The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-27

All those who have visited MT.
Mitchell during the past ummer
must have been greatly shocked by
the change which has been brought
about in the scenery. LAUNDERING
operations followed by fire have prac-
tically destroyed the forests upon TINS
mountain n the nearby peaks Wnlch
have given the Black Mountains their
name. The dark green spruce for
ests which stretched all along the
higher easterly slopes and down into
the heads Of the coves where they
met the lighter green OF the hard
woods have disappeared. In their
place almost an unbroken area OF
charred stumps and logs,
trees, dead saplings, and bare rocks
extends from Toe River Gap, across
Clingman's Peal practically up to the
summit Of Mt. Mitchell itself.
North Carolinians have come 10
look upon this mountain (Mt. Mitch
ELY as peculiarly their own; and
though it is so surrounded by other
mountains that comparatively few
people have seen it, and fewer still
have made the arduous climb to it's
summit, yet all are deeply interested
in its natural attractions and would
deeply regret the destruction Of its
beauty or Of it's usefulness. It's asso-
citation with the labors and tragic
death Of the beloved Elisha Mitchell.
State g~eologist and professor in the
university, has made 1t q household
word In North Carolina, while its ele-
walton of Sill feet above Ia level
school boy and girl in the country as
the highest peak a. Of the Rocky
Mountains.
The Black Mountains extend from
the Craggys north to Mt. Cello, a dis
lance of some IS OF 20 miles. They
run almost parallel to the Blue Ridge,
and in one place are only separated
from it by a low gap. In this length
there are some 20 peaks owe 5000
feet high, and six over 6. coo feet. On
this range occur the largest stretch
of spruce forests in the State, a type
which chiefly belongs to the far
north and which has it's extreme
southern limit in the BalSam noun
tains, SO miles west Of here.
About two years ago what is called
development Of this area commenced.
A narrow gauge railroad was built
to these spruce forests In Yancey
County from Black Mountain station,
where a large sawmill was installed.
Already about 20 miles Of road have
been constructed and extensions are
being pushed. The line already
reaches to within less than a mile OF
the top of Mt. Mitchell. Approx
mately 1000 acres of spruce has
already been cut, wood down to four
inches in diameter being taken. The
small material is shipped out for pulp
while the larger is cut into lumber
Repeated fires have burned over these
cut-over lands, sometimes extending
into the nearby standing timbers, I'm
til the whole area seems to be re
duced to a blackened and desolatt
waste. The vegetable soil, which il
essential for the growth Of the spruce
Nos hnn~ hoC.Ovnl ond n-nciOr n
the steep hillsides has already com
menced. 1t seems very uncertain
whether these burnt areas can eve,
again become reforested with tn
spruce, and 1t Is certain that it can
not for q great many years to come
probably not within the life of thi
or the next generation.
Results.
The beautiful scenery Of thes
mountains is one Of western Nortl
Cardinals greatest assets. The car
OF visitors is perhaps the most i'm
portant industry of the region. Th
destruction of the beautiful is there
fore a serious money loss to a larg
lumber of our citizens. The estheti
and sentimental value of these gran
mountain forests ann be estimat
ed. Its destruction can only be com
pared to that of Niagara Falls, whic
has so seriously been threatened b
the development OF water power Their
and which has been SO strenuous
combatted for years by almost tn
whole American people. There
this difference, however-the fal
cannot be fully utilized without dc
stroying their scenic value. while tn
spruce forests can be utilized Will
still retaining much of their beaut
and a large part of their usefulnes
But the barring of these nlountai
sides has an even more direct detr
mental effect on the county and +,
gion. The heavy rains. which 70.
merly have been absorbed by tt
spongy soil, feeding the streams qui
slowly through innumerable ice-co
springs, will now run off the dry. hal
surface directly into the creeks al
rivers. This will undoubtedly eau
worse foods than have ever been e
perienced, and the rich bottom Ian,
along the Toe and Cane rivers W