Mount Holly News
Constructive—If It Will Help Mount Holly And Gaston County The News Is For It—Progressive
VOL. XXVI.
MOUNT HOLLY, N. C., FRTOAY, JANUARY 6,1950
NUMBERS
POST OFFICE RECEIPTS GAIN
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
New Self-Service Laundry Will Be Opened
Catawba Heights Plan City Water
To Float Bond Issue To
Install Mains; Approved
The county commissioners ap-y
proved the extension of the Ca
tawba Heights sanitary district to
in^ude about $600,000 worth of
taxable property. The district was
first laid out about nine years
ago but the outbreak of the war
delayed action. Since that time
a phenomenal growth has. taken
pli^ in this fine residential sec
tion with literally scores of new
homes being built.
The approval by the commis
sioners means a lot to Mount
Holly because, if and when the
new district floats about $200,000
worth of water bonds, they will
purchase water from Mount Hol
ly. The people of Catawba
Heights are almost, if not, 100 per
cent in favcnr of the Bond Issue.
The legal advertisement for the
extension of the district was pub
lished for four weeks in The Bel
mont Banner and discussions
were held with County Attorney
Har^ B. Gaston about the mat-
. ter. . ■
^ ti»r-COB\misaionen
this week no cae from
'Heights appeared to expose the
project and the commissioners
srat it to Ralei^ lor final ap
proval Catawba Heii^ts is un
incorporated but certainly one of
the finest residential sections in
the county at far as hbme-owner-
•hip and citizenship is ccmcerned.
Even thou^ tk^ is approxi
mately $600,000 worth of taxable
property in the extended Cataw
ba Heights district it is estimated
that profits from the sale of wa
ter will retire most of the $200,-
000 in .bonds necessary to
water pipe lines throughout the
section. The district would nat
urally buy water at wholesale
prices from Mount Holly and re
tail it to the homes and places of
business.
The Moimt Holly water lines
run to the city liznits at the P.
and N. Railroad tracks. The cost
of running the water line to meet
the Catawba Heights situation
would entail a great deal of ex
penditure. However, at least one
Board member and several mer
chants are working x>n a plan now
that would meet the require
ments at much less cost, it is be
lieved. These plans are forma
tive and have not been annoxm-
ced.
NEW DODGE FOR 1950
ON DISPLAY TODAY
The new 1950 Dodge U now
on display for this seetioa at
the Stowe Motor Company in
Belmont. A preview of the car
yesterday revealed many new
improvements and rhangea
that will meet wiBi puWc ap-
provaL
The Stewo Motor Company
has one Meadowiuuuh 4-Door
Sedan and one Coronet moM
on display. Lawrence Maiera,
manager of the company, k
expecting acorea of visitors to
his thowTOoms for tha rest of
the week.
You are invited to see the
new car en display.
Parkmg Meiers
SSIj^Took Is ^,845
Parking meters in Mount^Holly
in the 19 months they have been
in operation, have proved to be
a definite aaset to the town’s in
come it was pointed out by Town
Attorney Max Childers this week.
Mr. Childers revealed that since
the installation of the meters on
the main streets of Mount Holly
in October, 1948, the meters have
brought in a total of $^845.02.
Theses figures are receipts for the
entire’ period of approximately 15
months, but during the period
from October, 1948 through July
1, 1949, the meters brought in a
toUl of $5,921.38. Since July 1st
the meters have collected $2,928.-
64 in parking fees indicating an
other good year from the revenue
point of view.
TO PREACH SUNDAY
York Pharr, student at David
son college, will preach at Cas-
tanea Presbyterian ^urch Sun
day at the eleven o’dock service.
KINDERGARTEN
If anyone wishes to place their
child in kindergarten, please call
Mrs. Kathleen Lineberger at
phone 121.
