Serving—
at Black Mountain, NC 28711 Sm|hMIM| I ★ Ridgecrest
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Town Board passes
referendum resolution
by Clint Williams
A muggy July evening and a
heated issue combined to
make the atmosphere of the
July 10 meeting of the Black
Mountain Town Board
especially hot and sticky. The
request that the Board adopt a
resolution to ask the Bun
combe County Board of
Elections to call for a
referendum to determine
whether the sale of mixed
beverages will be allowed
within the Black Mountain
city limits over-shadowed all
the other items on the agenda
and was the main drawing
card for the over-flow crowd
that included representatives
Irom the print and broadcast
media of Asheville.
In an unprecedented
■Iteration of procedure,
Mayor Tom Sobol introduced
he second item on the agenda
jy saying, “In order that we
* completely fair, if there are
10 objections by the Board, I
nove to suspend our Roberts
lules of Order for a period noi
o exceed 10 minutes, to allow
mvone who is in the audience
chance to speak."
At the urging of other Board
nembers. Sobol increased the
eriod ol discussion to 13
flutes.
Before he opened the floor to
discussion, Sobol said, “We
rt not voting on the pros and
ons of liquor. That, in no
ray. should be brought up as
discussion. Period.”
This Town Board is going
o make a decision on whether
o allow the citizens of Black
Mountain to decide whether to
live them the right, them
selves, to decide whether they
want mixed drinks or whether
they want to continue brown
bagging. It's a matter of
control, not a matter of
morality,"Sobol added.
One of the first speakers
was Don Taylor of Asheville,
President of the Christian
Action League.
Taylor said that the man
who is against alcohol “has no
vote." He went on to say that
the state-wide referendum
held m 1973 showed that the
people were against liquor by
the drink by a margin of three
to one.
The Council is completely
disregarding the will, of the
people,"Taylor said, "they’re
saying "We know what we
want and we’re holding you to
IS minutes to discuss it and
that’s going to be the end ot it.’ ’
Former Alderman, John
Monday, another anti-mixed
drink representative, pointed
out that by calling for this
referendum the Town Board
may be risking receiving a
petition calling for another
one.
“Now, I know that you’ve
worked long and hard on your
budget, and getting your
budget in line,’’Monday said.
"The ABC store means about
$88,000, $90,000 a year to you.
The wine and beer tax means
a whole lot more to you, it
means about $12,000 to $1S,000
a year. You’ re going
to gamble that you’ re not
going to have a referendum
against those two by allowing
(this) referendum.”
Monday said that the
governing bodies of Green
rboro and Raleigh were
delaying action on the mixed
drink referendum until the
policies governing mixed
beverages had been finalized
by the state ABC board. He
said fiat he’d like to see the
Board pfcd-pone action until
thej « a petition from 20
per cent of the Voters
requesting a referendum to
vote on the sale of mixed
drinks or find out what the
policies of the state ABC board
will be.
Monday also said that if a
referendum to decide if mixed
drinks can be sold in Black
Mountain comes up, “we can
have a petition within a week
saying, ‘all right, we’re going
to vote whether you’re going to
keep your ABC store around.”’
The comment that received
the most audible response
from the standing-room-only
crowd, was made by Chet
Prentice.
“I swear, honest to good
ness,’ ’ Prentice said, “ I can
see where you can be against
liquor, you can be against sex,
you can be against cards, you
can be against anything, but I
honestly don’t see how you can
be against democracy. And
that is what this is about. Give
us a chance to vote on it.”
Prentice’s comments were
met with applause.
Following Prentice, Don
Taylor spoke again. He said
at $1.50 a shot, the amount
of profit for the seller of mixed
drinks was $45 per bottle.
“The profits (from the sale
of mixed drinks) will be taken
out of the pockets of the people
of your community,’ ’ Taylor
said.
“New York has liquor by the
drink,"Taylor continued, “and
they’ re bankrupt. Because
they had to keep up with the
drunks. They had to support
those who couldn't support
themselves.”
Taylor went on to say that
liquor by the drink is part of
the reason tax-payers in
California enacted
Proposition 13. “That (liquor
by-the-drink) is what has
created much of the expense
of it,” Taylor said. “Welfare
expenses that are paid is
because of liquor by the drink."
