Newspapers / The Semi-Weekly Citizen (Asheville, … / Jan. 4, 1872, edition 1 / Page 1
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/ J \\ rft/4 Hr == Ay tel A €®®S®BVA®ETffi PJ E W@iF AF53K AHB FAMSEY ^ 0 U B ST A ff-. VOL. 2.-N(). ASHEVILLE, N. JANUAEY 4, 18: WHOLE NO. 90 s\va:^:^a:^oa. Tht3 following beautiful lines were writ- ten by a Mr. Jaquics of Charleston, S. 0., Bonic fifteen years ago. (Ihe Swannanoa rues in the Blue liidge, near the Gap, on the road fwon the head of the 11. li., [Old Fort now,] cvnd einpbiee into the Breneh Broad Bwer two miles West of this place:) Swannanort,' nymph of beauty, wonjt'l woo thco iumy rhyme; Wildc.st,. brightest, loveliest river, Of our sunny, soulliern cliiue ! Swannanoa, well tiicy named Lheo, in tlie mellow Indian tongue; Beautiful* thou art, most truly, And right worthy to bo sung. I have stood by many .a river Known to story and to song,— Asliley, Hudson, Susquehanna, Farno to wliich may well belong; I have camped by tlie Ohio, Trod Scioto’s fertile banks, Followed far the Juniata, In the wildest of iier pranks,'— Bot thou veigncst queen forever, Child of Appalacliian hills. Winning tril>u'o as thou llowesi, From .a thousand mountaitj rills, Thiiiu isbe.anty, slrengih-begotton, Mid t!io cloud-begirded peaks, Where the patriarch of tlie mountains,| jloavt'ir.vard f.vr llij ivaters seek. Tlirough the laurels and fiie beeckos. Bright tiiy silvery current shines^- Sleeping uow in granite ba.vins, Overilung by trailing vinos, And anon c.ireering onward, In the ii'.addest frolic mood. Waking, with its aoa-liko voices, F'niry echoes in the wood. Peacefiii sleep thy narrow v.alieys, In the shadow of tlis liiils ; And lliy flo'.Ycr-enamtlle;! border, AH the air with /r.agiance fills; Wild Inxrtriaiico,—gemTous tiilage,— -•‘^y-ry alternntv' moot tlio*vie'” ; Flrery turn, tlirough ail thy windirfgs, Stil! revealing sonji.tliing new. Wfiore, oh ! gr.acefu] Sw.annsnoa, Are tlie warriors who of old Sought tiiee, at tl;j mountain sources, ^Viiore thy springs arc icy cold.— Where the d.ark'browc-d Indian maidens, Wlio Lhoir limbs were wont to Javo (Wortliy b.atli for fairer beauly), In thy cool and limpid w.-fo ? Hone forever from Ihy borders, But immortal in tiiy name, Are Llio red men of the forest I Be thou keeper of tiieir famo I I’alur races dwell beside Ihee; Celt and Saxon till thy lands-, Wedding use intn tliy beauty,— Linking over thee their hands. Swannanoa,—(lie Ciierokee,—is translated “boaiuifiil.” t TIio Black Mountain,—in which the strc.aav has it.s source. The following is an extract from a letter wr ton to the Asheville News, by Prof. Guyot of Princeton College, New Jersey ; [ProTn the Asheville News, Oct. 25, 186G.] Moaairalaliss of VVeriteraa Cb The following arc tho principal poini the altitude of v/iiicli lias boon ascortaivi- ed. 'The figures all refer to tho ground of tbo places JUGaaured or to thc'watev m the riveim. The rodnctioii to the level oi the Bea was derived from the levels of tl Charleston and Ciucinnnti ihuilroa.l sur vey, tile junction of Flat Creek and Swan- nanoa Fiver, being- assumed to be ‘2250 ft*«t ‘above the lovul of the sea, “and tlie ground at Asboville Court House like wise 2250 feet above the ocean. VALLEY OF THE SWAKMANOA. ft ah Sea. Jup.c. of I'lat Creek with Swanaa-noa Fiver. • 2250 Joseph Stepp’s house 2368 Lurriott’s house 242B Lower Mountain house-JcPse'Stcpp’s iioor of piazza .2770 W. Fatton’s cabins, auu carnage roari324-i Ke^stiiig place brook behind last log cabin .3955 Upper Mcunlain house dlf-i-G Ascending to Toe JUver Gap—pas sage main branch above btepp’s.,3902 IN THE FLUE KIDGE. Toe ILver Gap betw. Potato Top and dligU rinaclo .5188- High Pinaclc of Blue liidge 57oI Looky Knob’s South Peak, 530G Big Spring on Kot-ky Knobs 5080 Grey.Beard 5.^43 CRAGGY OtlAESL Big Crr.ga-y 0090 dlull’s Head .....__5935- Craggy Pinude 5945 BbAClv MOUNTAIN MAIN CHAIN. Potato Tod _ .0393 Mt. MUchell 0532 Mt. Gibb.s G591 Stepp’s Gaj)—the Cabin Gl03 I\It. ilallb.ack (or Sugarloaf 0403 Black Dome, (or Mitchell’s High P’k, or Clingman of State Mups,).. .0707 Uorao Gap 0352 Balsam Cone, (Gnyot of State Map8)6C71 Hairy Bear gijio Bear Gap 0234 Iback Brother (Saudoz of StatoMapslGGlQ Cattail Peak 0611 Kocky Trail Gap !!!!.*!.* !.6382 Dear Mt., North i‘oint 0233 Lmig Uidgo, South Point _G208 Middle Point G‘'’50 North Point. ] 9245 Bowlen’s Pyramid—North end .!! ’ .0348 NORTHAVESXERN CHAIN. Blackstock’s Knob....