Hawks - Dallas
Here Tonighl
The Mount Holly Hawks will
meet Dallas in a regular confer
ence game at the high school gym
nasium tonight at 7:30 p. m. and
a capacity crowd of basketball
fans are expected to see the lo
cals in their first conference ap
pearance since a match just b^
fore the Christmas holidays be
gan. The boys are in good shape
for the game according to Coach
Max Beam since they have played
constantly during the holiday sea*
son, participating in *8 Holiday
Tournament held at Bessemer
City. The Hawks were winners in
‘the tourney and brought home
the first trophy awarded to the
boys’ teams at the local school in
several years.
The girls are not in as good con
dition according to their mentor,
Kathrine Knox, but then follow
ing their match with Long Creek
Tuesday night, art working in re
gular practice sessions at the gym.
They were definite winners over
Dallas in the last double-header
played by the two schools, taking
tbe^i>alhuAirl$ $$*20
4ame..Wss Knox is not attempt-
ing- to gaU this game in stdvaace
since the Dallas squads, both boys
and girls, are repxted to be vast
ly improved.
Coach Beam said that the boys
in particular had made great im
provements in their game and
that the final score would depend
on how his Hawks feel when they
hit the court
The girls dropped their double-
header Tuesday night to the
Creek girls 39-33, losing sharp
shooter Martha Ward in the third
period when she collided with
another girl and was partially
teocked out Ward, prior to leav
ing the game, and RUey were the
high scorers for the girls with
Ward totaling 12 points and Riley
shooting 18.
The boys under Coach Max
Beam, won their match easily by
a 53-45 score from a surprisingly
strong Long Creek team while
the “B" team from the local high
school lost a heartbreaker 19-17.
LEAVE FOR ATI^UfTA
Mr. and Bdrs. Robert Goldstein
of Moimt Holly and Mr. and Mrs.
Harry Goldstein of Gastemia will
leave on Sunday for Atlanta, Ga.
While there they will visit with
relatives and friends and also do
the spring buying for The Qual
ity Store.
Fourteen New
Machines To
Be Installed
March of Dimes Stressed a Great Need
By Local Campaign Leaders, Jan. 16th
Co-Chairmen Ed Painter and
Tommy Holland announced this
weak the opening of the March
of Dimes drive in Mount Holly
^ January 16. Bfr. Holland and
Paint^ said that the g^eral
wve was slated to last two weeks
beginning on the 16th and last
ing through the 31st However,
the industrial drive niay begin
earlier in order that more than
two payroll weeks will be in
cluded to assure the highest peak
of donations from industrial
workers here.
Mr. Painter and Mr. HoUand
will attend a meeting of all com
munity chairmen to be held at
the First Methodist Church in
Gastonia to outline the planned
phases of the drive for 1950 and
to pass out the supplies needed.
Immediately after this meeting
Mr. Holland and Mr. Painter plan
to announce the names of the as
sistant chairmen who will be in
charge of the drive in the various
wills - and industrial plants of
Moimt Holly. Other assistant
chairmen will probably be ap-
^inted to aid in the work of
distrbuting the coin containers
to handle the many other
Phases of the annual drive.
A Women’s Division chairman
for Mount Holly has not yet been
aiuioimced by Mrs. Edwin Rud-
isill, general county chairman of
the Women's Divisions. Mrs.
Rudisill has been unable to con-
Uct anyone in Mount Holly who
is able to devote the time to the
drive and is extremely anxious
that a chairman be appointed
here since the Women’s Division
is often responsible for a great
deal of the donations received. It
will be the job of the Women’s
Division, if they take part in the
drive this year, to canvass the
homes of Moimt Holly if it is
deemed advisable and to hsindle
the collections in theaters and in
the schools.
Mr. Holland and Mr. Painter,
in interviews with a News re
porter this week pointy out the
fact that money is the most vital
weapon on the polio front and
that hundreds of thousands of
dollars poured into stricken com
munities last year to finance the
fight against the disease.
ed with polio during 1949 were
assisted by the funds raised
through CMitributions during the
March of Dimes but year,** Mr,
Holland said. He also pointed out
that an estimated 17,000 patients
will continue to need he5> from
the National Foundation durizig
1990, so it is easily aeen that this
drive will be not only to raise
funds for the expected epidemic
in 1950, but also to care for the
patients stricken during the 1949
epidemic.