Taylor’s closing comments
signaled the end of discussion
from the floor. Less than half
the 15 minutes allotted by
Sobol was used by the
audience.
Befor presenting the of
ficial reading of the
resolution, Sobol again stated
that the Board was not voting
*i '^-Ms and cons of liquor.
Aftw Oie official reading of
the resolution, Aid. Jim
Norton broke a brief, tense
silence by making a motion
that the Board accept the
resolution. Aid. John Klutz
quickly seconded the r»c”cn.
In the discussion between
the aldermen that followed the
motion, Aid. Ruth Brandon
asked if a “social establish
ment”as mentioned in the bill
could be a massage parlor.
She went on to say that such
things were not clear “since
no guidelines have been
drawn-up.”
Mrs. Brandon went on to say
that there was “too much
urgency’ ’ regarding the
passing of the resolution and
questioned the Town’s ability
to pay for the election when
there were so many other
things, such as the water
system, that the money could
be spent for.
It was then pointed out that
a election would cost ap
proximately $400.
Aid. A.F. Tyson said, “I can’
t see any moral issue involved
here in giving the people the
right to vote. In fact, I think
we have the responsibility,
when any issue comes that the
people can vote on, U> give the
people the right to vote on it."
Aid. Brandon then offered
an amenament, "I’d like to
amend this motion to have put
on the same ballot, the
question whether the town
citizens want the local ABC
store around.”
After some discussion and
confussion, the motion for the
amendment dies for want of a
second.
The resolution to ask for a
referendum to decide the issue
of the sale of mixed drinks in
Black Mountain then passed
by a four to one margin, with
Aid. Ruth Brandon the only
dissenting vote.
Fire
Report
The Black Mountain Fire
Department had only one call
last week when they
responded to a false alarm on
Craven Hill Road in
Ridgecrest on July 4.
The Swannanoa Volunteer
Fire Department sent two
trucks and 18 men to'.what
turned out to be a false alarm
on New Salem Road on July 1.
Another false alarm brought
out one truck and six men on
July 3. A truck fire on Patton
Cove Road caused minor
damage on July 3. Two trucks
and 21 men responded to the
call. Three trucks and 20 men
responded to another false
alarm on New Salem Road on
July 3.
One of the machines at
Charles D. Owen Manufac
turing Company caused $300
on July 10. Three trucks and
21 men responded to the blaze.
According to the fire report
for the 1977-78 year ending
June 30, the Swannanoa
Volunteer Fire Department
responded to 95 fires during
the year. Twenty-two of those
fires were structure fires, 30
were brush fires, 24 were car
fires. and 19
of the fires were listed in the
(Continued on page 10)
Aid. Ruth Brandon cast the only "nay”vote on a
motion to adopt the resolution calling for a mixed
beverage referendum. (Clint Williams)
A prodigal son
writes home
by Dan Ward
Arista,Chiapas,Mexico —
Watching the sun set on an
almost deserted, cool and
breezy beach on the Pacific
side of Southern Mexico
sounds wonderful — until you
consider tj^e amount of driving
it takes to get here.
From the endless Stuckey’s
signs of sterile U.S. highways
to the overwhelming heat and
barrenness of Texas and
Northeast Mexico, the
awareness mercifully numbs
— leaving only a fraction of
the memory of the miles. And
then comes the mountains.
I had hoped to write a series
on mountain living in Central
America as compared to
Western North Carolina.
After taking mental notes on
log houses, wood cutters and
Mezcal moonshiners, I
realized that the main
similarity is not in how people
behave, but in their attitude
toward life.
Mountain folks are the
hardest working Mexicans —
and have the least to show for
it. but they make the best of it
An example is a boy I saw
pulling a cart load of fire wood
up the highway. He let his dog
ride ort (op of the load and
talked*© it as he toiled along.
Mountain folks know how to
laugh and take time for
strangers. Trying to figure
out through mime what part of
the chicken a menu described
drew the help and laughter of
four people.
The beauty and moods of the
mountains here are spec
tacular. And never were they
so beautiful as in Oaxaca,
where the cool, green, rolling
hills reminded me of home.
Next stop, Guatemala.
