Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-01-05

Indians generally are quiet and peace
able, except when under the Influence
OF liquor, at whic b time they all anuu-
ally engage in desperate encounters
with each other or with the whites who
may be on spree with them. But OF
late years drinking liquor is not
so prevalent among them. 1t seems
sad when We came 90 reflect over the
manner 10 which the North American
Indians have bsen treated by the whites
And yet 10 is said that a dead Indian Is
the best OF all the indians. 10 one
sense of the word this Is true, nOtwith-
standing justice and humanity have
their claims as well. 10 many in
stances the whites and Indians 10
this locality have intermarried,
had an int arestiDg talk with Mr.. j
s. Maroney, the present editor aud
owner of the Cherokee Scout, news
paper published in Murphy. His father
came here from Tennessee 10 1899 and
was the first white settler OF Murphy.
One Of MIR. Maroney's brothers, now
dead, married Martha Ann WEIGH, sister
Of Lloyd K. Welch, the first Indian
chief OF the remnant OF the Cherokee
tribe Of Indians remaining in North
Carolina and after the removal OF the
others TO the Indian Territory. The
widow, with her children, now reside ia
Murphy, and is highly respected and is
q deserving woman. Her husband died
a wealthy man. In fact, half breeds can
be found scattered q rough many OF the
counties Of Western North Carolina.
The dividing ridge Of the Unaka
Mountains is the dividing line between
Tennessee and North Carolina. The
soil in these mountains is intensely rich,
even 10 the tOpnost peaks, Infinitely
richer than the soil of the OHIO Valley,
and rich quartz rock are thicklY scat
tered all over the surface. These lands,
IL is true, are rough and broken, but
many fine grain farms could be OBJ
tained. Grain will grow on these lands
IS high as a horses back, and the
TROUT FISHING Is UNSURPASSED.
One native told me that he had caught
$50 trout in one day. The rich cOves In
these mountains are covered with cher
~, spruce pine, chestnut oak and red
OAK prime pally, with a small percent
age OF poplar aud ash. There is some
little white oak, but the quality is In
ieriOr. l have never seen anywhere
such quantities OF fine large cherry,
but the trouble at the present time is
tae insccessibiltty. There is no way
now 10 get this timber out ex-.
cept to float IL down the Jelico
or Little Suwsnee rivers, but there is
not much doubt that in few short
years railroad will cross these noun
tains, which will then make their vast
forests accessible to market The two
highest peaks 10 the Unaka Mountains
are Mcdaniel Bald, 1902 feet, and Haw
Knob, 5, 500 feet above sea level. From
tue TOP OF Mcdaniel Bald we could see
into four States, TO wit: North Carroll
ma, South Carolina, Tennessee aud
Georgia. These high knobs or peaks
are far, far above the surrounding
mountains and valleys. We stood en-
raptured with the view obtained
from the giddy heights OF
Mcdaniel Bald. Had 1 the genius or
descriptive powers OF some Sreat
writer's, l might possibly give some
faint idea Of this enchanting aud be-
witching scene. Far below US lay the
long and numerous lines OF mountains,
ridges, spurs, valleys aud streams, with
nothing To- obstruct the vision but the
blue misty distance. Like threads OF
silver in a roee Of emerald the streams
wind their devious way through the
mountains, shimmering and slitterlng
in the sunlight. Here nature
stands forth 10 unveiled love-
illness and grandeur. 10 what
ever direction the eye may be
turned one can behold pleasing Gimp
OF wooded or rocky knobs, towering
mountains and the lovsliest rivers, cas-
cades AID brooks. How unspeaka0ly
grand, fascinating and wOnder-insDir
ing is this lovely scene. One can almost
relaize all that be has ever imagined OF
inde6nite space and intermina0le
length. On the right and on the left,
forward, backward or upward, In what
ever direction the eye may wan
der, there Is magnitude
OF height and dimension pre-
sented By the mountain ranges and
an extent OF natural prospective really
amazing. The intelligent visitor can
never grow weary OF behOlding and ad-