THE YANCEY JOURNAL
VOL. 4 4VO. 44
Educators
Praise
Mountain
Heritage
Mountain Heritage High
School was selected by the
Division of School Planning,
North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction as the site
for its conference on school
construction on October 19,
1976. Approximately sixty
five people attended the
afternoon and evening ses
sions. Representatives at
tended from a number of
school units in Western North
Carolina, as well as colleges
and universities from the
area. Approximately half of
the group consisted of archi
tects and engineers from the
Charlotte, Hickory and Ashe
ville area.
The afternoon session was
limited to a tour of the school
facility and a discussion on
every conservation in both old
and new buildings. The
evening session was devoted
to general construction prob
lems in new school building
projects. The discussions
were led by eleven members
of the Division of School
Planning
Dr. J.L. Pierce, Director of
the Division of School Plan
ning, told a group of students
that they wfere in the best
school in North Carolina.
Later he remarked to the
conference participants that
this was probably one of the
most sophisticated school
buildings in the United
States.
Two Weekend Accidents Cause
Injuries On Yancey Highways
On Saturday, October 30
at 3:20 p.m, on U.S. 19E
approximately 3 miles out of
Burnsville a two-car accident
injured the drivers of both
cars. Sgt. D.W. Reavis
investigated.
Roy Duncan, 67, of route
1, Burnsville was driving a ’67
Buick. Kathryn Pittman, 22,
of Route 1, Burnsville, was in
a ’65 Dodge.
According to the accident
report, Duncan was pulling
onto the roadway from a
parked position. The Pittman
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Harvest Festival At Head Start
The Head Start-Home Start program* of Yancey County celebrated their Harvest Festival on
the 26th of October, 1976 at the Head Start Center In Burnsville. Parents, children, and staff came
in full cos time for Halloween. A door prize was given for the lucky number and most original
costume. For the children there was apple bobbing, fishing, and pinning the tall on the black cut.
Upstairs in the Home Start Center was a display of children and adult arts and crafts. There wasa
fabulous fortune telling booth and tasty refreshments furnished by parents and staff. Traditional
Halloween treats were given to the children.
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Crane With Demolition Ball Knocks Down Wall
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Old Yancey Landmark Presented A Safety Hazard
vehicle was traveling north on
U.S. 19E as vehicle No. 1
entered the highway. Vehicle
No. 1 was struck in the left
quarter and skidded across
a parking lot and down an
embankment. Vehicle No. 2
skidded across the lot, struck
a trash dumpster and stop
ped. Damage to the Buick was
estimated at $600; damage to
the Dodge was estimated at
$350.
Duncan was taken to
Yancey Hospital and Ms.
Pittman was taken to Me
BURNSVILLE, N.C. 28714
morial Mission Hospital in
Asheville.
Another two-vehicle acci
dent occurred 7*/j miles out of
town near the Madison
County Line on Saturday,
October 30, at 6:00 p.m. This
accident left two injured
according to Patrolman C.D.
Thomas who investigated.
Linda Ann Flynn, age 16,
of Route 2, Nebo, N.C. was
driving a 1974 Ford. She was
backing from the roadway at
the time she was struck by
Clifford Metcalf, age 23, of
Route 3, Burnsville, who was
driving a 1970 Volkswagpn.
Metcalf was traveling east
and rounded a sharp curve"
when he struck vehicle No. 1.
Vehicle No. 1 came to rest at
the point of impact, while the
second car came to rest on the
south side of the road headed
east.
Passengers in the two cars
included Betty Jew Flynn,
18, also of Nebo, in the Ford
and in the Volkswagon two
passengers: Debbie Metcalf,
19 and Jerminy, age 2.
Linda and Jerminy were the
only ones injured in the
accident and they were taken
to Yancey Hospital. Neither
was injured seriously.
Damage to the Ford was
estimated at $200; damage to
the Volkswagon was estima
ted at S3OO.