- 0380 Yeates’ Knob * ^ • -CANEY lUYEIl VALLEY. Green Pends at T. WiLoida highest house 3222 T. Wilson’s new house SI 10 Wheeler’s—oj)])osite Big Ivy Gap 2942 Cattail Fork—junction widi CaiiGy River 2373 Sandofor Gap, or j^ow Gap—Minimit of roaci . 3170 Burnsville—C. 11. Bguare 2840 Green Mountain, near BuriiBxille, highest point 4340 GROUP OF THE ROAN MOUNTAIN Summit nf the road from Burnsville to Toe Hiver 3139 Toe River ford on the road froniBurns- villc to the Roan Mountain... .21-31 Baily’s Farm 2379 Briggs’ House,font of Roan Mountain —valley of Little Rock Creek-_27o7 Yellow spot, above Briggs’ 5158 Little Yellow Mount—liighost 5190 The Gold SpriiiL'—summit of Roan,.0132 Grassy Ridge Ball—Nonh-JNst con tinuation of Rnan. Mountain.. . .6230 Roan High Bluff 0296 Roan High Knob CoOO From Burnsville -to Grand Father MouiR.ain, Sontli Toe River Ford2532 Too RivorPoi-d, ne.'tr Autrey’s 2547 North Toe River Ford,])elow Childs- viUo 2652 Blue Ri ige—head of Brushy Creek.3425 Linville River ft^rd, below head of Brushy Ci-Gok 3297 Linville River at Piercy’s., .3007 Headwaters of Linville ami Watauga River, foot of Grand Father Mountain 4100 Grand Pathor Mountain sumtuit. ., .5897 Watauga River, at yitull’s mill-poiid20 ! 7 Taylorsville, Tennessee 2895 White-tops, Virginia 5530 I'roni BurnK'.illo 10 Bald Mountain— Ohscrviitinns made by Prof. W. O. Kerr, of D.avidson. Contputed by mo : Sampson's Gan. . 4130 Egyj.'t Cove, at Profictt’s 33. Wolf’s camp Gap .431; Bald Mountain summit : , .5550 VALLEY OF Tlfld BIG IVV CREEK. . Dillinghani's house below Vacates’ Knob, or Big Butte 25G8 Junction of the three forks 2270 Solomon Carter’s hou.se _.22I5 Siocksvillc, at Blackstock’s 22lG Mouth of Ivy River, by R. R. survcylCHL- i’P.OM ASHEVILLE TO Mt. PISGAII. Asheville Court House 2250 Sulphur Springs—the Spring 209 llomiuy Cove at Solomon Davies. .. .254: Lillie West Pisgah 4 72 Great I'isgali 575/ BIG rUHlON VAL.LEY.. - Forks of Pigeon, at Col. Catliey’s. ..2701 East fork of Pigeon, at Capt. T. Le- noit’fi 285. Waynesvillo Court House 275u Sulphur Sju'ing, Richland Vrdlev, at James II. Love’s 2710 'dr. Hill’s farm, on Ci’ftb Tree Crook,27l4 Crab Tree Creek below Hill’s 252-4 Cold Mountain G0G3 CHAIN OF TIHl RICHLAND BAL SAM. Richlnud, between Richland Creek Bouth Teak 6299 The Ti'uo Brother—h ghest or con- ti-al peak 6907 Thunder ICuob 568l' J.aiirel Peak 5922 Rc'iiiliai dt G.ip 5220 1 op of JLolUcutd Rn/'rc 6402 Imlnii (.ill)) -6.317 I'eck's Pi'hIc G232 Mt. Of;oan« ^G13.6 Riglit-fiiMul or Now Gap - 5C96 Ml. Mio<,nis 5094 GRUliP OF Boid.TJEAI). TENNESSEE. unto... 6012 0508 0.586 O'' 1 Vin T-. (?yi.8 6450 4971 jurictson with I/ilf.le pjg- 8848 ••iOONTAIN MAIN Cn^ilN. 5271 K. Medford’s B r Mod ‘ord s farm. foot or Lickstotio .piOoo IjI eksti 0 0 i u 7 IX 1 I r C « 4907 C M 1 ring Mt. . 3l5 D ul.'lc Spring Mo ir.tani. .. GSSO ilivide. Oh land B; .Daisaio . J 1 ‘'1 CO r JO, ]/unc Ijidsam I H IN 0 \ j H te I all N i'inacle -rth IN Great Middle Chain of Balenm iMountairio between Scott's Creek and Low Creole. Enos PIoU’h farni-North I'oot of Ohain3O02 Old Field Mountain 5100 Iluckelberry Knob 5484 Jiuos Plott’e Ba!,saru-IstBaI.sauiN.cnd0097 Jones’ Balsam, N. Point 0223 Houtli End (jOOo R'oek Stand Knob 0002 Brother PIoU _ G2'J0 Amos Plott’s Balsam, or Great I)ivideG278 Rocky Face 0031 V/hite llf'ck Ridge 5523 Black Rock 5815 Panther Knob 5359 Perry' Knob • 5026 A’’ALLEY OF SCOTT'S CREEii. Love’s Saw-Mill.. 2911 Ptiaclurc’s farm 3285 Road Gap, head of Scott’s Crook.., .3357 Jol\ n Bi’own’fi farm 3049 Bryson’s farm 2173 Jolm Lo\-e’s farm 2220 W<‘b.ster Court IInu.=e 2203 VALLENT OF TUOKASLEGE AND TUIBL]TA.iaE8. Tuckasoege River mill, below AAYb- stor, near the road to Quaiia- town OQ04 Junction of Savannah Creek 2001 Junction of Scott’s Creek 1977 (^ualhUown, Main Store 1979 Soco River Ford to Oennaluftee.... 1990 Soco Gap—road summit .4341 Aiiio.s Plottis farm on Pigeon 3084 Ocomdurteo River Junction, Bradley >rk .2203 Robb Collins’ highest hoase 2500 Junction of Raven’s and Straight fork£470 Junction of Bunch’s Crock 2379 ; of Chain of tho Great Smnkv hfountaiu from North-East to South-Weat, from the bound of Haywood county to the Gap of Little I’ennes.soe. Tho Pillar head of Straight FYr Oconalufteo River Thermemoter Knob llnvems Knr^b Tricorncr Knob Mt. Guyot, [ao named by Mr. Bi lev. iu Common Mt. Hvnrv Mt. ..