Population
City Limit* 7,206
Trading Area 15,000
" '? ?' - ~ ;v
(1945 Ration Boad Plgani)
VOL. 63 NO. 20
Established 1889
Kings Mountain's RELIABLE Newspaper
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, May 14, 1953
14
Pages
Today
Sixty-Third Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Still Files Demand For Run-Off Election In Race For Mayor Of City
Ml TAKE OATHS THURSDAY
City Manager System Plan Defeated By Narrow Margin Of Eight Votes
Run-Off Demand
Hied; Both
Issue Statements
Mayor Garland E. Still, a poor
second place to front-running
Glee A. Bridges in the balloting
for mayor Tuesday, filed written
request for a run-off election ear
ly Wednesday afternoon with the
city clerk.
Under city election procedure;
the run-off election will be held
on Tuesday, May 26. No new reg
istrations will be accepted. ,
The mayoral run-off will be the
only election to settle on May 26,
all other contests having been dl
cided Tuesday..
'In Tuesday's election, Mr.
Bridges received 878 votes, exact
ly twice the number given Mr.
Still, who ran second. George W.
Allen was third at 375, while Ro
bert B. Osborne was fourth at
117. Mr. Bridges lacked 53 votes
receiving a clear n>iJorlty.
Mr. Bridges, informed of the
action of Mr. Still said:
"The people have spoken by
their vote I think simple
arithmetic makes the Indicated
result of a run -off election quite
apparent. Naturally, I had hoped
Mr. Still would have seen fit not
to call the second race. It has
been a long campaign, and I
would like U> <pelt over. I would
also like to see the city spared the
expense of a second election when
the initial result is so nearly con
elusive, for the expense of hold
ing an election Is not small.
"But the law provides Mr. Still
the run-off opportunity, and I
would not take away from him
this privilege, If he so desires it,
Mr. Bridges continued.
In filing request for the run
off, Mr. Still said:
"Due to many requests from
supporters as well as non-sup
porters, I have filed forarim-oH
In the mayor's race. They all
seem to think that since there is
a new board (a choice of the peo
ple) that I will receive full co
operation, which I did not receive,
in the past administration. I also
am sure of that, for I am well
acquainted with and well-satis
fied with the 'People's Choice'.
They all seem to be well-pleased
with the commissioners, but since
there are differences of opinion's
on the Mayor's race I am obligat
ed to my supporters and non
supporters to ask for a run-off.
II elected, I will fully cooperate
with the new commissioners, with
this always in mind, a clean, pro
gressive and sound government,
recreation which I fought for in
the two years Just past. A swim
ming pool for the colored as well
as the white. I also would recom
mend a colored policeman for
the colored district; a substan
tial tax reduction In accordance
with the recent tax revaluation.
I would also recommend a pub
licity man for this Historical City
of Kings Mountain and anything
else that would make Kings
Mountain a better place in which
to live. That's what I have fought,
for in the past two years. If elect
ed, that's what I will fight for the
next two years, 'A Bigger and
Better Kings Mountain'. If I lose,
I am a good loser. Thank? to all
the good people that supported
me and congratulations to those
who didn't. You know, Fm now
convinced that 'Business Men'
are the smartest. Maybe I should
stick to business. May the best
man win," he cortcluded.
T? "May flogs
Merchants of the community
are being NqimM by Uu Col.
Trtdtridt Hambrlght chapter.
Daaahtwn ?f the American
a Focom Day. w ? . . 5 '; j
Wednesday (H?r 20) Meek
- ip n h> 1 n | tndependenetMMNf*
Vltef ?. national Memorial
I^Barr
SECOND MCE ? Glee A. Brid
ges. above. led the balloting in
Tuesday's race (or mayor, ex
actly doubling Mayor Garland
E. Still, below, his nearest op
ponent. However, Mr. Bridges
failed to obtain a majority by
53 rotes and Mr. still formally
requested a runoff election Wed
nesday afternoon. The runoff,
according to statute, will be held
May 26.
Bites Conducted
Foi Ned W. Moss
Funeral services for Ned W.
