THE MARION PROGRESS
•— N , ," .
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 ' MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1949 VOLUME 54 No. 19
Christmas Lights
Open The Season
To Marion Shoppers
On the eve of Thanksgiving the
merchants of Marion will take the
first step to bring the Christmas
spirit to Marion.
Colored lights were hung
throughout the business section
last week and will be turned on foi
the first time tonight (Wednes
day.) Had the weather man been
about a week later with the first
snow, the setting would have been
complete, but he gave warning of
approaching winter with a light
snowfall during the early morning
hours last Friday.
The lights are a project of the
Marion Merchants association and
are turned on each year as the of
ficial notice from merchants to
their customers that they are ready
for the shopping season to begin.
And to lend a helping hand the
wind from snow-covered moun
tains roused Marionites into a
realization that it's time to quit
basking in pleasant, autumn sun
shine and brave the storm of
Christmas shoppers.
Morgan Released
Following Hearing
John Morgan was given a hear
ing before J. M. Snoddy, justice of
the peace, Monday and was releas
ed under two bonds of $300 each
for assault charges and $1,000
peace bond. He was bound over to
the next term of court after prob
able cause had been found.
He was arrested Sunday after
charges had been prefered by his
brother. Sheriff C. M. Pool said.
CROP Meeting
Set For Monday
A meeting of CROP workers in
this county has been called by S. J.
Westmoreland, county chairman, to
be held at two o'clock, Monday, in
the office of H. F. Beam in the City
hayy. All ministers are urged to
be present and aid in organizing the
drive to be conducted within the
next two weeks.
Old Fort Man
Receives "Well Done"
J. W. Piercyr seaman appren
tice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ma
rion W. Piercy of Old Fort, N. C.,
has received "well done" from Ad
miral Forrest P. Sherman, USN,
newly appointed Chief of Naval
Operations, who was Commander
of the Sixth Task Fleet to which
the Navy man's ship, the destroyer
USS John W. Weeks, is attached.
Baptist Clinic
Will Be Held
Next Monday
There will be an associational
training union clinic for officers
and leaders of the Training Uniori
at 7:15 p. m., next Monday at the
First Baptist church, Mrs. Warren
Franklin, educational director an
nounced this week. The clinic will
I be designed to help members of the
Training Union to know more about
the duties of his office. The clinic
is for all churches in the Associa
tion.
Rev. John Hicks of Old Fort will
bring the inspirational message.
Conferences are scheduled as fol
lows:
Conferences for general direc
tors, adults and young peoples' di
rectors will be led by Rev. Carson
(Continued on last page)
Rotarians
Will Observe
Farmers Night
The Rotary club will observe
Farmers Night on Friday, December
2, beginning at seven o'clock, J. R.
Jimeson, chairman of the Rural-Ur
ban Acquaintance committee, an
nounced this week.
H. B. Caldwell, Master of the
North Carolina State Grange, will be
guest speaker.
A highlight of the program will be
the presentation of awards to 4-H
and FFA boys in the county who
have produced the highest yield of
corn per acre.
Forty farmers will be guests of
the club along with town and coun
ty officials and, heads of civic clubs.
.Others serving with Jimeson on the
committee in charge of arrange
ments are James McCall, Clarence
Rabb and J. H. L. Miller.
Treverton Promoted
Waftl R. Treverton, son of Mr. and
Mrs. William Treverton, of Marion,
has been promoted from rank of
Lieutenant Colonel to that of Col
onel, in the United States Army, it
was announced here this week.
Colonel Treverton is with the
Fifth Army at Denver, Colorado,
and at present is on two weeks ac
tive duty in California.
Red Cross Bloodmobile
Will Visit Clinchfield
Funeral Rite*
For Mrs. Mitchell
Held Last Friday
, •
Old Fort—Funeral services for
Mrs. Etta D. Mitchell of Winston
Satem, who died Friday night in a
Marion hospital, were held Sunday
at 3 p. m. In Pine Grove Methodist
church, Winston-Salem.
Burial was in the church ceme
tery.
