The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-06-29
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Sixth Article in Series Leading up to Henderson
County's Centennial Celebration, July 3l-Aug.
By SADIE S. PATTON

, except as a last resort. When 1t
was found that there was no other
means, holes were drilled with
steel tipped bars driven by heavy
sledge hammers as far as could be
done, usually about two feet.
Powder was poured into the holes,
hollow reeds of It'll, cane or elder
were inserted, and well secured
by having the dirt tempered
around them, then a line of leaves
or straw was laid on the ground
for IL or 15 feet back from the
tube, and when ignited, burned its
way to the powder. This was a
slow, effective way, but much too
expensive to be used except in
rare cases.
The sled had been the first We
hicle of transportation for the
Irish, Scotch and other early peo-
pie. On the farms among the
mountains, much of the hauling
was done with these. One type
was called a "go-devil'' and an
other, made from a forked tree,
was known as a lizard" The OK
was used with both these, or for
shaking" logs out over rough
places by means of chain fasten-
ed around them, and the two
wheel OK cart served for many
purposes.
The arteries used by the folk
for travel among the settlements
were not always denoted as roads ;
there were sled trails or slides,
cartways, and the mountain pass
or tote-road, over which foot pas
sengers carried their packs, pokes
or budgets.
For vehicles, going was none
too easy on the steep roads, and
brakes had to be contrived in
more than one way. Some of the
first were ingeniously made of
hickory saplings twisted around
the front axles of the wagon and
then around the rear wheels.
and another way of retarding the
down-hill progress was to cut
trees and drag them along behind
the wagons.
In 1895, the legislature of Ten
nessee appointed a commission to
act with North and South Caro-
lima in investigating the POSSIBLE
lty of building a road to serve the
three states and crossing the Blue
Ridge through Saluda Gap. By
! 1900, stockraisers of Kentucky
and Tennessee annually drove
large herds of cattle, hogs and
even turkeys over this route to
markets further south. These
drivers, herding their stock thru
here over the newly opened
roads, became the first organized
travel.
Progress was slow on their trips
and overnight stops had to be
made every few miles. Taverns
sprung up along the route, and
often several groups would reach
one of these "stock stands" the
same night. Each mans stock was
accommodated in separate pens
for feeding, and the caretakers
then sought hospitality of the inn.
keeper.
After supper the men gathered
In a big room around the fireplace
where immense heaps of logs
blazed on cool nights. They lay
in a circle of the bare floor, their
feet toward the warmth of the
fire, and so the night was passed
1 AT that time, corn was almost
the only crop raised in quantities
in the mountain area and the
feeding of these animals, as the,
stopped on their way to market
brought a welcome demand fo,
the surplus that otherwise woult
have yielded no cash return.
Needless to say, to a section
with no outside communications
IN day when newspapers wer,
almost unknown, the annual trip
of these cattle men provided grea
: excitement, and were looked for
ward to with intense interest
: This contact with the world be
yond the mountain limits furnish
: ed fresh topics for discussion an
many fast friendships were form
ed between the travellers and tn
r hosts along the way. 1
$ In the first decade of the / ct
y century, a company had bee
I, formed and in an effort to a
c tract buyers for the immen:
"A hnnp n rios of lonl ~zo,...1 L |.