The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-01-05
OPPOSITION TO
dam TO RENEW
ITS ACTIVITIES
Stark Presents Petition For
Construction To IVA
AT Knoxville
HIS STATEMENT OF
VIEWS CHALLENGED

Opponents of the building of
the Bent Creek dam by IVA to-
day indicated mild interest IN the
story carried bv the Associated
Press, under a Knoxville date line,
stating that c. l.. Stark, chairman
Of a citizens committee from this
place yesterday presented a petit
ton to IVA asking that this dam
be constructed.
The story from Knoxville states
that the petition contains between
five and six thousand names. and
quotes 7. Stark as saying that his
committee represents 81 per cent
Of the people of Henderson and
Pennsylvania counties. With ref
erence to previous delegations of
citizens from the two counties that
have visited Knoxville, opposing
the construction of the dam, Mr..
Stark said: "These people repre-
sented the private power inter
estS."
Opinions of those opposed to
the building of the Bent Creek
dam, in reference to this develop
ment in the fight by those favor
ing the proposal, were summed up
by local leaders of the opposition
today, as follows:
When Mr.. Carl A. Book, of
Knoxville, engineer of IVA, sew
eral months ago made public an
nouncement Of the fact that IVA
had abandoned the plan to erect
the Bent Greek dam. having deter
mined that the cost of producing
power at that site would be too
expensive, the people of this sec
ton who had been opposing the
project accepted the statement in
good faith. Immediately all agita-
ton against the dam ceased and
no more was heard of the matter
until it developed that those IA
voring the construction were cir
culating a petition.
The fact that this petition was
being circulated has been known
to opponents of the project for
some time, but they have not
given the matter any attention, as
they believed the Bent Creek prof.
ect was a dead cat" basing this
view OF the public statement made
by Mr.. Book, the IVA engineer.
On learning that the petition was
to be presented, according to
statements of its hackers, to
President Roosevelt, Congressman
Weaver and possibly others, as
we'll as IVA, together with such
statements as those quoted from
Mr.. Stark by the Associated Press,
opponents of the Bent Creek Dam
notified DR.. A. E. Morgan, chair
man of IVA, that if this matter
is to be determined by petition
they want the opportunity to pre-
sent one. They will get up petl-
ton, if that plan is to be the de-
termining factor in decision as to
the building of the dam. .,
DR.. Morgan had not been heard
from in reply to this request by
opponents of the dam, but 1t was
stated today that in preparation
for the fight which they propose
TO make on the proposal, they are
preparing to hold several meet
mos at early dates in Henderson
and Pennsylvania counties ana, II
i IS thought necessary, a petition
onn NJ Construction of the Bent
Creek dam and presenting the
views Of this opposition as to what
sbouId be done by IVA and other
omU agencies in develop
Toant work in the French Broad
valley, will be carried to Knox
vile.
nbatic in challenging the state
ment credited to C. L. Stark IN
Knoxville that mis- committee rep
resents 81 per cent of the people
of Henderson and Pennsylvania
counties and they also challenge
his statement that delegations
which have previously conferred
with IVA represented the private
power interests. Mr.. Stark will be
asked to make public his proof OF
these statements.