Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-05-31
A TRIP SOUTHWARK.
The Country's Improvements Noted
Where Oxen Are Still Used-Sees
First Milking Machine.

1
continued my journey, accompanied
by my granddaughter, Blessing An
drews. We were compelled to travel
by the Southern Route on account of
high water, and after an all-day's
journey thru the State of Illinois we
crossed into Indiana, where reserva-
ton had been made for Pullman
service. AS we travelled on with
electric lighted cars and velvet COW
cred floors toward the sunny State of
Tennessee 1 thought of the much i'm
proved conditions in travel compared
with those of fifty years ago, when
| came to Missouri. We crossed the
river over into Kentucky at Louis
willie, and at Danville took the Knox
vile road, and as we neared Knox
vile, where we had breakfast, we
passed in sight OF Mount Lookout,
where one of the greatest battles of
the Civil War was fought, which
helped to decide the fate of the Con-
|
crossed the Wheeling road at Morris
town, following up the Tennessee
line till we intersected the French
Broad River, at a health resort call
ed Paint Rock.
In moving up the river we could
see a wonderful exhibition of over
hanging rocks and projecting peaks,
rendering it necessary to zizzag back
and forth across the river many
times from Paint Rock to Asheville.
The bed of this road has been blasted
out Of the mountain-side.
We arrived at Asheville, n. c., at
$50 p. III. where l have nephews
and uieces by the dozen, which as
sured US OF our good care and COM
fort during our stay. When l was
last in this place, fifty years ago,
there we're possibly 500 inhabitants,
with three or four stores and business
places. Now. think of it, not less
than 10000 with all the modern i'm
provements ana city pretentions-
banks. churches, and railroad i'm
provements beyond limit.
After a day of rest, we were taken
to visit the palatial home of the Van
derbilts, which is located about four
miles south of Asheville, across the
Swannanoa River, thru the town of
Biltmore. Among other things of in
! terest we were shown thru the dairy
of 125 Jersey cows. The dairy is
equipped with all the modern i'm
provements for taking care of the
milk. Here we saw our first milking
machine in operation, which not only
milks the cows but carries the milk
thru a long cable across the street
to another building, and after sepa-
rating the cream from the milk
empties it into large cans without
the assistance of human hands. We
also visited Grove Park, the finest
resort hotel in the world, built on the
mountain-side of Asheville, with golf
course down in the valley. At Valley
Park Hotel, which is built upon q
high elevation overlooking all the
city of Ashville, we are able tc
review the palatial Vanderbilt home
From Asheville we went Il
Waynesville, which is summer re
sort, about thirty miles southwest Of
Asheville. This place is located a
the foot of Mt. Jurahsha. Big lum
Der camps are here, where lumber il
furnished for the building of United
States ships. Oxen are still used il
E these camps, and also for farming
Eagles Nest, resort hotel, is built OF
) the mountain-top, $3.50 feet up
Plenty of bear and deer are still t,
be found in the old Ball and Balsol
mountains.
> At Waynesville I visited some o
my old comrades in my company o
the Confederate army. Among thos
saw were Dick Moody, Jerry Allen
: Will Messer, Tom Muse and Rub
Law. l also met - Suamyam
5 whose sister, married in the earl
I days, and was best man at the wed
ding, I visited the old swimming
hole where l had crossed a thousan
i times when barefoot boy on a foo
= log with the aid of hand-pole. TIL
log has been replaced by an iro
bridge, and as 1 took a walk acros
the bridge to the Sulphur Spring
l. where had drunk so many times bC
y fore, the place, thought, could neve
|, have been recognized on account {
i the improvements.
e During my stay my health did nc
permit my visiting as much as woul
have liked, but I made special effol
to visit the familiar haunts that wei
d so dear to memory, After our n