Vol. XXI
Spray, N. C., Monday, February 18, 1963
NO. 16
1962 Safety Results
Reviewed At Meeting
SOUTII POLE Fieldcrest Gold Crown automatic blankets, woven at Draper,
finished at Spray, and wired and assembled at Smithfield. are presented admirals
South Pole. Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges (right) makes presentation
Rear Adm. David M. Tyree, USN, (center) and Rear Adm. James R. Reedy, USN.
Automatic Blankets Delivered To South Pole
, two certain Fieldcrest automatic
, *^nkets could talk, they could tell an
interesting story of their travels.
’The Gold Crown blankets were re-
^*iested by U. S. Secretary of Commerce
pther H. Hodges who wanted them de-
^^ered to the South Pole, to be there
. hen he arrived at the South Pole dur-
his recent round-the-world trip.
Secretary Hodges, formerly general
anager of Fieldcrest Mills, said that
® Wanted the automatic blankets for
•Its and wanted to “give the best.”
C)elivery of the blankets was made
j;''ou«h the office of Dr. James E.
Jlooney, United States Antarctic Proj-
Officer in Washington, D. C. The
^^fikets were forwarded by plane from
j^^shington to New Zealand. They were
shipped to Antarctica by a C130
an improvised version of the
g.'^’bomaster plane, with powerful en-
nes and equipped with skis as well
Wheels.
^ '^he blankets arrived on time and, in
at McMurdo Sound, Sccre-
Hodges presented the blankets to
j Admirals David M. Tyree and
'*nios R. Reedy, in command of Opera
tion Deepfreeze.
Making the South Pole visit with Sec
retary Hodges were three U. S. Con
gressmen; American, Japanese and
European newsmen, as well as General
(Continued on page four)
Safety Barbecue Held
At Karastan Rug Mill
Employees of the Karastan Mill were
served barbecue dinners in the mill
February 5 as a reward for their good
safety record during 1962.
The barbecue was won by the Kar
astan employees under terms of a safety
contest in which the company .gives
a barbecue dinner for all employees of
any mill meeting the requirements for
a North Carolina Department of Labor
safety award.
In addition to the Karastan Mill, bar
becues have been held to date in the
Towel, Bedspread and Bedspread Fin
ishing mills. Pictures taken during the
Karastan barbecue are shown on page
eight. Scenes at the barbecues at the
other mills are to be carried in future
issues of The Mill Whistle.
The accident frequency rate at Field
crest Mills in 1962 was 1.92 as com
pared with the 6.2 rate for the textile in
dustry in North Carolina as reported by
the state Department of Labor.
While the safety record of Fieldcrest
employees was good last year, it was
not as good as in 1961 when an all-time
low frequency of 1.34 was achieved.
Total disabling injuries in 1962 num
bered 21 as compared with 14 in the
previous year. Sub-major injuries—
those requiring medical attention al
though no time was lost —totaled nine in
1962 as compared with 10 in 1961.
These figures were reported to the
Central Safety Committee at its recent
quarterly meeting by H. E. Williams,
safety director.
C. J. Frank, Jr., director of industrial
relations, commended the management
and employees of five mills which com
pleted the year with no lost time due to
injuries. These were the Automatic
Blanket Plant, Bedspread Finishing
Mill, Bleachery, Sheet Finishing Mill and
Central Warehouse.
In addition, the following mills met
the requirements for a North Carolina
Department of Labor safety award by
achieving an accident frequency rate 25
per cent or less of the state average
for the textile industry: Bedspread Mill,
Karastan Mill, Towel Mill and Karastan
Spinning Division.
N. F. Young, assistant superintendent
of the Bleachery, was elected chairman
of the Central Safety Committee, suc
ceeding J. G. Cunningham, superintend
ent of the Karastan Mill. J. P. Foster,
superintendent of the Bedspread Fin
ishing Mill, was elected vice-chairman.
N. Y. YOUNG J. P. FOSTER
. . Chairman . . . . Vice Chairman . .