WEEKEND GUESTS
Mr. and Mrs, Ross Gantt had
as their weekend guests Mr. L.
G. Johnson and son, Robert, of
Asheville. Mr. Johnsra is a half-
brother to Mr. Gantt
The ravages of polio in the|cr*
one year was estimated to cost
the National Foundation $31,000,-
000 in patient care alone — more
than all the money contributed
in the 1949 March of Dimes. The
important fact is that an esti-
CLONNINGERB GUESTS
Mr. Mid Mrs. J. M. Bumgsrd-
ner of Charlotte were recent
guests of the fixmer’s sister, Mrs.
jC. C. Cloninger and Mr. Cloning-
mated 80% of all patients afflict- worth.
duckworitts guests
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Helton
and family spent Sunday with
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Duckworth
and Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Duck-
Next week the News will carry
the opening date of the new
Whitew^ Wa^ierette. This new
self-service laundry will be mo
dem in every respect with four
teen new Bendix Automatic
Washing Machines installed. Al
so being installed is the latest
type of special hot water tanks
and hot water heating equipment
The new, modem boiler has been
installed and the only item hold
ing up the opening is the arrival
of the special constructed hot
water tank and conections. Thiy
tank was shipped on Dumber
29 and is expected anytime.
J. E. Holloway, owner of the
new Washerette, stoted that he
hoped to get open on Monday,
January 16. However, the anrival
of the tank will decide the open
ing date but it will be announced
in an !^vertiaement in t^ .paper
next week. The connection^ with
the exception of the tonk, have
all been made and are ready. A
concrete base for the Washing
Machines, which are afl fully au
tomatic, has been built. The base
is of such heigbth as to make it
easy to place clothes in machines
and to take them out.
Plenty Of Parking Space
Mr. Holloway has leased the
lot next to the .American Tea
Company building next door to!
tho Whiteway Cleaners. This lot
will be graded, as will the rear
of the building, for parking space
for Whiteway Washerette custo
mers, The parking lot will alle
viate the parking problem and
will prove of a great convenience
to the public whi wish to visit
the Washerette to do their laun
dry.
The entire business is being
deigned on the most modem
scale and Mr. Holloway himself
has been studying wet wash
methods for more than two years
in anticipation of opening the ^
business.
Local Boys In
Boxing Tourney
Two Mount Holly pugilists
were slated to fight in the semi
finals of Gastonia’s 10th annual
Silver Gloves at the Gastonia
Armory last night The two boys
on the evening card were Don
Fortner, popular local fighter and
loSer in a raw decision at the
Gloves last year, and Jack Cv-
penter, representing the Cramer-
ton team in the ring. Don is one
of the best boxers to come out
of Mount Holly in many moons
and his loss in the Silver Gloves
last year was the subject of much
debate since most fans 'agreed
that Don had easily beaten his
opponent.
Fortner was slated to mix with
Lee Godfrey last night in an open
division welterweight battle roy
al. Results were not available as'
The News went to press. Fortner
was fighting unattached.
Carpenter, lighting in the no
vice division lor the Cramerton
team, was matched with Bill
Ford of the Gastonia Red Shield
Boys' Club. Carpenter was giv-
ing'.away 11 pounds in thig match
since Ford outweighed Mm by
that ‘niargain, but fans were an«
ticipating a good fight when the
two boys mixed.
The Silver Glov^ was cut to
three days instead of the four
dasrs previously announced, with
the final? being run off tonight
Whether or not any local pugi
lists will be in the finals depend
ed on last night’s results but in
any case fight fans will do well
to follow the card tonight,
Upward Trend Shown For
Tear And Last Qnarter
Basketball Team
Fated At Baaqiel
Members of the varsity basket
ball squad at Mount Holly High
School were guests at a supper
given at Nick’s Grill by Herman
Cross, local sports fan and owner
of the River Valley Chevrolet
Company here. Mr. Cross is one
of the most ardent supporters of
the high school athletic squad and
had in the past honor^ the bojrs
and donated funds for equipment
many times.
