Newspapers / Polk County News and … / Dec. 2, 1926, edition 1 / Page 29
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lamer * ONE unrcT ( Uiyuu i \ NORTH Club Now Has Over f During the War Bui To Red Cr the war. about 1871, pr |. M.Ahoy. a Presbyterian minister .' rtsburp. heard from a jlassing at KutfierfordlonT #( tjje " ' .'ul climate of this country, i -nil ten children, four ,( *h.>: v< ry delicate, so he let-id-1! v<- to a more equi-. sble i-!:: th in that of Pittsburg. His < . i:iu through the country ( rith t?> r .ot" horses, the carriage ad a [>-i : "f arntv mules, and the j unily - on the train, spending j early a -k on the way, the short-' The Laniei it tim? it: which the trip could be tide. land :.g at Spartanburg, the wrest railway station. In ord-r to secure the plantation i tie valley ot the pacolet, now as Mimosa, wh.ich particularattract-'d him, Dr. McAboy purwed many separate tracts of land, altered over the adjactent mouniu. The price, asked for the home rm, of 22"0 acres, was $12.50 per xe, but,- said the owner, if you will ke the whole mountain, land, and 1 about 4iH>0 acres you can have it 115 r-T o re. Why that, acording i my arithmetic would be less for j is whoh- than for the farm, said 1 f. McAh y Well I don't know how ? reck it, but that is my price, ] W th. p ciiivr. As it was cheaper | 1 buy the whole than a part, Dr. j tAboy c t,eluded to take the j euntain r w oil as the valley, withit know i:.- . xactly what he would ' *:th it, rs he had no desire to In* jtoiri. . hirh shows color all IIs ' : and could make no | ov ' the valuable timber, vd. hickory, chestnut, let-, u-h ; etc. for there was j it' ' transportation. And ex-j r '. use he did not know ;th the fruit unless he j t'd h. la western North ; it.' ; ach brandy for home j Optil,T: yi Cc'.-rbut Mills Property 'c par' rship with his son he j t 'h- ;tubus Mills property. Mills was provost l&'l ' Southern side dur^ 'A f the Rebellion, his ' bors ?.< : j to the Union, and st" aiz'-d them so by arti-ii: .mi exercising his auf 'n ; ir<] a manner, that a lr s tis the result. The lt4't. wore vengence, and a'8h*. the doctor's house *?ul'i killed him had If ' .1 Pauldo, his body int. j.- . .tied him out to his ' s'' : him under his feabed ahile the crowd was .otise, secured horses r to Spartanburg. ,is idi r< d safe for the '-is face here again. ' -libors Dr. McAboy i *' " * and Mrs. Garrison, next* plantation t e ' r, and their daugh-'rs T' T" Bal,en*er? . ' i that day and time " thf-v . , i? "r present to help u?6s i ' , .. ^ > anj perplexity. house was made of ijd j ' all stand on the open fireplaces, and tT ' ! only Dr. McAboy I r L ' ix feet, could reach F olcorr . k ,l an outside kitchr "fiut , Ktii ' nls from the house, Mjg 'ar' tone fireplace in it, a L ' b-nt forty yards furL ||4 " r'' Quarters in which oul by Dr. Mills had P 0 ] Libran OF THE *1 nn in >LUB IN CAROLINA ive Thousand Books Iding Was Given Up oss Work. lived, were built near the kitchen but the ban, was built right in front of the house, with the Highway bet UTf\QM V* _ l>o 41 1 i " i k ii uio iia i ii v ti111a ariia nre iioube because a man liked to have his barns where they were under his eye all the time. On the front porch was a large and stout Joggling board where Dr. Mills used t0 spend a good part of th,> afternoons with a little darkie to joggle htm. There was no grass but there were beautiful Mimosa trees and some ornamental shrubs. r Library Every week a big wagon was sent t0 Spartanburg to bring up supplies aud once a week the mail was brought to Columbus, the nearest Tost Office. Many Slaves On Old Plantation Many of the old slaves were retained on the plantation and Dr. McAboy became the greatest authority on the climate, the Thermal Belt and the possibilities of the country. The delicate members of his family were restored to health and many friends, desiring to avoid the severe winters of Pittsburg came to stay with him, taxing the capacity of the old plantation hous0 until it was necessary to build additions from time to time. Then a few years later, when the railroad was built, the terminus being at the Block House, three miles away. For a long time (owing to the difficulty of building across the mountins) all passengers for Hendersonivlle and Asheville, had to spend the night at Lynn, taking a stage coach for the rest of the journey, a regular old fashined coach and six, sometimes eight, horses, or mules and the sound of the musical horn used to be listened for just as one expects the whitsle of the locomotive. When the railroad reached here th,. President gave Mrs. Aboy the honor of naming the place and she chose Tryon (probably being fond of the mountain.) For a long time there was only a tiny little station house and it was several years before there was any telegraph and, if the