\]ex.';;v'cr Central Penk. or Mb Leco West Peak, or Hi. C.iu-fis... North Peak, or Mt. butford Cross Knob Neicblior Ma.ster Knob T~. loiT.iluiivk Gap Alum Cave Alum Ca\'e Creek eon kiver GREAT SMOKY Roan Gap Mt. Collins Collin s Ga]) Mount Tiove < hntrtnan'S Dome Mt. Buckley Chimiiev Knob Big Stone MountAiD Big Ohorry Giip Corner Knot : ; Forney Rulgo Peak, : Snaky Mt., : : Tliundcilicad kit., : j Eagictop, - : Spence Cabit], ; ; ; J'urkey I'lnob, i / Opossnni Gap, : • j North Bald, : : ; The Groat Bald’s central peak, South Peak, : : Tennessee R.ivor, at Ilardins, Hill House TVit., summit road to Mo«t- vale Springs, ; : : 2453 Monf.valo Spring, Tcnn,, : : j 1293 These measurements sufficiently indicate the grand traits of structure of that lofti est por-ion of the Ajipalachian syelem. It may bo s-^en that tho Roan and Grarnl l atner mouniains are tlie two great pil lars on bnih. sides of the Northgato 10 the mah moi?iitain region of North Carolina, Vv'hich crlcrod bct-wcen the two chains of the Blue JvKbrc on tlic cast, and the Iron and ojnokv and L naka mt’s on the west. O hat gate is alruost closed by the Big Tcllow hlountam. Tho gioup of tho Black Mountain rises nearly isolated on one side iu tlie interval between tho two chains, touching by a corner high Pinaclc, and ovortoweiing all the neighboring cl'.nins bv a tlioufand feet. In the large and coinparativclv deep haBin of the Trcucli isrosd Valley, the Buie Ridge is considerably denressfd while tiie Western citam nreserves ns mcressni" height.— 6138 6720 6443 (i6G0 6599 5588 5014 4838 ; 5240 6087 5 ] 95 : 5520 5t3S I 4910 4L40 : 3840 4711 : 4922 47G8 899 cluster oi riurhlande. and of moun tain chains. Hero ibe cnam of tlio Groat Smoiij Mountain which G.xtcnds from the deep cut of uie Lrencii broad at Palut Rock to that not less reinavkable of tho Little Tcnnceeee, Is tlie master chain of that region of the whole Alleghany sys ten.). Though its liiglicst summite are a few loot I)clow the bigheet jieaks of tho Black Alt., it presents on that extent of 05 miles a continuous scries of higli peaks, and an averago olcvation'-not to bo found in any other district, and whicli give to it a greater importaiioo in tho geograj)]iioal structure of that vast system of momitains. The gaps or depressions never fall below 5000 ft., except towards th.o South-West .and beyond Forney Ilidgc,. and tho nuin- 'ber of Peaks, the''altitude wdnch exceed 0000 feet, is indeed "'very'- large. On tho oppo.Mto side to the South-east, the Blue Ridge also offers it.s most ma^Jsivo forms and roaches its greatest elevation on the comjiact cluster of mountains which fill the Southern portion of Haywood and Jack- son counties. Mount Hardy in the Blue Ridge, which, according*‘to Mr. Buckley, rises to 0257 feet, though this elevation m.ay he found too great, seems to bo the cuhniuating point of all the Blue Ridge. Moreover, tlio interior between the Smoky^ Mountain and tho Blue Ridge is filled with chaips which offer peaks higher .still than the latter. Amos Plott’s Biilsnui in tfce'midst of the Groat Balsam chain measures 0278 ; Richland, or Caney^Fork Balsam, 0425. Considering, therefore, these groat fcaturoe of I'hysical sh'ucturo, and the considerable elevaiion of the val leys which form the basa. of these high chains, v‘d n^ay .^iay ihacthis vast clu.'tcr of highlaiid.s between the French Bro.ad and the T..<,k.at»eege Rivers is the culmina ting region of tho great Appalachian sys tem. I rcniHin very truly vonrs, ARNOLD GUYOT, Professor of Gvology sml Pi.y.^ic;il Geogr.vphy, Princeloii College, New Jersey. The following able letter is from tho pen of Hon. Thos. L, Clingman, late a United States Senator from. North Caro lina, a gentleman of large observation and experience u))on the subject upon ■which ho writes, and one whoso name is a houscr.old word iu Vostern North Caro lina : RALm{:ir, N. 0., April 7, 1869. To the North Carolina Laud Company : In compliance with your request, I pro ceed to give you a concise sfaterneiit in relation to the western part of our State, vi/: that elevated table land extending from the Blue Ridge to the Teiiaessee State Utic, Almost allol it '^vas embraced ill the Congressional District which I rep- I'escnted for more than a dozen years, and even after I became a Senator, I was fre quently passing over it. In fact, I have asceu<.led almost all the