The Sunday globe., 1901-06-02
An Interesting Letter OF Re-
sources and Scenery.
THE LAND OF The SKY
The Beautiful Health Resorts and the Min
aral Wealth as Seen by Our AsheVIIls
Contributor in The Sections Along The Great
Southern Railroads. Land OF Milk, Homer
and lnsrhauStbIe Mineral Resources, etc.
Asheville. N. @ Nav 81

lima, which has been properly named
The Land of the Sky" Here at an
elevation of $1,000 feet above the level
Of the sea is located the beautiful and
thriving city Of Asheyille. 1t is built
among a number of high hills and sur.
rounded by lofty mountain elevations.
while rising above them in the dis
tance are the cloud circled peaks-the
highest and grandest of all the Appa-
lachain chain
In this section nature has lavished
her sublimity presenting the most
picturesque scenery east of the great
Rocky range. From the Alpine heights
OF the Beach, Roane, Mitchell. Balsom.
and Grandfather mountains the eve
can view the borders of six different
states-North Carolina. Tennessee.
Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia. and
South Carolina-With their white dot
ted villages, mountain homes and
green pastoral valleys, stocked with
herds of fine cattle and flocks of sheep.
1t has only been since the close of
the Civil War that this section of coun.
try has been brought into prominence
as resort for tourists and invalids.
Prior to that time it was only known
as a wild, healthy mountainous region.
where the planters from the low lands
or the Carolinas and Georgia spent
their summers with their families. 1t
is here that the Appalachian range
reaches its grandest height, embracing
an area Of $4,000 square miles Of terri
tory which is abundantly watered:
grows the finest varities of grapes and
is admirably adapted for raising beef
cattle, while along the foothills sheep
husbandry has proven exceedingly.
profitably, says Prof. ]. w. Powell. d.
rector of the United States Geological
Survey.
The estimated value for practical
purposes of this tract Of country ia
more than twenty times as much per
acre as the entire Rocky Mountain pla-
teau, which embraces an area of 5OO-
600 square miles Of territory. OF the
vast number of miles embraced in the
Appalachian range over two-thirds is
covered with primeval forests com
prislng many of the most valuable va
rieties of hard woods and economical
timbers. The elevations at which the
timber helts are reached are as fol
lows: White oak, 500 feet: chestnut
oak, l,5OO feet; red commercial cherry.
5000 feet, and continuing up to 5000
feet it reaches its greatest perfection.
Curled maple of infinite varieties is
found abundantly on the highest peaks.
In the valleys black walnut grows to
mammoth SIZE as also the white pop.
lar, one Of the most valuable of com.
mercial woods. Capitalists have been
attracted by these valuable timbers
and have made large investments.
which have realized large profits.
The United States Geological Survey
entered this almost unexplored sec.
tion Of Western North Carolina in 1882
and made Typographical surveys of
$3.50 square miles. This belt Of coun-
try was found to be more sparsely set
tied than any section east Of the Mis-
sissippi River, but rich in minerals.
forests, and water power. They found
the finest varieties Of asbestos, mica,
soapstone. kaolin, copper zinc, lead,
and iron in great quantities. Among
the precious stones found were rubies,
sapphires, yellow and rose garnets,
beryls, and emeralds, some Of which
were sold for 800 per carat.
Mountains of the finest white and
marble and granite without
limit were also discovered. It is claim
ed that so per cent Of the mica used in
this country is taken from the mines
Of Western Carolina. Mr.. William
Saunders, late pomologist, Of the Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture,
says There is no other climate in
this country so favored in it's winter
and summer temperature The long
genial summers and mild winters
make it the best climate and locality
on the American continent for grow.
ing the fruits of the temperate zone,
and if in any part of the United States
a climate or location can be found that
will grow grapes which will produce
wine equal to the celebrated pure
wines of Europe, it will be found on
these mountain plateaus. From one
point along the line of the
Southern Railroad are transported an
nually millions of pounds Of dried ap-
pies berries, and thousands Of pounds
of medical and commercial herbs.
Northern and Western dairymen who
have located here say they can produce
better butter and cheese than in any
dairy section of the North, East or
West.
It has been traditional idea among
the inhabitants that tobacco could not
be successfully cultivated in so high
an altitude, but experience has shown
within the last ten years that the fin
est grades of yellow leaf tobacco are
grown in these mountain counties.
Warehouses for the sale Of leaf, and
factories for the manufacture into the
best brands of chewing and smoking to-
bacco have been erected, which give
to a vast number of peo-
pie. As Ashevile is the radiating
point for this section of the State, the
comparative temperature Of the eli
mate here as compared with cities in
is here given: Geneva 527 de-
grees Fab. Turin. 531 degrees; Wen
ma, 55.3 degrees; Milan, $40 degrees;
Asheville, 55.83 degrees. The rainfall,
as compared with other Southern
points during the year is as follows
Ashevile, 4O2 inches; Aiken, 5. c.,
55 inches: Atlanta, Ca, SO inches;
Fla, 65.5 inches.
On account Of the dryness and even
Of the climate, free from
influences, together with the
high altitude, the attention Of the most
medical men in this country
and Europe has been attracted to this
location for the purpose Of observing
the climatic influence on certain dis
eases. Doctor Bartlett, Of England
who has written extensively on climat-
ic influences on diseases, says: The
climate within the mountain range OF
western North Carolina is the best on
the American continent for tuberculsr