The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-07-29
OF
FIRST TRAIN
CELEBRATED
Many NotabIes Present For
Event - Cannonading
HeraIded Its Coming

Col. James Armstrong was sent
to Hendersonville as a repreSen-
tative of the Charleston News and
Courier on July A, 1879, when the
railroad over the mountains from
Spartanburg was opened to travel.
He was one of q party when ne
said at Charleston on the morn
ing of July 3, saw the golden
lances Of the advancing sun as
they were broken upon the broad
shield of the classic Cooper, and
the same evening was enraptured
at seeing the same sun SINK pc
meath the lofty tops OF the Blue
Ridge mountains
Among the party were Capt; D.
Topper, president Of the CharleS'
ton chamber of commerce; Coz.
w. l.. Trenholm, Maj. Arnoldus
Vanherdorst, Capt. }. c. Post,
u. s. A., Mr.. Fisher. Col. 5. Y.
Pickens, John l.. Sheppard, +. u
Gailhard, P. II. Lawton, f. }.
Gage, with Col. Armstrong.
At Columbia this group was
Joined by Gov. w. D. Simpson,
Ex-Gov. NJ. l.. Bonham, Attorney
General |. f. Yeomans, Col. r; w.
McMaster, Hon. J. d. Pope Nal
" n Gibbs, Col. John T. Sloan,
Hon. W. B. Stanley. Judges An
drews and Marshall. -,
On arrival at HehderSonVllle,
members Of the party who coulu
not find accommodation at the
hotels were guests Of the clllZehS
of the town.
Col. Armstrong describes the
scene next morning:
"The usually quiet town pre-,
scented a cheering, inspiring ana
attractive panorama. From every
direction people came thronglng,
some on foot, others III stages, on
horseback, in carriages ana Dug
gies. while some were iii OK carts
-humorously termed 'cartes de
yiSte. The youth and beauty,
spirited youth and sterling man
hood of the surrounding country
were represented.
There were men who had
charged with Lane and Scales IN
Stonewall JackSOn's corps, VINO
rode with Ransom, and who mob
ly aided in upholding the martial
renown of North Carolina.
Long before arrival of the
train from Charlotte and the
special train from Spartanburg,
hundreds wendell their way to
the station to welcome Governor
Jarvis and other distinguished
guests. As the train approached,
cannon was fired, while cheer
after cheer aroSe-somewhat IN
the nature of the familiar lnsplr-
ing Confederate cheers"
Hon. H. G. Ewart, mayor OF
Hendersonville, delivered the well
coming address, which was re-
sponded to by Col. r. Y. McAdan.
A procession then formed,
headed by Senator Terrell w.
Taylor, lead by the local band,
and a color bearer with the Stars
and Stripes. They marched to an
oak grove near the station, 1.-THE
site on corner Of Seventh avenue
and Grove street,, where a bar
becue dinner was served.
The afternoons program was
devoted to talks by Gen. L. l..
Cingman, who referred to the
efforts of Robert Y. Hayne, and
his great efforts undertaking to
build the road to the West in
1886, and it's Importance in ma
tional affairs.
He was followed by Governor
Jarvis of North Carolina, Cover
nor Simpson of South Carolina,
Ex-Governor Senter of Tennessee,
Judge John L. Moses, D. G. FoW-
Ter of North Carolina and S. Y.
Upper, and several others of the
party.
He adds that at that time Maj.
Pickens, an enterprising citizen,
had railway through the princi-
pal street of the town, with a
comfortable car for passengers,
drawn by mules.
During their stay, the party
were entertained in homes of
Hendersonville and Flat Rock. At
the latter place, Col Armstrong
makes mention of visiting two
friends, gallant Confederate army
comrades, Gen. Rudolph Seigling,
who served under Wade Hamp-
ton, the other one Of the boy
heroes of the Confederate army,
Capt. Ellison A. Smyth. These
men, he says, were among those
whom President Davis pathetical-
ly termed: "The seed corn Of the
Confederacy."