principal moun tains, and, for the purposo ot observing tho frcoioizical and mineralogical features, visited-most ‘of its valleys. Its length, extending as it dOos, from Virginia to Georgia, Nuv/t less than two luindied and fifty' milesk vddJo its breadth v.arios from thiriy >.o si.vty miles, avoiagiug probably fifty i.r thereabouts. Ib’liaR along its eastern border the Blue Rp‘b;'\ by wliich name in Nortli Carolina, ‘.d chc mouatniu chain t‘h-<»4 ui- \ vules the waters ‘falling into the Atlantic from those of the Missi.seippi Talley. Its western boundary is the groat ledge of mountains called indifferent portions of PS cfiurHo Smoky', Iron, Unaka, &c. Jliough this rango is cut through by the .streams rnnniag to the west, yet it not Oi)!y^ has many points IdgLor than any along the Biuo Ridge, but it.s general clevatiojr ami mass aro greater. There are also a miinber of cross chains of mountains, tlio most elevated of which arc the Black and Balsam ranges, d'horc are many points exceeding six thousand feet in altitude above the sen, while the lower valleys or bed.s of the principal etvi ams in the central parts of the })latoaUj aro from two thousand to twenty-five hun dred feet above tide water. To give one an xlca of tlic general clev.ation of tiie surface, it may bo stated that nineteen twentieths of tho land -will bo found be tween the elev.atiojis of eighteen hundred and thirty-five hundi'od feet abovo the ocean. It presents, therefore, a delight ful summer climate, surpassing, I think, that of any part of Switzeriand. Tho lange of the thermometer in summer ie from twelve to fifteen degrees (Fahren heit), helow lhat of tlie northeru cit'e^, rarely going up to eighty-five degrees in the shade at any hour of the warmest (lays. The air is- almost always bracing and exhilerating iu a liigh degree, while no country is more healthy, being not en- ly free from all nnapiiiacie dieeaaes, but favorable even in wiut-er. Ilaviag a soulliern latitude and surrounded on all sides by lower and warwier rogiong, its winter climate is much iniider than lliat of Northern Virginia or Founsylvania. It is unusal for the ground to bo covered wiiii sao-w for sfi much as a week at a time, and‘the deepest saows commonly disappear in two or three day.s on all the?© portions of tho groand exposed to tho KiinsliinG. In many instAnccs persons threatened with consumption havo found the climate of Bancombe, about Asheville, both iu winter and summer very favorable to them. A gentleman who has passed sev eral ■^Aiiters both at Asheville and in MLiiucBota, says that the climute cj the former place is quite as dry a* that of the latter and much mild©r. that characterizos tlio plateau; and it is termed a valley only because it is inclu- The geologic-al formation belongs chiefiy to the older series of rocks, and they are generally well disintegratod. Thero is one rcmarkp.blo exception, how ever, is. a bolt of country oxtending from tlie Grandfather mountain southerly, ' eni- iracing tho Linville and Table mountain ridges. This con*i.sts mainly of strata of a more rcccut origin, quartzite, clastic t^anilRtone, (the Xtacolnmitc* ov bearing rook of Brazil ) ;md cctrtai’n slates. The soil over this belt is thin, and covered chiefly with -white pine, and such shrubs and plants aR Are found in poor eilicious soils. Outside of tiii.s comparatively small tract, tho soil of tho mountain regi on is remarkable for its fcitility. Tito gueiss, mfe^, plate, syonine and otlior liornblcndid and fcrrugiiious rocks are well docotnpa^cd and have liberated in great abun'dknce fertilizing ingredients. \Vhilo no p^rt of tho section 'would be teimcd rocky in toinparhon -with the Netv' England States, yet there is more' rock visible on the eastern border of the belt than on the side next to the State of Ten nessee. In genei’al the disintegration seems deeper and the soil richer as one a]‘)proaoh*'S tho 'western border* The Yellow .and Roan nionntaihs in Mitcliellj and the great Smoky mountain in Hav- wood, Jackson and Macon furnisli strik ing examples of this fact. On IheBC mountains, at an elevation of six thousand feet, a horse will often sink to his fetlocks in a thick black vegetable mould, and tlio growth, ■whether timber, grass or weeds, appears to be as luxuriant as in tiio swamps of: tho lov/ country. Even the bals-im fir tree, which is usually of no great height, attains an altitude of on© hundred and fifty feet on the Bouthorn side of the great Smoky, a mountain which from ilR bulk and general altitude, has been designated by Prof. Guyot as •Rlio culminating point of the AlleghanioR.’ The fact that the mountains usually be come richer as we ascend them, is doubt- loss duo to the circum.^tauGOK that being often enveloped by clouds, and kept cool and moist, the vegetable matter slowly decays and is incorporated whh the soil, as usually seen on tho north or shady side of a hill* There is no country of equal oxtont perhaps better timbered than t.his. iVlong some of til© strcflniB a good deal of. white June and hemlock are. to be found, but the forests chiefly consist of hard wood. Adi the varieties of the oak aro abundant and attain a great size. The white oaks iu many places arc cspcciyliy largo. Bo aro tho cliesnut, hickory, maple, poplar, or tulij) trees, black 'wahiut, locust, and in faid probably every.known tree that grows in tho mnldle and northora States of the Union. There are a few t.rceless tracts on tho tops of sevoral of tho higher monntaiuB (covered, however, with lu.'^u- rient grasses) which the aboriginal inhab itants regarded as the feotprints of the evil one as he stopped from mountain to mountaiu. WNTarth €jias*oiisiBa« Tlio follo-wing -wo c.xtract from tlie paraplilct written by II. F. Gatcuell, AL D., relative to Western N. C.: GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Western North Carolina is bonnded by Virginia on the north, by Georgia on tliO south, by tho Blue Ridge on tho east, and by the Alicghanics on tho west. From A^irginia to Georgia it has a length of about oho hundred and sev enty miles, -with an' average breadth of about forty. It has accordingly an area of almo.st seven thousand square miles, including a territory nearly as-large as that of hlassacbiLsotts. It is sometimes termed a plateau, hut it. has no'iio -jf tir: of .siirfaoc ded between the Blue Ridge and tho Alicghanics. It is in fact a mountain ous region, being crossed by transverse ranges that divide it into several com paratively narrow valleys. The princi pal valleys enumerated in order from Northeast to Soiuliwcst, are the Nev/ River, including the counties of Allo- ghairv, Aisho and Wautanga; the Nola- cbucky, including Yancey and Mitchell; the French Broad, including Madison, Bancornl.ie, Henderson and Transylva nia; tho Big Pigeon, including Hay wood; the Little Tennessee, including Jackson and Macon; and the Iliatvassec, including Ghorokco and Glay. IFith its various mountain chains, and their numerous peaks towering from four thousand to seven thousand feet above tide-Y/ater; it looks rough and uninri- ting to the farmer accustomed to the broad praries of the West, however at tractive it may bo to one in search of the picturesque. To the latter, its lofty peaks,its deep gaps, its beautiful cascades and pleasant valleys abound in attrac tions. But it is not witliout merits t-o render it a most desirable homo. It is admirably adapted to the successful pro secution of some branches of agriculture, and it is surjiaasod by no country in pj'jint of salubrity. For pure, soft -wa ter, and for cool exhilarating summer air, it is almost unrivaled. SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS. Tho soil resulting from tho disintc: gratiou of the rocks coni]‘)osing the Al- leghanies and the Blue Ridu:o, is in many parts fertile, where it h.-w not been ox- Iiausied by continued cultivation. But tliG culture has generally Ixicn shallow, and clover thrives; so that with deep ploughing and clovcring, it <3an easily be restored to its original fertility. For a description of its productions, I shall roly chiefly on Prof. W. C. Koer, the accomplished State Geologist oftNortli Carolina. 'Timber.—-The forests of Western North Carolina contain an almost incal culable amount of valuable timber.— There are hundreds of square miles of ■white oak. The black locust, so valua ble for shipbuilding that a single acre on Long Island is valued at from two to four hundred dollars, covers largo tracts and attains to great size. Chestnut and whitc-‘9.mod (tho tulip tree) abound, con- ctivuti’xig Lilo Lt.rge.'^t gi'owi/ii ot moun tain forests, Bometinics measuring from ton to twelve feet in diameter. Nor is the black oak much inferior in size. White pine is abundant on all the high er levels, often reaching a height of one hundred and fifty feet, with a diameter ol from four to five feet. Hemlock is found on all the streams of tho higher regions, and it attains to great size.