Moss, 57, resident of 511 E. Ridge
street, were conducted Friday at
3:30 p. ra. from First Presbyteri
an church.
Rev. P. D. Patrick, the pastor,
officiated, assisted by Rev. P; L.
Shore, Jr.. fla*trr of Central Me
thodist church.. Interment follow
ed In Mountain Rest cemetery.
Mr. Moss died Wednesday at
7:15 P. m. at a Gastonia hospital
after a serious illness of two
weeks. He was a native of Mon
roe, Ga., son of Dr. and Mrs. W.
H. Moss, who survive.
An office employee at Mar
grace Mill, he had lived in Kings
Mountain for 20 years and was a
member of First Presbyterian
church.
Mr. Moss was a veteran, serv
in a signal detachment during
World War I
Other survivors include a
daughter, Mrs. Eugene Goforth of
Kings Mountain and . one grand
?on.
Osborne Asks
Manager Plan
Vote Recount
Kings Mountain voters split
closely on only one matter at
Tuesday's election.
By a margin of eight votes,
the citizens decided against a
doption of a city manager form
of government. The unofficial
vote total was 877 votes against
the city manager form of gov
ernment under the modified
'^Plan O" and 869 votes for the
city manager form of govern
Recount Denied
Joe F. Mull, county elections
board chairman, met with the
city board of commissioners
late Wednesday afternoon, of
ficially canvassed the vote on
the city manager system elec
tion at 877 against to 869 for,
and ruled out a recount
The recount request had
been filed by Hobert B. Os
borne, who had carried the
brunt of the campaign for the
adoption of the city manager,
system. ? ?
Mr. Mull told Mr. Osborne,
who was present at the called
session, that ho failed to find
any grounds for ordering a re
count, unless Mr. Osborne ,
wished to charge irregularities
in the handling of the ballet*.
Mr. Osbovpe replied that he,
in no way. wished to infer ir
regularities, but had asked
the recount on the grounds of
the possibility of "human er
roii
Thus the city manager sys
tem stands defeated by eight
votes. '
ment under the modified "Plan
D."
The special election was call- 1
ed by the county board of elec
tions Iboard, under authority of
a special enabling act of the 1953
General Assembly.
It was passed by the Assem
bly at the instance, of the city
planning board, and had at
tracted the support during the
campaign of one candidate for
mayor, Rofbert B. Osborne, who
ran on the city manager sys
tem platform.
Mr- Osborne told the Herald
Wednesday morning that he
ivad asked the county elections
board chairman, Joe F. Mull, for
a recount of the city manager
votes. I
The letter cxf Mr. Osborne, re
questing suc3h a recount, follows:
"To the Election Officials and
The City of Kings Mountain:
"In view of the extremely
small difference in the number
of ballots cast for and against
the City Manager Modified Plan
D, and an error of a very few vo
tes would completely reverse
the decision as determined iby
the total number given from the
first count! I thereby request
that a recount be made of the
ballots cast in the election of
May 12, 1953, for and against
this City Manager form of gov
Contvnued On Page Bight
Little Theatre Will Begin Casting
For "Sword Of Gideon" On Tuesday
By Chnrlenp .-ortgett
Alter a succoksful winter sea
son of three major plays, "ChJ~
ken Every Sunday", "Ten Little
Indians", and tha ambitious
"Robe", the Kings Mountain Lit
now ready to start
on their true love ? the drama.
AH who have been waiting an
dously foi some word of activity
alon<|tMf.MQ9| flrfil b$ delighted
to hear that much has been go
?Ift'on *<? & presentation
of the third season of the drama
commemorating the Battle of
Kings Morntata.
Beery pretty Saturday after
noon has found members of the
little Theatre working at the
park, making Improvements and
repairs at the amphitheatre. We
believi* MP patrons *01 flag tt
even more attractive and com
fortable than before.
This year's slate of officers,
having Slwen elected several
WKSSm ? ;
* - 0* ? *. ' ' V ? - 1 li
months ago, have been hard at
work ? each in his or her own
field. They are: Genera] Manager
? Delbert Dixon; Business Man
ager >? Sam Stalling*; Casting
Director ? Mrs, M. A. Ware; Di
rector ? Nick Moss; Lighting
and staging Chairman ? Luther
Cansler and B. S. Peeler, Jr.; Mu
sic and Choral Chmn. ? Mrs.
