Newspapers / French Broad Hustler (Hendersonville, … / Feb. 13, 1919, edition 1 / Page 2
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FKEJTCH BROAD HUSTLER, HENDrRSONVILLE, H. C OLD TIMERS " (By Patsy O'Brien) The Henderson County method of building roads years ago seem queer to us in these days. Dynamite was unknown and tools were scarce, and tops of ridges offered the best roada for the least work, as it was only ne cessary to level off the crest enough for a wagon to pass along. The next best location was the level ground along rivers, but this being subject to overflow was not so practical. Only when extreme measures demanded, did our pioneer road builder resort to side-cutting into the cliffs. It took a longer road to go by a .gentle grade, so the steeper road was invariably built, as some of them still show. .Whenever rock ledges were encoun tered the road-builders took to the woods, and where it was impossible to avoid the rock great piles of weeds were heaped up and burned on the rock until it was well heated, then barrels of cold water were hast ily poured over it, causing the rock to split and permitting it to be quarried. These roads were far from ideal, as the sticky red clay pe culiar to these mountains made rough going ten months out of the year. Heavy vehicles would sink to the hubs and horses and oxen floundered help lessly in the mud. The road over the Saluda gap is the oldest road connecting the mountains with the towns in the lower country. It was built in 1793 by Col. Earle a South Carolinian. The Asheville and Greenville road company was incor porated in 1851, and built a plank road from Greenville to Asheville, this road however, falling into neglect after the Civil War and remaining practically .impassable until re-opened some time later. When Henderson County was form ed in 1838. many other roads were being built, Solomon Jones, a man of rare engineering talent who built the road over the Jones gap in Transylva nia County, which today is one of the best roads in this section, built a road from Hendersonville to the stim mit of a mountain seven miles from town which he named Mt. Hebron. (His home and grave are on the moun tain side, and many passersby have read the simple inscription on the stone. 1 Over these roads, mostly laid out by hunters and farmers, mainly men who had little knowledge of engineering, rolled the stage coach. We mention ed before that the stage coach figured largely in the history of our county. The stage coach is a very old institu tion. It grew out of the old Roman chariot and began to appear early in the 16th century. So great became the demand for coach service that large establishments for their manu facture sprang up in all sections and the coaches soon became models of R perfect . construction. The coach" known tb these mountains was called The Albtany, and was especially built for rough roads. It was hung on leather braces and seated nine pas seners inside, two with the driver on the box, and three upon a seat behind on the front edge of the top. This style of coach Col. V. Ripley ran over the almost impassable mountain roads carrying the mail and most of the tiroe with a full load of passengers. Dickens in his Sketches by Bes thus details a punishment for obstinate miscreants "and then we would have booked him for an inside place in a small coach which traveled day and night; and securing the remaining seats for stout men with a slight ten dency to coughing an-1 spitting, we have started him on his last travels." Had Dickens lived in these mountain o we believe he would nave been more lenient. The driver was invested with abso lute power, at his signal the coach went forward, at his command the pas sengers assisted in extricating the old Howard Gap road was urged to hurry by an important passenger. Speed over the rough roads proved disastrous when the belt that connect ed the fore wheels with the perch that passed under the body of the chaise to the hind wheels, snapped, he braces broke and the coach body, liding backwards of the run ning gear, remained stationary in the road. In vain the passengers yelled and screamed, the deaf driver rapidly disappeared from view. It was not un til he drew up at the door of the next inn that he discovered his accident. Nothing could equal the utter aston ishment which his features then dis played as he gazed at the bare run ning gear where the body of his coach should be. It is said he did not show himself for three days. In the spring great bands of slaves with large canvas- covered wagons come up from the cities to open the houses in 'preparation for the sum mer visits of the owners, who follow ed in their private coaches a week or two later. All the old places in Flat Rock had their slave quarters. At Barnwell's estate "Many Pines,'' after ward owned by the late Mr. Smythe, are styi standing many houses of the "quarter." The postofflce is there and several cabins. The people of the county had hard work to get their produce to marke. There was little money aracng .them, their crops serving as a medium of exchange. It was a three weeks trip to Augusta, the nearest large town so