The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-10-07
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS
4 NEW PHIEANTHR0PIc ENTER-
 PRIZE INAUGUR.tTED.

hstahhshment ofa Religious Colony in the
 Mountains of North Carolina-A Delight
 full Retreat for Christian Workers
 Health, Rest and Home Comforts-It Is
 Near the Vanderbilt $i,O0O,O0O Palace.
 Rev John c, Collins Of this city is interested with number of ministers and Christian business men of various
 denominations in organizing q colony
 for health and rest and missionary ef-
 fort among the mountaineers of West ern North Carolina, MT, Collins is the
 chief promoter and agent of the enter
 prise. He statec that options have
 been secured on some fifteen thousand
 acres of land in one of the most beau tiful sections of Western North Caro- lima, Some Of the gentlemen associat-
 ed with him are; MT John S. Huyler,
 New York; MT c. N. Crittenton, New
 York; Rev. David Allen Reed, Spring 1 field, Mass. Rev. H. 1T. Kelsey. Hart
 ford, Conn; Weston R. Gales, Greens boro, N. C.; William Wanamal1er Phil
 adelphia, Penn; Rev, A. c, Dixon,
 Brooklyn. N, r.; c. A. Rowland, jr,
 Athens, Ga, and Rev, Floyd w. Tom
 kins, jr., Providence, R, I.
 The site is about twenty miles in a bee line from Ashville, N. e., and the four
 million dollar palace and ninety thou
 sand acres of George w Vanderbilt,
 and has the same climatic condition.
 The scenery is, it is believed, more
 beautiful and the water is better. Also,
 the altitude of the plateau, about 2.600 feet high. is about four hundred feet above Ashevlle. MT. Collins states that
 the plan of the proposed colony is to have a place among these mountains for temporary CT permanent residence chiefly for Christian people. ministers or Christian workers seeking for health
 or rest, and also for others of good moral
 character in sympathy with the object, There is to be missionary and educa- tional work undertaken among the mountain whites who are practically
 
 telligent class of people who heartily welcome and respond to Christian and educational influences. In the imme- diate vicinity there are some forty-three mountains higher than Mount Washing on. Mount Mitch Il, the highest moun- tain this side of the Rocky mQuntains, 1 is only twelve miles distant, and Roan
 mountain with it's hotel 6,300 feet above
 the level of the sea. the highest human habitation east of the Rocky mountains, I is another conspicuous landmark. Western North Carolina has long been
 noted as the Mecca of health seekers, It's pure water, dry air, eduable climate Cooler in summersand warmer in win 1 ter than northern, ,latltudes) make it a veritable paradise Tor those in search of health or rest.
 rk, ,p12356. N emf 07sTs9 shrdlrnmmmmfl The location is about twenty hours by rail from New York city and the round trip expense is about $3o Parties leS~- ing New York af 4.So p. m. would b. comfortably settled in this mountain ternoon.
 The plan of these gentlemen includes the setting apart of the center of this tract of land as a settlement where the beginning of "a well-kept little city will be made. A mountain lake fed by spring bursting out of the Blue Ridge mountains will furnish the waiter sup
 ply. Generous lots of nearly one-half acre will be set aside and long leases given at a nominal sum- All profits from sale of land will be used in beau- tifying the city and in missionary and educational operations. There is to be no land speculation of money making connected with the project. A cabin costing from S20 upwards or more l expensive cottage can be built. Board can be furnished for those who desire l 1t at small sum The price of food products is astonishly low. Eggs are but seven cents a dozen, chickens ten cents each, apples ten cents bushel, mountain-cured ham ten cents per pound. Wood is sixty cents a cord, 1 lumber about half the price in this | section. Servant girls are from two to | four dollars per month; labor forty to l seventy-five cents per day and ten dod- l tdES pGI MIoHll. 1l HE lilahS9 ~ IESi | dence of either short or long time
 comparatively inexpensive. OIn fact 1t l is believed that although the expense | of travel is somewhat larger than to
 2 nearer resort the cost of living is 50 | much smaller as to bring it within l the means of even those who cannot ! spend more than a small sum on a l vacation trip, but 1t also makes 1t pos sible for many in failing health or in l the first stages of pulmonary disease to have the advantages of climate which is simply wonderful as health | restorer, together with congenial asso- ctations.
 1 The country abounds in game, deer, bear, squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, I pheasants, and the mountains will be preserved and restocked with trout, this pant of the work being in charge of Rev l H. H. Kelsey of the Fourth church Hartford who is an enthusiastic sports man.
 The soil is rich and well adapted for 1 agricultural purposes and fruit raising, and the timber is simply wonderful in variety of trees number and size. l The people are an intelligent, hearty race. Most of them were loyal to the 1 Union in the late war and cordially well come northerners among them. On the committee and among those who have 1 already taken lots are number or | southerners. as it Is a part of the pur-