Letters sent to webmaster@hayesville.org will be posted here.

1. The following letter to the Clay County Progress was also sent to us.

March 3, 2007

Eva Nell Mull

BASE OF THE SHEWBIRD MOUNTAIN – The Matheson Cove!

Clay County Progress

Hayesville, NC

Letter to the Editor:

Dear EDITOR:

This letter being submitted to “The Clay County Progress Newspaper” is in regard to the impending demise of our beautiful Shew Bird Mountain in the Matheson Cove, Clay County, North Carolina.  Surely enough environmental insult has already been inflicted on ‘the backside’ of the Shew Bird.  This scar should serve as a reminder that our mountain must be preserved for the natural beauty and meaningful history of the region.

The horrible scars resulting from the quarrying of the granite will be a ‘never-ending’ 

blight for each of us.  It serves as a reminder to the lasting effects of ill-planning based on the disregard of the environment.  You do not have to drive very far into Georgia to see another example of such disregard.  I hope there is some group in North Carolina, such as ‘SAVE OUR CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS GROUP (SOCUM)’ in Tennessee, which will be able to take a stand on saving our Shew Bird Mountain.  

You may know that SOCUM was able to stop the strip mining along the ridges of the Cumberlands.  Alas, it was not soon enough!  The branches and creeks along the ridges and valleys were highly polluted.  The scars of erosion run deep and will last forever!  Finally, environmental laws were enacted to require proper reclamation of the stripped lands.   My questions:  (1) does the state of North Carolina not have limits to the extent of the quarrying of granite from a particular site?  (2) furthermore, are there laws in place that require reclamation of resulting damages to the surrounding landscape?

As an example of what can be done; citizens of Jackson County, North Carolina, recently mobilized to stop an ‘intended’ mining operation in the Tuckseegee Community.  The endeavor of this CITIZEN ACTION GROUP was front-page news in “The Sylva Herald Newspaper.”  Their efforts resulted in the discontinuation of the mining in that community! 

Sincerely yours,

Eva M. Wike, Author

“The Matheson Cove –

In the Shadow of the DEVIL’S POST OFFICE” 

2. Letter from Rufus Stark

News Release

The top of famous Shewbird Mountain, visible from many points in Clay County and Towns County, is to be removed. Adjacent landowners to the Hayesville Quarry received notice , by certified mail,  of an application for a modification of the existing surface mining permit to add land to the permitted area. The increased area will excavate to the 2800 foot topographical line of the mountain. The 2900 foot knob of the mountain lies within this area and will eventually be removed. The Quarry is located on McDonald Road on the West side of Shewbird Mountain, just North of the Geogia line.

Harrison Construction Division of APAC Atlantic, Inc. has made application to the Land Quality Section, Division of Land Resources, North Carolina Department of Evironment and Natural Resources. Additional information gained since the notice was received reveals that APAC Atlantic, Inc., has been bought by CRHplc, of Ireland, the worlds largest  international building products Company.

The North Carolina General Statute 74-50 provides that  a public hearing may be held regarding this matter, if there is ³significant public interest². Serveral adjacent landowners and County Manager Paul Leek have requested such a hearing. Citizens interested in a hearing may call Christine Hicklin, Land Quality Section, Raleigh, 919-733-4574.


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Submitted by:
Rufus H. Stark II
828-389-3683
oakbrae7@dnet.net