not in the gneissoid rocks.
The climate of North Carolina, es- |
peclaily Of Buncombe county, is really /
its chief charm. 1t is, in fact, why both |
me and Vanderbilt came here We said /
to ourselves: Staten Island is beauti |
full beyond description, especially at
times, but it is not suitable for the en-
tire year. One should go up into the
hills, at least for a part Of the year, that
the ozone may dawdle through ones
whlskers. Change is good thing, and
the climate Of North Carolina has its
good points"
Once | came here along with a fall Of
two feet Of snow and mean tempera-
ture. had nothing to do with it, but
even yet tand that was better than five
years ago. the people of Buncombe
county, whenever a frost strikes the val
ley, as they profanely hunt in the bot
tom of the rag barrel for their ear muffs
murmur to themselves and begin to look
at the depot for baggage with my name
on it.
AT night, or in the shade, it is always
cool here, especially during the holidays.
Bat take the year round, facts, figures
and poorly patronized cemeteries show
that this county can easily give points
10 the field and carry off the blue satin
ribbon.
Relatively the larger part of the state
IS very near as the Creator left it in the
sun to dry. Virgin forests are still that
way after the lapse of millions of years,
md have had them pointed out to
ne with pride on that account by old
timers here. There are thousands and
thousands Of acres everywhere, and no
where will you see thereon where an eff
ort has been made at clearing up the
and, save the unsatisfactory one, it
Gems to me, of trying to clear a farm
~ cutting down tree every two weeks
N order to get a 'possum that is con-
called in it. From the oranges of the |,
cast to the buckwhest pancakes of the
Blue Ridge; from the terrapin Of her
ropical shores to the maple strip of the
Mountains, North Carolina has almost
on earth that is good TO eat;
nd, in the language of Daniel Webster,
er skies shed health and vigor. do
ct just remember for sse whether
Webster said that or whether | quote }
rom myself, but it is good and true. -,