\ -
THE TUESDAY EDITION
VOL. 88 NO. 81
TUESDAY, APRIL 1»
mc^ MOUhTt^lh
MIRROR-H€Rf\LD
15-
Firefiffhters Excercise
Better Than Television
,\
READY ON THE HOSE - KM llreflgtiten »w«lt a
signal to hose down the roof of the Lipford estate home
on E. King. Eight departments from Cleveland County
Riatos Ry Tom Meln^jm
participated in the controlled burning training exercise
In Kings Mountain last Wednesday evening.
Public Works Facility
G>ntract Is Awarded
Reynolds and Sons at Charlotte
has been awarded the general
construction cwitract on the Kings
Mountain Pijbllc Works building and
garage.
One of eight firms bidding for the
contract, Reynolds was recom
mended to Ae board of com
missioners by Pete Bougham of
Holland and McOlnnls, Architects,
at a special meeting last Friday.
The Reynolds bid was for
and 106 days to complete con
struction. Actual construction is
scheduled to begin on May 3 and end
on August 16. Occupancy of the
structure is estimated to be October
first.
Reynolds will construct the entire
flooring, walls and roofing struc
ture, enclose It and leave the Interior
construction, wiring, plumbing,
heating and air conditioning work to
the various city departments.
The public works building will
ccntaln 18,684 sq. ft. and the shop,
3,340 sq. ft.
Commissioner Jim Childers,
chairman of the public works
building committee, said, “I am well
pleased with the response In the
bidding process. The bids were all
well below the estimated coat of the
project.”
In other action at Friday's special
board meeting, the commissioners
voted to accept a grant agreement
from Farmers Home Adminis
tration for $76,000 to be used In
making sewer Improvements along
York Rd.
— Commissioners voted to begin a
twice-weekly city wide garba ge
pickup service. The service began
yesterday (Mon., Apr. 18).
Mayor John H. Moss told the
board the city has been through an
experimentation period using
collection carts and "based on that
experience, we feel our rolling
pickup can be used more ad
vantageously.”
The mayor also asked for a
motion, and received It, to set aside
the month of May In Kings Mountain
for Cleanup, Flxiq>, Palntup by
citizens.
In giving approval, the com
missioners also committed the city
to assist citizens In hauling away
debris and trash to the extent of one
truckload per residence.
— Approved the erection of more
speed limits signs on W. (3old St. to
cut down on the fast drivers.
Oimmlssloner Childers asked for
the motion, based on complaints
(Please Turn To Page S(
Band Returning
From Disney Trip
ms BLANTON
Cancer
Oaims
Blanton
Timmons Rohe (Hm) Blanton, 14,
lost hla hard-fought battle with
cancer Friday at 6 ;40 p. m. In Duke
Hospital In Durham.
The youngster, son of Lois and
Howard Blanton of Durham, for
merly of Kings Mountain, and
grandson of Mrs. Ruth Oamble of
Kings Mountain and the late Howard
Oamble and of Mr. and Mrs. J.
Wiley Blanton of Kings Mountain,
underwent his first operation for a
brain tumor shortly after the
Blantons moved to Durham five
years ago. He underwent a second
operation In December and has been
hospitalized the major portion of this
year.
An eighth grader and honor
student at Carrington Junior High
School In Durham, he was active In
(Please 'nim To Page 8)
A chartered bus and a U-Haul
trailer rattled out of Kings Moun
tain, last Friday evening bound for
Ortando, Fla.
Aboard were members of the
Kings Mountain Senior High Band,
Its director and a handful of
chaperones.
Yesterday the band, dressed In
KM High colors, led the grand
parade through Disney World.
For this outstanding event the
students and their parents and the
community at large has been
preparing for several months,
raising funds to finance the trip.
The tab was around $10,000 for
travel and accommodations for the
almost 100 persons who signed on for
the trip. It might seem like a great
amount, but It Is one event that will
long be remembered by those who
participated and by the community
that helped make it possible.
It all came about when Donald
Desd, the senior high band director,
submitted a tape of the band In
ccncert to the offlclsds at Disney
World last year. Each week the huge
amusement complex selects a
different band to lead the grand
parude.
At the December concert the first
$600 was raised toward the trip
It was better than television.
Maybe that’s why numerous Kings
Mountlans came out on E. lOng St.
last Wednesday night to watch the
members of eight different fire
departments In action.
Although at first passersby were
alarmed when they saw the old wood
house, belonging to the Maty Lip-
ford estate, going up In flames they
were soon sitting bsusk and enjoying
the spectacle of firefighters con
ducting a controlled bum exerclae.
Kings Mountain Fire Chief Oene
TIgnor said the exercise was held in
conjunction with the Cleveland
County Fire School. Claeses were
held all last week, taught by Bill
Allred of the N. C. State Insurance
Depsudment.