Aubrey Mauney and Franklin
Pethel; Costume Chmn. ? Mrs.
Philip Padgett,
We were Invited to have a
booth at the Carolina Motor
Club'A WORLD TRAVEL FAIR
in Charlotte April 9th and 10th,
end a very attractive and Inter
esting booth drew the attention
of the thousands who visited the
Fair. TMa made * wonderful send
off lo* our 1953 summer season.
Casting to begin BF
Word has now oome from our
Casting Director, Mrs. Ware, that
Conflwsd On P*?0 Bight
COMMAW DER ? C. E. Warllck,
above. Kings Mountain busi
nessman, was named comman
der of Otis D. Green Post 155, the
American Legion at annual elec
tion of the organization held
last Friday night.
C. E. Werlick
Legion Head
C. E. Warllck, Kings Mountain
insurance agent, wag elected com
mander of Otis D. Green Post 155,
the American Legion at annual
post election held at the Legion
Hall last Friday night.
Mr. Yfartick,. along with other
new officers elected, will be in
stalled at the meeting of June 5.
Other officers elected were:
John \V. Gladden ? first vice
commander (membership).
Sam Collins ? second vice com
mander (house).
C. T. Carpenter, Jr. ? adjutant.
Fred Haithcox? finance officer.
James Bennett ? chaplain.
Hubert Aderholdt ? historian.
Clyde Whetstlne ? sargeant-at
arms.
Bill Jonas, Millard Prince and
Ross Alexander ? members of
the executive committee.
Mr. Warllck succeeds Mr. Col
lins as commander of the post, in
which he was the first adjutant
and organizer in 1924. He Is also
a past commander of Johnny W.
filackwell Post, Veterans of For
eign Wars, of Kings Mountain,
and a former athletic officer of
Post 155.
The new commander was nomi
nated on the nominating commit
tee report. He was opposed by
Clyde Whetstlne, who was nomi
nated from the floor at the meet
ing last Friday night.
Mr. Gladden, Glee A. Bridges
and Warren E. Reynolds were
named to a committee to arrange
the installation program for the
June 5 meeting.
Some 29 members were present
at the meeting, presided over by
Commander Collins.
Sargeant - at ? arms Aderholdt
and Mr. Gladden advanced the
colors and Mr. Gladden offered
prayer.
Membership was reported at
216 and it was announced that
Hal Dedmon had been secured by
the Junior baseball committee as
coach.
Delegates to the annual state
convention, to be held at Wilming
ton June 10-13, were elected and
must be certified to the creden
tials committee prior to June 1.
Named were Mr. Whetstlne, Mr.
Collins and Mr. Gladden.
It was also announced that four
members of the post, Mr. Collins,
Mr. Gladden, W. L>. (Doc) Byers
and Paul Mauney had been named
officers of the Lincoln Volture.
40 A 8, recently.
Mrs. Blalock <
Acquires Florist
Mn. Dorothy Miller Blalock
has acquired the florlat business
at 711 W. Mountain street for
merly operated by Mn. Guthrie
Ham rick as Kings Mountain Flu
flit- ?' ;'-'
Mrs. Blalock, onetltoe owner
with her daughter, Mrs. Don
Crawford, of the business tor
three year*, is sole owner of the
new firm and will operate the
business under the tradename
Dot's Flower Shop, according to
announcement this week.
Z<Mn. Bi&lock said the firm will
offer for sale a full selection of
flowers for ell. occasions.
. " ? v. -rtf,
Bridges Leads
Mayoral Race
By 2 to 1
Kings Mountain voters flocked
to the polls Tuesday -to elect a
completely new set of city com
missioners. the election "culmi
nating a long and torrid cam
paign covering more than five
months.
The voters also gave Glee A.
Bridges, hardwareman and for
mer chairman of the county
board of commissioners, a 2 to 1
load over Mayor Garland E.