She had been visiting a daughter,
Mrs. Charles H. Stirewait here at
the time she was stricken.
Mrs. Mitchell was the widow of
Dr. 0. B. Mitchell, who was a mem
ber of the Methodist Conference.
Surviving are three daughters
Mrs. Stirewaltj Mrs. Glenn E. Nor
throp of Winston-Salem and Mrs.
Dilliam F, Hollister of Southern Pin"
es and four grandchildren.
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will
pay its fifth visit to McDowell coun
ty on December 7 and will be sta
tioned at Clinchfield, Mrs. Ann
Hawkins, executive secretary, an
nounced this week.
Miss Marie Jarrett will be chair
man and Miss Ruth Greenlee will be
chairman of thp volunteers who will
work in the unit. The goal set for
this visit is 75 pints of blood.
Details as to the time and place
for the visit were not available at
press time and will be announced
later.
Marion Woman's
Brother Killed
Grady Foister, of Stockton, N. C.,
brother of J. C. Rabb of Marion,
was killed last weak-end in a traf
fic accident. Details of the incident
were not available at press time.
PAUL LUCAS NAVE who will
become the assistant farm agent of
McDowell county on December 1.
He succeeds Charles Lockhart.
READ THE ADS
AND TRY TO WIN
A MOVIE PASS
Interest in the Read-The-Ads
| contest showed a marked increase
last week, particularly among high
school students. The grown-ups
were already excited, but the chil
dren are taking it in their stride.
Adult passes for persons living
within the city limits were awarded
to J. L. Gannon and Mrs. J. M. Lan
caster. C. A. Frick won the student
Jover-12 pass and Margaret Ann Py
att, the child's.
Rural readers winning were
Charles Burgin of route 2, Marion,
and Miss Wilma Bright of route 2, j
Marion.
Each week from now until
C'iristmas The Marion Progress and ■
the Marion Theatre will award
passes each week to two adults liv
ing within the city limits, two liv
ing outside the city limits, one to
a student over 12 years of age and |
(Continued on last, page)
MRS. SNYDER !
KILLED BY TRAIN
NEAR OLD FORT
No inquest will be held in the
| death of Mrs. Laura Snyder, 71,
killed instantly at 4:50 p. m. yes
terday when she was struck by east
bound passenger train 16 while
crossing Southern Railway tracks a
bout three-quarters of a mile west
I of Old Fort.
j £oroner S. J. Westmoreland term
I ed the death an unavoidable acci
dent and said no inquest would be
held. The accident occurred about
100 yards east of a curve.
' Mrs. Snyder and her husband,
j Henry M. Snyder, well known retir
ed Old Fort business man, had been
visiting friends and were walking
back to their home nearby.
| Survivors include the husband;
five daughters,. Mrs. Rowland Wat
kins of Emma, Mrs. Burgin Wat
kins of Bryson City; Mrs. Jimmy
Cook and Mrs. Clyde Fox of De
troit, and Miss Opal Snyder, mis
sion teacher in India; three sons,
Paul of Detroit, George L. of New
port News, Va., and Vernon of Mor
ristown, Tenn.; three brothers, John
Phillips of Canton, Albert Phillips
of Lincolnton, and Thomas Phillips
of Woodrow, Wash.; and a sister,
!Mrs. Will Clayton of Darrington,
[ Wash.
j Funeral services will be conduct
led at 10 a. m. Wednesday, Novem
ber 23, at Old Fort Baptist church
by Rev. John Hicks and Rev. Melton
j Hollified.
1 A short service will also be held
I at Deep Creek Baptist church near
Bryson City and burial will be in
Morrow cemetery in Haywood coun
| ty.
i
j
; Missionary To Speak
j At Baptist Church
Rev. Michael T. Kerechum, out
standing White Russian Missionary
and Evangelist and npw field se
cretary of the Russian Bible Soci
ety of Washington, D. C., will be
guest speaker at the First Baptist
I church Wednesday, November 23.
■The service will open at 7:30 p. w.
Presbyterians
Elect Deacons
The First Presbyterian church
elected three deacons last Sunday
to serve for *a period of three years.
