Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-17
FROM EDGEMoNT TO LINVILLE
CONTINUED from First Page)


cal mountaineer. dressed in the style
peculiar to sturdy mountain people.
He did not impress one as being an
individual familiar with the ways of
the world. In his hand he held
cheap fiddle, and around the heel of
the bow was tied a piece of brilliant
crimson ribbon. After the excitement
incident to the arrival Of the first cars
had somewhat subsided he struck up
that ancient tune commonly known as
"Ole Sally Goodin'" and during the
half-hOur that the tourists remained
kept at it with more or less regularity,
to the delight of practically the entire
party, many of them, no doubt being
carried back to the days when they at
tended country dances at Christmas
time and danced the Virginia reel,
steal partners, etc, and the old negro
fiddler played that same tune from
start to finish, with no variation eX-
cept perhaps as to time, from start to
finish. Practically all the owners of
cars invited the mountaineers to take
a short ride and the invitation was ac-
cepted with such alacrity that one
driver found his car loaded almost in
stantly with seventeen persons. includ-
ing men. women. children and babies,
every available space, including the
steps being occupied. Each one that
cared to do so. and that means practi-
cally all, was given a short ride, and 1t
is doubtful If those people will forget
the experience of that occasion during
the remainder Of their lives.
The first car arrived at Eseeola Inn.
Linville. at 100 o'clock, which was ex-
actly on the schedule planned by Col
Nichols weeks in advance, and the ad
vance guard was not long in discover
ing that Manager Vining was expect
ing ii and that he was on the job. Ev-
erything was found to be in readiness
for the coming of the party, includ-
ing a roaring log fire in the huge
old fashioned fire place in the
ball room, and owning to the fact
that the temperature had dropped to
about 80 above zero that fire was the
most pleasant sight many of them had
seen since the sudden drop while out
on the mountain sides. The balance
of the party dropped in at short inter-
walls until all had been accounted for,
each party first going to the fire and
thawing out and then to the dining
room where supper was being served
Supper over the party assembled in
the above mentioned room and eX-
changed experiences of the day, lis
tened to some choice music, and pass
ed the time very pleasantly until Mr..
Donald MacRae asked for the attention
of all and proceeded to announce
plans for the next day and explain de-
tails. He announced that a party
would be made up to go to the top Of
Grandfather Mountain, about two
miles from Linville and others who
cared to do so, by complying with GER
tain conditions would be granted the
privilege of fishing for trout in Ka-
wana lake, Grandmother creek and
Linville river, and that two prizes
would be awarded to the fishermen, the
first being an automobilist's repair kit,
valued at $500 to go to the automo-
bile owner who caught the largest
number Of trout of the largest average
size, and the second a silver cup to go
to the member Of the party who
caught the largest fish. In short
time after the announcements were
made the whole party, being thor
oughly tired out, had retired to their
rooms to dream Of the trip that they
had made up the mountains or of that
to the top Of Grandfather or of draw
ing beautiful speckled or rainbow
trout out of lake and stream.
So far as known everybody was up
on time, and rather an early time, no
doubt for many Of them, on Friday
morning, the 18th, and after breakfast
everybody was on the move getting
ready for the expedition they had de-
cided on for the day. Perhaps two
thirds of the rarty, including several
Of the ladies, started out for the sum-
NIT Of Grandfather, going to a house
about two miles from the hotel in au-
tomobileS and there disembarking aut:
making the remainder Of the trip,
n nd ha1
On returning to the hotel they had
some wonderful stories to tell Of their
experiences In going up and coming
down, but stated that owing to the
haZiness Of the air around the summit
the views were not so satisfactory as
they had anticipated, and also that be-
cause Of the high wind al.i low tenn
perature they suffered considerable in
convenience, one reputable citizen as
serting over and over again that lie
broke off icicles near the top Che said
he did not go nearer than about Is
inches of the pinnacle because he felt
Ii shake) as much as six inches long.
Those who chose to go fishing COM
menced to return to the Inn along
about noon, and several of them had
hard luck stories to tell about how
they had hooked fish that would cas-
lily have been awarded the prize in the
size contest, but that just as they
reached out to take them from the
hook the fish released themselves and
went back into the water, Col. Nichols
being one of the almost t-caught-it
bunch. By 1.30 all the party, includ-
ing the mountain climbers, the fisher
men and those who had been explor-
ing the country independently of the
others, without reference to the pro-
gramme, had returned to the Inn ami
after dinner was over each proceeded
to put in the afternoon according to
inclination, some going back to the
lake and streams to fish and others re-
naming indoors by the fire, while
others still continued to explore the
valley or surrounding mountains until
sundown, when, after supper all had
once more assembled in the ball room
or auditorium, Judge G.. w. Gage
stepped out on the floor and annOunc-
ed that it was desired that confer
ence. composed Of the automobile par
ty, be held, and moved that Mr.. H. c..
Martin of the Lenoir News act as
chairman and Mr.. Howard A. Banks
as secretary. Mr.. Martin proceeded
to call the meeting to order, and after
this was done Judge Gage offered the
following:
Whereas Col. L. T. Nichols has in
augurated and executed an autOmo-
bile excursion from EdgemOnt to Lin
vile and Blowing Rock:
Now we, his delighted guests, de-
sire to express to him our sincere ap-
probation Of his enterprise in open
ing a highway over the mountains,
and Of his thOughtfulness in provid-
ing for it's enjoyment by so many Of
his friends.
Col. Nichols responded to the reso-
luton, which was adopted amid hear
ty applause, by expressing his apprcci-
alton of the sentiment expressed, and
then proceeded to explain some of
the many difficulties in building such
a road as the Edgemont and Linville
turnpike, and stated that while he was
much gratified over the success Of the
trip up to that time and fully expected
it To maintain it's fine record to the
end, that the road was brand new and
like all new roads was not yet what 1t
should be. and that it was the fixed
purpose of its builders, to continue to
improve it until it was an ideal road.
He then digressed and explained to
the audience that according to the
DreyiouS1y arranged prOPrammp eV-