Participating In the exerclae were
members of the Kings Mountain ,
Orover, Oak Orove, Bethlehem,
Cleveland County, Shelby, Oaaar
and Esu*! (No. 8) fire departments.
A total of 66 firefighters were
Involved throughout the evening as
the old house was set sdlre
repeatedly until the structure was
completely consumed.
During the exercise three firemen
sustained minor injuries; two men
Inhaled smoke and a third cut his
knee In a fall.
In the early stages of the bum fire
fighters were sent Into the house to
fight small fires, then later, when
the walla and roof were blazing, the
firefighters took up positions around
the house to contain the fire to the
one site.
The weather was hot and dry and
no winds stirred, but one unit was
detailed to keep a ready eye and
firehose on flying, sparks. Another
fireman took up a position beside a
metal wadled carwash beside the
L^ford house to douse the walls
when the heat became Intense.
Twice during the exercise units
were pulled away to assist In real
emergencies. The units In the
Bethlehem
VFD Sponsors
Ham Supper
Bethlehem Volunteer Fire
Department will sponsor a country
ham supper Sat., April 38, from 6
until 8 p. m. to buy firefighting
equipment
The menu will Include country
ham, grits with red eye gravy,
applesauce, green beans, hot
biscuits, butter and Jelly, tea or
cottee. Plates are $S.60 for adults
and $1.78 for children.
through donations made by the
audience. After that the committee
to raise finances sold tickets on a
color TV set to raise about $4,000
more. The students Involved In the
band trip each raised about $40 and
then private donations and
donations from local business and
Industry rounded out the figures to
make the trip a reality.
Following an all night bus trip last
Friday, the travelers checked Into
the Hilton West Inn In Orlando at 8 a.
m. and two hours later were looking
over Disney World.
Following Sunday School at the
hotel Sunday the group toured
Circus World and Sea World of
Florida. At 7:80 p. m. Sunday Deal
gathered the band into a special
area provided by the hotel for a
rehearsal.
Monday morning the band was
given Instructions on the noon
performance by Disney World of
ficials. Following the parade the
band members shucked their
uniforms and slipped back Into their
Jeans to enjoy the amusement park
for the rest of the afternoon.
Last night the KMers enjoyed a
poolside bvliecue at their hotel. The
group left Orlando about 6; 80 this
morning and la expected back at the
senior high around 8:80 tonight.
exercise were about one third the
strength of the Individual depart
ments participating.
Charles Carpenter, local
magistrate, told The Mirror-Herald
during the burn there was criticism
of the exercise and the destruction of
the house. "Some persons feel the
materials In the house could have
been used again, or that the
materials could have been given to
citizens to use as fuel," he said.
Carpenter ssild the house was
offered to a salvage company, but
tliat the fee aakad for tearing the
house down and hauling It away was
very high. As an alternative the
house was offered to the fire
department and permission to burn
the house wu given the department
In writing.
The house on E. King St. was built
In 1920. In 1989 the house was bought
by Mayor J. B. ThomsMson and la
currently In the Msuy Lipford
estate.
As the last wall of the structure
wsis crumbling in flames. Chief
TIgnor, said, "1 used to live In that
house, too."
J
SILHOUETTES - Members of the Kings Meaataln Fire Departaseat
are silhouetted against the flames that destroyed the Mary Lipford estate
home on E. King St. lastWednesday as part of a training exercisf.
Cameron Ware Is
Named To Committee
Governor Jim Hunt today ap
pointed Cameron S. Ware of Rt. 4,
Kings Mountain to serve on the
Governor's Advisory Committee on
Agriculture, Forestry and Seafood
Industry.
Ware operates an a{^le orchard
and a roadside market.
The Advisory Committee serves at
the pleasure of the Governor, and Is
to keep the Governor Informed of
current conditions and opportunities
for Improvement In the growth and
harveirt of food and fiber. The
oommlttee mav recammsnd Ideas
for policies to the Governor, but It In
no way conflicts or competes with
the Board of Agriculture In the
Department of Agriculture.
The Agriculture Advisory Com
mittee Is to help citizens express
their views on pertinent topics to the
Governor, and is to make
suggestions to the Governor on ways
to Improve relationships between
suppliers, producers, processors
and regulators.
The Committee Is not paid, but
will receive compensation for travel
and subalatanco expanses. t
I
FLORIDA-BOUND - Members of the Kings
Mountain High School band board two chartered buses
Friday for a trip to Disney World. The band members
raised funds for the trip by selling tickets to a drawing
Photo By Oary Stewart
on a color television set, which was won by (^Ista Oirie
of Kings Mountain. Die band Is scheduled to arrive
bark home tonight.