Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-04-26
AN AUTO TRIP IN
HEART OF THE HILLS
Is Interestingly Described by
Mrs. Fannie Watts Beverly,
Formerly of Richmond

Mrs. Fannie Watts Beverly, O
Jenkins, Ky, formerly of Madi-
, son county, has written very in
teresting account of an auto TRIP
through the mountains of Eastern
Kentucky, which will be read
with interest by her many friends
back home" here. She writes:
To those unacquainted with the
mountain scenery of Eastern
Kentucky | wish to say that for
beauty and grandeur | believe the
scenery OF this section is unsur-
passed. | was reared in Madison
county and though familiar with
most of the scenes Of interest
throughout the bluegrass section
OF the state, | knew nothing of
the grand, imposing scenery
along the Cumberland mountains
until | came to Letcher county
about two years ago. To those
who have never visited this sec
ton of the country, will say
that a trip through it will be one.
long thrill of wonder and admi-
ration not to be experienced else
where.
LetCher county, in the heart of
the hills, is now the center Of a
rich coal field which has been de-
veloped during the last, ten years.
My husband being called to Nc !
Roberts on business, about tenI
miles from here, asked me to &C
company him on an auto trip, |
which | gladly accepted. After
preparing a noon lunch. we start
ed about six o'clock a. IN. and
motored slowly up a zigzag road !
till we reached the top OF a noun !
tain, where we had a clear view |
in ali directions for many miles.
The scene was grand and de
lightful. Great mountain peaks
grim and forbidding--in their ma
jestic beauty, towering skyward, |
on and on. till their last faint out
lines were lost to view in the dim
far distance, verdant valleys |
wrapt in silent slumber, save for
the restless murmuring of the
cool and sparkling brooks. Great
forests of oak, poplar and hem
lock and many other species OIL
timber spread before us, tall and
stately pines bowling gracefully to
every gentle breeze, their fra
GRANGE floating away on the
balmy air. Huge cliffs towering
high into the ethereal regions, on
whose SUBMITS the eagle and the
vulture may nest in seclusion and [
rear their young in safety far be-
yOnd the reach of curious adven-
turers. Truly, the scene was one
OF magnificence and grandeur
never to be forgotten.
After making some pictures of
the scenery, we started down the !
other side of the mountain and
were soon at McRoberts. At diff
ferent places along our way were
large painted signs with the
words, This road is the private
property of the - Coal Company,
and all persons not employees us
ing same will do so at their own
risk"
l asked my husband what these
signs meant and he told me that
the coal operators made these
roads at their own expense and
that they had about 30 miles of
road connecting four operations.
Jenkins, McRoberts, Fleming and
Raymond, and he further inform
ed me that Letcher county could
not boast of a single foot of hard
road of its own. | also noticed +!
posters stating that an election
was going to be held for the pur-
pose of voting for and against the
issuance of bonds for constructing
public highways throughout the
county, and | wondered whether
the people of the county would
see the wisdom for voting for
better roads.
From here we mQtored to Elem
ing, about two miles, and here let
me say that a more beautiful
piece of road than that connecting
McRoberts and Fleming I have
never cear7 On ON, Journey, we |,