The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-07
AMID THE CLOUDS
ON JUNALUSKA
A Splendid Drive to the New
Eagles Nest" Hotel.
A PEEP INTO FOUR STATES
Scenery That is Said to Surpass That
of Switzerland,
A DEsCRlP TON OF THE SUPERB HOTEL

A DESCRlP TON OF THE SUPERB HOTEL
Waynesyllle's Greatest Pride and Her Chief
Glory is Her Graded School. Many Sum-
mer Visitors Now in North Caro-
lima Mountains.
Staff Correspondence News and Observer.
Waynesville, N. c., July Close by the
sidewalk in the heart of the town of
Waynesville there stands post on which
is a large wooden hand, the size of a
travelling case, pointing to the top of one
of the tall mountains to the west Of the
town. On this sign board are written in
large letters: Eagles Nest, 5000 feet
elevation" The purpose of this is to call
the attention of the visitor to the hand
some hotel built on one of the Junaluska
mountains of the lBalsam range. If he
pauses to read the sign he will be ac-
costed by a hackman with, Captain, if
you are going up the drive l would like
TO take YOU" 1.-The drive is splendid
ly graded road winding back and forth up
the mountain with very steep grade. 1t
is five miles in length from the town and
was built a few years ago by Messrs.
George H. Smathers and S. G. Satterth-
wait at a cost of over five thousand dol
lars.
The pleasure seeker who comes here
and doesn't take this drive certainly does
very foolish thing. My friend, Mr. Lit
tleiohn, and I did the wise thing. We
drove a bargain with a livery man and
ordered the turnout to be ready for us
early the next morning. And sure enough,
the next morning as We came in from the
mineral spring to breakfast, there before
the door sat the colored driver, staid and
solemn, behind q pair of handsome large
bays hitched to a carriage.
The first mile lies up the valley along
the ripping Richland creek, which winds
close beside the railroad track, on by the
beautiful grounds of the Haywood White
Sulphur Springs, through fields of ripe
wheat, green corn, and tempting orchards,
through whose branches We catch glimpses
of thrifty looking farm houses, to sign
board pointing up the mountain which
says: THE Great Junaluska Drive, Az
Miles to Views"
Here our road turned abruptly to the
right and then began the ascent. 1t is
very steep and the driver was obliged
several times on the way to stop and let
his horses pant. Half mile up is tall
gate and near by farm house. Our APP
proach was observed by the watchful
keeper and by the time we reached the
gate a neat looking, rather handsome lass
stood by our carriage holding out her hand
with "seventy-five cents pleased" The
money was dropped into her hand and she
unlocked paddock with its large rafting
chain, opened the gate and stood modest
ly by while we passed through.
These turnpikes are common in the
mountains, where the roads are largely
built by private capital and it requires
considerable money to keep them UP. We
passed hands at work on the road who
are kept constantly at work just as hands
on railroad.
The road is very much like the last part
of the road from Lenoir to Blowing Rock.
If you have seen one you have seen both.
The mountain side is heavily timbered
with majestic trees of every kind of hard
wood known to this mountain section, IN
terspersed with laurel, rhododendron,
spruce, ferns and all kinds of wild flow
ers. The chestnut is in great profusion.
We were soon plunged into the heart OF
the forest, winding back through lovely
ravines around bluffs that looked danger
Gus, and along gentler slopes. We could
see water gushing out almost anywhere,
and now and then a beautiful cascade. At
various stages there were watering
troughs right beside the road and little
streams ripping down the mountain side
pouring into them. Our driver was very
kind, telling us the name of any shrub,
plant, or tree, answering all sorts of
questions, and stopping as often as we
pleased to gather shrubbery. BY the time
we reached the top of the mountain we
had the carriage so full of bushes, grass
and stuff that there was hardly anywhere
to sit OF course when we got back to
town we threw it all away.
AS we climbed, the mountain the foliage
was so thick that it was impossible to look
back down upon the town whence we had
come and on the beautiful view beyond,
but there were stages where slight
opening gave us glimpses of different
views. At each of these places there were
sign boards telling us the names of the
views These boards are a grand idea,
for, they are not only instructive, but they
/ prevent the pilgrim from missing the
sights. The first board read: Horse Shoe
Bend" the next one. First Look Out
See Pisgah!' and the finger pointed to-
ward that lofty peak looming into view.
The next sign board said "Caney Fork
Ball and Great Divide" and there before
us like a panorama lay the long valley
along which ran the railroad up to and
through the Balsam Gap, the highest rail-
| road point east of the Rocky Mountains.
J On further was board with this inscrip-