PAGE TWO
Tire^lon* NEWS
APRIL 10,1954
PLANT ENGINEER W. G. Henson, above second from left,
discusses blueprints of the rayon expansion program now in progress
with, left to right, H. H. Waters, director of engineering for The
Firestone Tire & Rubber Company; W. A. Karl, President of Fire
stone Textiles Division; and General Manager Harold Mercer.
The expansion program, which involves the building of a 12,500
square-foot addition to the basement weave room, and the change
from coal to natural gas fuel for plant boilers, is running according
to schedule and is expected to be completed by July 31.
For Progressive Farmers
A new Firestone tractor tire, designed to replace worn tractor
tires and increase farming efficiency, is demonstrated here to a
progressive farmer. The new budget-priced replacement tire features
greatly increased bar height for deeper soil penetration, deeper
center bite and greater draw-bar pull at no increase in price. It is
known as the Firestone Deep Tread Open Center Ground Grip tractor
tire.
FIRESTONE NEWS
Volume III, No. 6, April 10, 1954
Published at Gastonia, North Carolina
By Firestone Textiles
A Division of
The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
Department of Industrial Relations
R. H. HOOD, Editor
Department Reporters
CARDING—Edna Harris, Jessie Westmoreland.
SPINNING—Mary Turner, Maude Johnson.
SPOOLING—Nell Bolick, Helen Reel, Rosalee Burger.
TWISTING—Hazel Foy, Grace Stowe, Annie Cosey, Dean Haun,
Corrie Johnson.
SALES YARN TWISTING—Fannie Humphries.
SYC WEAVING—Sarah Davis, Nina Milton, Vivian Bumgardner.
CORD WEAVING—Margaret Rhyne, Irene Burroughs, Mary
Johnson.
QUALITY CONTROL—Dealva Jacobs, Leila Rape, Catherine Isham,
Margaret Tate.
WINDING—Mazelle Lewis, Ann Stevenson, Christine Stroupe.
CLOTH ROOM—Margie Waldrop.
SHOP—Cramer Little.
WAREHOUSE—George Harper, Albert Meeks.
PLASTIC DIP—Frances Huffman, Helen Guffey.
MAIN OFFICE—Mozelle Brockman.
SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE—Sue Van Dyke.
PERSONNEL OFFICE—Barbara Abernathy.
New, Deeper Tread
Rear Tractor Tire
Now In Production
A new replacement rear tractor
tire, designed to bring farm trac
tors up to their original peaks of
operating efficiency at low cost,
has been developed by The Fire
stone Tire & Rubber Company, ac
cording to an announcement by
H. D. Tompkins, Vice-President of
The Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company.
‘Appropriately named the Fire
stone Deep Tread Open Center
Ground Grip, the new tractor tire
features greatly increased bar
height for deeper soil penetration,
deeper center bite and greater
draw-bar pull,” Mr. Tompkins says.
“Along with the added tread
rubber and extended bar height,
the new budget-priced ‘Deep Tread’
also incorporates the following six
exclusive Firestone construction
features: (1) flared tread openings
to insure positive cleaning, (2)
two extra tread plies to protect a-
gainst impact breaks, (2) thicker
tread base at inner bar ends to
prevent bar wiping and bar-end
body punching, (4) bigger, strong
er shoulders for a better bite and
longer tread wear, (5) new im
proved tread compound to resist
cracking and aging and, (6) the
extra strong gum-dipped and ten
sion-dried cord body to insure
longer retread life.”
Factory production schedules on
the new Deep Tread have been
stepped up to make the new re
placement tractor tire available
immediately at Firestone dealers
and stores throughout the United
States.
Grover Hollifield
Passes At Age 46
Grover Hollifield, 46, second
hand in the Spinning Department
and an employee with Firestone
Textiles for 18 years, died in a
local hospital Wednesday, April 7,
at 8 a. m., following an illness of
several months.
Mr. Hollifield is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Alice Chastain Holli
field, a son, James T. Hollifield
(Twisting Department), two
daughters, Mrs. Horace Scarboro
ugh and Mrs. Joe Styers, both of
Gastonia, and his mother, Mrs.
Ollie Roach Hollifield.
The funeral service was conduct
ed by Dr. Frank A. Malone and
Rev. J. B. McQuere at the Loray
Baptist Church with burial follow
ing at the Gaston Memorial Park.
