The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-06-14
AN EDITORS PICNIC.
The Tennessee Press Takes an Outing in
North Carolina.

last week at Morehead City, N. @. The
editors assembled in Chattanooga o.
the 18th instant. The day was pent
III looking over the city, The Rapid
Transit company placed their cars at
our disposal and took the party to
ChicamNuga Park. The Incline road
wanted so cents for the round trip to
Lookout and but few were inclined to
go.
Wednesday morning at 4;90 the party
left in their special ears over the South
ern for Asheville, N. G. AT Knoxville
Passenger Agent J. L. Meek took
charge of the party, going as far as
Asheville. We desire to say right here
that the party could not have been in
better hands. John Meek is one of the
best passenger agents in the south and
deservedly popular. He has a correct
idea that there is nothing too good for
an editor.
A stop was made at Asheville to allow
the party to see Biltmore and the Gland
of the Sky" Unfortunately the hotel
selected for our accommodation was q
Joint called by that beautiful name,
Swannanoa, but we were unanimous in
agreeing that there was nothing in
name or the DINING room either. We
slept in the hospital room, we think,
from the way the proprietor pulled our
leg the next morning. Forgetting this
hotel there is nothing the matter with
Asheville.
1t lisa beautiful city overlooking some
of the greatest mountain scenery in the
world The afternoon was spent in
driving through Biltmore and here it
was that We first got homesick. The
more we wandered around over the so
miles of road through the grounds, the
more we were reminded of home. We
offered q workman THE COMET one
year to let us drive his sprinkling cart
by the door of the residence and he ac-
tually refused-he didn't know good
thing when he saw it, George was at
home and gave the party cordial invi-
tation to visit the pig pen, hennery and
COW barn. These were all right but we
lwere hogs enough to want to see
his front yard. There were hogs
that cost 1900 each and weigh
: ed about 1000 pound each. More
than 100 fine Jersey COWS are
MIXED daily and 10 standard varities
of chickens are raised. The culls are
killed as soon as Matched and nothing
but show birds are sold. A large por
ton of the land is devoted to trucl
farming and everything that grows il
s that climate is raised in abundance fol
! eastern markets. SO far as we could
o Esee George is we'll fixed but we didn'
see any children playing around hi
grounds. After all "what is home with
out baby?"
Fortifying ourselves with an empt,
stomach rather than try to get mea
e at the Swannanoa we boarded our trail
4 at 5;15 Thursday morning and started
!, to Morehead City, or the coast. w,
had just gotten comfortably seated
and were skimming along up til,
mountains drawn by two engines at I
. lively gait when all at once we reached
period in our journey. THE COME
: representative was standing on thu
q rear platform of the rear coach whel
the engineer first found the "emer
gency stop" with his air and we grab
: bed the brake wheel to steady ourselves
/ for head end collision. There were
t. two other slight shocks and the trail
was still. We stepped off the platform
to keep from being driven back by TIN
It approaching train that we felt sure wa
coming down upon us. Our surpris
can only be imagined when we foun'
Y that our train had gone rabbit hunting
n down on embankment 70 feet high
" Being on the ground and altogether W
- felt safe and knew that our special car
we're on the track and that our part,
were practically unhurt, but we shud
dered to go forward, expecting fnt
l. many killed and wounded. The sec
j. ond engine lay downs at the foot of th
.. high fill and the escaping steam an
hot water made the air so foggy yo
: could not see anything and the engin
was painting like huge beast that ha
been wounded and was trying to &C
: away. The remarkable thing is tina
le no one was killed outright aud no on
2 was mortally wounded. The mail cler
Id had nose broken aud the baggage
-, master leaped from the car and wa
buried beneath it but was dug ont wit
" only slight bruises. The colored fire
40 man of the second engine was seriousl
Q, hurt internally. We were movin
ID through the Land of the Sky and cam
"a near changing cars for heaven.
After delay of two hours the part
y was on it's way again via Spartanburg
u and reached Morehead City about on
~ o'clock in the morning. Here it wa
f. that the business meeting was to
= held, and Friday and Saturday wer
spent there. The days were spent i
lo sea fishing, sailing, shell hunting an
le surf bathing 1t was in this latte
VS. sport that the party took most deligl
u and appeared to best advantage. Til
IL evenings were devoted to the bushes
,ooank;nr The ,,orI; o,, Ia III :, ~ 4o,o,t;,,