daily train, consisting of several passenger coaches and freight cars was late, perhaps one hour, perhaps four or J five, one had to wait. The conductI or would always wait the train for Dr. McAboy, if he did not find hlm waiting and once, the last time, he found I)r. McAboy had died suddenly of heart trouble on the station platform. Ballenger a Real Pioneer Mr. T. T. Ballenger is a pioneer | of Tryon as he was one of the first settlers, building Several bulidings, I starting a store and finally building | the hotel now known as Oak Hall. There was a little union chapel built in the early days in which all denominations worshipped in Tryon. We used to all attend the services whenever a preacher was to be had, and sometimes the little place would be full of persons of all ages and several dogs which occasoinally had a fight, which made a lively time, when we would all stand on the seats to be out of the way. Dr. McAboy used to preach at Columbus on the upper room of the Court House regularly once or iwice a month, an^ once we heard a clatter on the stairway and a big pig walked solemnly up the aisle until ?r. ' / % Li K COUNTY I i Wonc : MOST ] some 0t the men In the leisurly mountain fashion, got up and drove him out. Once, in Tryon, after the Episcopalians had a little frame chapel of their own the Bishop was makinb his visitation, and the congregation, unusually large in consequence .? black snakz, wan nonn climbing around the rafters over heads of the people. The Bishop did not seem to notice it and continued the service the congregation becoming slightly nervous as it would travel from side to side over their heads, finally dropping in front of the seats where one of the men dispatched it and carried it out. The growth of Tryon was always slow, but owing to the fact of a lack of advertising it has always been a place of people worth while who loved the simple life and would recommend it to their friends. Those who knew Tryon thirty years ago with only its twenty-three nr foil*. rociHonoho mow nrnn/lor V*r?w the idea of establishing a Public Library entered the minds of its residents and the few visitors here at that with any thought of success. Hut the thought came naturally enough to the three lonely occupants of the little red octagon house who said to each other, why cannot there be a weekly or semi weekly social or intellectual gathering of the women and young girls of the village with the object of starting a town library. And i"st before the going out of 1S89, two winter guests, happening to tea, were asked the same question, and then and there was born a sudden enthusiasm which resulted in the Lanier Club as it stands today, inaugurated January 1st, 1890 to meet for mutual improvement and to procure a library for the town. Old Library Site Burned We weer t0 meet at The I>aurels, which since has burned, but stood on th, sight where Mrs. Chas. Wilsons larger house stands. Officers were elected and for five weeks meetings were held each week, when it was decided to change to every two weeks and that rule has been followed to the present time. At the second meeting, the first with a program, foreign news was given and Mrs. L. N. Wilcox, read a letter from Mrs. Sidne yLanier, and related facts concerning the poets life aud death at her home. Appointmens were then made for the following week and persons chosen "to take characters in reading Julius Ceasar, also a committee appointed to arrange for an entertainment. Duing the remainder of the winter and following spring until June, when meeting were discontinued until cooler weather, the plays of Shakespeare were read with interest and pleasure for Julius Ceasar was followed by Richard HI and Anthony and Cleopatra; nor did we confine ourselves to the plays only. Home and Foreing news given at every meeting, the history of Julius Ceasar was read, also lectures of Cicero and Mardus Aurelius and many articles improving and amusi ing. Music, instrumental and vocal, often added to our pleasure. February 19, 1890 the club decided the members should pay a fee of 15 cts. quarterly which was the first money received toward the object we had in view. In March, Mrs. Lanier sent two folumes of her husbands works, the first books in the Library. In Aprij the club gave their first entertainment in the b uilding of the M. E. Church, north, now the Erskine Memorial Church. Madams Tussands Wax Works and Tableaux of the Nations, were exhibited and were a great success. A gentleman at the Lynn Hotel was so much pleased that he presented the club with twenty dollars. We realized from this entertainment 115.20 which considering the small charge for admission and the few to draw an audience from was very encouraging Before adjourning for the summer, a third volume of Sidney Lanier was presented by a guest and it was voted to