THE YANCEY JOURNAL
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VOL.I, N 0.12
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Flooded Fields In Cane River Section Were Part J)f Crop Damage In Yancey County
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'P&imerfy *?6e 'tyatcetf T^tancC
THURSDAY, JUNE 22,1972
Over $500,000 Damage As
Rain And Floods Hit Yancey
By Carolyn Yuziuk
Two days and nights of relentless, driving rain took its toll
of roads and bridges in Yancey County on Monday and Tues
day of this week. The wind and rain, dismal forerunners of
Hurricane Agnes which was moving up front the Florida Pan
handle toward the Carolina Coast, began in earnest Monday,
June 19.
Streams, creeks and rivers in Yancey swelled to over
flowing by nightfall, but still the rain continued. Those who
went to sleep hoping for a better day, woke up Tuesday morn
ing to the same wet and dreary landscape. Before the day
was over, the rain and flooding had wreaked havoc on many
areas of our county.
The Mountain Wilderness Campground moved out occu
pants of its park as it flooded on Tuesday. Much damage was
reported.
Yancey Railroad liad one of its bridges completely washed
out, according to Charles Laws, general manager of the rail
road. This bridge was the Dawson Bridge at the mouth of
Silvers Branch at Micaville. Laws said the railroad also par
tially lost 2 bridges, both over Aylcrs Creek in the South Toe
section. The raiD waters washed away ground under sections
of track all along the line. A rough estimate of the damage
was about $60,000.00.
* Many residents of Cane River Valley were evacuated on
Tuesday night as BakewCrrckHElam threatened to burst with
the swollen waters of the lake above. According to Sheriff
Kermit Banks, several thousand people in Yancey and Mitch
ell Counties could have been affected if the dam had not
held. The danger a "nears to have subsided with the cessation
of rain on Wednesday.
Widespread road damage was reported by the State High
way Department. A spokesman said that a portion of High
way 80 at White Oak Creek was washed out by high waters on
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Garbage Cans Float In Flooded Picnic Area Os Mt. Wilderness Campgrounds
Mt. Wilderness Takes Severe Blow
Approximately 50 campers
had to be evacuated from the
Mountain Wilderness Camp
ground and recreational area
in Pensacola when heavy rains
caused a river through the area
to flood most of the grounds.
Owner Hay Miller estimates
that it will take $15,000 to
$20,000 to return the area to
its previous condition.
The Mountain Wilderness
area will be closed until Fri
day, said Miller, but added
that tire Bluegrass Festival plan
ned for Friday and Saturday
will be held as scheduled. The
festival will be held in the Wil
derness Hall, which along with
the recreation building, was not
damaged. >
* i
Evacuation of campers by
Sheriff Kermit Banks, Manager
Frank Fagan, the CAP, Emer
gency Radio Patrol and other
volunteers began Tuesday after
noon when waters of the Upper
Cane River,which runs through
Mountain Wilderness, began to
overflow ahd flood the park.
Horses had to be let out of the
corral and barns, and planes were
moved to the center of the air
field. »
Sheriff Kermit Banks said
most campers had been evacua
ted by lOsOO p. m. By that
time electricity to the are a had
been cut off by a pole falling
across the power lines.
An almost tragic accident
occurred when Mountain Wil-
Tuesday. Bolens Creek Road is completely washed out in
two sections along the creek, and an official esQ mated that
it will be two days before the road can be reopened. Cattail
Creek Road was blocked by washout, but has been reopened
after repairs were madd by the highway crew. A bridge cm
Highway 197 above Mountain Wilderness is damaged Leyond
repair and will have to be completely recon strticted.
Several secondary roads will be closed for a day or two,
it was -eported, and almost all gravel roads in Yancey Coun
ty have sustained damage. Georges Fork Road is blocked at
its upper end, as is Bill Allen Branch near Burnsville. The
swollen waters of Bill Allen Branch brought to the memory
of old timers along that road a previous flood period many
years ago which had carried huge trees and cattle down the
normally peaceable little stream.
The home of Mrs. Frances Low on Pensacola Road appear
ed to be threatened by rising waters, and she was taken by the
Rescue Squad to the home of friends in Burnsville,
Ed Holcombe of the ASCS, Ned Jestes of the Soil Conser - -
vation Service, Wilbur Howard from the Farmers Home Admi
nistration and Hugh Pate, the Extension Service Horticultural
Aide, met early Wednesday morning to discuss the extensive
crop damage in certain areas of Yancey County. They went
out Wednesday afternoon to assess the damage firsthand, and
report that an estimated $100,000.00 worth of crop* have
been denroyed. Thi* figure, says N c d Jestes, is for crops
alone. An inestimable amount of damage was done to lands
in the county.
People all over Yancey County will be working hard during
the next few weeks to restore their homes and lands to nor
malcy. The "June Flood" of '72 was perhaps not as ravaging
as in the long- ago days we have heard about, but it will be
remembered and retold in years to come.
derness employee Glenn Wil
liams helped some campers
across the river to safety—and
could not get back across by
the same roitte. He tried cross
ing on the dam above the lake
and was swept away by the cur
rent. Williams said he was car
ried along trader water for atout
50 yards before he could sur
face. The long raincoat and
heavy boots he was wearing
weighed him down and became
tangled in his feel and arms,
making it impossible for him
to swim. He kept being hit by
debris and his body was tfaovm
against trees as he was carried
'long. He finally lodged
gainst a tree and managed to
climb above the water. His
io*
calls for help were then heanfp •
and he was thrown a rope arut' 1
pulled to safety—about 200
from the dam from which h#ie
had been swept.
About 2596 of the lake afat
Mountain Wilderness is £Ule#o
in with rocks and debris, safci*
Ray Miller, And there wiISH
be extremely good fishing
along Cane River, courtesy ofs
Mountain Wilderness* Milled
had just filled the lake with t k
$2,000 worth of trout.
Photo* If .it
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