French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1916-08-24
WESTERN n. c.
NATIONS PLAYGROUND
"Land of the Sky" Finest Scenic Asset
Of the Entire United States.
Says the Observer.

I Inc SLOFm IN the western
section of the State has served to draw
the attention of the nation to the neg
lected opportunities in the mountains
of North Carolina. The tourists of,the
United States have begun to realize
that through all these years they have
been travelling to Eu 'ope and to the
West, turning their backs upon the
finest scenic asset of the country
The Land of the Sky. 1t is an undevel-
oped country and in that very act lies
its greatness. 1t cannot much longer
remain unknown and when, by the
medium of a system of good roads, it
is opened to the country it is going to
be built UP in hotels and homes and
resort villages that will rival all that
Is best-famed in u w country, in
Europe or anywhere else in the world.
The building of county roads and OF
government park roads will mark the
first step in the development of this
mountain section, but the first step
only. 1t will remain for the State to
elaborate and complete this work.
These mountains offer the opportunity
for the construction of a road that
would overshadow the glories of the
famous Appian Way. Some day this
road is going to be built. 1t will dis
regard county lines and will not be
Influenced by political pull. 1t will be a
broad highway of permanent construc-
ton and it will wind owe and around
the mountains, skirting the gorges and
waterfalls and taking advantage of all
the better scenic opportunities. Fol-
lowing the construction Of this high
way there would spring up along every
mile of it's course the variety Of villas
and hotels that have made Europe
famous and the coming into existence
IF these resorts will populate the State
winter and summer with tourists not
alone from the States, but from all
parts of the world. Western North
Carolina would become the Nations
playground. That, in fact, is what the
Creator designed these noble noun
tains and lovely valleys for. The park
sections are not suitable for agricul-
ture. This Is conducted mainly in the
valleys and the recent flood demon
strated that this is an unsafe occupa-
ton. The opening Of these great play
grounds depends or the building of
roads that will make their every part
accessible and as we have said, the
final development is an enterprise that
will devolve upon the State itself.
The first question that naturally
presents itself in connection with the
building of this modern Appian Way
is as to where the State would find"
the money. And also naturally, the
first suggestion would be an issue of
bonds. But bonds need not enter into
the calculations at all. The State has
resources of its wi that if applied to
kha -nrrnnnnNk lor0l0n~oonk 80 SIC oct
mountain asset would be ample to &C.
complish the work on the scale OF
magnificence that is demanded. The
State owns twO-thirds of the stock OF
the North Carolina Railroad Com
pany representing an original value
of So, 200, 900 and this it could sell to
day for $6,000,O0O, or two for n 1t
owns 1866 shares of stock in the At
lantic & North Carolina Railroad Com
pany for which it could get 81, 200, 900.
This money applied to the develop
ment of western North Carolina would
be sufficient to build the permanent
scenic highway and establish an in
vestment that would in the course of
a few years bring far greater returns
than the income the State is now re-
ceiving or could ever hope to receive
from the stock. OF course instant OBJ
would be raised to the sale of
the States stock at this time at any
price, but the day is coming when the
people will be giving serious consid-
Grafton to a proposition along this
very line, or one quite similar to it.
While the man who might get up in
the next legislature and advocate such
a proposition would be regarded by
many of our people as a fool. the nexe
generation would quite likely hold
him in estimation as an inspired
prophet, a man of WISDOM but a
few years in advance of the time
Charlotte.