I':, I
TUeSD^VS
klhG<r MOUMThm MIRROR
VOL. 89 NO. n
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 28086TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7,1978
15c
HGRkLD
To Give Canal Away
Old Vet Against Treaty
%
By TOM McINTYRE
EdHar, Mtarcr-Hcrald
President Jimmy Cartor is determined
to see his treaty throuBh to give
entrol of the Fanuns Csnsi by the year
2,000.
Tbe treaties that President Carter end
Panama’s Gen. Omar Ibrrijos, the
niing dictator, guarantee Panama and
the United SUtes the right to defend the
canal against any threat and that U. S.
wsrahlpa and auxiliaries win be given
priority passage through the canal “in
case of need cr emergency.”
The treaties also nude it dear the U. S.
does not have the right of intervention in
internal Panamanian affairs.
At least one veteran of The Canal Zone
patrol thinks President Carter is making
a terriUe mistake.
John Gladden of Kings Mountain spent
ttoee years in the Panama Canal Zone,
ms to 1918. “The first ships bad passed
through the canal nine months before I
was stationed there,” he said
Cfiadden, 82, of 213 E. Parker St., said,
"The President is right when he says the
United States has never owned the canal.
lYeleased itforOO years with an option to
renew that lease But I am against his
proposal that the canal be turned over
completely to another country. I don’t
think any other country slWd have
control or the right to guard the canal but
the United States.”
Gladden, who is still very active
deapite his years, said that it seems
everytime there is unrest in a country it
begins with a student revolution.
"Communiem is the Uggest threat the
free world faces today and it has been
proven that Communist bsve infiltrated
coUegee and universities throughout the
world to begin indoctrinating students. It
wouldn’t surprise me if this isn’t what
has happened in Panama.”
Gen. Torrijos has been the ruling
dicutor of Pmama for nine years and
the treaties have been signed by him.
Gladden questions whether or not “it is
solid business seiue to do business that
could affect the Ilvee of millions of people
in the future based on the word of a (Ic-
tator. Someone else could take charge
the same way Torrijos did. Someone with
Communist leanings. Then where would
we be?”
Back in 191$, April 26 to be exact,
Gladdm and 15 other recruiU were
^nOM PAST — Here is (Hadden in
early 1916 at age 20 on a dredging crane
high above the Panama Canal.
Operations to clear a landslide from the
canal were underway at the time.
shipped from Columbus Bsrracks, Ohio
to the Panama Canal Zone to Join the 29tb
fofantry, Regiment. While there Gladden
advanced to private first clau, corporal
and finally to sergeant. As Sergeant he
frilled troops sndled guard patrols along
the canal, in the Jungle and along the
beaches.
"When I was there everything was
okay,” Gladden said. “The Panamanians
were Just as happy to have the
Americans there and to be earning
revenue from use of the canal This short
cut for the shipe of every nation is a
valuable asset. But the canal itsdf is an
easy target — for nature and for any
political enemies.”
Gladden was there when a nwisitain
fill into the canal M the entrance to the
Gallard Cut and piled dirt and stone 2$
feet above the water level. It took
American crews five months to clear
the passage. Gladden said that was
nature going wild. “It would be far more
tragic if the canal was sabotaged,” he
added. “And I’m talking about Com-
mimist sabotage. If they ever got control
of the canal they would have a big dub to
bold over our heads.”
tsk -
Photo By iom McIntyre.
AGAINST TREATY — John W. Gladden of Kings Mountain, who spent three
years in the Army in the Panama Canal Zone, feels President Carter is making a
mistake in his push to give up control of the canal.
Va.ndals Rul *^0
/ -
Enter WKMT
. diiuais ripped a hole in the front door
of Radio Station WKMT on Bessemer
City Road sometime Thursday night but
apparently did not gain entrance.
Jonas Bridges, owner and manager of
the station, said damage to the front door
was approximately 3200.
Mr. Bridges said the hole in the glass
door was large enough for a man to gain
entrance. “Apparently they decided they
wouldn't go on in,” said Bridges.
Gaston Rurals investigated.
$4 Million Construction Committed In ‘77
Over $4-million in construction was
committed in Kings Mountain during
1977, according to building permits
issued by the city codes department.
A total of 414 building permits were
issued from Jan. 1, 1977 to Dec. 31, 1977,
earning the city $16,704.70 in revenue.
The largest number of building permits
were issued for utilities tap-ons, zoning in
Boy Scout Day
Is Next ■■
Next wMk If Boy Scout Week and Boy
Scout Day in city government ia ilated
hr Mon., Feb. 13.
Bviginning at 9 a. m., thri day the
various department headi win meat the
ScouU aaalgned to them for the day.
ScouU will be serving u Mayor for a
u
Burlington Men
Conducting Meet
Day, Police Chief for a Day, Fire Chief
for a Day, etc
The Scouts will observe the ttmctionsof
each department during the day and wiU
attend the city commissioner meeting
that night as a culmination of the day’s
activities.
Four executives of Burlington In
dustries’ sportswear division will speak
tonight at a community get-together at
Kings Mountain Inn
Business, industrial and professional
leaders from the area have been invited
to attend the 6:30 p. m. dinner meeting.
The program is being sponsored by
Burlington's Phoenix plant and will be a
discussion on general business con
ditions.
The speakers are Max Huntley, group
manager; George Wildcox. vice
president of manufacturing; Barney
Miller, division personndl manager; and
Bill Westmoreland, staff personnel
rjnager.