— The beautifully variegated mountain birch, tho bird’s-eye maple, the black walnut and tlie cherry ;iro found in great quantities, and of largo size. A ciicrry tree on Elk bottom measured nine feet in circumi'erence at the base, and seventy-five feet to the first limb. Such a tree in the city of New York would bo worth a hundred dollars, for cabinet-making. Sugar-maple and linn aro found in all tlio rich coves. Mcdicvnal Herbs.—Of ginseng and other medicinal herhs, the value annu ally exported probably exceeds a quar ter of a million of dollars. Grasses.—Gnvss flourishes everywhere, but especially in the more olevatecl re gions. Four tons of hay to the acre aro no uncommon yield. I havo seen,” says Prof. Kerr, '’'a Add nearly 6,000 feet high, that was seeded wdth timothy some twenty years ago, and has not been under fence for fifteen years, ‘which has still a good set of grass,” The cultiva ted grasses escape from the fields and pro])agaic themselves every‘'where. In the higher regions thero aro three species of poreimial ■winter grass, which send up their new shoots in November and remain green all the year; so that cattle and sheep, in these regions, re quire but little care, even in ‘winter, except in case of a deej) fail of snow, •ft'hich does not occur more than once in eight or ten years. TTio so called Japan clover has spread more or loss, over this region, reaching somotiraes to the tops of mountains.— Indeed, in the absence of timber, the highest mountains are richly clothed with grass to their summits, even when those tower, as do more than fifty peaks of tho Black Mountain and other chains, to more than five thousand feet abovo the occan-levol; and the luxuriant growth of the red clover causes the Japan plant to he but little priz(3d. Glover, timothy, blue grass and orchard gntss all have a vigorous gro‘'Yth. Bye Oats and Buckwheat.—Thesi grains, like tho grasses, flourish every where, but especially in tho more eleva ted regions. ^Yheat.—This choice grain thrives in Buncombe, Madison and Y’anccy, and may bo made to succeed in other coun ties by properly preparing tlio soil, as it is necessary to do in all regions where it has long been grown. Cb77t—This most important of the cereals grows everywhere, and yields well whore the land has been kc]')t up. More than <a hundred bushels to the acre have been raised by farmers com peting for pemiums. Botaioes.—Western North Carolim is famous for the abundance and o.vcol- lonco of tills ir.(lisD^'’sablo esculent. -tThhi eminently South ern product is cultivated successfully in all but the higher valleys. Boot Crops.—Beets, turnips, carrots and parsnips vie v/ith tho potato in quan tity and quality. Cabbage and Tobacco.—The cabbage 'thrives, asd the tobacco equals the best Virginia. Apples.—The apples of this region arc famous for size, flavor and keeping.— They often ‘weigh from twenty two to twenty four ounces, and some varieties' of apples of two different years’ growth are, like those of the Grand Traverse region, hardly distinguishable. Persons of extensive observation tninb the Westr- ‘crn North Carolina apples among the finest in the world. Seedlings are found on tho mountains at tho height of four thousand feet. Beaches.—The poach troc bears well, and the fruit is quite equal in flavor to that of New Jersey. Grapes.—>Y‘estern North Carolina is famous for its grapes, the Catawba, as is well known, being a native of Ban combe County. The number of varie ties, both wild and cultivated, is very great. One gentleman has collected more than a hundred varieties, some' of which ho considers superior to the Ca tawba. The probability is, that West ern North Garobna will become one o' the most famous wine regions in the world. Its hill sides are admirably adap ted to tho culture of tho vino. Cranhemde3.—~Y[\QTQ are hundreds of acres of native cranberries on the streams of the higher valleys. Berries.