historical and industrial edition of the GASTON PROGRESS
Thirteen
COL. C. B.
The Clara Manufacturing Company
COL. C. B. ARMSTRONG, President A. K. WINGET, Secy. & Treas.
W. T. RANKIN, Vice Pres. C. M. DUNN, Supt.
PLANT OF THE CLARA MANUFACTURING COMPANY
COL. 0. B. ARMSTRONG.
It is always a pleasure to chronicle
the rise of a man from the lowest rung
of the ladder to a place far up, espec
ially when the subject is a typical
American, who has won his way un
aided hy influential relatives and
friends. The story is an inspiration to
the youth of the country, and cannot
too often he told. Among the citizens
of Gastonia who have always taken an
active part in its growth and progress,
and have an abiding faith in its future
prosperity and greatness, is the Hon.
ARMSTRONG
C. B. Armstrong, former mayor of the
city and one of its most solid and sub
stantial business men. The career of
Mr. Armstrong is one of the best illus
trations of the possibilities that this
section offers to the aspiring young
man in every walk of life who is in
dustrious, honest, and has a determina
tion to succeed. He has always been
an optimist, has always looked on the
bright side of things, and a firm be
liever in the old adage that every road,
no matter how long, must turn some
times. Born on a farm in the Southern
part of the township, Sept. 6, 1861, he
engaged in agricultural pursuits until
he reached the age of 23, when he
went to Florida, where he remained 3
years. The call of his old home was
insistent, however, and in 1887 he re
turned to Gaston county and settled at
Lowell, afterwards removing to Mount
Holly, where he was in the general mer
cantile business until 1890. He then
decided to go west, where he remained
about two years, traveling from place
to place.. With a mind broadened by
travel, and experiences in various sec
tions of the country, he came to Gas
tonia in 1892 and embarked in the
furniture business, which he conducted
successfully until 1900, when he sold
out, retaining, however, the undertak
ing business, under the name of the
Armstrong Company, which has since
been merged in “The Ford Undertak
ing Company.” He is still interested
in the furniture business, being presi
dent of the Rankin-Armstrong Com
pany, 129 west Main street. Col. Arm
strong has always been interested in
the public affairs of his native county,
and has taken an active interest in
local politics, as all good citizens
should. He was sheriff of Gaston for
three consecutive terms, dating from
1900, and in May 1906, upon his expira
tion of his last term as sheriff, was
elected mayor of Gastonia. He gave
the city a splendid administration, ap
plying business methods to the con
duct of municipal affairs and never
sparing his time and energy in promot
ing its upbuilding in every possible
manner. He has taken a most active
part in the development of the great
cotton manufacturing industry which is
the backbone of the city’s prosperity,
and is now president and treasurer of
the Clara and Dunn Manufacturing
Co-’s and the Monarch Cotton Mills Co.,
three of the most prosperous mills in
this section. He is also a director in
other mills, is interested in a number
of other important enterprises, among
them being the Gastonia Insurance &
Realty Company, and the recently or
ganized Home Building & Loan Asso-
ciatoin, of which he is president. As
we are about to go to press we learn
that Col. Armstrong has just establish
ed The Armstrong Cotton Mills Co.
There is not a mill in the country,
whether it is located in the great cot
ton manufacturing section of the
south or in the older mill towns of the
north that is better equipped and
managed than is the Clara, located in
the suburbs of Gastonia. Of course
there are many much larger and have a
great deal more capital, but the Clara
comes as near being a model cotton
mill as any the writer has ever visit
ed. Located on a commanding emin-
inence, without any buildings nearby,
the light and ventilation is all that
could be desired, while the equip-
is the most complete that ample
capital and long experience could
assemble. The product is fine yarns
only, carded and combed, in skeins,
cones and tubes, principally from
x>*?er cotton. There are 6,364
spindW-^nd about 125 operators and
other employees are rn the pay rolls
of the company, which was established
in 1906, with a capital stock of $100,-
000.00. The building is of brick, one
story in height, and has a frontage of
75 feet extending back a distance of
300 feet, and having a floor space of
21,000 square feet. The residences of
the employees near the mill are un
usually comfortable and attractive,
and the relations between them and
their employers is now and always
have been of the most amicable char
acter. The officers are: Col. C. B.
Armstrong, president and treasurer;
W. T. Rankin, vice-president; A. K.
Winget, secretary; Charles M. Dunn,
superintendent. Col. Armstrong is
one of the most substantial business
men in the city and is connected with
a number of its most important enter
prises, taking at the same time an
active part in everything that con
cerns the interests of this section.
He is an officer of the Gastonia Insur
ance & Realty Company, the Home
Building & Loan Association, the
Dunn Manufacturing Company, the
Rankin-Armstrong Furniture Co., and a
director in other corporations. Col.
Armstrong is a native of Gaston
county, of which he was for three
terms sheriff, and has also been mayor
of the city. Before becoming presi
dent of the Clara Manufacturing Com
pany he was its secretary and treas
urer. Mr. W. T. Rankin, the vice-
president, is a native of Belmont and
has been connected with the cotton
manufacturing industry in this section
for a long time. Mr. Rankin is presi
dent of the Gastonia Insurance &
Realty Company, one of the most im
portant concerns in this section of
North Carolina and is also connected
with other large enterprises. Mr.
Dunn is a veteran cotton manufact
urer and knows evety detail of the
business, having been engaged in it
for years. He is also superintendent
of the Dunn Manufacturing Company.
Mr. A. K. Winget, secretary, also holds
the same position with Dunn Manu
facturing Company, and of the Mon
arch Cotton Mills Company. Came to
Gastonia in 1900. Prior to that he
clerked for the firm of Yount, Sons &
Company, of Pineville, N. C., where
he went to work at the age of 12.