Farm Bureau Meeting
The Yancey County
Farm Bureau will hold
its snaual meeting in
the courtroom of the
Yancey County court
house on Monday, No
vember 8, at 7:30 p.m.
The purpose of the
NATIONAL FARM-CITY WEEK, NOV. I S
FARM AND CITY
PARTNERS IN PROGRESS
A DECLAMATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE
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End Os Landmark:
Dam Demolished
BY RAY DORSETT
Soil Conservationist
If you have been along
Cane River lately you may
have noticed that the old Cane
Rjver Dam is being demolish
ed. Through combined efforts
of the Yancey Soil and Water
Conservation District, the
Department of Natural and
Economic Resources, and
owner Cy Jordan it is being
removed. Taking out the dam
will strip away the hazard of
possible flood damage to the
area below in case it should
break.
The dam was built in the
Carnival
Reslated
This Week
The loaves and fishes
carnival to raise funds for a
meals-on-wheels program for
Yancey County’s senior citi
zens has been rescheduled for
Saturday, November 6, be
ginning with a parade at 1
p.m. An auction will be held
beginning at 2 p.m. in the
Northwestern Bank parking
lot on the square.
Other activities include
the crowning of a Senior
Citizen King and Queen,
wagon and pony rides, cake
walks, jail and dunking chair,
carnival booths and a fish fry
sponsored by Troxell’s Trout
Farm. Members of the Health
Department wilKlje giving
Swine flu shosf in the
courthouse.
Items are needed for the
auction and donors are urged
to call the Senior Citizen Hot
Line 682-6011 with informa
tion concerning items that can
be auctioned. All proceeds wil
go to match a federal grant for
use in setting up the
meals-on-wheels program.
Rummage
Sale Set
There will be a Rummage
Sale on Saturday, November
6, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
in Spruce Pine on Upper
Street next to Lakeview
'Nursery.
This sale is being spon
sored by Spruce Pine Chapter
No. 27, Order of the Eastern
Star. All proceeds from the
sale will be used to help
support the many charitable
projects of the Chapter.
In addition, Claxton Fruit
cakes are now available and
will be on sale by the Chapter
at this time.
meeting will be to
discuss loose leaf to
bacco and other com
modities. All farmers,
dairymen and Farm
Bureau members are
urged to attend.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1976
early 1900’s of wood and
concrete. In the 1920’s it was
enlarged and reinforced with
steel. The lake it ponded
covered over 100 acres of
land. The purpose of the dam
was to generate power. In the
1930's the dam was purchas
ed by French Broad Electric
for power generation.
About 1955 French Broad
Electric sold out their equip
ment and stopped generating
power. The reasoning behind
this was that power could be
bought about as cheaply as it
could be produced. Before
this time it was noticed that
there was a leak developing
below the dam structure.
LEAK ENLARGES
As time went by the leak
began to enlarge. This was
noticed by the lowering of the
water level of the lake. In 1958
the possibility of buying the
lake for a recreational area
was originated. The Men’s
Club of Burnsville pursued
the idea. They had a team of
engineers and economists to
make a study and determine
its feasibility. Their findings
were not encouraging. They
stated in their reports that
there were several disadvan
tages. Their major concerns
were that the lake was narrow
and the shorelines steep.
These factors would discour
age motor boat activities and
limit approachment to the
water. They also pointed out
that various landowners own
ed strips of the shoreline;
thus, acquisition of the
property surrounding the lake
would be difficult. Poor access
to the entire lake was also
noted. Due to the steep
topography encompassing the
lake road building would be
difficult and costly. With
these results ideas for recrea
tion development were drop
ped. After these studies the
dam and lake were put up for
sale. It was offered for sale to
any nonprofit organization
who would establish it for
recreation for only one dollar.