—Stra'wberriea, rasphorriesj blackberries and whortleberries abound, and arc of excellent quality. The products to ‘wdiich it is best adap ted may bo summed up as grass, pota toes, beets, turnijis, carrots, parsnips, apples, grapes and the borrie*. Prof. Kerr “‘ives us his estiraat-o of Western North Carolina in the following language : The continent does not a-f- for(T more favorable conditions for ])rofit- ablo cattle-fanring, ■wool-growing and clieeso-inaking.” It will be seen, on consulting tho map, that this highland projects like a prom ontory into the planting region of the South, quite aerofs tho thirty-fifth par allel of latitude, below which it gradu ally sinks into the low country of South Carolina and Georgia. itJSjiig up out ot the' planting region’) it bears aloft its valleys, to a height va rying from t-wo tbousand to two thou sand five hundred feet into a clear, cool and invigorating atmosplicro, \Yliich not only secures comparative exempt! on from insect life which is tho pest of tho low country, but also confers abounding health. The climate of tho entire area this side of tho Sierra Nevada, and more es pecially this side of the Rocky Moun tains, is a climate, of' extremes, compar- j in this respect ‘wuth Asia rather than with Europe. TTie mercury rises to one hundred degrees and upward at St. Paul andQuebec,. and theprange -trees of Lori siana and Florida occasionally perisU with cold. Y/o’must not look anywhere on this broad area for an equable climate such as characterizes tho coast of Cali fornia or that of "Wcsteni Europe. We can only expect a climate relatively mild; and that Western North Carolina oflors. It is, for our country, remarkably ex empt from gipat extremes, especially those of heat. The average, of the ex tremes of heat.for,three successive years at Asheville exceeds by only three de grees tho average ftt Mackinac, famed for tho coolness of its summers, for tho same number of years. Yet the mean eumincr temperature of Asheville is eleven degrees above that of Mackinac, affording a warmth aufflcieiit to perfect the grape and poach. And v/hile its 'ex tremes of heat are so little’ above those of Mackinac, its extreme'cold is nearly thiry degroos loss. Among t'A’O hundred and (iighty-six points oast of the Rocky Mountains ou- .y three reported as lov7 a maximum du ring tho summer of 1SG8 as did Ashe ville. Of eleven points in tho state of Wisconsin, cooled by the great lakes, on ly three reported as low a inoanUor Ju ly; and of these, and Ilayfield on Lako Superior, wdiile it affords a mean slight ly lower, gave a maximum ton|degroos higher. '\VhilegAshcvnio has a mean Biimmor tornperatui’'^ but one degreo higher than that of St. Paul, its maxrmumjs from twelve to fifteen degrees less. Its win ter mean is about twenty- two degrees, and its extremes aro from thiriy to fortv degrees above those of. St. I’auh Aslic- villo has nearly the siimnacr means of St. Paul, with the winter moan of Fayetto- ville, in North-'v^esiern ^Arkansafq two places that differ nine degrees in latitude. Those who have summered on Lake Su perior are impressed with the similarity of the summer atmosphere of this moun tain region. They find the climate equally invigorating, and the country (0,.nparativcly c.xcmpt from insect pest. The climate of Ashotdllo is no Eden climate. It partakes more or less of the variableness that pertains to the most of our territory. It has some se vere winter days ard some blustering March weather; but it is, on the whole, tho best climate -wo have. If it lacks the uniform mildness of aportioii of California it does not on tbo other hand, beget that excessive sensitiveness w.liich is engend ered iu C 'difornia. It devcloj^s a more ' roViust coiiciitution. It seems to aii’oid a favorable medium between the ener vation influonco of tho ‘vv’arm or uniform ly mild regions and tho overpowering cold if high northern latitucie. Tho snow seldom remains many days at a timo, oven on the highest mountain, and its stay in tho valleys can generally bo measured by hours. Like East Tennessee and the North ern counties of Georgia and Alabama, it sometimes suffere R’om late spring frosts, in tins respect resembling our middle States. But there is a bolt of land up tho hill sides -which, warmed by the ascending currents of air from the valleys, (as it is displaced by the cooler from above) scarcely ever suflers from frost, but brings tho peach and grape to maturity almost without fail. In fine, the clims.to of the Blue Ridge region i& the most desirable one east of the R^ky Mountains. It has tho inildost wintere in proportion to the coolness of its sum mers, and a general equableness quite reimirkablo for ©ur variable climate, iiowever