Wells highlight
other Board business
by Clint Williams
The resolution to request a
mixed drink referendum
dominated the agenda of the
July 10 meeting of the Black
Mountain Town Board but
there were other matters of
business covered.
In the communication from
the mayor, Tom Sobol notified
the Board, and the public, of a
letter received from the
Planning Board.
The letter informed the
mayor that the property
owned by W.C. Nichols and
recently annexed by the Town
of Black Mountain, has been
zoned R-20. The letter also
said that the Planning Board
would meet at 7:30 p.m. on the
last Monday of every month
and that any request for
Planning Board action must
be made at the Town Manager’
s office by the 15th of the
month or no action would be
taken until the next month.
The letter also said that
Wendell Begley had been
appointed as a representative
to the Committee for
Amending Zoning Ordinances.
The mayor also called for a
special Board meeting at 6
p.m. on July 24 to review bids
for the renovation of the Club
house.
Mac Kirkpatrick opened his
Town Manager’s report by
commending the Jaycees for
their construction of a mini
park at Oakland drive and
South Park Lane.
Kirkpatrick informed the
Board that the BOH grant had
been verbally approved and
asked for permission to
execute a contract and ad
vertise for bids when the
paper work for the BOR grant
is completed.
Kirkpatrick said that the
lowest bid for the installation
of tennis court lights was
$4,478. A committee meeting
to decide whether the lights
will be installed at the present
tennis court complex or at the
proposed courts that are to be
built with the BOR grant
money has not been called yet,
Kirkpatrick said.
After consultation with
officials in Waynesville and
Hendersonville, it was
determined that it would be
more economical for the Town
to renovate the sidewalks on
Cherry Street rather than
advertise for bids and con
tract the renovation to a
private builder.
“With the amount of money
we have, we can build in ex
cess of 200 feet , 100 on each
side.” Kirkpatrick said.
The cost of the seven foot
wide brick sidewalk will be $15
per running foot, Kirkpatrick
said.
In response to a request by
Mrs. Burgin at the last regular
Board meeting, her street has
been scraped and named
“Rocky Street,’ ’ Kirkpatrick
reported.
Kirkpatrick said that he has
spoken to State Highway of
ficials and the light on US 70
through town will be retimed
as soon as possible.
Kirkpatrick announced the
hiring of a new dog-catcher.
Mr . S. B. Griffiths was
acquired through CETA.
An eight-inch line burst and
wasthe primary cause for a
'our foot drop-in the reservoir
water level, Kirkpatrick Aid.
Because of this, arrangements
have been made for the
drilling of the wells that were
approved at the last regular
meeting. The drilling is
taking place now, Kirkpatrick
said.
A presentation by Martin
Nesbitt, an attorney
representing the Swan nan oa
Volunteer Fire Department,
was the first item of new
business. Nesbitts’ presen
tation ended with a proposal
that the communities involved
in the current fire boundary
dispute form a committee to
“pin down certain facts” and
make a decision that is best
for all the communities in
volved.
The third order of business,
following the mixed drink
referendum resolution (see
related story, page one) was
the town’s adoption of the
upkeep of the Black Mountain
cemetery Mrs. Bertha Jones
asked the Board to enact some
interim measures for the
upkeep of the site until a local
bill can be passed by the State
Legislature permitting the
Town to care for the property.
Mayor Sobol moved that the
currently dormant committee
investigating the matter be
activated to gather the facts
necessary for Rep. Gordon
Greenwood to draw up the
local bill to allow the Town to
maintain the cemetery. He
also asked Town Manager
Mac Kirkpatrick to consul
with the town attorney to see
what measures the Town
could take, without incurring
any liability, until the local bill
is passed.
A letter of resignation by
Fire Chief Sterling Poe, an
item not on the agenda, was
presented by Kirkpatrick. A
letter from Cary Robinson,
President of the Black
Mountain Fire Squadron,
recommending Gary Bartlett
to replace Poe as fire chief
was also presented by Kirk
patrick.
The Board then broke into
executive session and later
announced that the
resignation of Poe had been
accepted and that Gary
Bartlett had been appointed to
replace Poe
The meeting was then ad
journed.
