The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-06-15
THE EDITORS AT HENDERSON
VILE.
Special Correspondence Ocala Banner:
Asheville, N. c.. June z, 1906.

nave they received more cordlal nor
delightful welcome.
The people of that beautiful little
city outdid themselves in their hospi-
tally to the editors and left nothing
undone to make our stay with them. a
delight We We're met at the depot by
the mayor of the city, Mr. A. H. P
King, Mr.. w. A Smith, president of
the Appalachian Interurban railroad;
Mr.. j. NJ. Barrows, associate editor
and manager of the. French Broad
prominent citizens of Hensdersonville.
We were at once driven to the Blue
Ridge Inn, where a splendid dinner
was served
Before having dinner short walk
was taken to the court house, city hall
and near by points, and some beauti-
full views of the city were seen from
the top of the elegant court house.
A pleasing incident of the dinner
hour was the arrival of Mr.. Thomas A.
Edison, of Orange, N. j., at the Blue
Ridge. Mr.. Edison, with several OF his
IIlcn, Two duUOHiGDlItS anu
a complete camping outfit are touring
the mountains of North Carolina
searching for cobalt. The arrival of
Mr.. Edison created a great deal of in
terest and the news that Americas
great wizard was in Hendersonville
soon spread all over the city. and
large numbers gathered around the
Blue Ridge to catch a glimpse of the
great man and to look at his machines.
Mr.. Edison is very simple and
unostentatious gentleman. He was
dressed in an ordinary camping suit
of yellow linen. He was most genial
and cordial and seemed quite pleased
with the welcome he received. He was
introduced TO all the editorial party,
and was very cordial. He was asked
by one of the lady members of the
party if he would pose for a kodak
picture, asd replied that it would give
him great pleasure to do so, and went
outside of the hotel and stood by his
machine while the picture was taken.
Mr.. Edison is a splendid specimen
of manhood and it is matter of uni
versal regret that he is growing quite
deaf. but otherwise he is strong, Wig
Orous and energetic
After dinner splendid carriages were
provided for the party, and a most
beautiful drive of three hours was en-
joyed, the trip including a drive
through the city and TO some of the
surrounding mountains.
Our escorts on the trip were Mayor
King, Colonel Smith, Mr.. j. NJ Wal
drop, secretary of the board of trade;
Messrs. w. H. Barnes, c. G. Brooks, w.
S. Garland and Others.
Hendersonville is in the very heart
of the mountains and is an ideal place
to spend the summer, and is each
season growing more and more popu-
lar. 1t is surrounded by the magnifi-
cent peaks of Tryon, Pinnacle, Sugar
Loaf, Craggy, Chimney Rock, CLASSY,
Hebron, Pisgah, Shaking Bald noun
tain and many others 1t is an unusu-
ally attractive little city, and its citi-
zens are very progressive. There are
three large hotels, the Gates, the
Wheeler and the Blue Ridge, and many
excellent private boarding houses. Its
altitude is 1900 feet, and it's popusa-
ton considerably over two thousand.
It's climate is beyond campare; the
scenery in every direction is perfect
| ly superb, and the pine covered noun
tains which surround the city restores
the i'll to new life and vitality.
The pure mountain spring water is
delightful both for drinking and bath
ing purposes, no finer water being
found anywhere.
We were first driven to the Laurel
Hill park, which has a club house,
race track, artificial lake, baseball dia-
mond, tennis courts, etc, and is quite
a lovely spot. The mountains and hills
are covered with daisies, laurel honey
suckle, rhodendrum and other beauti-
full flowers in the widest profusion,
and the beauty of the mountains is al
most fairylike. The views from the top
of the mountains are exquisite and the
cool air is most delicious and re-
freshing.
The Crystal Spring, the Cascades
and many smaller falls on Laurel Hill
are lovely and the drive in it's entirety
was a most beautiful one.
On the way we passed many beauti-
full residences, notably those of j.
Caldwell Robertson, j. c. Reed, ]. NJ.
waldrop, Capt. j. w. Wofford, Col. w.
A. Smith, Mayor King, W. A. Garland,
G. E. Brooks and hundreds of others.
| At the conclusion of a drive that will
ever be a pleasant and memorable one
to the editors, we were driven to the
Southern railway and left for Ashe-
vile, arriving here at o'clock. Tues
day morning the Asheville board of
trade chartered a special car and gave
us a three hours trolley ride all over
the city, President Randolph and Mr..
Berkle accompanying us on the trip.
Asheville is quite cosmopolitan city
of about $4,000 inhabitants. 1t has
beautiful houses, magnificent hotels,
and is very popular resort both in
winter and summer.