Henderson gold leaf., 1911-08-10

| pOintment-amOng them being Edi-
/ tor H. G. Martin, of the I.enoir News,
who was host of the press cOnven-
ton, land an ideal one he was too,
alert and indefatigable in bis efforts
to see that everything went right
and everybody had u good time)
and John Sheriff., the doomed-to-life-
servitude secretarytreasur+r rf tn
North Carolina Press Association,
and their wives, together with Mrs.
NJ We had to bide our time and go
next day to Blowing Rock, the Boone
trip, leaving Blowing Rock the same
morning, being all that we were de-
prived of. But that it was worth
while" | have every reason to believe.
| was told what had missed until
felt like giving that Lenoir livery
stable man an extra cuSsin'-behind
his back. The whole country side
turned out to do honor to the Occa-
sion, each one, man and woman, old
and young trying to outdo the other
in seeing that Boone suffered nothing
by comparison with any other place
the strangers had been or might go.
But how much they suffered in
"vittles" destroyed is a story that
never will be told.
Here | am going to draw on the
Charlotte Observer for the following:
Boone, a village of about four
| hundred people, lies in a green, fertile
valley which will become the scene OF
busy development once a railroad
has been built. Here at
Boone were the real mountain people,
sight for all who may have been
misled by the muck-raker or grating
refOrmer to see. They were rich in
health, contentment and simple
abundance, at least. An organizer
who formed a Watauga county farm-
ers' union at Boone this same day
said afterward that the Watauga
| farmers made one of the most intelll-
gent and disappearing audiences
he ever addressed"
OF the Linville- -Edgemont trip from
Blowing Rock | will let the same
staff writer tell the story for me.
Why bother to write myself when an
other has said the thing SO much bet
ter than can? Then too did notgo
by way of Edgemont on the return
trip, Mrs. Manning and | setting our
! faces still further nOrthWard, into
Tennessee Farewells were said Fri
day night and early Saturday morn
| ing before we were astir those who
| had gone the entire mountain trip
(quite a number all told) left us at
Eseeola Inn and departed for Edge
mont terminus of the Carolina q
Northwestern Railway on the home
ward Journey But to the article in
question:
Returning to Blowing Rock, from
Boone) those members OF the party
who could finish the trip left next
day for Linville over the famous
Yonahlossee road. Through twenty
miles of rhododendron, laurel and
heavy forest this road circles high
toward the point where Grandfather's 8
upturned face of rock stares at the
heavens forever. One last graceful
circle and the travellers were looking
out over the valley of Linville river
in what was until recently Mitchell
county. Here, at four thousand
feet above sea level, are delectable
greens such as the lOwlands in North
Cardinals latitude can never know.
Central in the picture is Linville Inn,
having All annex plcturesquely
weatherbOarded with chestnut bark.
There are many peOple-seemingly
| they include all who ever stopped
here for any considerable length OF
time-who regard Linville as the
most delightful spot in all the noun
tains. Marveling to find Linville Inn
almost full when other mountain re-
sorts were just open for their first
few guests, the party was told by
these Linville visitors that they con-
slider Linville such a good thing as to
render undesirable the taking OF any
chances on a stay. Golf, fishing in
trout streams and lakes, Grandfather
mountain and altogether exceptional
accommodations are among Lin
ville's assets as a resort. It's nearest
railroad station is Montezuma, two
miles away. 1t will be the capital OF
the new county Of Avery, changing
it's name to Newland Cfor Lieutenant
Governor NeWland, of LenOir), If the
contest with Montezuma and Elk
Park goes its way.
Having thus gone nOrthward from
Lenoir to Blowing Rock and Boone
and from Blowing Rock westward to
Linville, the party now turned their
faces down the mountains south
ward seventeen miles to Edgemont,
the northern terminus of the Carolina
} & Northwestern Railroad. This turn
pike, promoted by the Carolina /
Northwestern, represents the most
J substantial construction and the
most impressive engineering work o1
any seen. Its curves along the faces
OF tremendous cliffs are marvellous to
! behold. Members of the party tC
} whom the Alps and the Rockies are
= familiar agreed that here Is one O
: the most wonderful roads in the
3 world. Yet such is the skill OF con
struction that grades are easy and
safety assured throughout. A truly
I new village whose resort possibilities
/. are very considerable, ended with the
a newspaper men, women and children
} on board train again. lt Will De
r memorable trip in recollection and il
: should be even more memorable II
= results"
: We felt somewhat lonely after the
: departure of our friends, some OF th'
e best fellows and finest women iii th'
t State, choice spirits with whom assO
e citation is a pleasure and an inspira
s tion always, but with the truest o
y friends and best of travelling compan
t ions still with me, in pursuance OF 1
i purpose formed before We left hom
It 1 was ready to nail the legend lex
= celsior" to my banner and go forward
e to johnson City, to take trip owe
r the Carolina, Clinchfield 4 Ohio Rail
/. road back into North Carolina.
t Apprehending that have alread:
consumed the space allotted me,
,f halt is called for the present.