The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-18
THE NEWEST WONDERL. AND
ON TOP THE Blue RIDGE
A Little Sketch OF a Country of Unsurpassed Beauty
Newly Thrown Open To The People of America,
and Some Other Things
n. =. W~ittserspOOn. News and OBJ
server tan

America" SAID the very polite con- |
III. tor of tn. &. G.. a . railroad ~ |
I.t,us Bostic. The ear platform |
If TIE train VAS crowded with those !
=, gaze at the most beautiful scenery |
and note the construction Of
Americas most wonderful railway.
zach one held his or her place. almost
untionless. until the crest Of the
,,lue. Ridge was reached.
Hard indeed it is to tell the most
interesting things Of the climb, 50
con,,an,iy changing is the wonderful
panorama OF nature spread out on
every side. Had a person forty ayes
there would be pleasure enough for
Zach optic to behold.
Camp or the Patriots.
After passing Marion the first point
o. more than ordinary human interest
Is SEWER. Here the redoubtable
colonel Of Kings Mountain fame
gathered his doughty warriors from
the hills that roll Enthusiastically from
there back to where old Roam divides
the two States. Here these men. ac-
customed to taking a bead over the
barrel Of an old nnt-rock rifle and
bringing down with each crack the
game that at that time was SO pfen-
ttfuI gathered for service On
the spot where they camped the first
nlsnt. DtlOfe HldECDIDs SOuIHWdTQ TO
meet and vanquish the terrible Tarle-
ton md his cutthroats and the brave
Ferguson and his veterans and turn
the tide for freedom has been erected
, beautiful little modest shaft. Here
also is al elegant little railway station
and the evidence of the awakening Of
the people TO the opportunities that
transportation has brought to them.
when Might Was Right.
II VAS earned from a descendant
ii one Of these bold warriors that the
original rallying ground was back Of
IAnville mountain at the 'tOld Fields
If Toe" on the Toe river. Here
Every year the children of these men
gather in annual celebration and re-
count the deeds of their doughty fore
fathers. Thus is one Of the most in
tereSting events in Carolina history
kept alive in the minds of those near.
est. y near relative Of one of tbs
McDowelrS relates an incident in the
legendary history of the hills hat i
of much interest. 1t is said hat tn.
McDowells and the Erwins both look
ed 1t the beautiful vale of the Second
Broad and both families would fair
have taken up their abode in this fer
tile part of what was then NO Man,
Land The place must belong to tn,
ona or the other. Both families
chose their champion wrestler am
Mcdowell won the fall. And so w,
have Mcdowell county here. TIL
Eryins. it is said. then pitched hei
tents in the fertile vale along the hea,
waters of the Gaia wba: and their de
S~cendants are still eaders of Morgan
ton and Burke county, as Will as tn
new county of Avery.
On up the north fork Of the beau
tiul Second Broad slides the elegan
RAt 4 -
built that there is scarce a SCUM
and no liability of S~easickness anon
tn. passengers from h eOnstaT
rocking experienced on most Mort
arolina RAILROADS. Linville Falls sta
ton Is passed and the great loop
made, going several miles arOund an
coming back on the other side of tn
valley To within a few hundred yarG
Ut where you started. But the a:
cent of the Blue Ridge has begun, an
now may he witnessed what is probs
bly, "A little bit the finest piece of CT
gineering that man has yet been alb
10 accomplish. Skill, patience, merry
tid millions of money are here con
hined. Mountains are split in two /
cuts that are as great gorge Fiftee
times the train burrows itself und'
the ridges into darkness and out in
daylight before Mount Mitchell static
tIcIuS up IN u
4 passenger related a funny little il
cident. The road master VI the lii
ON A trip one day noticed hat t.
sSna had no thumb on his rig
hand. My good man" said he
an sorry to see you have met Wi
IN accident" Don't worry b
mat. cap'n," replied the faithful er
p'pye. Il wore this thumb off pOin
lhs out the beauties Of the Blue Rid
!" the passengers"
The Wonderland Route.
Tunnel number fifteen now. and t
uiin IL slowing down for MOu
Mitchell station. Here is waiting
~: hack and two sturdy sleek muf
ia mop four passengers. not n
Whom is in the least bit wearit
Wearincss is forgotten here. IT h
p"en left far below the foot Of t
over Hills of Otteray." Four mi
I'll the most scenic road in the VOL
thead. At every bend of the TO
~eS'l'"ations Of awe burst forth at t
~" splendor and majest? Of the hi
llttt JntCln Oyar haro +, tl,A loft