The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-01-25
City Of The Sky.
To the Editor of The Republican.

City of the Sky"
Ashville, the capital of the historic
county otBuncombe was formed in 1871,
situated IN the Blue Ridge plateau.
Ashvilie has a population of $1,000 IN
Guiding suburbs Cosmopolitan in its
make up, progressive. liberal and given
toShospitality.
The assessed value Of city property
is 513, 600, 10000. City taxes are re-
stricted by law to ST. 80 and state and
county to Sl00 on the $4,000.
Ashville is reached by the Southern
Railway. The altitude of the city is
2250 feet and mean temperature, So
degrees. Ashville water supply comes
from the slopes of Mt. Mitchell GIL
feet high, nearly twenty miles away,
through sixteen inch iron pipe laid deep
underground with daily capacity of
five million gallons through sixty miles
of mains, distributes water throughout
the city. The city owns the watershed
Of 1900 acres, pstrolled by wsrdens
daily to prevent tresspass on the prop
erty.
Ashville has SO miles of paved streets,
washed once a week with water under
heavy pressure and in business sections
twice a week,
Ashville Power and Light Co. has 81
miles street railway and % miles gas
mains. Electric light, and whiteway
are on the main streets. Ashville has
many fine business blocks, and an audi
torium with seating capacity of 1000.
The postofice receipts for 1915 was
nearly one hundred and fifteen thous-
and dollars. 1t also has six banks.
forty churches all denominations, six
teen school bulldogs, 5000, 900 high
school building under process of con-
struction, and thirteen private schools
The city has splendid market house,
supplied with complete assortment of
foodstuifs at no higher price than in
Northern states. There are govern
ment and city buildings becoming of
city of this size. There are many
manufacturing establishments to nu-
m srous to mention. l am told the an
nual pay roll amounts to over two mil
lion dollars.
| was surprised to see the sidewalks
in the business section crowded with
people making it difficult to get through
While on the streets l saw some farm
ers with wagons loaded with country
produce, and concluded there must be
something doing in the rural district
/ approached a farmer and on inquiry
was informed they had a good general
farming section, and grew everything
pertaining to their climate. and
challenged the states growing pine
apples. A good live stock country and
good improved land with good buildings
at $50 to 500 per acre.
Ashville is noted for its heaItfulness
as summer resort. The city CLAIMS
to have 250, 600 visitors annually. Ash
vile has several hospitals and sana-
forums, many fine hotels, and other
less 'pretentious hotels and boarding
houses. Grove Park Inn Hotel is a
large structure built of rock of all sizes
and shapes, cemented together, and no
visible mark of the masons hammer. Il
was told the cost of the hotel is $780,
GOO, it is situated on the outskirts of
the city on the western slope of Sunset
Mountain. Below the hotel in the
valley is all eighteen hole golf links
covering nearly 5000 yards. From the
aotel there is panoramic view of
mountains eighty miles distant.
AshYille has many good roads leading
out in all directions Sunset Mountain
Autoway curving the mountain near the
above mentioned hotel. extends five
and half miles from the center of city
to the summit of the mountain, 3,117I
feet above sea level and nearly a
thousand feet above the city. Travel
ing twelve miles from the city, a gate
is reached at the entrance of the Mont
Pisgash, built by the late George
Vanderbilt
One hundred men were sixteen
months building the road. FIVE hundred
tons of dynamite were used in the con-
structlon of the road. On the straddle
of the ridge is Vanderbilts summer
home 5000 feet above sea level. The
grade of this road to per cent the
man at the gate is not there to collect
toll but to restrict travel to certain
hours each day to avoid accidents. The
road is narrow and has many sharp
curves. If am correctly informed this
driveway is included in the purchase of
sc, 900 acres from the Vanderbilt estate,
for the Appalachian National Park to
the U. S. Government.
Biltmore, the estate of the late Geo.
Vanderbilt, is reached by electric cars
three miles distant The town of Bit
more belongs to the Vanderbilt estate,
and contains about 200 population iv-
ing in the Vanderbilt houses and pay
rent for same. In this town can he