The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-07-16
Book Of IVA States Bent
Creek Dam Not Feasible AS
Water Impounding Project
Upper Reaches on
French Broad
Maybe Used
SEE BETTER LAND
PRICES AS REACTION

Property owners of Henderson,
vile and the county and particu..
larly those in the Mills River Sec
ton. breathed easier today as the
result of an announcement made
Sunday by Carl A. Book, assist
ant chief engineer of the Ten
nessee Valley Authority, that con-
struction Of a storage dam IN
the French Broad valley, probab-
ly at Bent creek, is not eco.
nomically justified at the present
time.
Mr.. Books statement, issued
late Saturday at Knoxville. left
the impression among interested
observers in that region that the
flooding. of the Mills River Sec
ton is definitely "out of the pic.
ture," although it is understood
that efforts will be continued
here to have the IVA undertake
improvements in the valley that
would enhance rather than de:
stroy land values there. This could
be done, it was pointed out, by
work on the channel of the
French Broad to afford better
drainage and avoid flood damage,
and then if one or more storage
basins are found necessary these
could be created by erecting q
dam or dams in the upper reaches
of the valley.
In making the announcement
that one large French Broad dam
should no longer be the cause OF
concern on the part of the people
of Henderson, Buncombe and
Pennsylvania counties, Mr.. Book
said that no improvements in this
region need be held up or delay
ed on account of the discussion
of the suggested dam. He also
said that North Carolina highway
construction plans are entirely
consistent with possible future
development of reservoir sites in
the French Broad valley and that
all highway work can proceed
without delay. Highway work,
the construction of prison camp
in Transylvania county and other
projects had been suspended be-,
cause Of the suggested dam, and
it is assumed that this work WILL
now be resumed.
One of the immediate effects
of Mr.. Books announcement. it
was believed today, will be the
revival Of interest in Henderson
county real estate. ! Until the
French Broad dam became the
principal topic of discussion sew
eral weeks ago. local real estate
men had turned" several pieces
of property this year and were
encouraged to believe that real
estate would be more active this
summer than at any time in five
wears. Fear that construction Of
the dam would flood much land
and at the same time largely i'm
pair the value of other property
in this vicinity was given as the
cause of a sudden lack of inter-
est in real estate, but now it IS
believed this apprehension will
disappear and that many invest
ments will be made during the
remainder Of the year.
Mr.. Books statement, in full,
is as follows:
"The Tennessee Valley Author
;tv has been importuned by many
people to prepare designs Ior q
water power dam and regulating
reservoir on the French Broad
inst above Asheville. The topo-
praphv of this site affords a nat
nrai reservoir basin which, con-
sidered for it's physical aspects
alone, is one of the best of such
sites in the Tennessee Valley.
However, the preliminary data
available at the present time re-
CONTINUED on page four)