Hickory daily record., 1922-11-01
COL. 0LDS WRITES
Of MOUNTAIN
COUNTRY

UUUN|nl
No one on earth loves the Blue
Ridge region more dearly than this
writer, and the annual pilgrimage to
North Cardinals high places fills
him with delight. BY various routes,
during the years, the Blue Ridge
/, has been crossed. The plan had been
this year to enter the region by the
new highway which links for the first
time Boone and North Wilkehboro,
but friend suggested that the old
route by way Of Lenoir might be bet
ter.
On the way to the west the writer
met on the train as it ncared Hickory
Mr.. Adolph W.. Jonas, a we'll known
manufacturer and cOmmunity-maker
of the progressive foothill mountain
town of Lenoir, which is doorway to
the mountains, like Elkin, North
! !Wilkesboro, Marion and Rutherford
ton. Lenoir is big producer Of furni-
turc, notably chairs, and in the latter
leads the south. Mr.. Jonas makes mir
rors and furniture. The glass comes
from Pittsburgh, Pa. Mirror-making
is an interesting industry. The glass
is inspected by practiced eyes and the
defects are ground out. The utmost
care is given to cleaning and to polish
| ing with rouge and then nitrate OF sill
yer is poured on and after this dries
backing of shellac is applied. The
demand for mirrors is so great it cam
1 not be met.
Ienoir will add to North Cardinals
Observation-Disclosures a $150,OO0 pub
I Tic school in the autumn; handsomely
set on hill. 1t has contracted for paw
ng to the amount Of $250,000, and AN
electric mower line is under construc-
tion to link it with Hickory. The ride
to Lenor in one of Mr.. Jonas automo-
bilcs from Hickory and tour of Lenoir
with him showed how progressive these
piedmont towns are. Lenoir needs
modern commercial hotel. Its present
one is not modern in construction but
has reputation which puts it on the
map. The town needs library. 1t has
lately made gift to it's college, Dav-
export, for young women, of build
ing which decidedly improves the
equipment. The writer met Mr.. Horna-
day, Davenport's new president, who
IL
make himself felt in the college and
the community. There is an active
chamber of commerce.. The Presby-
tcrians have just put into commission
a particularly fine Sunday school
get footing as resort for tourists,
but can do so whenever it gets the
vision Of that opportunity. A lot Of
Ill {0 u
high levels. They suffer from 1'Hon. |
so they can't "roost high" at Blowing |
Rock.
The old turnpike" toll road from
Lenoir to Blowing Rock was taken.
A year ago the State Highway Com
mission took it in charge, abolished
the toll gates and is at work to make
it scenic highway and at the same
time practical and safe. The state
bought the turnpike from its private
owners and has large force, with ma
at work on it.
It is not yet "fool-proof" highway
md a vast amount of work yet remains
to be done. At the curves there are
no safeguards as yet. The steam drill,
the steam shovel and dynamite are
doing their work to widen the road,
particularly at the bends, and this
work must needs go on; for no de-
tours are possible, and traffic and
must go on at the same
time.
After a torrid summer it is JOY
to look at Grandfather mountain from
a high level and catch the whisper of
a breeze which is like caress from
Life! And yet one feels selfish, when
alas! so many tired and sick folk in
The low country need it so much.
SO here is Blowing Rock and down
The other stretch of the old turnpike,
now a state highway, we drop 1000
feet to Boone, a village with a rail
way, even if it does lead away from
North Carolina instead of into the
heart of the state. Yet there arc pco-
pic with vision, who see ahead the
coming Of the blessed railway to
Boone from Wlkesboroby way Of Cooks
Gap, q good crossing point Of the Blue
Ridge. Some other folks consider this
merely dream. but North Carolina
can't be kept out of these outlying reg
ions in the glory of the mountains.
There are more than limitations that
the east Tennessee and Western North
Carolina railway, the one which now
ends at Boone, is to build this vital
link and change its present route to
a standard guage.
On the way to Boone a man past
middle age was passed and bit Of
odd history was told about him. He
never went to college but has quick
wit and remarkable memory. He has
;aught grammar grades for years. This