The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-28

curves switchbacks and dangerous
places are being eliminated. No
curves of the new road will have
a radius of less than 100 feet and
at no point will the grade exceed
eight per cent. Two tunnels will
be constructed where the topog-
raphv offers difficult problems
and where it is desirable to pre-
serve natural beauty.
This road meets North Carolina
highway No. 107 at New Found
Gap which connects with highway
No. 10 at Ella, few miles east OF
Bryson City.
Work is also under way on the
Soco Gap road, which runs from
Dellwood, near Waynesville, thru
Soeo Gap to Cherokee where it
connects with No. lot. This
stretch is around 20 miles in
length. offers a new North Caro-
lima entrance to the park, and
shortens the distance to be travel
led from Asheville by few miles.
Another project is in progress a
few miles west of Bryson City.
This is the Deep Creek road, q
dead end. but one that will lead
the tourist into one of the most
beautiful sections of the lower
park area. The road will termi-
nate at the old Bryson place where
one of the principal park tourist
camps. will be bnilt.
A network of trails has been
built throughout the park. These
provide for the movement of for
esters and their equipment when
fighting fire and give the hiker a
chance to get about with less diff
ficulty.
Last year, the government de-
cided to maintain the CCC camps
in the park and since July has
been steadily increasing the num-
Der of young men in the area. In
July. there were 1900 in the nine
camps. The total number of camps
is now Is and 5000 are at work
in them. In a number of instances
camps from less clement climates
have been moved into the park
area.
Some of these units have been
constructed with a view toward
permanence. Reservoirs have been
built and water has been piped
hundreds of feet to some of them.
Buildings are sturdy and artistic.
1t is assumed by many that the
Great Smoky camps will be occu-
pied as long as the government
has them anywhere in. the coup-
try.
The principal work of the men,
berS of these camps has been trail
building and forestry.
The Great Smoky Mountains
National park will comprise 427,-
900 acres of mountain land, 200,-
900 of which is virgin timber and
most of the remainder, fine second
growth. At present, more than
100000 acres is under the protee-
ton and administration of the Ma
tional Park service. under the di-
rection of J. Ross Eakir, superin-
tendent, who makes his headquar-
tiers at Gatlinburg.
The chain of mountains which
make up the Great Smokes is the
most massive mountain uplift in
eastern America. Along the divide
for more than so miles runs the
border of North Carolina and
Tennessee. A heavy rainfall stimu-
lates the growth of flowers,
plants, shrubs and trees, and bot
anists have ascertained that the
flora of the Great Smokes is the
most diversified in America, there
being Isl varieties of trees alone.
Bear, deer and many other ami
mails find in these mountains a
natural habitat. With government
protection, game is expected to
abound throughout the area. There
are 400 miles of fine trout
streams.
The main ridge of the noun
tain contains approximately 20
! peaks a mile above the sea. There