In-the-Oaks
Mansion reflects innovative luxury
by Priscilla Hopkins
The Rutch Room of In-The
Oaks, is located partially
below ground. This room is
entered through a double door
arrangement: two single,
heavy wooden doors are hung
on opposite sides of a 26-inch
thick masonry wall. The room
also had double sets of win
dows — the inner of leaded
glass and the outer of regular
glass. These special features
were allegedly incorporated
into the construction of the
room to assure complete
privacy here during the
Prohibition era. The at
mosphere is that of an English
pub and it was here that
family and friends spent many
happy hours playing cards —
especially bridge. The
fireplace and adjacent wall
area are covered with im
ported Delft tiles decorated
with ship and abstracted floral
motifs. The paneled walls
have inlaid butterfly joints
and the floor is genuine wide
board planking. A custom
crafted bar sink and cup
boards fill one comer of the
snug and cozy room.
Connecting with this room
was the wine cellar which was
secreted behind a locked door
that opened into a bartender's
room whose west wall had two
false swing-out doors in front
of a solid appearing wall with
removeable shelves. This
then, slid into the wall to
reveal at last Mr. Terry's well
cared for and completely
catalogued cellar. It included
not only an extensive assort
ment of wonderful wines, but
also a complete stock of
liquors and liquers.
His close attention to detail
and appreciation of or
derliness is reflected in the
records of his private stock:
each bottle stored there had
an index card that gave its
kind, brand, price, dates
purchased and used, and its
location by bin and slot. The
temperature was constant
year-around because the
cellar was underground. All
that is left are a few empty
jars that once held home-brew
and a number of wine bottles,
their corks rotten and moldy.
The adjacent offices oc
cupied by Mr. Terry and his
secretary and a fire-proof
vault used to secure business
papers are also in this portion
of the house; his will was
found in the latter. Today, the
offices are used by the
manager of In-The-Oaks.
The lower levels of the house
contain a labyrinth of service
rooms which include laundry
and sewing rooms, a
vegetable root cellar and
several boiler rooms with
huge fuse boxes whose in
teriors are mazes of circuits
which are artistically as well
as functionally laid out. A
covered tunnel connects one of
the boiler rooms with a two
car garage.
One of the storerooms is
especially interesting because
it contains a row of barrels full
of screws, fixtures tiles,
plumbing supplies etc. ready
for use in repair and
replacement as needed.
These items date from the
construction of the house and
are still another example of
Mr. Terry’s thoroughness.
Immediately upon com
pletion of the m; nor house, a
multi-storied wir g was added
obliquely at the northwestern
corner which emphasized the
massive structure of the house
and enriched itsi lines ar
chitectually. Housed in the
addition was a gymnasium
ballroom on the upper level. It
has a maple floor, decorative
structural beams, and french
casement windows and doors
with fan lights on three walls.
On the wall that adjoins the
house, a balcony over-looks
the room and connects with
the Master Suite.
Beneath this was a heated
pool whose dimensions are 20
feet X 60 feet and whose
depths range from 4 feet to 9
feet. At one end of the pool
room stands a huge granite
fireplace with near-by ben
ches where swimmers could
sit and warm themselves.
Large windows fill the
remaining three wails and
shower and dressing rooms
connect with the pool area. On
the level below the pool deck
are the boiler rooms for the
pool and a complete two lane
bowling alley.
An architectual error
resulted in an uncompleted
space between the addition
and the original portion of the
structure. This oddly shaped
space was tucked away bet
ween' the floor of the
ballroom balcony and the
ceiling of the pool area.
Imaginative workmen im
provised as they worked and
turned the space into what is
now a fascinating guest suite
of two bedrooms with eight
and five walls respectively, a
sitting room and a private
bath. This area has come to
oe known as NEI,A’s apart
ment, NELA being the
acronym for Mr. Terry’ s
company, the National
Electric Lamp Association.
The house incorporated
several innovative ideas. The
first was the multi-leveled
interior floor arrangement-it
would be called split level
today. A second was the in
stallation of the Johnson
heating system that had area
thermostats-an idea in great
demand in our energy con
scious times! The third was a
battery operated intercom
system.
A much older feature of
construction-and one that
lends color to the house-was
the incorporation of secret
panels io_ portions of the
(Continued on page td)
The indoor pool of ln-the-Oaks (Dan Ward)