After being in their employ two years,
he went with Rodman, Heath Min-
ens, of the same town, as bookkeeper
and salesman, and three years later
came to Gastonia, and has worked him
self up to his present position in the
above named mills, in which he is a
stockholder.
THE DUNN MANUFACTURIN
" — T,: '
G
COMPANY
and intercourse of "pupils wltn' -anv-^^
' . - » ' . af/c- ready to extend to others less
C. B. Akivoikoi,u, l-resiaent
W. T. RANKIN, Vice Pres.
C. M. DUNN, Supt.
Industry of which Gastonia may feel justly Proud
h*. 1. ( . • _ B e
PLANT OP THE DUNN MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Etiuipped with the latest improved
machinery, well lighted and ventil
ated, and Of the most modern con
struction, the mills oi; the Dunn Manu-
facturmg Company at Fifth avenue
and the tracks of the C. & N. W. rail
road, are not surpassed by those of
any other concern in the cotton manu
facturing belt in completeness These
are among the most recently erected
mills in this section, having been
erected in 1907, and are engaged solely
m the manufacture of yarns in skeins
cones, tubes, combed and carded.
Fronting 7» feet they extend back a
distance of SOO, providing a floor spac»
of 21,000 square feet.' There are 6,364
spindles, and the company has in its
employ 125 operators, and other em
ployees who live nearby in neat
houses, many of them surrounded by
attractive garden spots. The mills
of this company are an almost exa-t
duplicate of those of the Clara Manu
facturing Company, which are within
a stone’s throw. The officers are-
Lol. c. B. Armstrong, president and
treasurer: W T Rnniriri
, vv. 1. Kankm, vice-presi-
dent; A. K. Winget, secretary; c M
Dunn, superintendent; Col. Arm
strong is too well known to need any
introduction to the people of this city
who have watched his rise from a
oZ'"JTT
ne of the leading men of this section
by his own industry and ability. Col
Armstrong is a native of this county
and besides being interested in the
Clara Manufacturing Company of
-Hich he is president, the Gastonia
nsurance & Realty Company, the Han-
half n Company, and
half a dozen or more enterprises he
sheriffand
sheriff of the county. Mr. Rankin, the
The Rankin-Armstrong Furniture Company
r
vice-president, is president of the Gas
tonia Insurance & Realty Company a
corporation that has done much for the
iip-building of the city, and is also con
nected with several other important
concerns, among them the Clara
Manufacturing Company, of which he
IS vice-president. Mr. Dunn, the
superintendent, is also superintendent
Ot the Clara Mills, and is one of the
most experienced cotton manufactur
ers in the country. Mr. A. K. Winget
IS the worthy secretary, a sketch of
whom will be found in the write-up of
the Clara Manufacturing Company.
One of Gastonia’s Leading Enterprises
whose March is Onward i
There is no line of business in which
a greater advance has been made dur
ing the last decade or two than in that
of the housefurnishing goods trade, and
today on account of the many im
provements in the methods of manu
facture the man of very moderate in
come can furnish his home in a man
ner that would have been impossible
to any but the wealthy a quarter of a
century ago. Located here In Gastonia
is one of the leading dealers in North
Carolina, the Rankin-Armstrong Furni
ture Company, whose place of business
on Main street is one of the most at
tractive and popular in the city. The ■
commodious store -is stocked with a
magnificent assortment of household
furnishings of every grade and price,
and the richest as well as the poorest
homemaker have long since appreciat
ed the fact that they will get nothing
but the fairest treatment at the hands
of the members of the concern. The
first impression the visitor receives
upon entering the establishment of the
Rankin-Armstrong Furniture Company
IS the freshness of the stock displayed
a.s well as the immense variety of
goods from w-hich selections can be
made as well as the reasonable prices
of everything. There is never any
shop worn goods to be found at this
store. It is the policy of the firm to
keep things constantly on the move
and everything that is latest in furnii
ture can always be found in its spacious
and attractive warerooms. The build-
ing is three stories in height and has a
floor space of over 8,000 square feet in
which to display the great and varied
stock of furniture, floor coverings
home and office furnishinf, stoves and
kitchen utensils, go-carts, and the nu
merous other articles necessary in the
making of a comfortable and artistic
home. Every purse can be suited here
the largest or the smallest, and the
most satisfactory terms can be made
for a large installment as well as cash
business is conducted. The Rankin-
Armstrong Furniture Company was
oimed about 18 months ago by the
nnion of the Armstrong Furniture
Company and the Rankin Furni
ture Company, tw-o of the leading
concerns of the city. The officers
-■■e: E. J. Rankin, president and
tieasurer; c. B. Armstrong, vice
president; and R. A. Froneberger, sec
retary. Mr. Rankin started his con
cern about five years ago and it proved
to be an immediate success. Mr Arm
strong had been in business for years
and IS the oldest furniture dealer in
this section. Mr. Froneberger, the
secretary, has also had an extensive
and valuable experience in the busi
ness. Mr. Rankin is a native of the
county but has lived in town for the
past 17 years. Mr. Armstrong is also
a county man and although having ex
tensive business connections has
i:ound time to take an active part in
public affairs, having filled the offices
of both mayor and sheriff with honor
to himself and the satisfaction of his
fellow citizens. He is largely inter
ested in cotton manufacturing, ana is
connected with the Clara and Dunn
Mills and also the Monarch Mills at
Dallas.
FURNITUKE house op the RANKIN.,
•ARMSTRONG COMPANY