Still, the runner-up in the ?'our
man contest for mayor. Mr.
Bridges failed of a majority by
only 53 votes. George Allen, re
ceived 375 votes, and Robert B. 1
Osborne received 117 votes.
New commissioners elected by
the voters Tuesday are: ?
W. Sage Fulton, Sr., Ward 1,
wholesale grocer and feed man
ufacturer partner in Ware &
Sons, wholesale grocers and feed
manufacturers.
J. H. Patterson, Ward 2, super
intendent of Kings Mountain
Manufacturing Company.
T. J. (Tfcmmy) Ellison, Ward
3, proprietor of Ellison's Grocery
and tformer commissioner from
1947-51/ . ,^.-v
Harold J. Phrlllps, Ward 4, as
sistant sujwrintendent of Crafts
pun Yarns, Inc.
W. Gurney Grantham, Ward 5,
general manager and part-own
er of Victory Chevrolet Company.
Mr. Ellison was the front-run
ning candidate polling 1077 vo
tes and soundly defeating both
the incumbent, Olland R. Pear
son, who received 511 votes, and
C. L. (Curly) Elgin, with 135
votes.
Close behind Mr. Ellison was
the Ward 1 winner, W. Sage Ful
ton, who polled 1 059 votes to
defeat James G. (Red) iLayton,
the Incumbent, who received 685
votes.
In Ward 2, Mr. Patterson was
accorded 956 votes, to defeat
Warren E. Reynolds, GOO, and
Lloyd E. Davis, the incumbent,
195.
In Ward 4, Mr. Phillips receiv
ed 952 votes, to defeat two op
ponents, O. T. Hayes, Sr., 559
and Floyd Williams, 226.
In Ward 5, Mr.. Granhtam re
ceived 899 votes, defeating Sam
Stalllngs) 508, and D. L White,
317.
J. R. Davis, unopposed for a
second six-year term as 'Ward 1
school trustee, received 236 vo
tes. Ten write-in votes were cer
tified to George H. Houser.
Voting was light in the early
part of the day, but speeded
heavily in the alfternoon.
Weather was perfect and
there was a mlmimum of. delay
in handling the voting.
Saturday Last
Complaint Day
The county's board of equaliza
tion and review has set Saturday
as the final day for filing com
plaints, or requests for adjust
ment on property valuations.
Announcement was made this
week by Max Hamtick, clerk to
tlie board, of the forthcoming
deadline.
For the past several weeks, th?
board has beer receiving com
plaints, following notification of
property owners of new appraisal
figures.
An Ohio appraisal firm has just
completed revaluing, for tax pur
poses, ail property In the county.
^'i|k,'Hafnrlck said:
"The time for filing oomplalnts
property valuations will expire
Saturday, May 16th, 1863.
>Jfei?ons wanting a hearing on
valuations aa established by the
group, should 'flWip>'.
tlce on or before the above date
in order that a mutually satis
factory date may b? Arranged
i .-Vfcgpi
WINNERS IN TUESDAY ELECTION ? Elected to city position* in
Tuesday'* biennial voting were the six citizens pictured above. They
are. top, left, W. Sage Fulton, Ward 1 commissioner and J. R. Pat
terson, Ward 2 commissioner; middle row. left, is T. J. Ellison,
Ward 3 commissioner and the day's leading vote-getter, and at
right. Harold Phillips, Ward 4 commissioner. Below, left. Is W.
Gurney Grantham, elected Ward 5 commissioner. Below, right, is
J. R. Davis, re-elected to a slx-yeaT term as Ward 1 school trustee.
Mr. Davis had no opposition.
Bible-In-Schoels Committee
Given Report On Year's Work
Kings Mountain ministers and
other members of the Citizens
committee for Teaching of the
Bible in the Public Schools heard
a report Monday on the Bible
work in the schools for the past
year by Miss Mary Mallard.