much inferior it may be in that respect to California and Western Europe. Tho region that compares moBfc favorably -vdtli it, is the Cumberland Plateau. There can be but little differ- ono3 betvroen tho t-wo regions in respe<t to temperature. But the superior dry ness of the atmosphere in Western North Carolina gives ita considerable advantage ovcrtlioadjomingregionoii the Cumber land range. The Carolina valleys have anabuTKKmt supply of rain, sotliat the increased quantity in Tennessee (some ten inches) may be regarded as an ex cess. Indo-d tlio climate of 'H'estom North Caroliii -would ho still more desi rable if the rain of winter -were loss than it is. - But though this is consider able as compared -witli tho dry interior beyond tho ninety-fifth meridian, yet compared with Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville and Knoxville, it is moderate. Indeed the universal testimony of all competent observers ostablishcs tho ox- isteiteo of a dry, invigorating atmos phere ; the neighboring mountains ser ving to iiiterce])t much of tho moisturo, and to cause its deposition on tho sum mits and outer slopes. To aid the reader in judging of the merits of tho climate of Asheville, I ap pend the following table, comparing it with that of Genova in Switzerland, Turin and Milan in Italy, 'IHonne in the Valley of the Rhone, East France. Tu rin and VicKiKL, :vvo ir> Pimouft vino districts, and all of thom aro not(xl for pleasantness of climate. Spring, Bum. Au. "Win. Tort. Gontva 62.2 70A 54.2 84 0 62 7 Turin ....._68-7 71.6 53.8 83.6 63 1 A8}iOvmo...54.3 71,3 66-3 87.8 56.3 Vionno 66.2 71 8 64-6 37.8 56.3 Milan 64.Q 72 8 66.9 86.1 64.9 The accuracy of tho report for the sov- oral points in Europe, is assured by tho long periods daring which observations have been made. For Asheville, I have a report extending through only four years. But by comparing that with Blodget’s charts, and -fthth reports from neigiiborirg points, oxteuding through longer periods, I am confident of having obtained for Aslievillo as great accu racy as would bo afibrded by ten ox twelve year 8 observation. SALUBRITY, This feature is characteristic of tho country adjacent to the Blue Ridg©. Ho.othor rango of long-settled countries can show so small a ratio of mortality, as those that lie at tho western base of the Blue Ridge, from tho Virginia line to tho latitude of Atlanta; and it ia remarkable that there is an appreciable dimunition in tho ratio of mortality iu proceeding south, duo, perhaps, to in creasing uniformity of temperature. In farther illustration of this tenden cy, it may bo stated that tho census of 1850 reports a mortality of ten and tliTOC-tenths to tho thousand, for^Middlo and Westoru Virginia ; it gives eight and foui’-tontns for East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, and seven and nine-tenths for Uiat part of Georgia ly ing between tho thirty-fourth and thirty- fifth parallels of latitudo. The ratio in these several sections of mortality from consumption te the thousand deaths was, for Middle and Western Virginia^ ninety-iiiiio; for East Tonncssco, sixty- six; for Wcatorii North Carolina, thir ty-throe; and for Northern Georgia, twenty-eight. A near relative of tho author of this tract, now residing in Asheville for tho sake of his ovm health, writes that ho has talked ‘with many people ‘who, com ing there as invalids in early life, in tho hope of being able to prolong a littlo their stay on oarili, have attained to advanc;.«t ag'^ Ho says further that he has liear-l of scarcely a single indi vidual -^’ho I'.as come there without ob taining iinproY(3d health. But it is in regard to pulmonary dis eases that West-..ru North Carolina af fords the greatest immunity. While out of every thousand deaths, nearly two hundred and fifty in the Northern New England States, one hunured and fifty in Minnesota and California, nearly one hundred in Kentucky and Tennessee, and fifty in Florida and Louisiana aro from consumption, only about thirty in the thousand are from that cause iii' Western North CaroUnn and the neigh boring portions of South Carolina an/ Georgia. / But the ratio of consumption gene/ ted in a couiitr-^', is not a test of its iT [Continued to Aih page.'} '
The Semi-Weekly Citizen (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 4, 1872, edition 1
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