The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-06-29
BIG STONE GAP.
INTERESTING LETTER BY MRS.
S.W. THACKER,
To a Friend at Richmond. Va. De-
ncribIng the Beauties and Mat
ural Advantages OF the Gap.

With pleasure the POST publishes
the following letter, descriptive OF
Big Stone Gap, recently written by
Mrs. S. w. Thackcr to friend at
Richmond, Va. Her Richmond friend
read the 81. n. Walker" that went
the~rounds of the newspapers Q short
time ago, and in refutation OF the
slanderous statement, sends Mrs.
Thacker's letter to the Posi- for pub
LEGATION. The following is her letter
I wonder if you really wanted me
"to write all about the Gap" and
still more ! wonder if | can DO it, for
it is all wonderful, rich in resources,
and gloriously beautiful! can tell
YOU OF the weather, any way. Last
week there was SNOW on the outer
ridge of mountains which surround
us, and while looking up at its daz-
zliny Wilderness We almost shlvered,
down at our feet here in. the valley.
bathed in the golden warmth of an
ideal spring sun, the violcts, anemon-
es, forgetmcnots and other wild flow
ers were blooming with almost sum
mcr's gladness. y fcw hours later
tho the cold wave which put snow
upon the mountains struck rs ~ a
hail storm, but even as tho stones
were falling, the clouds i'll the west
were parting, and almost as soon as
the hail ceased beating the window
panes, all the air was bright and
clear: the storm was over, aud the
mists that rolled up from the noun
tain sides were white as the wings OF
an angel of peace, and climbed up to
receive goodnight kiss from the
sun before he hid behind the cverlast-
ing hills. Today is not clear enough
to let the youths and maidcns try
their fortunes with looking glass at
the we'll, but it's just tho day for a
walk not too warm hut just tempt
ing enough to make one finger along
the roads and enjoy the peeps over
garden fences which show, even now,
the bright greensss of the coming
vegetables, for almost everybody here
has garden, tho he mountsin
farms are we'll cultivated, and every.
thing almost can be raised oh them,
that is found in any other part of
Virginia west Of the Tide water belt.
But cannot describe faithfully oil
the richness Of this section. In
stead, I'll tell you OF my favorite
walk, and maybe YOU can form some
idea of the natural beauty and adj
vantages by which ! am surrounded.
Just few PAGES from-smy boarding
house the dummy passes westward to
meet the l.. d. n. train; and after
getting we'll into town, the dummy
road curves eastward the s. y. x D.
station. The landscape viewed from
either east or west terminus of the
line is picturesque in the extreme,
but NV favorite walk is towards the
North. Crossing the dummy track
in this direction we presently reach
the l.. IL n. II. r., and follow it to-
war,ls,thc gap in Stoue Mountain,
that huge notch in great ridge
which gives the name to this place.
The road winds along SO as to pass
Powell River at several points. And
such pretty river with its falls and
big bouIdsrs! AS We watch it tumb-
ling over it's rocky bed, and hear the
roar of the great power that's in it,
we almost see the mills that are
promises of the near future. imag.
nation brings very close to our eyer
the many manufactures that should
be here, and that will be soon if RUN
ors can be trusted. x little further
up the road, we come to Callahan
Nose, rock which slants apparently
from the very top of the mountain
down to it's base. 1t is only a few
feet wide and the r. R.. has cut il
way quite through it. In one por
ton Of the roof Of this cut there is Al
fine vein Of coal rs was ever min
ed. The coal seam has been roofes
in, but everywhere else the walls ar
the natural rock. A little way be
yond il Bee Rock. SO called becaua
bees used to store their honey in il
Through thin also the r, r. cut il
way; and a little past Bee Rock, at