They are: Cato Holler, John Fin
ley, and J. C. Raburn, Jr.
Burgin Injured
In Auto Accident;
Other Accidents
James E. Burgin, who was injur
ed in an automobile accident last
Friday, was treated at the Marion
General Hospital and is now con
valescing at the home of his par
ents. His condition was reported
improved yesterday. His little
daughter, passenger in the car, es
caped without injuries.
State Highway Patrolman H. 0.
White of Old Fort gave the follow
ing account of his accident and
others which he investigated dur
ing the past week:
A 1947 Dodge ton truck driven
by James E. Burgin, traveling west
on highway 70, left the road and
(Continued from first page) f
UNION SERVICE
WILL BE HELD
ON THANKSGIVING
The First Methodist, First Bap
tist and First Presbyterian church
es have announced plans for a
union Thanksgiving Day service.
Worship will begin at 10 a. m.
at the First Presbyterian church
with Rev. James B. McLarty as
speaker.
— r
Marion Firemen
JHave Busy Week
Fires during the past week were
as follows:
The awning of the City Dry
Cleaners on State street caught fire
Friday about noon. The blaze was
.confined to the awning and was
soon extinguished.
Saturday woods in the Cross Miss
community caught fire late in the
afternoon. The firemen arrested the
flames soon after they arrived on
the scene.
About 3:30 a. m. Monday a mat
tress fire occurred at McDowell Ho
tel. The bedding was a loss,, but no
injuries reported.
Baptist Women
Will Observe
Day Of Prayer
The annual Woman's Missionary
Union Day of Prayer will open at
10 a. m., December 9, at Bethle
hem church, it is announced. Mrs.
D. W. Lawton, of Ridgecrest, re
turned missionary from China will
be guest speaker.
Others taking part will be W. R.
Chambers, Rev. C. C. Cross, Rev.
C. C. Parker, Mrs. M. 0. Owens,
Tr., Mrs. Harve Barnes, Mrs. F. F.
Sluder, Mrs. Dan Elliott, Mrs. W.
M. Dameron, Mrs. Lloyd Cuthbert
son, Rev. L. G. Redding and Rev.
Tohn Hicks.
Officers for the year will be
elected. Everyone who attends is
asked to bring lunch.
Pastors are urged to be present.
Civitan Club
To Change Time
Of Meetings
The Civitan club voted to change
the time of meeting to the second
and fourth Sunday evenings of each
month, at a session held Monday of
this week. Meetings will be held at
7 p. m., in the community building.
Other matters of a routine nature
were transacted.
HOSPITAL COMMISSION
INSPECTS PROPOSED
HOSPITAL SITE
MERCHANTS VOTE
TO ASSUME QUOTA
IN HOSPITAL DRIVE
Directors of the Marion
Merchants association held
a call meeting Tuesday af
ternoon at the request of
Amos Seagle, president, and
voted to assume a quota of
$15,000 for the current Hos
pital Building Drive. They
agreed to ask each store to
contribute $25 per em
ployee and ask each em
ployee for a day's pay. S. R.,
Cross, building fund chair
man, met with the group.
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH
TO HAVE SERVICE
THANKSGIVING DAY
On Thanksgiving Day, November
24, there will be a celebration of
the Holy Eucharist in St. John's
Episcopal church at 10:00 a. m. As
it is customary the offering will be
for the Thompson Orphanage,
Charlotte.
Goins Indicted
After Knife Incident
Elmer Goins has been indicted
on a charge of assatritftifg one Ea
rner Leon Lawson with a deadly
weapon to wit a knife and will be
given a hearing in Mayor's Court at
7:30 p. m., Wednesday, according
to a statement yesterday by Chief
of Police D. W. Smith. He was re
leased under $600 bond.
Lawson is a patient in Marion
General Hospital for head, arm and
stomach injuries.
Smith said the incident occurred
Sunday night on or near the rail
way bridge on South Main street.
Marion Stores
To Close Thursday
Practically all Marion stores will
close Thursday, November 24, in
observance of Thanksgiving Day,
'but will remain open all day Wed
nesday, November 23, it was an
nounced by the Marion Merchants
association this week.
