Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1906-08-24
OVERLAND
TO SALTvILLE
Tazewell Delegates to Bristol
Have a Gala Time-Brief
Account OF the Tip.

hNNOuul OF the I'D.
From Tazewell TO Saltville by private
conveyance is by no means rs laborious
and trying as one would imagine. pro-
vided the conditions under which the
trip is made are favorable.
With a good team, an easy carriage.
congenial company and pleasant
weather, this trip may be made not
simply tolerable but absolutely pleas
ant. Under such conditions as above
set out this scribe made his first over
land trip to Saltyille last week. enroute
to the convention at Bristol.
There were four of us-Judge J. II.
Stuart, ID. NJ. Cosby, T. A. Repass, Jr.
and this scribe. JOS. w. Moss furnish
ed the conveyance-an easy carriage.
and one of the best teams on the
road.
The start from TazewelI was made
about a. m. on Wednesday morning.
Judge Stuart handled the ribbons. and
was commandvr-in-ch chief Of the expedi-
ton and 10 his good management OF
the team, intimate knowledge Of the
road and the country through which
we passed, was due much OF the pleas
ure of the trip.
Passing down the Fertile Thompson
Valley, passing well kept farms and
beautiful country homes on both sides
of the road, evident signs of thrift
prosperity and conte ntment were seen
on every land
The ascent OF Clinch mountain was
made with comparative ease. notwitb-
standing rocky and rough roads. made
more SO by copious recent rains.
Crossing the mountain one side
and down the other, our careful driver
displayed almost marvellous skill in
handling the team. This was not the
first time, by any means, that the
Judge had crossed this Gorbiddinp
mountain. Back i'm the 7O's. when ne
was a boy, he drove cattle through
these dark, dense forests, with whip
and whoop, the echoes OF which ming
led with that of the lowing herds
could almost be heard still. on noun
tain side and deep ravine. On the other
side, way down to the right, lay Little
Valley, where Tom Repass taught his
first school, years ago, walking TO and
from Cedar Bluff twice a wecl-16
miles-and SO, reminiscence was album
dant and pleasing.
Near the foot, on the other side.
lives Henry Asbury, in his comforta-
bic, If primitive log house, where he
has resided foT many years. He Is
alone, almost, now. His wife, after
helping rear a large family of boys and
girls sleeps her long sleep under the
shadow Of the old mountain. His sons
and daughters have sought homes
elsewhere, and the aged father left
alone to keep the altar fires burning
awaiting with calm resignation the call |
from tower the tide" to join the great I
majority.
Further down, at the foot of the
mountain, lives j. p. Hit, one of the
most successful farmers Of his section.
The caravan halted here for dinner bv
previous arrangement. Such a dinner
as four hungry men got and ate that
dayl Words are inadequate. Go way
mani don't talkl The table groaned
under an old fashioned, well prepared
feast Mrs. Hit and her twin daugh.
ters, splendid specimens of fine woman
hood as can be seen in a days travel
are adopts in the culinary art. ease
and grace-the entire household the
personification of Old Virginia hospi.
tality.
Dan Cosby did not hesitate to bring
out the fact, and with evident pride
that Mr.. and Mrs. Hit are natives of
his, Washington, county, where they
were born and reared. The rest of us
noted the fact, too, that they left that
county for TazewelI, and the subject
OF conversation changed. After an
hour OF rest, our journey was resumed
down the valley to Laurel Fork, and
we crossed into the beautiful HoIston
Valley, into Smythe county. Here.
hard by, are number of great ances-
trail estates. Nearby is the Carter
estate, where II. G. Stuart found his
young and accomplished wife, the rich
estates OF the TayIors. and Of w. w.
George, they call him ~Dick." over
here), and the SCOTS. Here is the old
home of DIR. Watson, the Pearsons. the
grandfather of ''Bill" Moore, the
jeweler, and who opened and operat-
ed the first plaster bank of the county.