The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26
BY X. d. w. CONNOR,
Secretary Of the North Carolina His
tOrical Commission.


tOrical Commission.
The recent destruction of the |
Mitchell monument and the propos-
ais now pending before the General |
Assembly of North Carolina for the |
State to purchase as park, the lofty |
peak on which it stood, recalls to |
mind the incidents which led up to |
its erection. One Of those who took |
leading part in these incidents was
Zebulon Il. Vance, then young |
practicing attorney Of Asheville, who |
has left an interesting account OF
them, which perhaps may be of some
interest just at this time. Vance had |
been a student under DR.. Elisha
Mitchell at the University of North |
Carolina and admired him greatly. |
Writing Of DR.. Mitchell, Vance said:
For nearly forty years he served
the institution with zeal, fidelity, and
ability scarcely surpassed in the his
tory Of literary men. His love for
the natural sciences soon broke
through the books and the walls Of
his lecture-room, and early led him to
study the geology and natural his
tory of the State. His vacations were
spent in extensive surveys in every
direction. Scarcely a stream, valley,
mountain, coal-bed, gold field, or min
eral deposits in the State, but was
visited and inspected by him. So
early as in 1885 he clambered the
great mountain heights of the Appa-
Iachians measured their tallest peaks,
and classified the rich Canadian flora
IF their slopes. He it was who first
determined by barometric measure
ment what had often been conjec-
tured. that the peaks of the Black
Mountain were higher than those of
the White Mountains in New Hamp
shire. and his name was affixed to
the loftiest summit"
DIR. MitchcH's Tragic Death.
When the controversy arose be-
tween Or. Mitchell and Hon. Thomas
u. Clingman as TO the highest peak
Vance manifested n deep interest in
it as "a partisan of DR.. Mitchell, and
many years afterwards wrote the fol-
lowing account of it and it's fatal re-
suits:
I'm 1856 a controversy arose be-
tween DR.. Mitchell and Hon. T. l..
tlngman i'll regard to this highest
peak. The latter claimed that he had
first made known it's true height, and
that Dr. Mitchell had not been upon
this particular peak. After consider
able sparring in the newspapers DR..
Mitchell embraced the first OppOrtu-
nifty presented by the summer vaCa-
ton of 1857 TO visit that mountain
again for the purpose of verifying
his former visits and measurements
His son, Mr.. Charles Mitchell and a
daughter, accompanied him; and in
terest of science to determine the ac-
curacy Of the barometer as an in
strunent for the measurement of ele-
vationS, he decided to run a line OF
levels TO the summit based upon the
surveys Of the North Carolina rail
road. which passed nearby in the
valley. Ascending by the heat
waters Of the Swannonoa, he laboret
On his survey with his son, about two
weeks, and had progressed abou
three-fourths of the distance by Sat
urday noon of the 9th of June.
AT this point, about six hundred
Yards above rude inn built of fl
logs. known as the Mountain House
he ceased work, dismissed his son
who was his only assistant to tn
farmhouse in the valley, requestin;
him to return on Monday morning t.
resume the survey. He then left, say
ing he intended to cross the grea
range and descend into the opposit
valley of Caney river, by the rout
which he had traversed in 1874, anG
If possible, see the guides who ha
then accompanied him. He was neve
again seen alive. On Monday morn
ing the son clambered up to the ap
pointed place. but the father was nc
there. The day passed without hi
appearance. The next mornings su
found the anxious son waiting on tn
crags beside the deserted tripod, an
waiting in vain. The sun rode slowl
and tediously through the south an
west and passed the CRATES of ever
ing into his glorious couch behind til
mountain peaks, and still the fathe
came not.
"Wednesday the dismal story Wa
repeated. and by sunset of that da
all allowances for accidental delay
having been exhausted and serio,
alarm taken their place, swift foote
runners were started across to tt
other valley, distance Of full twent
miles On Friday morning they te
returned without intelligence Of I'll
good doctor: he had not reached IL
point which he had started. Now, il
deed, the worst was sure. Only OF
faint hope was left-and what
thought 1t was-that he might po
sibly be lying at the base Of son
tall precipice, mangled. bleeding al