The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-07-03
BISHOP CAPERs' HOME.
Why it is So Hard to Obtain News
From the Bishops Summer Cot

Union, June 27.-"The desperate
illness Of Bishop Ellison Capers for
the past few days, the anxiety Of
thousands of persons for the latest
news as to his condition, and the diff
fcnlties in the way Of getting the
news to them on account Of the re-
moteness and inaccessibility OF his
summer mountain. home cannot be
fully appreciated by one unfamiliar
with all the circumstances said AL
Ian Nicholson, editor of Progress, in
speaking today of Bishop Capers' ILL
ness.
Cedar Mountain, where for years
Bishop Capers, with his wife and
family, has spent the summer, is 13
miles from Brevard, n. c. For sew
eral miles the road leads beside the
winding and beautiful French Broad,
then begins the climb Of Mill hill,
along the sides Of which for nearly
four miles the road, which is lined
with rhododendrons and all kinds Of
mountain shrubbery and trees, zig
zags; many Of the turns being so very
abrupt that though considerable dis
tance has been travelled, the road
itself is but a few feet apart At many
places the road is not wide enough for
more than one vehicle and for many
points one can look over the edge of
it to the valley and trees several hun
dred feet below.
At seven miles on the way to Bish-
op Capers' home on the right can be
heard the roar Of Connestee falls, one
of the most beautiful water falls in
that country. Then for several miles
the road leads beside the dashing,
roaring stream that at times makes
conversation impracticable, so noisy
are the waters as they dash madly
down the mountain side. This stream
is so near the road that but few
inches are allowed vehicles or they
would plunge into the mad torrent,
and this, together with the abrupt
curves, narrow roads and precipitous
points makes fast driving or driving
Of any kind on a dark night quite a
perilous undertaking unless one is
perfectly familiar with every turn.
Shortly after crossing the brook
near the thirteenth mile post at Ce-
dar Mountain, gateway is reached
over which are the words Camp
Cottage" This is the home Of Bish-
op Capers. It is located at the top Of
a high hill and is reached by winding.
drives, a most unusual and pic
turesoue feature Of the grounds being
the tremendous powders, 20 or 80
feet in diameter, which jut out at reg
ular intervals on the way up the
mountain side.
On the top is Camp Cottage, the
modest, summer home Of several
rooms.
The first summer that Mr.. Nichol-
son visited Camp Cottage was four
years ago, at the time when Bishop
Capers was taken suddenly and seri-
ously iii with pneumonia, when he
called to inquire after the bishops
CONDITION. This was about the time
that the crisis had passed, and he had
begun 70 improve, and although in
many respects he regained health, the
effect Of that illness has always since
been felt
In striking contrast the next year
when a visit was paid, the visitor
found the bishop with his coat off,
apparently about as hale and hearty
as ever, working vigorously on his
drive way to repair the damages Of a
recent storm. On this occasion the
bishop pointed out lonely pine on
Rich mountain that was almost di-
rectly in the rear of his home It was
there that several years ago there
fell the terrible lightning bolt that
killed instantly Miss Addie Tillman
and her companion, a young Episco
pal clergyman, who, with party,
had gone to the top Of Rich noun
tain to get the wonderful view that
can be had over its summit.
At the foot of the driveway from
Bishop Capers' home there was erect
ed last year nice cottage with many
modern conveniences, and here it is
that Hon. John. G. Capers recently
appointed United States commissioner
Of internal revenue, with his farmily,
spends many weeks
Across the way is Faith
chapel around which cluster many
tender associations. for it was built
almost entirely through the. ef-
forts Of Bishop Capers, and a parish
ioner residing in the community, they
building the small structure altogeth-
er with their own hands This little
chapel although so diminutive, is still
capable Of seating quite good sized
congregation. Indeed, whenever in
the past the bishop preached, and |
that was almost every Sunday during |
the summer, the building would be |
filled with the mountaineers and 9TH
ers who formed the summer colony |
ct Cedar Mountain. a very interest
ing and impressive service was that !