The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-03-10
Mountains Of North Carolina.

1.-Two se6u Iuo SIhuu mouutolu s1o"o
of every part of our continent east of the
Sierra Nevadas, and must testify that
there is no mountain scenery this side of
the Rocky Mountains that equals or even
approaches the grandeur of the varied
views presented at Asheville, N. G. From
the southern portico of the Kenilworth
Inn can be seen fully forty mountain
peaks and domes, all of which are higher
than Mount Washington or any other
Mountain elevation east of the Rocker.
Here is a complete circle of broken
Mountains as far as the eye can reach,
with Mount Misswell nesting among q
family of undulating cliffs away off to-
ward the rising sun, kissing the chilly
breeze at an altitude of GIL feet above
the sea, and directly toward the setting
sun, more than one hundred miles dis
tant, is Mount Pisgah, with its beauti-
fully rounded dome towering over its
neighboring peaks, throwing long ahad-
ovs over the foothills and valleys below.
Such a pan ,--ua of veriegated mountain
scenery is no, . seen elsewhere in all
our boasted Blue lsidge and Appalachian
ranges, or in all the varied rugged scene
y of the White Mountains of New Eng
land.
Asheville and its surroundings are q
revelation to all when this matchless
mountain view breaks upon them. It is
now q hive of industry as we'll as the
Mecca of pleasure and health seekers in
the South. It's altitude ranges from g.
400 to 5000 feet above tide water. The
city, with it's permanent population of s..
900, is the County seat of tie famous
County Of Buncombe, aud it lie surround
I'd by innumerable. broken hills with fre.
quent sharply jutting peaks, all adorned
by beautiful residences, while across the
Swannanoa (the Indian term for beauti.
fui river) is an enchanting view of min
:gled foothin farms aud broken noun
tains.
One prominent elevation, some three
miles from the river, is the center Of the
! magnificent estate of George W. Van
derbilt, containing 1900 acres il one
body and employing from 600 to LOGO
men in beautifying it. The land alone
cost $250,000, and his improvements
/, are, so coloasalein conception as to 6nd
parallel only in the aucien. Ro,nans.
His house is in the course Of erection
on the western slope of the central
elevation, with a bewitchia; view Of
mountains, rivers, farms AMI city. It
is 400 feet in length, with solid walls of
fifty feet in height from the deer park
on the western front 60 the first floor,
and the lawn tennis court alone, with
its huge walls from thirty to fifty fct
in height, would make foundation for
the grandest of the ancient temples OF
the old World.
A private railroad some f7e miles in
length is kept busy transporting nateri
ais to the palace, for bridges roads. etc.,
and when completed the cost of the es-
tate will reach s5,00O,0Oo. There will
be 200 miles of elegant road, traversing
the Vanderbilt estate, of which 3S will
be macadsmized. and scores Of bridges
Of every conceivable, form If exquisite
architecture will add to toe beauty OF
the place. The building of the palace
will be five years task, even with
every branch Of mechaaism em.
ployed in its construction filed with
workmen This will be the most mag
ni6cent estate on the contine nt, surpass
ing tha oldest and largest English es
tates in natural beauty and with its
game preserves equaled by few in any
country of the world Colonel McClur.
IN Philadelphia Times.