The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-03-09
POSITIONS
PICTURESQUE AsHEvlLLE.


A.
from personal letter written by i.
L. Decker to friend. AS he is well
known by many Of old settlers and
writes entertalningly we give it space
in the Chieftain:
must say something about the far
famed and Incompatible beauty Of
Ashcyille, North Carolina. 1t is q
shining gem in the crown Of the
makers master piece. 1t is above the
sea level twenty-three hundred feet,
in the very heart Of the most beauti-
ful and picturesque region Of the Ap-
palachian mountains. 1t is 50 unlike
any place have seen. 1t isso beautl-
ful, pleasant. peaceful, and pictures
que, 20 grand and delightful that 4
can but summarize it in word as one
grand and glorious "Elysian field,
above the earth and beneath the sky.
The buena yistas we get from there
are simply bewildering, fascinating,
rhapsodizing and inspiring. Each hill
and valley, peak and promontory, each
river and riyulet seems to blend in
one grand harmonious combination Of
transcendent beauty and supreme
loycliness. II is the acme Of nature
supplemented by the acme Of art, and
! wonder that the swift waters Of the
French Broad river do not long to
linger in this enchanted spot, ! do
not wonder that my esteemed friends
Mr.. and Mrs. Patton, Of Vinita, ha-
bitually come here to obyiate the hot,
hummid summer Of the Indian Ter
ritory. The entire panorama is per-
meated with deep haze hue 50 char
acteristic Of the mountains Of Viz
glnia, but the atmosphere is dry and
balmy as the breath OF spring. IL has
the climate and natural attributes Of
a yeritable health resort for tile iii
and Yeritable paradise for the well.
1t is. moreover, q city Of dissent
mated, diversified handsome homes. a
city Of incessant clelnlincss, peaceful
ness and pleasantness. A city that !
was indeed loath TO leave, bat dear "a,
as the full moon faded beyond the
lazy heights Of MI Pisgah to the west
and the morning sun began 10 peer
over Mt Mitchell IN the east. ] had
viii great reluctance to bid adieu to
this fair, FAR famed place. and as
passed for the last time beautiful Bilt-
more. sighed and said, how beauti-
ful, how lovely, how perfect, how
grand, and how much Mr.. Vanderbilt
has done, how much he has to live for
and how much he has some day toI
leave
The country Asheyille to Charleston
293 miles, is far the most high and
hilly. The soil is generally depleted
and distressingly poor and the people
are correspondingly poor. The princi-
pal product Is cotton and the manu-,
facture Of cotton cloth The poorl
negro farmers are still in the OK team
era, and plow or rather scratch the
poor clay soil with one old mule or
gawky, gangling, steer. Sometimes a
mule and a steer are hitched side by
side a rather clumsy combination, but
commensurate with the surroundings.
There is, moreover, too much in
herent and inherited lassitude to ac-
complish any thing, and how these
poor native negroes can defeat the
stress Of apparent starvation with the
soil and primatiye means they have,
Is a mystery to me. Seeing Charles
ton is the fond realization Of a long
anxious desire. and I am highly pleas
ed TO be here. II is the only city Cf
any Importance In the United States
/ had not seen. The climate now is
ideal The city is quiet compared
with the north, but it is a delightful
place. The people are exceedingly
hospitable, obliging and courteous.
They are the persenifcStion Of polite
ness, and no one ever hears an impo-
lite or imperfect answer from the af-
fable white or black South Carolinan. /
The habitual sin" is never omit
ted. The city is full OF ancient and
historic places Of interes. and amnse-
ment. II is fun OF parks and public
squares churches and church yards,
monuments and statues: for the south
is loyal and liberal toward the proud
commemoration Of their illustrious
dead. Gardens are green, rich roses
are blooming and various varieties Of
fragrant flowers perfume tile air, while
busy birds I'm the trees with the
melodies Of their happy songs
FRANK L. DECKER.
March 6, 1904 Charleston, 5. G. /
New Barber shop.