Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-07-17
Letter from Mrs. Ribblsr.
Signal Mountain, June so.

Signal Mountain, June So.
The thermometer registers 90 in
Chattanooga and from l04 to lO8 in
other cities, and for the benefit of
persons contemplating an outing.
wish to say some thing Of this ideal
summer resort where really we have
need OF blankets at night.
Signal Point is promonitory or
spur of Walden's Ridge, 1000 feet
above sea level, and overlooks the
Tennessee river. It is nine miles from
the city of Chattanooga, and is ac-
cessible by trolley car line, also by a
macadamized road. The Inn, beau-
tiful stone structure four stories high,
is operated on the European plan.
There are many adjacent cottages.
The Inn is the property of the Noun
tain Land Company, which has its
own water works, ice plant, electric
plant, trolley line and macadamized
roads at a cost of 100000 Cars leave
the Inn every hour, reaching what
used to be Hill City, suburb of Chat
tanooga across the river, but what is
now North Chattanooga, in forty-hve
minutes. Here passengers are trans
ferred to city cars because 1t is unsafe
for the immense Signal Point cars to
cross the bridge until repairing which
! is rapidly progressing, is completed.
The trolley line has been in opera
tion less than year. The macadam-
lied road or boulevard was COM
pleted more than year ago. These
roads run parallel for short distance,
then the former makes detour up the
mountain and when next seen is on a
much higher surface. The boulevard
or pike like Tennyson's Brook, "makes
many sudden sally" ere it reaches
the foot of the mountain.
The scenery along these roads is
even more beautiful than Lookout
Mountain. the latter having lost much
of its pristine beauty, while Signal
Mountain in many places is in it's
|primeyai beauty. Mountain laurel, Of
which there are claimed to be more
than twenty varieties, and rhododen-
dron, are indigenous. here, and in
spring bloom In gorges and over
hanging rocks in wild profusion Rho.
Iiodesdron dees-@at 3 s.ssig 10 &c .tntss'
and-come again species Of flowers.
but when culled requires three years
in which to bloom. There is there
fore a movement being made for the
! conservation of this, also of the laurel
md of the fragrant trailing arbutus,
which little flower is like Gray's flow
,rs, "born to blush unseen and waste
is sweetness" The last named flow
,r grows trailing near the earth be-
leath the leaves.
Signal Point is sudden deep preci-
,ice and is a favorite resort for visi
tors with whom pleasing pastime is
| attempting to cast stones into the
liver. The insuperable barriers on
either side the river recall the words
If an old popular song, Parted for
l ,ye are we, yes parted like mountain
streams" | had never before quite
'ealized the beauty and significance of
his simile. IT'S no wonder the singer
| ;obs in the last refrain, "Why do !
weep for thee? Why do weep-for
,hee?"
Mr.. James, president of the Noun
ain Land Company, told us that the
,iles of rocks seen here are in the
IDENTICAL places where the signals
stood, hence the name. If there was
not already a "Grand View" in Ten
1essee, this seems more suggestive
now with Williams island on the left.
where the Tennessee opens her arms
% enclose acres of fertile soil in cult
vation, old Point Lookout in the dis
| tance, the sweet curves OF the river
below wheSe may be seen packets to
md from the city, conveying excur-
;ions to the lock and dam, said to be
me of the largest in the United States,
ind above US the lovely blue of the
Tune sky.
There are many guests registered at
The Inn. The Casino, spacious hall
where state conventions and other or
limitations meet and where terpi-
'chorean festivities are held is a con-
Itiguous building. q *
| A motor ride for miles along the
plateau of Walden's Ridge shows
-oads being projected at intervals to-