The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-11-02

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YER first invented, and it came about
in this way: Among the first settlers
vas a shoe maker. The old wax end
was the only way known at that time
for putting soles together. The first
pair he made he struck his elbows
against the mountains on either side of
the town. He found the town too mar
row for sewing shoes and invented pegs
We only give this as received it with.
out comment.
On the Is h, at IL o'clock, we boarded
a train from Knoxville bound for
Asheville. Arriving at Asheville, we
found a train steamed up for Murphy.
We boarded it, determined as we had
been disappointed in meeting the pros
perity wave to get as nea the place the
report came from as possible. We
passed through the following towns:
Emma, White Sulpher Spring. HON
my, Turnkike, Canton, Clyde, Waynes-
vile, Haywood county, the home of
Mr.. G E. Boggs, a middle-of- the road
reforme and one of the correspondents
of THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER, also one
of toe largest apple and grape growers
of the State. We will stop to say that
he has on hand $500 bushels of ap
pies; that he took the two first pre-
miums at the apple fair in New York
a few days back.
About 8 o'clock we found ourself on
the top of Balsam Mountain, 4 900 feet
above sea level. We arrived at Sylvia,
a small railroad town. Jackson coun
ty, about nine o'clock. As we stepped
from the train, we were seized by Capt.
J. R. Love, who yanked us up the
mountain side to his hospitble home and
made US feel like one of the family for
the night.
Saturday morning, the 165h, we
were conveyed to Levels Chapel, dis,
lance about three miles, where we
met jackson County Alliance in ad
journed session.
We take occasion to say here that
we found Jackson County Alliance in
much better shape than many other
counties in the State that have bet
ter advantages. They have eff red
premiums next year on the greatest
yield of corn, wheat, oats and cabbage
from half-acre ofland. Why should not
each County Alliance in the State do
something on that line, and by so doing
stimulate the members2 They all,
with one voice, asked when the shoe
mill would be started.
We lodged Saturday night and Sun
day with County Alliance President
A. J. Long. He is not seven feet long,
but you will travel a long time to find
any better man than Bro. Long, and a
long time to find a better boarding
house for a man that is tired and loves
to eat good thinge. He makes his
own hog and hominy, and his good
wife and charming daughter, Miss
Sallie, knows how TO prepare a meal
aud serve it with the condiments.
(Young men, make note and ask us for
Bro. Longs p~ostoffica address.)
Jackson Is 4 OF the finest counties
east Of the Blue Ridge. The Allegheny
and the Blue Ridge range of mountains
cross the southwestern end of the coun
ty with their outlying spurs, render
ing the surfaceof the country generally
mountainous.
Upon Balsam Range (Which is 4 coo
feet above sea leveD extending from
the southeast to north east, is located
the line between Jackson and Hay
wood counties, while the corne range
is the line between Jackson and Macon.
Adj Dining Jackson on the north
west lies the county of Swain. The
county is unsurpassed for the magnif,
ceRce of its natural scenery, it's lofty
mountains, it's fertile valleys, it's cas-
cades and waterfalls, presenting to the
delighted eye of the observer a never
ending variety of pleasing prospects.
The soil is wonderfully productive and
is adapted to wheat, corn, oats, tobac
CO and cabbage; ia fine mountain range
for cattle and sheep. Thousands of
dollars worth ri shipped out yearly.
Millions of feet Of lumber have been
shipped out of the county to Northern
markets, but there are still vast forests
Of oak, walnut, hemlock, poplar and
other varieties untouched. Il is also
rich in minerals. Fifty tons of kaolin
is shipped daily from the town of
Sylvia to Ohio for the manufacture of
deli. Mica, gold, silver, corundum
also abound. We believe the day is
not far distant when the Klondike will
be a side show so far as wealth is con.