Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-01-24
THIS CLIMATE IS TIE BEST
NATURE'6 GRANDl3ST AND
BEST SANITARIUM.

An Assistant Surgeon OF The u. .
Army writes COnce rniDg The
Difference Between a Colorado
Resort And AshevilIc.
The subjoined letter was written to +
e. Carrier CT West Ashevilc by gentle
man well known in Asheville, where he
resided several years. The letter vii
interest Ashevillians and claim the atten
tion OF health seekers everyw here, as i,
shows, greatly in this city's favor, tic
difference between Asheville and a part
OF the West considered great health
resort. The letter would make an ad.
mirable pamphlet to be circulated by
Ashevillc throughout the country wher.
ever there are tourists seeking a place OF
rest and curative climate. The letter
follows:
Dear Sir:-Fort Logan is about 10
miles from Denver, Colorados capital,
and at the foot of the Rocky mountains.
Though grand and rugged, these noun.
tains lack the beauties of those near
Asheville. having practically no vegeta-
ton whatever. everything being bare
and very rocky. In fact, everything here
IS barren and dry, nothing growing
without irrigation; the farmers being de-
pendent upon their bitches for water,
even for grass. When the wind blows,
which is almost all the time, the soil,
which is dry and sandy. causes large
clouds Of dust to form which penetrates
even the smallest crevices of the houses
covering everything.
"As health resort, the climate has
been much overestimated, its claims of
advantage being based principally upon
two factors. that Of dryness of atnos-
phere and number of clear days, which,
without knowledge of the other meteoro-
logical data are not sufficient. Statistics,
as you know, may be made to prove
ANYTHING.
1T is fact that the dryness of the
atmosphere is great objection. After
being here a short time everyone exper-
fences dryness Of the throat and nose
which. together with the ine dust that
sits into the houses continually, is very
There are a great number of clear
days. more probably than at Ashevile,
hut it should be remembered that upon
most of these clear days the wind is
blowing almost a gale and the dust fly
ing in clouds, making it veiy disagree,
able to be out. And then the wind
shifts so rapidly from one point of the
compass to another; going around the
entire circle within W hours, the
south wind being the coolest and most
1.-THE most serious objection, how.
ever, particularly to one with weak
lungs or inclined to catarrhs or
rheumatisms, is the rapid changes OF
Even now in December
with the nights very cold, the carly
mornings are often springlike, warm
and mild, but within an hour the wind
comes up, the temperature drops ms
much as 20 degrees or more, and it is
winter again. Everyone has cold
nearly all fall and winter. it being i'm
possible to either clothe ones self or keep
The houses so as to meet these changes.
Il you 60 out driving it being warm and
pleasant, not taking an overcoat, YOU /
ire likely to come back in snow storm ;
xith the thermometer awav down. 1t is
likely to snow here any month in the
ear
"Thc summers would be pleasant {
nough but for the mosquitoes and hies i
Vhich are very numerous, and the fact +
hat the temperature in the sun is very
ugh, 1t being about 80 degrees higher ,
han that of Asheville, and then this =;
ontinual dust is always flying. In fact
he only pleasant spots here to tempt Q
me to reside permanently are the covcs 3
md valleys, but then you have those
Iwful mosquitoes. Even the poorer i
,eople, living i'll tents and log luts, have .
heir windows and doors screened to d
eep out these pests. n
This is very pleasant country to
lsit to- short time, having many in- g
eresting sights, and the altitude does at {
rst make it very bracing, but this brat- Y
ag goes on until one becomes very ncr- $
Gus and irritable. Nearly everyone h
Tho has lived here any length of time is
Wv 'N'tN VI HNi NouS plOSlI UllOn
Who can afford it going to lower level
very year or two to rest up. y
Those consumptives whom | have
cen here have steadily gotten worse and
am OF the opinion that. except ina very
W selected cases. the climate is actually IL
1jurious. The breathing is restricted, t
he heart is ovefworked by the altitude, a
nd the dust and dryness acting as an I
'ritant to the throat, makes it exceed
Ugly hard for even one in good health v
0 get along. r.
THE change of temperature may be D
cen at once when l say that, taking at l
andom one year, the average range in n
anuary was about 96 degrees, vary q
,g from 30 degrees below zero to Go de- D
rees above, the annual range being I
34 degrees. II
-! have been in almost all the climates p
this country and have yet to find one
'hich can equal or even compare with "
nat OF Asheville and its plateau. 1t has r'
ne most magnificent scenery, aud with
S climate, ease with which one can get :
here. etc, think. without doubt, that J,
will bc recognized the world over as a
ature's grandest and best sanitarium. is
Frank T. McrIwcther,
1st Lieut.. and Asst Surgeon, U, S. A." n