THE MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896
MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1949
VOLUME 53—No. 35
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE
DERAILED BY ROCKSUDE
Two trainmen were injured when
a mountain rockslide crashed into
a diesel locomotive of a Clinchfield
Railroad fast freight four miles
north of Ashford in McDowell coun-.
ty, early Thursday morning.
Flagman Burley Cooper and Con
ductor Vann Griffin, both of Erwin,
Tenn., were injured when the sud
den stop jarred the caboose in which
they were riding. Cooper suffered
three broken ribs and Griffin a
bruised shoulder.
Traffic was blocked on the single
track main line 24 hours and the
three-unit engine and 14 cars of a
northbound produce train were de
railed.
Although the slide struck the big
engine, none of the locomotive crew i
was injured.
Officials estimated about 150 tons
of rock and dirt would have to be
removed. Two derricks were used to
clear the tracks.
Slide occurred on a deep cut on
a loop of the track where the Clin
chfield reverses itself in climbing
over the Blue Itidge Mountains. No
estimate of damage has been made
by railroad officials.
PRESBYTERIANS
SCHEDULE
WEEK OF SERVICES
'
Dr. F. Crosley Morgan will be
speaker at a series of services to be
held at the First Pi-esbyterian
church here beginning Sunday,
March 27.
His sermon sub
jects have been
announced as fol
lows:
Sunday, March
27, 11 a. m. "The
Central Call of
Christ to Man."
Sunday, March
27, 7:30 p. m. "The
Supreme Tragedy
in a Church's Life."
The general
Dr. Morgan theme for the mor
ning services, beginning at ten
o'clock each day thix>ughout the
Continued on next page)
Langdon Addresses Merchants
On Rural Development
KEESEE SPEAKER
AT MEETING
OF WILDLIFE CLUB
George Keesee, commissioner of
the eighth district, addressed the
McDowell County Wildlife club at
its meeting here Monday evening.
Keesee said he favored a $1.10
trout stamp. He called attention to
the $12,000 recently allotted for
ground improvements and pools at
the Marion Fish Hatchery and the
$24,000 allotted for new buildings.
The speaker said Pisgah Forest
•vvill be open for all types of hunt
ing and fishing until present game is
exhausted.
Gilkey Memorial Lodge, which
- was closed last year, will reopened
under a new plan, he said, but de
tails of the plan have not been com
pleted.
Ross Stevens, executive secretary
of the State Wildlife Federation,
spoke urging improvements and re
stocking of game areas.
During the business session a mo
tion was passed for the local club
(Continued on last page)
G. Lloyd Langdon addressed the
Marion Merchants association at its
meeting last Thursday on "Rural
Community Developments."
The speaker said the first step in
promoting community developments
is cooperation between business and
agriculture. He told his audience it
is of prime importance to improve
agriculture production methods and
will not only increase profit for the
agriculturist, but for the trade area.
He recommended formation of a
council whose business should be to
make a survey of rural resources of;
this county.
Following the speaker's address,
S. R. Perkins, president of the Ma
rion Merchants association, appoint
ed a committee to investigate pos
sibilities for rural community de
velopment.
The committee would be compos
ed of: I. A. McLain, John Ray Jime
son, V. T. Eckerd, S. R. Perkins and
Amos Seagle.
S. W. Blanton read the proposed
Fair Trade Law and members voted
in favor of the proposed law.
During the business session Mer
chants voted to continue closing at
one o'clock for the Wednesday half
holiday.
PLEASANT GARDEN GIRLS,
MARS HILL BOYS TRIUMPH
Pleasant Gardens
PTA Has March Meet
The Pleasant Gardens Parent
Teacher association met Thursday
evening in the school auditorium
with Pete Clark, vice president, pre
siding.
The program was given by the
two fifth grades under the direction
of Misses Geneva Link and Mar
garet Honeycutt.' The program con
sisted of a playlette, "Welcome,
Sweet Springtime."
Mrs. Erwin Heers gave a pro
gram of songs. In the parent count,
Mrs. Ned McGimsey's room won in
high school and Miss Honeycutt's in
the grammar grades.
Movie Presented
At Rotary Club
The Marion Rotary club was en
tertained with a Travel Talk film
presented by W. E. Carter last Fri
day noon.
Dr. William Gladden and Will
Erwin were welcomed into member
ship.
Bobby Curtis, high school honor
student, was a guest of the club.
Mars Hill—The Pleasant Gardens
girls and the Mars Hill boys were
crowned champions of the Tri
County basketball tournament last
night at the Mars Hill College gym.
The Pleasant Gardens lassies cap
tured their title by virtue of a 39-21
triumph over a fighting but badly
off form Fines Creek sextet, while
the Mars Hill boys annexed theirs
by trimming a good Fines Creek
quintet, 44 to 35.
In the opener Pleasant Gardens
wasted little time getting started.