purchase a small book case to be placed in the M. E. Church where our library and future meetings were to be held. The church was furnished with the old fashioned hard benches and our president used to say that she beleived it would be alright if we tipped them just a little. We now had a number of books donated, our treasurer reported $42 and our club numbered 27 members of ages rang ing fom 14 to 70 years and all taking active part. Very soon after our adjournment for the summer, our Kentucky guests entertained the club at the Laurels, the first five o'clock tea in Tryon. The next fall the first books were purchased and April 1892 the Library was open to the public and tw0 of our young girls acted as librarians, alternately. The month we also gave our second entertainment, realizing |17. This sum was expended in books es; pecially for young people. It was J during the early days of the clab VCHIEVEMEN lerful I * . * rOPULA | that we had the honor of seeing Mark Twain Impersonated by Mr. William Gillette. In the fall of 1892 it was voted to donate the fees of the coming year to the Vilalge Improvement Asso. in purchasing land for a town cemetery and also to suspend study for the same time that all possible assistance might be given. After this date the Club met only when called by tjie President for special business, even after the Improvement Assn. had accomplished its object for it was inconvenient for most of our members to give the time but the dues were kept up and books added from time to time both by purchase and donation. Mrs. Lanier gave two readings at difference times from her husbands leters, adding much to our funds. In September, 1896 the Library, which up to that time had been in the v/uufticgauuuai v^uaitu wao mu v uu to the Fisher Block, now burned and from then we had to make several moves. until in 1899 it was moved to the late Major Strong's office. In February 1898, on account of renewed interest in club work, a desire was expressed to reorganize for more active work, the library now numbered over 200 volumes all in good ordgr and well selected. An entertainment was decided on for February 22. The La- 1 nier Club infused with new life took up their w-ork again with renewed courage. January 1900, the 1 tenth anniversary of the club, the library had been increased to 400 vo'umes, the lot fop a club house assured, there were funds in the bank, an(i the Woman's Exchange started. Then came the disasterous fire of 1904 when all the books were 1 burned with the exception of the few loaned out. We now rented a buiding, formerly H. E. Church 1 south, now used as a grocery. In ' 1905 it was decided we must have a building of our own, the necessary ' funds borrwed to add to our own ' $400 and the present building was ' movej into January 1, 1906. In the meantime we had been slowly accumulating books. On our 30th anniversary our building was nearly paid for and more than 1500 ' books on our shelves. A great ' many of these had been donated. ' The money to do this was raised by ' ontni?toinmnno o n nnoro on/1 thn OT. ' OtlLCl UlilllllCUO) OU]'|>V/ia UUU I.UV VA. change. Since that time the porch 1 has been added a well equipped kitchen establshed, and still later ' in 1918 sanitary toilet arrangements. 1 During these last years we have ba^ the Civic and Education committes which have accomplished 1 much. The club now has over 5000 books not withstanding the six boxes ) that were sent to the soldiers. During the war the building was given ' i up to Red Cross work, the members ' giving their time to that while all I club work was suspended. The La- 1 uier Club is the oldest in the state. ' There are several charter members 1 living, three in Tryon. i Play House Opened in 1895 L One interesting event to be spoken I of in the early histpry of Tryon is th buiding and opening of a play- i house in the summer of 1895. This house was built by Mrs. Dowe and stood between Tryon Lodge and the Episcopalian Church on Melrose Ave. With the permmission of Mr. Gillette, "Esmeralda" JWas ^elected as the play to open the house, the parts being taken by members of : the Tryon Dramatic Club, with Miss Lillian Pierce, a pofessional actress here for her health, in the title role. The performance being pronounced a great success. To speak more definitely about the house, it would seat from 200 to 250 persons, with foiir dressing rooms and eight sets of scenery painted by a scenic painter from Columbua, S. C. The footlights being a row of lamps, so placed that they gave the poper effect but were not in evidence themselves. Later in the summer a? minstrel was given, the text of the play and the costumes were produced by home talent and the musicians and singers all belonged to Tryon. For ^ . ' .ft I A View ii :'vj \ ? T CELEBRA Help to R IN W several years many plays we