The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-07-28
OUR VALLEY
Bv S. P. WERNER

lev NAV be classified into four
groups; Cd Those with highheadss
and fairly large stream-flow; ~
Those with considerable stream
flow but not such natural high
heads as the first group; 80
The minor local powers; (4) Inc
potential low-head powers.
The first of these within the
confines of the three counties
under consideration lie wholly II
Pennsylvania county, on the IoX'
away, Horse-pasture. and White,
wash rivers. These rivers are not
in our Valley, strictly speaking
since they are not tributary to
the French Broad, and are the
headwaters of the Savannah
River through its tributary, the
Seneca. But they are in our pol
itical subdivision and lie in the
same county in which the French
Broad rises, just over the divide
which rises between Rosman and
Toxaway. The potential powers
of these rivers is very great,
in proportion to their size
and watersheds for two rea,
sons-the very high rainfall and
the very high-heads in a short
distance. Competent engineers
report that there is fall of nine
hundred feet in less than two
miles, and most of this almost
perpendicular, on each Of these
rivers. They are also so related
to each other geographically and
geographically as to. be capable
of being tied together into a unit
of development. These powers
are well known in the CONNER
cial world. They were studied by
the late James B. Duke, and also
by engineers employed by Mr.
jennings, who owns large tracts
near them. The present mayor
of Brevard, Mr.. J. c. Wike, an
engineer of much experience, and
Captain T. S. Boswell. long an
engineer for the Southern Rail
way, have also studied them
They are capable of being deve-
loped into powers of major rank
The second group refers to the
POSSIBLE powers on the large trl-
butaries of the French Broad
the North, the West. the South,
and the East Forks, of the river
above BOSNIAN, Cathey's Creek,
Davidson River. Boylston Creek,
Mills River and Little River.
These streams are of sufficient
size and watersheds to furnish
power worth developing under
some conditions. although they do
not present such natural high
heads as the previous three. They
all, however, have mountains SO
closing in their valleys near their
points of junction with the
French Broad as to make high
dams at those points easily feas-
ible; and it may be estimated
safely that 200 foot dams at
those points would flood total
area of at least one hundred
thousand acres and impound some
three hundred billion cubic feet.
Since these dams and reservoirs
would be entirely within either
the National Forest or cut-over
forests no longer capable of sup
plying understandable timber. and
the lands to be submerged are
entirely unfit for farming and
poorly adapted to any other COM
mercial or residential uses, the
eventual construction of such
dams and reservoirs will be of
great value for flood-control,
power, fire prevention. forest de-
velopment, and as sources of
pure water for both near and dis
tant towns. cities, communities.
They constitute a potential asset
to the Valley of truly enormous
value; and not to this Valley
only but to the maintenance Of
uniform flow in the Tennessee
below. We shall refer to them
again in considering the Ten
nessee plan.
The third group of powers are
of relatively minor Importance
but of no little practical utility
to local interests. They are on
the smaller streams. such as Car
sons Creek, Dunn's Creek. Hog
sed's Greek and similar tributar-
les of the French Broad, whose
lengths vary from two to four
or five miles, and whose water
sheds may average from fifteen
hundred to three thousand acres.
These streams nearly all have
beautiful small falls and cascades,
such as Connestee, Maidenhair,
and others. Some of them have
been harnessed for local purposes
already, as the mill of Mr. w. +.
Breese. the power-plant of Mr..
H. N. Carrier at Rockbrook. the
plant erected bv Rev. S. l.. Nor
ris, as Connestee Cove and 9TH
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