WILL HOLD MEETING
The Women’s Society of Chris
tian Service of the Methodist
Church will hold its general
meeting next Wednesday. Jan
uary 11. at the church. The time
set for this meeting is 3:30 p. m.
Btrs. O. M. Vernon will have
charge of the program.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
Mr. and Mrs, Houston Thomp
son of Riverbend announce the
birth of a son, Richard Kevin, on
December 23 at Presbyterian hos
pital in Charlotte.
Cbesrieadert Plao
Skii For ' Game
The cheerleaders of Mount Hol
ly High school will take part in
half time festivities at the Mount
HoUy-Dallas game in the gym
nasium tonight Mr. S. H. Helton,
announcing the additional at
traction on the program for the
evening said that Mr. Ben Shue,
member of the faculty at the local
school, is assisting the girls in
planning skits, stunts, and other
entertainment for the basketball
fans attending, Preiious shows of
a similar nature have been extre
mely successful Mr. Helton said,
and it is expected that this enter
tainment program will be one of
the highlights of the game.
NEW 1950 CHEVROLET
HERE THIS SATURDAY
The River Valley Chevrolet
Company Is announcing In
iasue el The News the new
1950 Chevrol^ lor Mount Hol
ly and vicinity. The ears, or
rather models, will be on dis
play at the local Chevrolet ag
ency tomorrow, Saturday, Jan
uary 7th.
Herman Croea. owner, has
prepared the showrooms with
attractivo drapes for the dis
play of the new cars. The pub
lic Is cordially invited to see
them. Arrangwnents have been
made to take care of a la^
and continual stream of visi
tors.
Board Buys New
Barbagfe Truck
The Board of Aldemi^ pf
Town of Mount Holly Amir
regular monthly imamting last
Monday night at the Town Office
with all members present The
main topic of discussion during
the evening was the purchase of
a new garbage truck for the
town. It was decided the
Board that a new Leach garbage
truck would be purchaaed for an
approximate cost of $5,500. This
truck will consist of the special
L«ach body ■ of nine cubic yard
capacity mounted on a Ford two
and one-half ton
The new truck is expected to
boost garbage pick-up service in
the town at a lower rate of ex-
peuM tor operation. Holding t->nA
cubic yards the new truck will
hold much more garbage the
regular stake-type truck sow in
use and will elhninate many trips
to the city dump during the reg
ular pick-up runs.
PREBBYTERXAN8 MEET
The Women of the Church,
Presbyterian, will meet next
Wednesday, January 11, at the
church. The meeting is scheduled
tor 3 o’clock. A good attendance
is urged.
« Post Office receipts have taken
la jump both in the total year's
receipts and in the receipts
the December quarter Postmastw
O. L. Hoffman revealed thU
week. Indicating an increase in
business during the past year,
post office receipts have proved to
be an accurate barometer iat
judging the amount of business
done in a small town or city.
Receipts during the Dec^bo:
quarter, in which the local post
office handled a huge quantity of
maU toUled $5,992.37, Mr. Hoff-
mM said. Cmnpared with the -
ceipts tor the December quarter
of last year, which totaled ^,-
756.35, this shows mi increase of
$236.03. \
Receipts tor the kntire year,
just compiled at the lo^ post of-
fiM toUl $20,665.24. Compared
with the receipts tor the year 19$g
which were $20,456.99 la totaL*
business done during tbet year
these figures show an Inrrngss of
$209 J5. f JUs inereeae forflmyeap
h not’ a -large lacreesa* bqit ^
comes more significant when tt
is remembered that the year IMI
wu an excellent business yi^
here. ^
Many gain# have been made
by the local post ofllce within tb^
past year including the most out- *
standing addition to the service
oHered by the post office which '
is the city delivery, slated to lie-
gin January 16.
