The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1897-09-01
For the Ledger.
An Interesting Letter From Op
timus Who is Visiting in
the Mountains.

tern North Carolina and as ,'Old
Hickory OF the Enterprise" saws,
"runn'ng over the blue hills and
drinking the pure crystal waters
of this noted region. To give Il
detailed account OF what we have
seen would he too great IN un-
dcrtaking-but upon a whole our
journcyings and sojourns have
been very pleasant and of much
interest. We have found it SO
pleasant in the country encompass
ed by Lincolnton, Newton, Con.
cord and Hickory, that we have
not carried out our intentions of
going on farther to the land of
the skies, embracing Blowing
/ Rock, Linville Falls. Round Knob
Ashville and other interesting
| points.
We find here some fine crops,
and many orchards ladcncd with
luscious fruits. The many large
stacks Of straw along our line Of
travel, Indicate that there has
been Il large crop OF grain made
in this country and YOU see on
every high way numerous wagons
and teams hauling wheat to mar
kct which is now bringing one
dollar per bushcl. You can hear
the Woodman's AK ringing in the
forest, telling trees, and the keen
whistle of the saw mills as thev
convert the logs into lumber ready
for market, and see many wagons
moving it to the lumber yards on
the railroads ready for. shipping
it. The lumber business is one
of the leading industries of this
region and the price of lands is
largely governed by the amount
of it's timber.
The mountain towns here are
very different from ir South Ca
rolina towns. Their trade rs
largely barter and it is very no
ticeable feature in business that
wagon load after wagon load is
sold or exchanged for goods and
no money changes hands. The
people seem satisfied in exchang-
ing their produce for goods, but
they can get ready cash for lum-
ber and wheat, whenever they
want it and you find that this
country will compare favorably
with othersin its cash circulation.
Of the towns, we visited, we
were more favorably impressed
with Hickory than the others.
1t has thrifty people who dwell
in pleasant homes and some of
modern architecture and very
tasty, numerous churches of
the latest designs, some magnif-
cent high school and college build
ings of which it's citizens are just
ly proud, handsome bank build
ing and town hall and one of the
best Inns in the up country. 1t
has many industrious establish
ments that add much to it's annual
business. Among these you find
its tobacco ware house, construc-
ton companies, lumber yards and
Hickory's pride, "The Piedmont
Wagon Works" " A friend carried
me through the works and showed
me the improved machinery, he
ginning with the machines that
handled the wood in the rough
and following it mp until every
thing about the wagon was com
plete and ready for the painter.
In the painting rooms you find a
dozen skilled worKmen putting
the finishing touch on THE Pied
mont Vehicles" The capacity of
this plant is sixteen wagons per
day, which are being sold every
day in as many states. Any one
who has never visited plant of I.
this kind will find in it, an eye
opener, and a thing that will we'll [
repay the visit. While in Hick- !
Ory we had the pleasure of dining