The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24
BECOMING A GREAT
MANUFACTURING TOWN
Situated in the Midst Of the Great Hardwood
Section of the State, With Ample Rail-
way Facilities A Town that
is Rapidly Coming
TO the Front.
nonnMELL COUNTY.

The nopulation of the county cannot
be less than $4,000, as the increase mas
been steady and rapid in the past hVe
years.
MARION
Is the county seat, or capital town OF
the county, located forty miles southeast
of Asheville, on the Western Noruil
Carolina railroad, and twelve miles from
the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains.
Jrnti the present time, Marion has had
lint few advantages, or such only as are
common to way stations on ordinary
southern thoroughfares, and hence her
growth. until the present time has been
slow.
This has been mainly caused by lack OF
capital to build up and develop her
great natural resources and advantages
and until the present time, perhaps lhc
lack of united effort ON the part OF hef
citizens to attract the attention of eaP-
tai seeking Investment and immigrants
seeking desirable homes. Notwith-
standing all this, there is not one I'M
occupied dwelling house in the town.
Many neat and commodious houses have
been recently built and others are now
i'm process of construction. and all ind
ready sale or immediate occupancy, Of
ten before the buildings are completed.
LOCATION.
The site of the town is on gently ele-
waited, rolling ground, composed of SIX
ridges. six RUNNING east and west and
the Others north and south Between
each of these. rapid streams bound on
their course to the Catawba river, carry
ing with them the refuse matter that
is deleterious to health. Marion has
an altitude of about 400 feet above
Sea level.
Nesting, as the town does, in the cove
or valley, formed in the shape of cres-
cent. circled by the Black mountains
and its foot hills ON the west, Blue
Ridge on the north and Lnville noun
tain cn the northeast, the location opens
fairly TO the southeastward towards the
rising sun, giving to the place, i'll the
winter months, Il warmth of tempera-
tire, that is unknown to trans-m0untain
counties north and west of Marion. The
natural location of the town is peculiar
~ attractive On the north there is a
strip OF elevated table land from any
point of which can be seen some of the
most celebrated mountain peaks of
Western North Carolina, viz: The
Table Rock, Hawk Bill, Grandfather,
yellow Mountain, Linyille, Roam, Unaca
or Unacoy. The Black Mountain with
its peaks of celebrity, Mitchell's Cling
mans Dome and Craggie. On the
south. near the town is a SMALL conical-
shaped hillock with an altitude of 300
feet above the town, called Mount Ida,
a view from which is charming. And
between these points of interest, noun
tain views of scarcely less Importance
and as charmingly picturesque if not so
grand may be had. Perhaps at no
given point in Western North Carolina
can 50 extended and sublime view Of
mountain scenery be had as at almost
any elevated point in and around the
town of Marion. The distance of these
mountain peaks rising one above anOth-
or. lends sublimity and grandeur to the
enchanting views, and maps out a grand
panorama to fascinate the beholder.
Not only is this place one that must at
tract to it the pleasure-seeker, and the
invalid in search of renewed health and
vig0r from the pure air of the towering
mountains and crystal streams of free
stone water that bubble mp from the
many springs or leap over their pebly
beds on their bounding way to the river
beneath. but the recently fortunate cir
cumstance that places Marion at the
crossing or intersection of the Southern
Railroad and the South Carolina and
Georgia Extension from Camden to Ma
ron. projected to go to the Ohio river is
destined, in the very near future, to make
Marion a great railroad centre. The
Southern Railroad runs from Salisbury
in this State via ASheville to Cincinnati,
Ohio. and western prong of the same
road runs from Asheville to Murphy,
Cherokee county, in this State.
Occupying the temperate belt on the
border of the cotton growing counties of
North Carolina, Cleveland and Ruther-
ford counties and the colder and more
elevated counties west of the Blue
Ridge possessing every variety of tine
best timber lands in the world, from vel
low poplar, black walnut cherry, ashe.
yellow pine in abundance, hickory and
the various growths of oaks, rich gold
bearing quartz and auriferous deposits.
iron ores of the finest, purest and best
Qualities. precious stones, all of which
have been found within Il radius of
from six to within fifteen miles of Ma
dion, Mcdowell county possesses adj
vantages and inducements to every class
of immigrants whose presence is desira
Bile and the investment of capital judic-
i0usly made, must prove greatly advanta-
geous to those who are seeking to better
their condition, in a country that is at
present bur sparsely settled and among
Il people who being unable to develop the
resources of their country, earnestly de-
sire to welcome others to cast their lot
among them.
SOILS.
Through this section one meets with
almost every variety of soil that can be
found in any country. The upheayals
produced in ages past, by subterraHean
disturbances and commissions of nature,
have so broken up the surface of the
country that the most of the lands are
either gently rolling. mountainous or al
luyial lands on the banks of water
courses. and ON all of these a great va
riety Of soils can be found from the
gravely gray, with red clay snbsoil.
~ Tho mulatto or black loan red clay