Active pallbearers were supervisor
friends of Mr. Hollifield from the
plant; honorary pallbearers in
cluded the entire supervisory staff
of Firestone Textiles.
Public Speaking Class
Honors Professor Tyson
The public speaking class under
the direction of Robert Hull, Quali
ty Control Supervisor, climaxed
its meetings, Thursday, April 1,
at the Firestone Girls’ Club with a
banquet honoring Professor Ray
mond W. Tyson, chairman of the
speech department of Davidson
College and teacher of the class.
After dinner, each class member
gave his final speech and expressed
his sincere thanks and apprecia
tion to Mr. Tyson for his wonder
ful cooperation and help during the
10-week course. Husbands and
wives of the members were invited
guests.
j|;l
BOBBIE SMITH, a newcomer to amateur radio ranks, talks to
a “ham” friend from his home at 607 South Linwood Road.
What’s Your Hobby? ....
Disability No Hindrance To
Active Amateur Bobby Smith
NOT one to be easily disheartened, Bobby E. Smith, a victim of
arthritus since he was 13, and continuously bedridden since an acci
dent in 1946, has set for himself a pace that might floor more able-
bodied men. This is especially true in the field of amateur radio in
which the youthful Mr. Smith is perhaps the most active “ham” any
where in the state. (If the number of calls hams enter in their log
books is the determining factor, Mr. Smith’s record of nearly 900 so
far this year could well establish him as first in activity among North
Carolina radio amateurs.)
Whether or not he has set a rec-?"
ord makes little difference. The
fact that he has been able to con
quer the monotony and dispair that
usually accompany total disability
is significant, and doubtless serves
as a source of envy for many of his
friends whose most disturbing dis
abilities are occasional colds.
“I’ve really fallen hard for this,”
he says as he points to the big,
bold “W4DRC” that adorns his
Viking transmitter. “Nothing I’ve
ever done before has the appeal of
amateur radio. Since January 28,
1954 this has been my constant
companion.” A sweep of the hand
across the control panel of his
compact and easily accessable ham
station said as much as his words.
Here, stretched across his bed on
a movable table, was his contact
with the world outside—a world
that reached from England to Cal
ifornia already.
HIS station log shows the ex
tent of this new found circle of
friends. They represent 24 states,
England, and several South Ameri
can countries. If his average of 20
calls (completed 2-way radio con
tacts with other hams) a day con
tinues he believes he will have
“worked” every state in the union
and many foreign countries by an
other month.
“This rig gets out pretty well,”
he explained in what was, if any
thing, an understatement. “I’ve
had extra good luck lately on 10
meters (one of the amateur
bands); worked England on that
band as easy as I’m talking to
you,” he was warming up his rig
as he talked.
“This is W4DRC . . . W4-dog-
roger-charlie. ... in Gastonia call
ing CQ, CQ, CQ.” The silence fol
lowing was short-lived.
“W4DRC this is W40BC, over.”
With that a contact was made, the
880th to be exact, and Bobby
Smith, son of veteran employee
John Smith (Cloth Room) was once
again beaming out to hams far
and near the mixture of pleasan
tries and technical jargon that they
call “rag chewing.”
Whatever the name, it niakes the
clock hands fly and can be re
placed anytime by emergency mes
sages for which hams around the
world are noted. That’s why it
appeals to Bobby Smith.
Fishing Club Rules
WHEN TO JOIN—Between now and June 4. (No members
after that date).
HOW TO JOIN?—By signing membership blank at Firestone
Men’s Club or from any member of Fishing Club. (A prize will be
given to person signing up most members).
PRIZES FOR BEST CATCHES!—A prize will be given to each
member who catches biggest fish in each of the following nine
groups or classifications (between now and October 31). Small
Mouth Bass — Large Mouth Bass — Calico Bass — Crappie —
Yellow Perch — Bream — Trout — Catfish — Carp — Pike.
GRAND PRIZE—In each club will go to member who catches
the biggest bass.
“TOUGH LUCK” STORY—A prize will be given in each club
for the best “Tough Luck” story submitted.
HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST
1. The contests are open for fishing club members only.
2. Get contest blanks from clerk in Men’s Club.
3. The fish are to be caught with hook and line.
4. The weight of the fish is to be written in ink by the weigh
station operator.
5. Contest blanks should be turned in at Men’s Club where they
will be filed until the end of the contest on October 31, 1954.
After this date if you catch a fish, you may enter it in neXt
year’s contest.