the people of a neighborhood would bunch their produce and twd or three HENDERSON COUNTY MAN HAS CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL. Probably the only man in Hender son County who has so far received the Congressional Medal of Honor is one who received it for distinguishes service in the Spanish-American War. Zebulon A. Shipman, rural carrier on Etowah Route One, owns the coveted decoration, awarded to him by a vote of Congress for distinguished service in the line of duty at Guantanamo, Cuba. Mr. Shipman was one of the small landing party of U. S. Marines who were put ashore on. the famous "Point" at the entrance to the bay on the south coast of Cuba, and with his comrades held their ground for days against the murderous attacks oT many times their number of Spanish troops. Invalided home, he was dis charged from a naval hospital in 189S. It is not known just what amount or money and other property Mr. Ship man claims title to, but it is a sae i bet that he would part with most or it rather than give up the big medal bearing a profile- of-" Rear- Admiral Sampson. SAYS LOCAL DEPREDATIONS DUE TO DRUG-HUNTERS KENTUCKY HOME LEADS HOTELS IN THE STATE. wTippIs from thf red mud. At regular , n wagons would start down together, intervals were inns where fresh J b ' horses were put in and the passengers found entertainment of varying quali ty. On approaching tnese stopping places, the driver blew signals on his horn to let the inn-keeper know the number of passengers, and in the years between i828 and '82 the moun tains re-echoed with the sweet notes of the long tin horn until the shueit of steam drowned the ecnoes. So far as we have record of the early roads, stages were never robbec in these mountains but many incidents occurred which were almost as ex citing as the stage coach hoid-up of fiction. We have only space here vo tell the humorous story of the very deaf driver who on starting the jour ney up the steep rough grade of the coming back weeks later laden with sugar, coffee and salt instead of the bacon, pelts and grain which they had hauled down. And then as now many men went through the country buying stock, bunching them together and driving the animals down the mountain road to the markets in the larger towns of the low country. Not Adapted for Pet. The average-sized Alaska walrus Is as big as an ox and often weighs more than a ton. A walrus was recently killed by some whalers near Point Bar row whose head weighed SO pounds, and skin, including flippers, 500 pounds. -The animal had a girth of 14 feet, the skin was from half an inch to three inches in thickness, and the blubber weighed 500 pounds. Sheriff Case in discussing the nume bus depredations on unoccupied houses of late, states that he is of the opinion that much of the evil doing should be charged to local dope-fiends wno nna their supply cut ore by en forcement of state and federal legis lation. It is of course well known that victims of cocaine, morphine and similar drugs become desperate when refused fresh supplies, and will hesi tate at nothing which offers a chance of more dope. 'Circumstances connect ed with many of the recent house breakings indicate that general loo. was not the object, m many cases houses being ransacked from top to bottomand many articles of high value being simply cast aside. In one case the thieves ransacked the drawers of a bureau, turning everything out on he floor and leaving with the other contents a solid gold watch. This as the sheriff points out, seems to indi cate that the thieves are not intent on getting money or plunder to turn into money. They are hunting something' lse. and that something is in all pro bability the white powder which the : drug stores no longer sell. Hendersonville has the cleanest and most sanitary hotel in the State, as stated in an official bulletin from the State Board of Health under date of January 25th. Of the twenty-three hotels covered in this particular re port only three of the number mad;. a score of 90 or better, Kentucky Home leading the entire list with a score of 93. It is pretty generally recognized over the entire big. territory from which Hendersonville draws visitors that one simply gets the best things to eat at Kentucky Home that you can get anywhere; one can hardly stop in the lobby of a hotel in clhac parts of the state without hoirin: the travel ing men dilaf itpeii the abundance of V1 things V.iy nevei fail to enjoy here, and this fact has caused a very noticeable increase in the number of traveling men who see fit to .make Hendersonville their objective for the Sunday stop-over and rest.. Home folks have known all the time we had about the best hotel in the state, and it is fine to see this official bulletin come out and confirm the knowledge '. The present manage ment of Kentucky Home has made a number of improvements in the equip ment of the hotel, on a scale which is THURSDAY FiJEtjAfilf i3, A TOW NOTHING GERMAN t will not drink from a German cup; Or eat fron a German plate; -I will not deal with a German man. All foul with German hate. I'll use no drug with a Germa e, That's grown on GermajJarid ; I'll eat