The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-07-11

| SSH4LCh carly eAiiN iiN>-'J
we're made to penetrate the
mountains with this method of
About 1886, Robert Y. Hayne,
hat prilnant South Carolln.an
VINO had routed Daniel webster
lin debate, headed company
v hich planned the building of a
y abroad from Cna"le-tJn - On
c.ru2ti by way of Western North
! | aronna. Whatever success
night have attended this enter
prise, it was cut short IN 1859,
wnen M. hayne, who had come
20 Asheyille to attend q meeting
O. the organization. was taken
III. He died 4 few days later,
@ld the t,IJ ~ tire -uu,r,.l pa ~
down the mountain had to be
made by wagon. Great difficulty
was experienced IN taking his
BODY over the rougl way without
disaster.
GREAT GUFFERI|G FROM
GRO FAILURE
Goa failures ~ IT, iroIntG'A
area caused . &C. suffering flom
shortage Of com here. r he lad
Cn!v 1T $3.50 : buSh"l, when dol
l@r: we're almost Unknown. and
1t q time when crops rotted in
fields fdI .GLr est for wan OF -
market, brought : more poignant
leaIiZGt!on Of the needs for bet
ter.ng transportation.
Stage coaches were in use for
many years on the mountain
roads. and these furnished one Of
the most picturesque modes Of
travel ever seen on roads any
where. As early "a 1928, regu-
l2r trims were made between
Greenvi,.e, Tenn, and Greenville,
S. c., q distance of more than
$50 miles. with many inns and
tarerns along the way where the
travellers might seek refresh
ment or nights shelter. Con-
cord. OF Albany coaches were
used. and these were swung on
leather braces, for easier riding
There wa accommodation for
nine passengers inside, and space
beside the driver for others. y
boot on the back provided space
for trunks and other baggage.
The driver carried a long m
horn which he blew as the stage
coach approached its stopping
places. that the inn keeper might
be advised of the number he
would have to entertain. Charles
ton and other places further
south advertised special arrange
ments for those who wished to
make the through trip to Flat
Rock. Hendersonville and Ashe-
vile, insuring them against anv
lack Of seats when the coach
should make stOpOVerS at Green
vile, s. c., or other way towns.
This mode of travel was contlnu-
ed until about 1880.
The mail was carried over
these same routes, bv men who
had contracts from the govern
meit. made after bids had been
submitted. :,
The railroad was completed
from Spartanburg to Henderson
vile about 1882, but the upper
French Broad valley was still
without transportation facilities,
except by coach or wagon tram.
An enterprising citizen, in an at
tempt to better conditions, OBJ
tanned charter and secured
skilled men to build small river
steamer to ply the waters from
a point lust above Henderson
vile to Brevard. Congress ap-
propriated $4,000 to clear the
river of shoals and give the YES
sci freer passage. Jetties were
also built in the stream on the
upper portion, to deepen the
channel. Heavy rains alternating
with extremely drv weather made
this attempt an unsuccessful one,
and it was abandoned within a
few years.
Shortly after 1910, the move
for better roads to accommodate
the newly developed motor travel
centered attention on this mode
of travel as a more hopeful mearS
of conquering the hitherto mac
cessible places. Grades on the
mountain roads were greatly I'M
proved, and the road beds SUP
faced with sand and clay, then
came the hard surface of one
sort and another, until TODAY The
network of concrete gives an
etsy approach to almost every
cove among the peaks and ridges.
A never ending procession of
swiftly moving automobiles car
ries countless thousands into cv-
erv section. The market once
reached by the slow trip afoot
or nv the wagon train in its
months journey is nov BROUGHT
to the very doorstep by motor
vans, and the airplanes heard
daily coming into airport or land
mo field is no longer a strange
sight.
And so it has been $50 wears
of MANY and wonderful changes
in modes of transportation over
the Blue Ridge rountains OF
Western North Carolina.
CITY LOSING LANDMARKS