Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-21

was in excellent taste and appropri.
ate throughout, except that the speak
er evidently thought that the South
ICarolinians were little touchy on the
Andrew Jackson question and freely
conceded to South Carolina the honor
of having given birth to "Old Hick-
ory." to whom Tennessee gave oppor-
ltunity. But the situation was a try.
ing one. especially under the peculiar
circumstances where there had beer
no opportunity for preparation. Col
onel kohn, however, measured up full.
!ly, as in every other similar occasion
during the trip. He expressed due
appreciation of all the courteses that
had been extended by the good people
of Johnson City, and although he did
not refer to Andrew Jackson, he took
occasion to review the fact that Rob-
ert Y. Hayne of South Carolina, was
the real father of the c. c. & o. route
and did much to contribute to the
eventual realization Of this splendid
railroad. To the old soldiers he said
that his father fought on the other
side and did the best he could. You
also, no doubt, did the best you could
have no congratulations to offer and
no apologies to make. I still believe
my father was right However, we of
South Carolina are as proud of this
| Union as any Of you, and we yield to
no one in our patriotism and loyalty
Also we are proud of the evidence of
appreciation that the government has
shown in the erection of this splen-
did home" Colonel Kohn talked for
about ten minutes and when he closed
he was enthusiastically applauded;
but as to what extent the inmates of
the home may have Joined in 1 am
unable to say.
johnson City, a Growing Town.
Johnson City is a pretty little town
in the beautiful Watauga valley, with
an altitude of LOO feet, The people
claim $4,000 population; but to state
| these figures as being accurate in the
| face of the fact that census reports
| are to be published soon, would be
| rather risky. There are quite a num-
ber of handsome churches, residences
| and business homes, the streets are
paved and the side walks cemented in
| the bushes part of the town, and the
| general appearance of things is fresh
and bright. But our party remarked
many bad odors, especially down about
the railroad where our train was sta
| toned. We spent two nights in the
city, the first close to the heart of town
and the second on the outskirts. The
night on the outskirts was rather more
agreeable. Iron making and wood
| working form the basis Of most Of the
city's manufacturing industries. 1t is
surrounded by a splendid agricultural
section, highly developed, however, and
there seems to be no question of a
substantial basis of healthy growth.
Out Of Johnson City the railroad
continues north through and across a
series Of wide and fertile valleys, then
ascends the Holston river through
mountains similar to those to the
| south, but not quite so high. The
scenery continues beautiful, and in
addition to fourishing crops Of corn,
| buckwheat and tobacco, we saw many
herds of cattle and sheep, indicating a
most intelligent and prosperous popu-
lation.
The Great Natural Tunnel.
Passing several thriving towns, we
finally came to the Virginia and South
Western railroad, at Speer's Ferry,
just beyond a tunnel -eighths
of a mile in length through Clinch
mountain. This tunnel is the longest
on the whole route. In all there are
thirty-five tunnels and their aggregate
length is something over six miles.
Here we were transferred to the Vir-
ginia and South Western railroad to
| take a side trip to the Great Natural
| Tunnel" one of the features of the
programme. While waiting for an
engine to make the transfer, we had
some time to study the surroundings,
which needed considerable study. for
we had been turned round and mixed
up in such a way that it was difficult
| to fix our exact location. The mouth
| Of the long tunnel was in full view on
| the other railroad, Clincn mountain
sloping backward from the opening to
an immense height, with what looked
| like a wide roadway running straight
up it and across the top. The mean
| ing of this road was puzzle to every
| body as it was certainly Impossible
| for a horse and looked too steep even
| for a goat. Some of the smart ones
| facetiously pointed it out as the point
| where the north and south automobile
route crossed the mountain; but after
while we got official information that
| the railroads right of way was along
| the surface of the mountain, and the
clearing was for the purpose of estab-
| fishing the same. Other objects of
interest were several suspension foot
bridges across Clinch river. They were
mere ribbons of steel banistered with
the same material and looked scarcely
| wide enough for two people going in
opposite directions to pass.
Didn't Know About 1t.
With the exception of Col. Kohn,
| there was not a man in our party who
had an idea of what the great Natural
| Tunnel looked like, and he would not
tell anybody, because he preferred that
all the curious should be left to get
orig nal impressions. The fact is that
some of the excursionists, who had
gathered the impression that the c. G.
| & O. had taken in all the wonders of
| this wonderful country. were inclined
| to intimate that this tunnel trip was
mainly for the purpose of killing lit
| tie time. But later everybody was
willing to apologize for that. The run
from Speer's Ferry to the tunnel was
| eight miles up a bold creek known as
"Bursais Rum" through a wild canon
equal in scenic grandeur to anything
we had gone through except probably
/