The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-05
MARION'S PR0GREssIvENEss.
Round Knob Hotel to be Closed The
Gruber Family.

Marion, n. c., Nov. 3.--(Staff Core
spondence. Marion, Nesting at the foot
of the Blue Ridge, is one of the best
little towns in Western North Carolina.
The progress in development of this place
during the last few months has been re-
markable. Eight new stores and two
furniture factories have been buiit re-
Gently. One of these factories ships an
output of two or three carloads per day
They viii both double their capacity in
the spring. It least twenty-five elegant
dwellings, have been built during the past
year. There is not single vacant house
In town. but they are greatly in demand.
Several very lAne ones are now in process
of erection. Arr Wrenn, proprietor OF
Catawba Factory, is building an elegant
one. Perhaps the finest in town is a
large brick DIVE ing being built by Mr.
Charles Bobbitt
The most imposing structure which IS
being rapidly pushed TO completion is a
large opera house located by the side OF
the Eagle Hotel. 1t is PLANNED for storA IS
beneath and when finished will be one oe
the neatest in the State
Marion boasts of n complete telephone
system communicating with various sur
rounding towns. 1T will soon be extend
ed to Morganton Rutherfordton, Slel-
by and Charlotte
The travelling man will find two ele-
CANT hotels We stopped at the F'lem-
ing Hotel under the management of the
famous GTuber family. Thousands Of
people will remember the prodigies that
composed this wonderful troupe of mus
clans THAT have made many tours of the
State they wIn remember the Profes-
sor as he stood .efere his audience on
one foot and played nine instruments at
the same time without the aid Of any
mechanical continuance. They will re-
member Mrs. Sruberfs superb soprano
and the sweet voices of the children
When we saw the children last they were
small. Now they are grown young
ladies and the oldest married.
Five years ago they left the road and
went into the hotel business at Marion.
They were indeed connoisseurs as cater
and attentive to the wants of their guests
yet they have lost none of their malsical
tastes Their parlor seems to be the
rendezvous of the young talent of the
town, and every might there can be heard
sweet strains of music auId merry voices.
Prof. Gaqlber has a yuolrn three ham
dred and eightyfour years Old which he
prizes very highly. The maker of the
INSTRUMENT made only fifteen others. The
owner has been offered he says, twenty
two thousanu dollars for this valuable III
strlnment
The professor got out tlIIs violin and
gave us some music. 1t is not often in Il
mans life that he gets chance to listen
to such am instrument in the hands of Il
master. We We're permitted to take the
violin and admire its oeaaufful carving
and wonder at the hieroglyphics which
mo one can interpret.
Time has dealt gently with the Profes-
sor and his estEmable wife. Though gray
hairs adorn their heads, they are still
sprightly and yivacious
Turner the man who killed Pyatt a
few nights ago-account of which appear
ed in the Jews and Obseryer-has not
yet been caught.
There is a runor that Otho Wilson
will give up the Round Knob Hotel be-
cause it will cease TO be railroad eat
ing house, and that the trains will cease
stopping because Otho is not railroad
commissioner any more. The hotel is
sadly in need of repairs and a new coat
of paint.
III. A. CHAPPEIL.