At one time the mail delivery
service was held up by the can
cellation of an early morning
train by the P. & N. Railway, tmt
the District Superintendent in
Greensboro recently took action
to have the mail arrive via but in
the early morning, making an
improvement over the previous
train schedule.
Laauir Heakla Joias
Anericas L^joa Hara
One new member has been re
ported as an addition to the roUi
of the local post within the paat.
week by Adjutant Gus Chagaris.
The member is T.arrjyr Henkle
and his re-enlistment in the
membership of the local post
swells the number of members to
more than 200 which is a reco^
for the Mount Holly post
Local Man Once Participated In Big
"Bank Hold~Up;^' Got His Own Money
CIRCLE TO MEET
The Ruby Daniel circle of the
Baptist Church will meet tonight
“* 7:30 p. m. Mrs. H. D. Gibson
in charge of the program and
Mrs. E. B. Arndt is the hostess.
RETURNS TO DUKE
Frank L. Rankin, Jr., has re
turned to Duke University to re-
By JOHNNY YORK
Every boy, in his glorious child
hood dreams, probably pictures
himself as a bimk robber, com
peting with Jessee James and
others among the group who
carved their names in history
with their infamous escapades. In
Mount Holly is a man who once
robbed a bank, but his story dif
fers from that of the ’’profession
als” of the golden era of train
robberies, bank robberies, and
safe crackings in that the motive
wasn’t tor profit The local resi
dent 88-year-old Lee Rankin,
robbed his bank to get his own
money, and took no interest in
the fact that it would have been
just as easy to take a little “in
terest" at the same time.
Mr. Rankin is probably unique
in his exploint and the chances
are go^ that there is not another
man in this country who ever
held up a bank “at the point of
a gun" to get what was rightfully
his. In addition to the unique
1900’s, probably about the year
1908, although he isn’t sure about
the date. A small one-horse bank
in Charlotte, operated by a man
who owned much property in that
growing city in thote days, was
the scene of this “crime."
Mr. Rankin had money in that
bank . . . quite a aum of money
as a matter of fact, since his de
posits totaled one thousand dol
lars which added up to far more
in those days than it does today
in actual purchasing power. The
money represnted hours and days
and months of sweat, honest toil,
and work in the fields and in
other jobs which Mr. Rankin has
held in his colorful past As he
phrases the story, “That money
meant a lot to me. It was every
dollar I had made in a year,
building houses,, raking hay, and
working at a lot of other jobs,
and I wasn’t about to tee it lost"
Mr. Rankin got his tip that
things weren’t right at the Char
lotte bank from a friend who
quality of the story, Mr. Rankin | operated a store in that city. The
did not actually have a gun; he [call came late one afternoon tell-
merely bluffed his way into and
out of the situation.
Our story, as told by Mr. Ran-
sume his studies. He was home kin, who is one of the original
1 L H** ChristmM holidays. Helfounders and builders of Rankin-
left Tuesday of this week. town, begins back in the early
ing him to get over to Charlotte
right away, but giving no reason
for the urgent nature of the mes
sage.
* It was too late to go to Char
lotte that night, Mr. Rankin re
members, but $he first thing the
next morning I headed thataway
to see what the trouble was,
“Getting over there late that
morning, I walked into WUl'a
store; it was mighty mysterious
to me, and the moment Will
sa w me he motioned me to come
back in the office. Back th«*e, we
sat down and leaning across the
counter. Will said, *Lee, hav4
you got any money left in that
bank down the street?’ Of course
I said yes and then glanrtng
around to aee that no one was
listening Will told me that 1
had better be getting down there
to get it out because something
was wrong.
“We talked awhile and I found
out that Will had withdrawn
his money the day before; the
same day he had called me. This
was good enough tor me and I
was headed thataway when I
found out that the bank wasn’t
giving out no money.
“I went back to see Will and
he said, ‘Lee, if you want that
money back before it’s too late,
you’d better be moving. Have
you got your gun with you?* I
told him no and he offered me
the loan of his, Mr. Rankin re
calls, but I was afraid that I
(Continued On Back Page)