The announcement further stated
that stores will close the afternoon
of Wednesday, November 30.
Beginning the first of December
practically all the stores, except
grocery stores, will omit the half
holiday on Wednesdays. Groceries
will be closed Wednesday after
noons except December 21, the last
Wednesday before Christmas, when
they will be open all day.
I
W. L. Morris, chairman of the
Board of Trustees of the Marion
General Hospital, received a letter
from the North Carolina Medical
Care Commission yesterday in re
gard to a recent inspection of the
site for the proposed new hospital
building.
In part the letter read: "while
the Commission's approval is con
tingent on the provision of a more
adequate sewerage line, the site
conforms to the Commission's re
quirement in all other respects and.
should prodie an excellent location
for the proposed new hospital."
The Board will discuss the sew
erage problem with the Aldermen,
within the near future, Morris said.
He said adjustments suggested are
of a minor nature.
The proposed site is located with
in the corporate limits of the town
of Marion. It is a corner plot, front
ing on Fleming Street on the north,
and North Madison street on the
west. Both these streets are paved.
The site is elevated, partially wood
ed and contains approximately
acres.
DRIVE OPENS
Next week the $100,000.00 Hos
pital Fund Drive gets under way.
If the $100,000.00 is raised by De
cember 10, the end of the drive,
then McDowell county will get si
new, 60-bed hospital.
In the bank, deposited to a spec
ial building fund account, there is
i a total of $J21,000.00. When the=
new fund of $100,000.00 is added
t<>'this,'
000.00, the Federal and State Gov
ernments will then add approxi
mately $400,000.00 to this fund so
that a $700,000.00 plant consist
ing of a hospital and nurses home
can be built.
Mr. Robin Hood, Executive Vice
President of the First National
Bank, has agreed that the Bank
will act as a receiving agent for do
nations for the Hospital Building*
Fund. Drive officials urge that you
leave your donation here or give it
to one of the committee named be
low.
The following tentative organi
zation has been set up for the drive.
These people have been invited to
meet at the Court House at 7:30 p.
m. Friday, November 25, so that
the organization can be perfected,
and final drive plans laid:
Marion Merchants Association:
Amos Seagle, president, committee
to be named to solicit donations
from members of the association
and their employees.
Farmers of McDowell county r
W. L. Greenlee, president of th&
Grange, to name committee to con
tact farmers.
Nebo: Vance Wilson, chairman,
HOSPITAL DRIVE no head
Tom Stacy, and Mrs. Harry Hemp
hill.
(Continued on last page)
Last Home Game
To Be Played Wednesday
Pleasant Gardens
Schools Leading
Red Cross Drive
■
0*
Pleasant Gardens school surpass
ed all other schools reported thus
far in the current Junior Red Cross
campaign. Enrollment fees totaling
$24.50 were turned in last week and
a report made that 36 gift boxes
had been filled.
All enrollment reports should be
turned in by Wednesday afternoon
at the very latest. Mrs. Ann Haw
kins, executive secretary, said last
week, and gift boxes should be turn
ed in to Miss Ruth Greenlee the
same date. t
The Golden Tornadoes of Forest
City will blow into Marion Wednes
day night, November 23, at 7:80
and hope to blow the Rippers out of"
the football field. Fresh from a 26-6
over Newton-Conover, the Tornado
es will be out to add the Rippers to
their list of victims. Passed by But
ler and Nanney, the Forest City
boys will field two good running
backs capable of giving the Rippers
plenty of trouble.
Marion came out of the Waynes
ville game in fair shape. They hope
to be ready to take on the big blow
from Rutherford county. This will
be the last home game for the Rip
pers along with the last time the
following boys will wear the Orange
and Black. Seniors who will be
singing their swan song are Captain
Alvin Rader, co-Captain Howard
Wilson, "Chub" McGalliard, Joe
Jenkins, Leon Daniels, Dan McCall,
Wilburn Hammett, Gilbert Packett,
Jimmy Gibbs and Ken Cannon*
t