The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-06-29

point where tho ~ a. IL "a HteStS I'm
IL. & n. r. r. il about the center Of
| the gap itsclf-the marrow pass which
brings the bases Of Stone Mountains
| two sections within FIVE hundred feet
of each other, while their SUBMITS are
nearly two miles apart! Now If
could only put view of the picture
which spreads out from. this point
towards the city, before yopr eyes!
On either hand becchcs, tall poplars.
birch and naples contrast the new
green Of their foliage with darker
hue of the hcmlocks: while here and
there "cucuhier" rises tall,
straight snd al,uos. lpaflcss u, dot the
green With it, white blooms. Such
blooms-tho only signs Of Gfe
about the tree, they make mp in
beauty and richness for all else, lie
outer row Of leaves IRE green and
shaped very much like our magnolia,
(mdecd the whole blossom is very
much like maynolia) next comes a
row of very fragile leaves Of yellow
ish. pink hue, like tame seen
through yellow silk tissue, and then
the creamy cup OF the blossom proper,
a single row Of thick cream-tinted
petals. The ulor when softened by
distance is very sweet. Anil all
around at our icpt: yioicts, blue, yell
low, purple and white and these are
frayrant) spread u fairy carpet with
hearts ease, walking fern and noun
tain prim roses; while Jack n-the-
pulpit, just budding out and yellow
,laflodils nod as if in approval. No
whore else 10 the earliest spring flew
ers linger so long or ~ such profns-
ion; no where else does such a dear
blue sky dip to tho horizon, for Only
the presence of mountain tops can
lend the lovely tint to the sky that
CLOVIS over Big Stone Gap. The air
too is already gay with butterflies
Haunting their gorgeous wings in the
sun, can we'll understand how
uou could lie seeing these gauzy
creatures now, but how they manage
to endure the uights hercis a prob
lem to me.
I've already heard complaint of the
heat in Richmond, but here. the days
havn't been at all uncomfortuhly
warm as yet, and the nights arc de-
lightfully cool, making one appre-
ciate to the fullest the luxury oil
blankets. So again ask show dc
butterflies live here?" They have no
blankets. But YET they are hero rs
is nearly every other pretty or useful
or good thing: and as you look to-
ward the town from the gap, you en-
claim involuntarily, Surely this is
Natures garden spot, the place
whcrcon she's lavishcd all her gift,
most generously. Man has only to
come, take the gifts offered, use them
rightly and be happy" Far over on
the South side is q "Mountain made
OF iron" ~ one Of BristoPs mer-
chants says. On the other side is
Stone mountain i'll name and reality;
on still another mountain side where
limestone is now being quarrie'l. and
below the limestone ledge is brown
stone Of the finest building quality.
And the stone lodges extend lar
more than 100 miles into AMI be-
yond the present opening. III a
short distance almost incXhaust able
coal fields are awaiting mans poses
sion. .Altho' the S. y. " o. is min
ing coal and has been some years,
thero's no signs Of failure in the VEN
and other fields have not been open
ell vet at all. All the mountains are
covered with valuable timber. The
town on both sides are skirted by
railroads which arc connected by an
extensive dummy line. Powell River
borders the eastern side of the town,
runs through it, and furnishes sthe
pnrcst water. which is carried TO
the homes Of the people by as fine a
system OF of water-works as any city
can boast of. Still further off in an
eastern direction rises barely visi-
bic peak, "High Knob on Powell
Mountain, more than 4000feet above
sea level. This. the Park Assecia
ton propose turning into an idea