Polk Family Papers Box 9 Document 25

(Letter to Bishop Elliott from Bishop Polk July 21st, 1858

Beersheeba Springs July 21, 1858 (19)

My dear Elliott:

Since I wrote you I have made two thorough explorations of Sewanee with Barney and a number of Winchester gentlemen and have been more and more pleased each time. I think it will be granted on all sides that we have there all that should be asked for so soon as the locality is thoroughly known. Fairbanks has been over and passed a day there and is a thorough convert. He says he has seen Lookout also since he left and he finds the place he had in his eye at Montgomery where he voted against a mountain site was Lookout and not Sewanee. That the latter has everything though to be wanting. Lay also writes that henceforth we are all united on Sewanee and that he is satisfied it is the best place offered above the plains, &c. &c. I found many of the good people of Franklin complaining they had not an opportunity of showing their good will on the occasion of the picnic so I proposed they should have another and on a large scale, giving timely notice to everybody. I suggested also that they extend invitations to all the towns of the neighborhoods that were unsuccessful competitors to Huntsville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Cleveland, Knoxville, also to the good people of Nashville and the friends of the enterprise generally in the surrounding states and "the rest of mankind." This they have concluded to do and have appointed the 11th (eleventh) August as the day. They are to have the omnibus that runs from [?] to Winchester taken up to the top of the mountain on the Railroad () to take the people from the

(Letter to Bishop Elliott from Bishop Polk, July 21st, 1858)

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stopping place to Rows Spring, together with innumerable carriages, buggies, &c. The roads are to be cut out wide and made good, and roads also from Rows carried by all the Springs to the fine views on the Bluffs. They propose also to have some tents made to spread around on the site opposite Rows cabin for an encampment. There is a beautiful place which we selected for that purpose when I was last there, overspread with trees and grass, suitable for the display of their tables of good things. Near byu also there is a broad flat rock which they intend to canopy with boughs of trees for the amusement of such of the young people as may wish to amuse themselves by dancing. They propose a carefully arranged organization with Marshalls, &c under Barry's general lead so that there is reason to believe the whole thing will go off pleasantly, and what is of chiefest consequence bring the site into general notice and silence thereby all further discontent. This I look upon as a movement of material consequence to the general good feeling towards the site if is of consequence to have fixed in the public mind. It will furnish also a good occasion for all the discontents of the surrounding villages to give in and say after they have seen the place "we find we were mistaken. It is not the place we thought it was. If we had known its extraordinary advantages we should not &c. &c. &c. &c." and then bury the hatchet on the top of Sewanee. I think it very desirable to have some of the editorial corps from all the towns and states around us present to report the particulars of the gathering and that as many of the trustees as possible should be there. I have written to Gov. Harry Hopkins of the Journal to come out to bring out the matter before the church and got Armfield to say he would pay his expenses out and in. I wanted to confer with him as to taking charge of a

(Letter to Bishop Elliott from Bishop Polk July 21st, 1858) -3-

press in the service of the University in pursuance of the general plan of which we have spoken. And now my dear Sir, what prevents your coming up and joining us. I have concluded to stay until after the affair is over, especially as the yellow fever has disappeared from New Orleans. We shall no doubt hae Otey, Green is here, and will be here all Summer. I think also you will have had time to turn the matter of the con {sic} and internal machinery in your mind also by that time and we might have a meeting of our Committee and a word of conference. This might set forward our future work. Other members of the Committee will no doubt be there. All the good folks from Bursheba {sic} will be there as they have been specially invited and means will be provided for their going.

If you come, to make yourself really welcome, I am commissioned to say, you must bring Mrs. Elliott and some of our young friends the juvenile Elliotts not forgetting in particular my young friend Miss Hetty. By the way, you may say to her, that on my second excursion to the mountain I found a veil, a fan, and a pair of india rubber overshoes stcattered around and over the top thereof which bore unmistakable evidence that a ceratin young Georgia girl not unknown to fame in the coast thereabouts had passed that way. If in the course of you rrambles you hear of her please say the veil and overshoes are in my possesion. The fan rather the worse for wear is depositied in Rows Cabin as a souvenir to keep brother Green and Col. Barney cool during their contemplated sojourn therein for the next month or so while working out the surveys.

Please present us affectionately to your family,

& believe me very truly

yours

Leonidas Polk

Rt.Rev.S.Elliott, D.D. Savannah, Ga.

Rt. Rev Leon. Polk July 21, '58 Answered same day as received.