no food and drink no beer If made by a German hand. I will not use a German tool, Razor, knife or saw; I will not trade with a German shop That lives by German law. I will not sail on a German ship Where German songs are sung; I will not breathe where God's clean air Is soiled by a German tongue. I will not forget those awful deeds To girls and little boys; No more I'll hang on, Christmas treea Those blood-stained Christmas toys. i I will not take a German's word, He'll break it if he can ; There is no love in a German heart,. Or faith in a German man. This is my oath, now war Is done, I'll swear to keep it true; in fact seldom warranted except in And, since I know you feel the same, the big cities, and only in the finest rn pass it on to you. hotels there. For instance, the new j kitchen and its equipment are fine as -That's Me, "Duffy. can be found in the South. If money will buy any item which will add to the quality of the food served, or the speed and convenience .and sanitation of the kitchen service, that item will be found installed and doing its duty. Absolutely nothing seems to b lack ing, from the high-speed potato parer, the two enormous ranoo the alum iuunl meat boiler (bigg2r than an or dinary wash pot), the live steam dish washing machine, the battery of steam vegetable cookers, the stoan tables o heating f ods, the oig store rooms filled with the most iavni:- supply of f iuits and jellies an i jam?- and smok ed meats; canned and fresh vege tables. A walk throuh lie store rooms in these Llgh-prU-ed times is like being escorted thro agn the trea sure vaults of the Mint, and one can't help thinking that if he had a wheel barrow and a good chance he would tote off a load that would mak-3 that big gray express horse look like- a pony. U. S. HOSPITALS 1 NORTH CAROLINA Ttt BE CLOSED, "Washington, Feb". 7. The govern ment hospitals at Waynesville anci Hot Springs will be abandoned. The Kenilworth Inn hospital has not been passed upon yet. The war depart ment has reached a final decision on the two plants at Waynesvi'le and Hot Springs. Representative Webb in!ro-j duced today a bill for $75,000 for aj site and public building at Morganton. This is one of many public buildings bills going in now. - iV Aceticism. ! Acetlcisra means the practicing of severe virtues, or the mastering of de sires and passions. It might be termed the extreme practice of the simple life. Among the ancient Greeks it denoted the exercise and discipline practiced by the athletes and wrestlers. ESS u.MHiim..ii SEE ' H IT llTI M lliMMI ,tKmnff-wf.fn. FIME 77 W T7 ilk HOIME n . With, ati lOuimMveviof employment at high, waes-and the recent stimulus to ciconomv provMcd by. the war, there is inoror.ey in the United-States that could utilized for home building than has been available for many ears. In the face of these'.facts, building materials are relatively Jow m price. The. advance in cost W materials has nqjt kept pace with the increases in wages and in other commodities. Hence, now i the time , to build a home, whether it be the modest home of the workman or the more pretentiousNhome of thje capitalist. J;As a competent writer has lately said- "The present moment is favor'ale to the building of homes of all classes, from those of the millionaire to those of the workmgmanWThe object in building a home is comfort. The opportunity for home building and owning comes wlth-fehpssesion of surplus means which can be invested in that way. Many persons of wealth have largelyadded to their fortunes through the war 'even af ter deduction of income and profit taxes.. The presents a favorable period for the use of such gains in the immediate building of new, homes, so that the desired increase of comfort or of luxury- mav be enjoyjed at aiv early date. . AXany wage earners, recently earning more than ever before- have prudently laid aside a part of their earnings and have-now accumulated, e titer in Liberty bo'nds or m savings banks, considerable sums with which they can begin home construction. Delay mav re suit m the spending or the unwise investment of such savings. It is a par. of wisdom to be-In promptly the best form of investment for the workingman a home for himself and his familv - Don t you expect to stay here? Then why not own your home? Owning your home will make this town your town m a way that merely living in somebody else's housedjmnot The house you build for yourself may not be perfect, but it will come alSwle lot nearer suiting your needs than any rented houge. ? -Jhe Henderso:ille; C0ncerns talking to you on this page believe that nowls the "tW to build, and they are confident that an investor is not risking anything seriously by buildin- aT this time. They are supporting this campaign of advertising for the purpose of bringing this building a home idea before the largest number of people here. ug a fi 0- S Lot OWN A HOME" B uild I J. R. mm Lumber Co. Rigby-MorrW-Compcny A i Smith, JacRn & Morris Citizens National Bank ' .1 1 4.5
French Broad Hustler (Hendersonville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 13, 1919, edition 1
2
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