The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-18
BEAUTIES OF
TENNESSEE
POINTS OF INTEREST MADE
SACRED BY THE CIVIL WAR.

OF the tamous Battle Above the
Clouds, Under Generals Hooke,
and Walthall--Picturesque Scenes
Along the Tennessee River.
| Written fol- The Tribune.
& TRANGERS arriving at Chatta.
IN nooga naturally desire to know
something OF those points of in.
terest made sacred In the eyes of many
by association with the terrible bat.
ties of the civil war, and they seen
like legion. 1t would be a vain tasl;
to undertake in one letter anything
like complete description Of them.
Lookout Mountain is eighty-five
miles in length, with level plateau
extending south, coming to a narrow
point at the north end called Point
Lookout" overlooking Chattanooga
and the Tennessee river. Its elevation
Is $500 feet above sea level and 1,75O
feet above the city. Rising, as it does
higher than the surrounding noun
tains, 1t affords the finest view in the
south if not in the country and the
world. From it's summit. like Moses on
Mount Nebo, one may view the wealth
and beauty of the promised land
| stretchirs, out into seven states.
AS seen from the city, it stands like
some giant sentinel guarding this
Gateway of the South" 1t seems so
| near. every line and seam of rock is
distinctly visible in this transparent
| mountain air that the visitor can
| scarcely credit the answer invariably
given 10 his inquiry, give miles 10 the
| Point, and yet, IL he attempts Gas
| many do) to climb the mountain on
| root, he is ready to eXclaim. long before
| II" reaches the top, that the half has
! not been told Once upon the sum
| nit, however. he feels amply repaid
| Tor all the effort or expense incurred
| in the ascent.
This historic landmark. whose very
foundations once shook and trembled
with the thunder and clamor of war.
in the famous battle above the clouds
under Generals Hooker. and Walthall.
NOV. "a. 1868, has smoothed his
Wrnkled 'front.'" its rocks and gOrges,
its cliffs and caverns no longer rever-
berate with the rattle of musketry and
the thunder of cannon. '"rhe white
tepts of peace" are spread out below
1t in beautiful homes, numerous col
leges and seminaries. public schools
and hundred churches, their spires
pointing heaNenward, besides other evil
dences of the thrift and Industry of ths
progressive people who compose the
New South.
VIEW FROM POINT ROCK.
No pen has, nor ever will. adequate
picture the sublime and inspiring view
to be had from Point Rock" the .jut-
linS promonotorS of massive stone
which fairly overhangs like a balcony
the valley of the Tennessee river ia
the days be clear taS ,raS our good
icrtunc) one can discern the very high
lands ana mountains of the states of
Tennessee, Georgia. North Carolina.
South Carolina nnd Alabama being
relatively near, and those of Virginia
anu Kentucky in haHy outline against
the northern horizon. You can follow
Win your eye the silvery gleam of the
btautiiul Tennessee river. frnged with
forest and field, until it is spun out to
a mere thread ami is lost to vieW Far
below us. so far that we grasp Il sup
port Tor fear we may diXHily plunge
over the awful precipicc, 1850 feet be-
loW, Or nearly sixty times the fall from
irving Cliff, HonrSdale lies the busy
city OF Chattanooga. which is dwarfcd
ny the eagles eye view we have of it,
INTO mere dots upon the surface of the
world below us. The smoke of her
furnaces and factories un,: the distant
hum Of her wheels form a charnine,
contrast with the rcpOse OF the moun-
tains and valleys around here. The
great Tennessee river, fed by its water
shed of 10000 square miles, nearly en-
circles the city as with n silver band
giving four miles of river front, With
no point more than one mile from the
center of the city; not only a thine, of
beauty but of immense practical yalue
ana in this double sense. Il JOY forever. |
The river at this point is 100 feet or
one-third OF mile wide, and its wind j
ings forms the Indian Moccasjn |
Bend with its almost perfect outline |
of human foot. presenting, i'm grass
and grain, in fruit and garden, pleas |
ing picture OF rural life
Turning our gaze from the valley |
we see range upon range of mountains |
away into Alabama on tho
south and with Georgia and North |
Carolina on the east. the whole picture
and cultivated valley, of city and farm
Ire, perhaps unequalled in America,
10 the south, ana about one mile dis
tant, Is the famous Sunset Rock"
from which point an elegant view is
had as the sun sets behinds the West
tennessee mountains, while about a
hundred yards southwark are a pecu-
liar formation of huge rocks which
gives 1t the name of the Garden of the
Gods Sign boards on the trees direct
to Damon and Pythias. two immense
boulders standing near each other and
connected at the top by a rustic bridge.
Next comes Basin Rock" which is
used by visitors as e card receiver
Across the shoulder to the southeast
mile distant is the Natural Bridge. "
an immense boulder "a feet long and %
'eet high, the shape of a bridge. mn
lelneath which is a famous spring of
'lear crystal water which quenches the
-hirst of the many pedestrians who
visit here. Next comes large rock of
peculiar formation and shaped like a
nam, known as the "Old Man of the
Mountain quite similar, though
smaller in size, to the profile" found
Profile Lake in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire.
CHIcKAMAUGA BATTLEFIELD.
Turning to the right can be seen the
amous Chickamauga battlefield where
he bloodiest of all battles of the civil
var was fought-that perpetual me-
lOrlal to the ValOr of North and South |