given, ranging through all shad of sentiment, but those intended make merriment were selected they thought a hearty laugh w good for folks. One of Miss Pierces best rol was the old man's part In the Vi lin Maker of Cremona. At one pe formance our, "Our Boys" a Strang in the audience proved to be i actor who had played one of tl boys for eight years. He was e thusiastic over the presentation. Tho fnr fhoan nlowa urn a fr UV ** * V ll/l l.UVU^ U ? MO 111 nished by a splendid home tale: orchestra of 8 persons consisting a piano, three violins, a viols cell and tivo flutes, playing the be music, well rendered, no jazz. Du ing this time we had sevreai pr fessional players to help or coa( the plays. Housed Entertainments The house was open every Tue day evening during the season, fi some sort of entertainment, a pla a card party, dance, or receptio Then there came a time when i one seemed to be able to give tt time to carry on these social even and Mrs. Dowe very properly toe away a useless thing and built co tages that would be of service 1 someone. That was one great blu rlt r whie hwe of the town realize v. hen it was too late. In the last twenty years the Co er gjtiona] Church had been beaut ." illy remodelled and the Episcopa iuu Church is a new building. Whe we first c.'.me to Tryon the onl building on the north side of Me rose Ave. where the playhouse, hi rches and 2 dwellings, and o the south side 6 homes 2 homes c Melrose Circle, 2 homes on Laur Ave, and 3 homes on East Hill < Rodshaw Hill as we knew it, with fnti* mor. hnmoc ana ttoroH aronn I (J Iiwiiiv.,] vu t?*vruu' 1 he Beat son home was the only or across the I'acolet Rier on ",Varri( Mt. There was one department stoi building standing where the dri) itore is now, no drug store excej your own medicine chest * or D Kenworthys' bag. The Post Offi< was in a small building since bur: ed. Our meat market was a trave ing one, there was no water syste: or lighting plant. These convenie ces and the many new stores ar Jwellings haye come along slow: In the last twent years. But we a ways had had much sunshine, goc fruit and many noted and charmir isitors and much happiness in tl little mountain nook. FINE RESULTS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH CONTES Recently w'e published a phot graph showing the healthiest gir from each county at the Winthrc Short Course this year. Now son readers wisely want to know moi about this contest and how it : conducted. This South Carolina State Heall Contest, begun in 1924 and havir more far reaching results each yei Is conducted by the home demonstr lion forces of the state with the c operation of the State Health D partment. 1. Drink at least six glasses water each day. 2. Brush teeth night and mornin '3. Sleep at least nine hours wil windows up. 4. Drink three glasses or more milk daily, or part chocolate ? 1 tea or coffee. 5. Eat fruit and vegetables dall 6. Take plenty of exercise, at rest when necessary. 7. Have your bowels move i least once each day. 8. Take a bath at least twice week. 9. Stand, ajt, and walk erect 10. Be cheerful and learn not worry. ? ?The Progressive Farmer. Eggs from blood-tested poulti flocks are in good demand at hate eries which specialize in selling hif grade baby chicks. READ THE POLK CO. NEW i Tryon ., : * *- :. ' *, >...s .-_ . ijtt. r -? . T I 0 N I Tryon ESTERN eIGOOD Hl( as r* E HELP TO er in , * Good Roads Have H Much lit Westerr of o, Bt ir- The New York Sun in its recent o- issue on North Carolina carried the ;h following interesting article on the resort developments of the west made possible by the building of fine highways leading into all pats of j s- the mountains: or "The 2r5 counties in the western j y. part of North Carolina have been | n. brought into their own by the state io highways; that is almost axiomatic, j ie Until the hard surface highways i ta made this area available to motor- ! ists not one-hundredth parth of the | >tto ~ in | a | ie JB ,g W. N. C. G pt T. possibilities of this region as a resort area had been realized. Indi- j ^ viduals had discovered the climate, i the scenic beauty, the natural rem i sources of western North Carolina, _ | but the iscovery by a great num id ' ' ber of people necessarily waited on , i god roads. j |(l I "This resort area, lying in the | Southern Appalachians, with the ; peaks of the Great Smoky and Blue 16 j v Ridge mountains towering above timbered spurs and foothills, has an elevation varying from 800 feet above sea level to over 5,500 feet. | The annual mean temperature for j I the region as a whole Is shown by o i , government observations to be about IB 1 t 55 degrees Fahrenheit, ip I e "The influx of visltors( summer, ,e j winter^ spring, and fall, has led IS | to a number of developments. Many ! of the most ambitious of these are ?. ' grouped at Asheville or Henderson lg i ville. Outside Hendersonville, P. L. ir Wright has developed Druid Hills, a_ an extensive suburaban community. He is also active in the develpment of the Lake Lanier project, near [Tryon where an artificial lake is of being created to supply the one recreational element sometimes lack g ing the North Carolina report, ih "Another extensive Hendersonville development is Laurel Park on Jump Off Mountain. A two million ! 