Miss Mallard, who also tender
ed her resignation from the posi
tion she has filled for the past
three years, outlined the pro
grams of study taught In the sev
eral grades and high school. She
said 173 sixth graders, 167 seven
th graders and 39 high school stu
dents have been enrolled in the
courses during the past year; and
she also listed special projects of
the several classes during the
past year. These included: chapel
programs, seasonal projects, care
package aid, aid to the needy in
Kings Mountain, and similar
work.
Corses In Bible are offered
sixth and seventh graders in all
city schools, as welt as Park
Grace school in the county sys
tem, and as. a high school elective.
Rev. P. D. Patrick aaid that
Mlas Mallard's resignation was
received "with great regret".
"Miss Mallard has been a won
derful teacher of the courses in
Bible in the schools, and she Will
not be easy to replace. The com
mittee accepts her resignation
-frith great regret,'* Mr. Patrick
said.
Annual Spring Bond
Concert Set May 21
The Kings Mountain high
school band will present its an
nual spring concert Thursday,
May 21 in the Central high school
auditorium. Time of the program
is 8 o'clock and no admission will
be charged.
Program for the concert will in
clude novelty, popular, and semi
classical numbers. The band won
a rating of superior in the annual
state contest.
Kings Mountain's band i? cur
rently making plans for a sum
mer day camp, a mixed program
of musical and recreational ac
tivities. Persons interested in the
camp are urged to contact J. C.
Hedden, director.
CUB SCOUT MEETING
All parents Interested in Cu<b
Scouting are being invited to
attend a meeting at the First
Baptist church Boy Scout hut
Thursday evening at 7:30, It
was announced this week . by
Mrs. R M. Schlele and It G.
Whisnant. ..
Winners Begin
2-Yeai Tenure
At City Hall
Five new city commissioners
will be sworn into office Thurs
day morning at 10 o'clock, but
the incumbent mayor. Garland
E, Still, will serve a minimum of
two weeks longer.
Mr. Still, who ran second in
Tuesday's four-man mayoral
race, demanded a run off election,
after Glee A. Bridges, the leading
candidate, failed of a majority by ,
53 votes.
Mayor Still will swear in the
five new commissioners, W. Sage
Fulton, Sr., J. II. Patterson, T. J.
Ellison, Harold J. Phillips, and
W. Gurnpy Grantham, all elected
by clear majorities on Tuesday.
The new board will then be
ready to transact business.
Among Items expected to be
handled are election of a mayor
pro tempore. The hoard will also
implement the statute on holding
of the May 26 run off election.
Undor the law, elected officials
serve until their successors are
elected and qualified. This means
that Mayar~Sttll will serve until
May 28, at least. The election will
be held on May 26, the board will
canvas the returns on May 27,
and the incoming mayor, either
Mr. Bridges or Mr. Still, will be
sworn in on May 28.
An Editorial
The People
Speak Again
Many conclusions can
be drawn from the sweep
ing changes ordered by
the citizens at Tuesday's
municipal election.
Principal among them,
basing the opinion on the
character make-up of the
five men elected to the
board of commissioners
and on the individual far
in the lead in the 'race for
mayor, is that the city re
turns i r o m sometimes
raucous, scratchy progres
sivism, to a more conser
vative variety of progress,
sometimes called conser
vative progressivism.
It is not anticipated that
the new administration
will have a great deal of
fanfare connected with
its handling of the usual
ly dull, tedious work con
nected with operating a
city, or other government
entity.
In a way, the election
results here complete a
trend. Conservative forc
es were returned to politi
cal control in North Caro
lina last spring at the De
mocratic primary, in the
nation in the November
national elections, and
now at home in Kings
Mountain. Some feel the
trend is general and marks
an end to an era of politi
cal restlessness, on both
national and local levels.
It would be unfair to the
retiring administration
not to commend it for
many pieces of good work
accomplished during the
past two years. Excepting
the discord between the
factions of the board, the
record will show that
many of their actions
were wise ones. The in.
coming administr&t i o n
will find the fiscal condi-'
tion of the city sound. \
The Herald believes it
speaks for the vast major
ity of the whole commun
ity, including not only
winners but loyal oppon
ents, when it wishes for
the incoming administra
tion only the best of good
fortune as it handles the
city's ship of state during
the coming two years.
.A