Even at this price there were
no takers. Around 1970 the
idea was again aroused fqr
development into a recreation
facility. This time the idea
was stopped before the study
New Fashion Spot In Town
DON-ALDEN’S Is the newest name on the Burnsville fashion scene as Don Whitson and
Alden Edwards, who recently bought the Anglin & Westell Store on the Burnsville town square
are getting In a good supply of top brand names in men’s, Indies’ and children’s wear. According
to Don and Alden, they will soon carry an entire Junior line also. Dorothy Harris .««< n,,,,
Westell will still be st the store to help customers make their selections. Don whTl ves o„ ill
Creek and attends Riverside Church, has two children: Jeff, In grade 7 at Cane River uiljb
School; and Chris, in grade 1 at Burnsville Elementary. Alden Edwards married to tli
Dianna Miller, lives on Phipps Creek and attends Riverside Church elan tu. vj ,u.
daughter, Tracy, who la 2‘/i years old. Edward, have one
went into great depth. The
dam was beginning to develop
cracks and concrete on the
buttresses of the structure
were flaking off. Restoration
of the dam was noted to be
costly. „
FLOOD SCARE
Due to the weakening of
the structure and the leak
under the dam the lake was
drained and three holes were
blasted in the bottom to take
care of the river flow. This
worked adequately until 1973.
In the spring of that year
there was a large rain. Debris
plugged at least one hole. The
lake filled and water began
running over the top of the
dam. Fear developed that the
structure could possibly break
so people were evacuated
from homes below.
As a concerned group of
individuals the Yancey Soil
and Water District supervis
ors contacted the Department
of Natural and Economic
Resources in Raleigh. They
advised them of the problem
and asked for an investigation
of the structure. Correspon
dence continued and through
continuing efforts of the
supervisors-an engineer final
ly made an investigation of
the dam in the spring of 1976.
He concluded the dam might
possibly break. This would
result in considerable proper
ty damage as well as possibly
some deaths along the river
below.
END OF A LANDMARK
Cy Jordan, the present
owner, was contacted and
asked to remove the struc
ture. He readily agreed to
remove the dam. Pursuit of a
team of explosive experts
began. One could not be
found. Since the dam had to
be removed a crane operator
with a demolition ball was
hired. The expense of the
removal is being levied by the
owner. Presently the dam is
being knocked down. With its
removal an old landmark of
Yancey County will be de
stroyed, but with it will also
go a tremendous safety
hazard which could have cost
considerable damage and
possible loss of lives.
—<'—»«
15 c
■ Notice S
■ Because of our print- ■
■ ing deadline of 5 o’clock ■
[ p.m. Tuesday, we can- J
• not publish unofficial !
I election returns as was g
■ our previous custom. In |
■ next week’s edition of ■
I The Journal we will list
! official election returns S
« in Yancey County by ■
| Precinct. |
Bluegrass
Festival
There will be a Bluegrass
Festival held at Bald Creek
Elementary on November 6
from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The
festival is the school’s annual
fund-raising project. It will
feature banjo pickers, fid
dlers, doggers and other
mountain talents from folks
known throughout Western
North Carolina.
All of these talented
musicians and doggers are
donating their services to aid
the school. Bald Creek invites
you to attend this evening of
Mountain Music for mountain
folks.
Country
Music Show
There will be a Country
Music Show at the South Toe
Community Center on No
vember 6 at 8 o’clock. The
program will be presented by
Mike Loftis and the Southern
Country. There will be good
country music, dancing and
cake walks. Proceeds will go
to the Community Center to
buy much needed equipment.
PTA Bake Sale
On Saturday
East Yancey Middle
School PTA is having a Bake
Sale this Saturday, November
6, at both shopping centers
and Burnsville square. All
profits will be used to pay for
dictionaries for the students.
Thanksgiving
Holiday Set
Schools will be closed for
Thanksgiving Holidays on
November 25 and 26. Schools
will close for Christmas
Holidays at noon on Wednes
day, December 22, and will
reopen on Monday, January
3, 1977. St.