Thursday, September 14, 1899
There is a mineral spring on the west branch of Indian Draft contiguous to Edray that may be called chalybeate sulphate of magnesia for the want of a more scientifically expert terminology. While its cathartic effects may be very pronounced, all debility seems obviated by its tonic properties. Used judiciously, persons suffering from biliary derangements and indigestion may expect beneficial results and it is well worth trying.
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Last Wednesday, while Dr. Lockridge was at Rimel’s Top of Alleghany looking at some calves, a tree was struck by lightning six or eight rods away. The concussion stunned him and he fell from his horse, which in the meantime had commenced plunging. The Doctor was unconscious for a considerable while, but when he came to, the first thing he said was “put water on my head.” He revived rapidly and was able to go home near Driscol a few hours after the occurrence.
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No use to get hot and complain about the editor criticizing surveyors of roads for not discharging their duty. So long as the loose rocks and other debris are left in our roads you may expect to hear from us. We are on one surveyor’s bond and, so far as we have seen, the roads he pretended to work as good results could have been obtained by dragging a tom cat backward over them, and his work will be about average with the county over. – Calhoun Chronicle.
RAILROAD WORK
J. J. Strang’s camp is quite an acquisition to the town. We strolled down there the other day not knowing whether we were intruding or not, in search of any legitimate news that might come our way for the paper. We were ready to fraternize or flee just according to the reception accorded us. The result was that we met the head men and were treated to a fine dinner and a good cigar, and were considerably impressed with the cleanliness and the comfort of the camp. The men of the camp will no doubt see this and we must not make our compliments too broad, but still we would like them to know that the town people appreciate the presence of a well conducted enterprise such as is to be found in this camp. There is a manifest desire on the part of all the employees we met for their camp to have a good name. The camp shows that it belongs to a man who believes in giving his men the best circumstances permitted, and that his men make his pride their pride, and there is no mistake about their having reduced camping to a fine art.
THE WEEK’S WORK
Since last week, the teams have been at work between Knapp’s Creek and the temporary courthouse The island has practically dis- appeared and in its place is a big fill about 20 feet high which from the plank walk looks like a mound. The mule teams climb the steep ascent with a load of dirt in the wheel scrapers and are outlined for a moment against the sky. The dirt is dumped and the mules slide down a perpendicular wall of dirt for the next load. The work is progressing rapidly and it seems impossible that the amount of dirt in the fill has been put there by the teams at work in a week.
WILD BEES
C. P. Corbett, who lives on Browns Mountain, found a colony of bees doing business in a strange place. They had chosen the underside of a broad rail on the outside corner of a worm fence for their home, and had made five pieces of comb, three of which were a foot long at least. The rail was bout three feet from the ground.
He left them be for a few days, then he put them in a gum. In doing so, he inadvertently destroyed the most of the comb, and since then the bees have been doing very poorly.
As few of his neighbors keep bees and none of them know of the loss of a swarm this year, he is inclined to believe that it is a wild swarm from some hollow tree.
