Show written tor for this paper IN EAST TENNESSEE my brother willard halliday Hallid ayin in 18 1890 90 while laboring in the cause 0 of 1 god in davis county N C after a siege of pneumonia parted this life to 0 labor in in a holier and happier sphere to visit the place of his death in connection with elder R R judd of grantsville Grants vilie ville utah we left our field of labor in east tennessee tenessee n and after visiting ft a number oi 01 saints in the upper counties counties on november just at noon we crossed the blue ridge through grandmothers gap the great watershed which divides the rivers running into the mississippi sis sippi from those running directly into the atlantic ocean the mountain scenery along our route was indeed grand while the pure mountain water that gushed forth from the rocks in numberless places added much to the pleasure of the trip arriving at mocksville Mocks ville we had no trouble in locating mr L M mcclamrock at whose home my brother died a and nd whose kindness I 1 shall never forget for I 1 am persuaded that no more will ing hearts or tender hands could have administered to him had he been at home and it was a source of great joy to us to know that during our brothers last moments on earth he was so favored as ad to fall among such good samaritans samaritana Samar itans returning again via via ashville N ca C we lay over one day for the purpose 0 of visiting the famous vanderbilt Vander bik mansion now in course of construction the mansion is located about five miles south of ashville and feeling quite weary irom our previous day days Is journey we slowly sauntered down south main street and reaching Baltimore the closest point to the mansion that will be reached when completed by any conveyance save carriages we called on general mana manager gift passes but were weke informed it we were on toot no pass was necessary so taking the rail road track about three miles brought us to the mansion As we crossed rough ridges and deep gullies we wondered how it ib could be possible that a man would select such a rugged place upon which to expend so much money for surely nature has had presented many more beautiful and less rugged places to sub due and beautify it so happened that the same morning we visited the place mr george W vanderbilt himself arrived he is a single man probably thirty years of age dark complexioned I 1 medium height beight and would weigh 1 about atit one hundred and thirty five pounds As asme we reached the spot a most beautiful spectacle met our gaze gate towering before us probably feet high long by leet wide beautifully decorated by stone sculpture work stood the magnificent white sandstone mansion and when being informed by the manager in charge that the stone both for the mansion and the huge walls arches and steps which bedeck the grounds had been shipped from bedford indiana we were led to exclaim what cannot be accomplished with money after viewing the mansion with its immediate surroundings and procuring souvenirs we followed the winding pave and macadamized walks into t the he floral or horticultural part of his premises in the greenhouse we I 1 found many tropical trees and plants with thousands shousan ds 0 varieties of flowers in bloom as though it were springtime the high stone archways arch ways and sculpture work gives a massive and substantial appearance to the grounds the water supply is piped irom from bushy a distance of three miles and the sewerage is perfect we were informed that the tract of or land upon which the building stands comprise about seventeen thou thousands acres with probably three hundred of it already beautified while farther back in the mountains mr vanderbilt owns a tractor tract of seventy thousand acres known as the paint beds from one in charge we obtained the following statistics about one thousand men employ ed upon the grounds of which about three hundred are working on thein the interior of the buildt building ng receive receiving ng from oneto five dollars per da day Y wages rhe fhe building contains three thre e hundred and sixty eight rooms forty five carriage horses will be kept keat at the mansion for the accommodation of the millionaire and his guests forty miles of macadam aed carriage road is already constructed on the grounds reaching most of the scenic points everything seems ta W be of a substantial nature and will last for ages and we leave this beautiful fut picture with the breeze so health inspiring witha with a sigh of regret east tennessee conference is in a prosperous condition and with the r recent arrival of elders thomas coffin and J R terry our number is increased to twenty eight with appreciation for your par paper which reaches us we are still yours in the cause of truth J R HALLIDAY fres east tenn conference |