The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-29

take a cross country road by
Gewansyille we decided to come by
the Buncombe road. This is one
of the prettiest roads we nave
travelled. For several miles we
SKIRT the western foothills Of Paris
Mountain through a fine rolling
farming country. It is very pic
suressile and especially pretty as we
cross the Saluda river in the noun
ttains: The same Saluda river we
crossed on the western end of the
bridge at columbia and again be-
tween Lexington and Chaplin. Then
we went around the head OF it to
get to this point. 1t rises Just west
Of Saluda, n. c.
When we had reached the pref
test part of the mountains, we
came; to an old residence by the
side of the road. A Mr.. Hightower
who told us his father built the
house so years ago. 1t was for
many years a stopping place for
rich planters from the low coun-
try with their wagons, carriages,
outriderS and retinues Of ser
wants. Mr.. Hightower said the
road was very old one over which
all the freight for Western North
Carolina was handled many years
ago. Thursday we overlook a big
fu1sfitureA van heavily loaded with
household goods and two trucks
loaded with fruit and groceries GO
ing from Greenvine to Asheville.
BY the way, the booklet that is
published by the Greenville Cham
Der OF Commerce is a very wonder
ful representation of Greenville's
manufacturing and trade activi-
ties. But was surely surprised to
see it shipping fruits and groceries
TO Asheyille by trucks. Especially
as much of the road is anything
but good. The beautiful road by
Mr.. Hightower's house was prop
erly topsoiled when built several
years ago and he called my atten-
tion to the importance Of doing
work right. Said he gave the COM
nlissioners all the sand they needed
from his creek bottoms which had
been ruined by a flood several years
ago, and ..just look what a road
it made. . All tie way up we
could see the value Of the use of
the right: kind of topsoil Where
it was used the road was hard and
smooth. Where inferior soil was
used the road was. cut ap and has
constantly to be dragged and often
reshaped.
From right at the North Caro-
lima line the road is had until we
have skirted Summit Lake and
passed Tuxedo on the Southern
Railway. Then in a few hundred
yards we came to a new hard sur
faced road. seemingly built en-
tirely OF crushed rock and extend
ing on to Hendersonyille
Mr.. Hightower called our atien-
ton to the Woodside park Of 500
acres Just below his place where
the operatives of the Woodside Cot
ton Mills can have two weeks out
ings every summer, coming out in,
relays that fill the cottages, and
changing every two weeks. 1t is q
great work this mill president is
doi:,g for his people
We found the road from Flat
Rock to Saluda better than it was
L year ago and not nearly so cut
UP as the Hendersonvlle-Green
vile road. From Saluda to1Tryon
it is better still, soft places being
covered with cinders from the great
pile at Melrose.
The mountains are lovely, with
about half the trees sstiH bare and
tn : dogweod in full bloom, making
patches of snow white In several
places great purple clusters of
catalpa give coloring we had
never seen before.
It was we'll that we took two
days, for the mountain road had
dried off and we were able to make
all of it but enc place without
chains and Friday and Sunday we
mad no trouble at all.
Sunday is the glorious day the
Dutch weather prophet predicted
Easter was to be- 1: was SO miles
out Of our way to come by Co.
lunlbia, Lexington, Greenyille, Flat
Rock ad Saluda, but it was worth
it in the experiences, new roads
we travelled, and the friends we
were able to visit.
Have been looking for a Dalzell
frierd who is prospecting an ap-
pie orchard, but evidently the We'd
nesday rains stopped him from
coming.
E. W. DABBS.
EDJCTAD MIC