The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-30
AN IDEAL TOWN IN
THE LAND OF THE SKY
Hust|ing, Beautifully Situated
WaynesviIIe.
ITS HOSPITABLE PEOPLE
The Home of Many Distinguished Men
Of the State.
A SUMNER RESORT GROWING IN FAV DR.
The Beautiful and Famous Haywood White
Sulphur Springs and the Handsome Ho,eIss
Newspaper Men at the Hospitabe
Home Of Major SPRINGFIELD.
ESPECIAL to- the News and Observer


Home Of Major SPRINGFIELD.
Especial to- the News and Observer)
Waynesville, N. c., June 2S.-I have
always thought Waynesville the most
beautifully situated of all the towns in
this lovely Land of the Sky" 1t is To-
Gated on the Murphy branch of the South
ern railroad, about thirty miles south
west from Asheville, and is at least geo
feet higher than that Mecca of the noun
tains, while the general elevation of the
country is considerably greater | do not
say this to draw any unfavOrable COM
parison, for the reputation of Asheville
has long been so we'll established that,
had l the desire, nothing l could say
would detract from it's loneliness.
Every foot of the way from Asheville
up to Waynesville lies through landscapes
of great beauty. 1t is not SO exaltng
and thrilling as the ascent from Old Fort,
where the great "helper" steams down
and bitches on and. with the combined
efforts of two mighty engines the passen-
ger is borne up the mountains, around
and around back and forth, but always
up, up to the very clouds, and then is
plunged through the great Swannanoa.
tunnel. Nor is the scenery so bold and
towering as greets him when he leaves
WayneSvile and tolls up to the Balsam
Gap, and then rushes down that mighty
grade, through tunnel, along laundering
torrent, between mountain peaks that
pierce the heavens, along the beautiful
Tuckaseegee and away to where rolls the
Tennessee. The scenery between Ashe-
Vile and Waynesville is different. 1t is
mountain scenery to be sure, and grand,
withal; but he does not find himself
constantly wondering if anybody lives in
this country, and, if so, where they live,
and whether if he should get off and take
to the woods bear or some other var
mint wouldn't get him. Indeed the
country is largely cleared, and instead
Of wild woods there are fields of waving
wheat ripe unto the harvest, and green
cornfields.
KALEIDOSCOPE SCENERY.
The panorama is Kaleidoscope, new seen
cry greeting every turn, and yet there is
similarity about them all. Far below
on one side the reaper leans on his cradle
and gazes up at the passing train, while
the passengers wonder how the wheat on
the other side was plowed in and why
the man who is cutting it up there doesn't
fall out of his farm and break his neck.
The train rushes on across a trestle
right over a mans barnyard the horses
and mild-eyed COWS staring up in wonder
at the phantom rushing above them; on
Of h; oh 1-
bare foot woman with disheveled hair,
where bare headed, bare-legged children
rush out and wave wildly, and the bench
legged fee chases the train for dear life;
on by thrifty, we'll do looking farm
houses, surrounded by beautiful orcards
and sometimes by -palatial summer
home erected on some lovely commanding
site.
At Pinnacle our train stopped opposite
q tank to get water that wasn't pumped
but was running into the tank through a
pipe leading down from somewhere On the
mountain. The cars stepped opposite a
hotel not fifteen feet from the track,
so close that the spreading boughs of the
shade trees brushed against the cars.
While the engine was getting water the
crew and passengers alighted with cups
and glasses to catch water that was rush
ing from a pipe driven into the ground
On the piazza was bevy of lively, roll
licking girls with whom the crew and
some of the passengers seemed to be on
very good terms. When the train started
there was a great scramble to get aboard
greatly to the merriment of the girls and
some young men lounging in the yard.
WAYNESV7ILLE A POPULAR RESORT
Waynesville is built on long ridge,
running northeast and southwest with
broad valleys on each side and very high
mountain ridges rising UP beyond the
valleys The train steams up one Of
these valleys along a stream and stops
at the depot opposite the town. The
town is full of hotels and everybody takes
boarders. At the depot are long rows of
hacks, carriages and vehicles of every de-
scription and the porters jump upon the
inoffensive traveller as he alights laden
with baggage and almost pull him in
two. He is utterly helpless in their
more than welcome.
Waynesville has come to be the most
popular summer resort in Western North
Carolina, and this IT has earned through
the real merit which it possesses judici-
ously brought to the attention of the
world. Last summer the town. was taxed
to its utmost and hundreds of visitors had
to be turned away for want of accommo-
dations. This summer the citizens feel
that they will be able to cope with the
situation. Of course first come, first