With gretchen Heers looping them
in from all angles they quickly took
a 11-8 lead at the end of the first
period. Pleasant Garden extended
it to 24-10 at the half, and then
rolled to a comfortable 32-16 lead
at the end of the third quarter.
For the winners Miss Heers took
high scoring honors with 16 points,
while for the losers Miss Kirkpat
rick was bigb with 14.
PSYCHOLOGIST HERE
Miss Dorothy Hamilton, psychol
ogist, gave psychological examina
tions to children in the offices of
the McDowell County Department
of Public Welfare Monday.
J. NEAL MORRIS has assumed his
new position as secretary-treasurer
of Snipes Motor Company here.
(Photo by Eekenrod)
To Preach Here
The Rt. Rev. M. George Henry, bi
•hop of the Episcopal Diocese of
Western North Carolina, will make
an official visit to St. John's church
here next Sunday, at 11 o'clock a.
m. He will preach the sermon and
confer the rite of confirmation on
a class of candidates.
Pre-School
Clinics
Begin March 21
The McDowell County Health De
paitment has announced plans to
begin pre-school clinics on March
21. The purpose of the clinics is to
enroll the children and make exami
nation to determine their physical
fitness for school attendance
The schedule has been announced
as follows:
Cross Mill School, Monday, Mar
ch 21.
Old Fort School, Thursday, March
24.
West Marion, Monday, March 28.
East Marion: Thursday, March
31.
Pleasant Gardens, Monday, April
4.
Clinchfield, Thursday, April 7.
North Cove, Monday, April 11.
Glenwood, Monday, April 18.
Marion Central, Thursday, April
21.
Dysartsville, Monday, April 25.
Nebo, Monday, May 2.
Boy Scout
Court Of Honor
Held Friday
Five Scouts were advanced to
Star Scout rank and four to First
Class at the McDowell Cotfnty Boy
Scout of Honor held in the First
Methodist church last Friday even
ing.
A film showing the patrol meth
od of Scouting was shown previous
to the Court of Honor. Rev. J. B.
McLarty acted as chairman of the
court and R. M. Schiele, Scout Exe
cutive of the Piedmont Council,
was present.
The following ranks were award
ed:
Tenderfoot: Carl Biddix, Maurice
(Continued oc last page;
Contributions To Red Cross Campaig
Far Short Of Quota For This County
MARION PTA
TO HAVE BABY SITTERS
The baby-sitter problem
has been solved for mem
bers of the Marion Parent
Teacher association. Parents
who have no one to keep
their children can bring
them along and entertain
ment will be furnished them
while parents attend the
meeting at eight o'clock this
evening (Thursday.)
C. M. Corpening
Funeral Held
Here Tuesday
Charles Macon Corpening, 84, re
tired electrical engineer, died Sun
day at 9:30 a. in. in his home near
Marion after a brief illness.
A native of Burke county he was
the son of the late Charles Lucius
Shufflin Corpening and Martha
Ann Michaux Corpening, members
of pioneer families of North Caro
lina and Virginia.
He was educated at Sewanee
Military Academy, Sewanee, Tenn.,
and at the United States Naval Aca
demy, Annapolis, from which Jie
graduated in the class of 1885.
After two years in Naval service
h^.gntpred the field of electrical en
(Continued on last page)
NEW SCHEDULE
OF MAIL SERVICE
TO ROCK HILL
Highway mail van postal service
to replace the former railway mail
service on Southern trains Nos. 35
and 36, between Marion and Rock
Hill, S. C. will become effective
April 1, according to Postmaster
John Finley who has received no
tice of the plan from the Fostoffice
Department.
The truck will operate from
Charlotte via Rock Hill, thence
along the route formerly served by
Southern mail service through
Blacksburg, S. C., to Shelby, Forest
City, Rutherfordton and into Mar
ion, arriving here at 12:10 and
leaving at 2 p. m.
Plans are underway for a cele
bration on the opening day, but de
tails are incomplete.
W. Claude Davis, 77,
Is Claimed By Death
W. Claude Davis, 77, died at the
residence in Clinchfield Monday
night, March 7.
Funeral services were held in the
Clinchfield Baptist church Wednes
day at 4 p. m. by the pastor, the Rev.
Paul Stokes. Burial was in Oak
Grove cemetery.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Dora Hill Davis; two sons and two
daughters, Olan and William Davis
of Clinchfield, Mrs. W. P. Sharpton
of Rock Hill, S. C., and Mrs. L. V.
Bradley, Jr., of Atlanta, Ga., seven
grandchildren, two great grand
children, one sister, Mrs. Horace
Reid of Spindale, four brothers,
Matt and Henry Davis of feuther
fordton RFD 2, Burch Davis of Mill
Springs and Robert Davis of Mor
ganton.