Z&P Approves
Two Requests
The Kings Mountain Zoning and
Planning Board discussed two items last
Thursday night and will recommend the
city commissioners approve the
requests
The firsfileiii was a request from
Luther Bennett on behalf of John G.
Sanders, owner, to reione from NB
(Neighborhood Business) to GB «General
Business) a l«t located on the west side of
Cleveland Ave. at the Linwood Rd. in
tersection.
Bennett proposes a "nice office and
fencing■’ for the lot to be used for the sale
of used cars only.
The second request came from David
and Peggy Bayne on behalf of Carolina
Western Express Jo rezone from R-20
(Suburban Residential) to H. I. (Heavy
Industrial) land on the south side of I-8S
service road for a trucking facility.
Ijirry Billings repress,-■••d Carolina
Western Express at Thursday's meeting
Both requests were unanimously ap
proved by the ZAP Board
the one-mile perimeter, new home
construction, home repairs and additions
and demolitions.
Permits numbered 57 for water and
sewer and gas tap-ons for a total of
$5,753; :t7 one-mile perimeter zoning
permits were issued for a total of $195.
new home construction permits num
bered 54 for a total of $1,785,250; house
repairs and addition permits totaled 74
for $2,642,. and demolition permits
totaled 79 for $25,980
The three largest single permits were
issued to the city for the construction of
the Citizens Service Center $184,000;
Governmental Services Facilities
Building (city hall) $660,000; and
additions to the community center
$228,000.
Six permits were issued for new
businesses with a total cost of $:t36„345
January
Permits
Run High
During the month of Jan. 1978 the
Kings Mountain Codes Department
issued 24 permits tor $173.9t5 worth of
work.
The department earned $1,233 in
revenue through the sale of permits.
There were six tap-on permits issued
totaling $425 for water and sewer and gas
utilities; three zoning permits totaling
$15 were issued in the one-mile perimeter
outside the city limits. The perimeter fw
is $5. There is no charge inside the city.
Permits were issued tor the con
struction of four new single family homes
last month with a total construction cost
listed us $15().(KKI Permits for additions
and repairs to homes totaled six for
$13,475.
James Lybrand bought one permit for
the construction of a warehouse on his
carpel sales company property Cost of
the project is $6.5(H). Two p«*rmits fon'
accessory buildings costing $l.(8Ki were
issued and one permit issued for moving
a house. That cost is $2,500
There was one permit issued at no
charge to Southern Bell for repairs to
phone caliles.
Two permits for industry repairs totaled
$297,782. Permits for retaining walls
number two at a cost of $46,400. Ten
business repair permits issued was for
total projects cost of $61,400.
There were 15 house moving permits
totaling $;12,500 and '28 permits for ac
cessory buildings totaling $24,399. One
mobile home permit was issued for
$17,(810 and one permit issued for ac
cessory building repairs for $1,500. Seven
swimming p<x)l permits were issued for
$57,925 and four parking lot permits for
$28,700.
One permit for a church building was
issued for $20,000 and two permits for
church repairs for $2,300. Sign permits
numbered 11 for $'22,755. and one fence
permit for $13.3(8).
Three patio permits for $1,519, eight
door driveways at $3,100. One permit for
carport at $900, one permit for repairs to
the KM Rescue Squad building tor »i,20U
and one permit for moving a building for
$100 were issued in 1977.
There were two plumbing permits
for a total of $20,250, two electrical
permits for $4,000 and one heating and air
conditioning permit for $2,600 also issued
during the past year.
The total amount of construction
dollars committed during the year was
$4,149,364
Dr. John Hunt Hies
As House Candidate
Dr. John J. (Jack) Hunt of Lattimore
has filed to campaign as a Democratic
candidate for a seat in the N. C. 40th
House District in the May 2 primary
Dr Hunt paid his filing fee Monday
morning prior to the noon deadline. His
entry in the 40th House race makes it a
four-way race with the three incumbents.
An unsuccessful U. S. House candidate
in the lOth Congressional District, Dr.
Hunt has served two terms in the N.C.
House. During his slate office tenure, he
served as a member of the Ap
propriations, Base Budget, Highway
Safety. Wildlife. Manufacturing and
Labor and Blind Libraries committees,
plus others.
A native of Cleveland County, Dr. Hunt
is a graduate of Wake Forest College
and Emory University Dental School
with a DDS degree. Besides operating a
dental office. Dr. Hunt also owns the
Roundup Stores, Inc.
In local politics. Dr Hunt has served at
a member of precinct committee and at
Bloodmobile Visits
The Red Crost Bloodmobile will visit at
Bethware School gym Fri., Feb. 10 from
II a. m until 4:30.
The quota for this visit is 125 pints,
according to Marilyn Hamilton, chair
man.
This visit is sponsored by the Bethware
PTA and Bethware It the only elemen
tary school to host the bloodmobile in the
Piedmont Carolina Blood Region. The
region encompasses 60 counties in North
and South Carolina
its chairman and as vice chairman ot the
Cleveland County Democratic Party. He
is a Mason, a Shriner and a veteran of
both World War Two and the> Korean
Conflict.
He is married to the former Ruby
Crowder of l.attimbre and the father of
five daughters. Judy, Cindy, Sally and
Mrs. Penny Corn and Mrs. Libby
Sarazen.
In filing as a N. C. House candidate.
Dr. Hunt said, “It is my sincere desire to
represent the people of Cleveland,
Rutherford, and Polk counties as your
represenUtive. With my experience as a
stale representative and my background
as a small businessman, farmer and
professional man, I would like to have the
opportunity, and with the responsibility,
to be your state representative.”
DH. JtHIN J. HUNT
,, N,('. Houseramlidatf