The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-08-30
BLOWING CROCK REVISITED.
A Sumter Visitor Tells of the Changes
Noted Since His Last Visit.

A d
your correspondent arrived safe on
last Friday afternoon at Blowing
Rock, n. C. The weather at that
time was anything but pleasant, AMI
overcoats were in demand, but now
all the disagreeable features Of the
weather have disappeared, and old
Sol is out again in all his glory and
summer clothing is comfortable.
This is a beautiful August day here,
not too hot and yet not too cold. The
atmosphere is delightful and light.
My appetite has returned to me in
full force and the way make those
chicken pies disappear is caution.
The fare is good and prices reasona-
bic. Prices at the hotels and first
class boarding houses run from SIX
to twelve dollars a week according to
location of room. Your correspond
ent has not been here since nineteen
years ago. This summer resort was
only in it's infancy at that time.
There has been many changes for the
betteer since then. Three fine, mod
ern hotels. The first you come to
is the Green Park, the next is the
Skyland hotel, and the third is the
Blowing Rock hotel. All finely fur
nished, with handsome shady grounds
and perfect walks. Then there are
numerous fine boarding houses to suit
the fancy of the most fastidious.
Also there are several nice stores,
well stocked. A new bank is i'll full
blast, started by two enterprising
young men from abroad. This is
quite a convenience for visitors as
they can get checks cashed. The
postoffice is also money order Office.
But strange to say there is no express
Office. Everything is hauled here up
the mountains, twenty-one miles
from Lenoir But this state Of affairs
won't be in vogue very long, as they
are now building continuation Of
the Chester and Lenoir road to with
in about four miles of Bowing Rock.
About fourteen miles of it is already
built and operated for grading pur-
poses. I am told that the railroad
company say they will be ready to
operate it for the benefit Of the trav-
cling public by next spring. Then
this health-giving mountain resort
will be on a big boom, when people
can reach it without SO much staging.
Though in any case the scenery Is
enchanting and ones eyes never tire
of it. When the fog does not inter
vene all the high pinacles can be seen.
such as Grandfather mountain, Mount
Mitchell, Smoky mountain, and many
others of great interest.
Then Blowing Rock proper is of it
self a curiosity. At times the strong
current of air that comes blowing up
this monstrous funnel in the rocks is
said to be strong enough to blow back
to the surface a mans hat. A few
years ago $50 the story goes) a young
visitor with perhaps more money
than brains, undertook to pitch his
sweetheart into the awful cavern to
see if the strong current would bring
her back to him. But just at the
nick of time he was overpowered
and restrained from carrying out his
diabbhcal and foolish act by some
gentlemen who were fortunately
standing by at the time.
regret exceedingly that I could
not be at home to hear DR.. c. G.
Browns lecture on his travels in
Europe, as I am sure they were in
teresting, especially TO me, what he
had to say about my beloved native
land. When the doctor kindly wrote
me from Ireland, he gave me such
glowing description Of it that it fair
ly made my mouth water to see the
dear old spot once more. am con-
fdent that the doctor had that very
thing in view when he wrote me, he
is so mischievous. But the doctor
never dreamed that I would so soon
have an opportunity to retaliate on
him. Perhaps he don't know that
am now, at this writing, i've thous-
and five hundred feet nearer to
heaven than he is
And should whirlwind watt me to
st. Peters gate
viii record the doctors name upon
the slate.
Will plead with Peter not TO turn
him down
AS I am sure the doctor deserves a
crown"