Davis was retired machinist of
Clinchfield Manufacturing Company
where he worked for many years.
MARION PTA TO MEET
The Marion Parent-Teacher asso
ciation will meet at eight o'clock,
Thursday night, March 17, in the
school auditorium, it was announc
ed yesterday.
REPORTS FROM DIVISION CHAIRMEN
SHOW RURAL AREAS TRAILING
New Agent
C. H. LOCKHART will assume his
duties as Assistant County Farm Ag
ent here on March 25, S. L. Home
wood, county agent, said Monday.
Lockhart, a native of University
Station, N. C., comes to Marion
from Tarboro where he was employ
ed by the American Agricultural
Chemical company until accepting
the position here. He graduated
from N. C. State College, Raleigh, in
1941 and entered the service of the
U. S. Army. Following his discharge
he served as Assistant County Ag
ent in Edgecombe county until last
January and then moved to Tar
boro.' (Photo by Eckenrod)
Snipes Motor Co.
To Be Corporation
The Snipes Motor company will
'iecome a corporation to be known
is Snipes Motor Company, Inc., as
}f April 1, Jack Morris, president,
announced this week.
i J. Neal Morris began his new du
ties there this week as secretary
treasurer.
Morris has been connected with
the First National Bank here for
the past 21 years, including 11 years
as cashier. Following his resigna
tion he spent a vacation in Florida
before entering on the duties of his
new position.
Wih more than half the month of"
March already past, the Red Cross is
still 52,086.43 short of the $4,389
goal, E. C. Carnes, fund campaign
chairman, said yesterday.
An itemized account of the $2,
302.57 which had been collected by
noon yesterday, read as follows:
business^ $780.98; advonced gifts
$143; residential $345.40; colored
$29; schools $87.41; industrial
$911.72, and rural $5.
Reports are incomplete for several
of the divisions. Only four of the 18
industrial plants solicited are includ
ed in the total above and two col
ored workers have not reported.
Although March has been desig
nated as Red Cross month, plans of
the local chapter call for a speedy
campaign to put McDowell county
over the top long before the dead
line.
AMERICAN LEGION
DIVISION FINALS
HELD SATURDAY
Barbara Ann Howell of Candler
was winner in the N. C. fifth divi
sion finals of the American Legion
National High School oratorical
contest held Saturday night in thev
courthouse.
Miss Howell received a $50 prise
and will represent tlie fifth divisiou
in the state contest in Greensboro
in April. Other speakers in the di
vision contest were; Ronald Strom
berg of Lenoir, Evelyn LOveil of
Spruce Pine, Gene Watson of Nebo,
Pat Mast of Valle Crucis, and Col
leen Bumgarner of Glenville. They
discussed the United States consti
tution.
S. Carr Morrison of Statesville,
state contest chairman, presided at
the division matches. Tht first
place prize was presented by C. M.
Steppe of Marion, division contest
chairman.
"Go-Gettei-s of the fifth division
posts, and oratorical contestants
were honorees at a banquet in the
community building Saturday with
approximately 200 persons in at
tendance.
Principal speakers were James E.
Greene of Omaha, Neb., chairman
of the Legion, National American
ism Commission, who spoke on
(Continued or iast page)
Marion Radio Station WBRM
To Begin Broadcasts Here
KIWANIS CLUB
LAUDS WHITESIDE
The Marion Kiwanis club at its
meeting Tuesday evening approved
a resolution submitted by the Board
of Directors commending Carl
Whiteside for his work with the
club. The resolution expressed ap
preciation for his efforts and wish-,
ed him success.
Whiteside will leave March 31 for
Greensboro to accept a position with
the North Carolina Milk ,Producers
Federation Cooperation.
Members voted to have a county
wide spelling bee and Richard Shaw
was appointed to make arrange
ments.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TO MEET TUESDAY NIGHT
The Community Council will meet
at 7:30 o'clock, T,uesday evening,
in the Marion Junior Woman's club
room of the community building,
Mrs. R. R. Cook announced Monday.
Marion will have a radio station
soon.
The Lake City Broadcasting Sta
tion received its construction per
mit from the Federal Communica
tions Commission last Friday au
thorizing construction of a 1,000
watt daytime station with frequen
cy of 1,250 kilocycles.
Will Erwin, president, and Jack
Reynolds, program director, said
broadcasting over Marion's new sta
tion, WBRM, 1250 on your radio
dial, will begin within the near
future.
Modern, new studios are located
in the offices over Norris Clothing
Store on West Court street. Con
struction of a transmitter building
and entrance site is nearing com
pletion on the old Asheville high
way near Roy Curtis' farm.
DR. McMURRAY
TO LECTURE
Rev. C. W. McMurray, D. D., will
deliver an illustrated lecture on
"Scenes of Galilee" at the First
Presbyterian church at 7:30 o'clock,
Sunday evening.