10 ' Tryon Cosmo-, politan Town to People Here From Practically Every State in the Union, Many Foreign Countries ry NEW RESIDENTS EVERY YEAR Jh Tryon has been variously classed : r(! as the town where more peoole have i ? written books per capita than any ? other place in the country. As the "simple life with porcelain bath tubs" as the spot "everyone comes back to." and other spontaneous slogans which boiled down still fur-; ther to the fact that for its size | it is extremely cosmopolitan. At a party given at the Lake La- j nier Library during the spring season several years ag\ ch guest was asked to stand a:; '. tell from i what state he came. Over thirty ! states were represented. If' the house leases and hotel registers w&fre carefully examined, without | doubt every state in the Union wpuld be presented and some conntries overseas. At Hog Back Mountain Club I House, in Blue Ridge Forest, the i latest point to establish a guest register, the variety of town and state is quite remarkable. Consider that this point is 3400 feet above / ' '? :? ?. " ''' ? .. IflSM POLK COUNTY NEWS People | * Jl . _ ? -w ? (JAK. I MAYS CAROUNAJ elped Developments | i North Carolina 1 I I dollar hotel is being built on top of the mountain. "Near Chimney Rock, one of the natural wonders of the mountain country, in Rutherford county> a company which holds 8,000 acres of land is creating a 1.500 acre lake. "Sulphur Sprigns Park is to be a suburb of Asheville built close to ' yfc! ihe city in the French Broad valley. "Near Tryon a development known as Blue Ridge Forest is being brough into existence. Two golf courses are under construction and M; "i DA lood Roads . three artificial lakes are being made. At Linvi 'e a property of 16,000 acres is 'ing developed. Adjoining ing is a government reserve of 39^000 aeres. Nearby is Grandfather mountain, the source of more different streams than any other mountain in the east. There are scores of scenic trips which can be made out of Linville, to Donald's crag, near the Eseeola Inn, or Linville Falls where a descent Of 1,7000 feet occurs in four or five miles. "Tryon, in Polk county, near the border between the two Carolinas, is situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains^ about mid way between Asheville and Spartanburg, S. C.( at an altitude of 1,500 P * L. lr/\1 nntslsv ltd rt?u?e oca iwici. v/u j oiuc of the city peaks rise to a height of 3,000 an(i 4,000 feet. It lies within the famous "thermal belt" of North Carolina; notable for the ab sence of frost and dew and for the narrow ranges of temperatue within the course d>f a year, "The hills that hem in Tryon have been spared the devastation that usually follows lumbering operations and the mountains are still clothed with the forests that covered them a century ago, when they belonged io the Cherokee Indians. Numerous picturesque local industries have sprung in Tryon, based on the mountain crafts." sea level and ten miles from the nearest town, one migh tthink the visilors would be confined to local cities, but not only are North and South Carolina widely represented but also Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Mis- v souri, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, W. Virginia, Washingion, D. C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michagan, Illinois, Iowa, Wis-, cousin, Toronto, Canada, and Havana, Cuba. Among those who have bought homesites and will build cottages are citizens of North and South Ca rolina, Florida, Illinois, Now York, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Consider that Tryon has never been loudly exploited, over-developed or widely advertised, except by its satisfied visitors speaking kind'y of it. It would seem to recommend highly its unusual beauty, comfortable climate, congenial companions and agreeable accommodations. Forty-four hogs belonging to two farmers of Pasquotank County were vaccinated by the county agent in time to stop an outbreak of cholera. The hogs were valued at $500. D. 1). Nelme of Anson' County plants ten acres to sorghum^ cane and sells his syrup in gallon cans at one dollar per gallon.. It's too late for farmers to think of holding cotton after it has passed from their hands.
Polk County News and The Tryon Bee (Tryon, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 2, 1926, edition 1
29
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