McDowell
County’s
Leading
Newspaper
MARION PROGRESS
Advertising
in the
Progress
Pays
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896
MARION. N. C.. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22. 1940
VOL. XLIV—NO. 30
Marion Hi School Building
Partially Destroyed By
Fire Wednesday Afternoon
Fifty And Seventy
Thousand Dollars.
Five
I BASKETBALL TOURNEY
OF FRANCIS MARION
CLUB STARTS HERE
Fire swept the Marion high school
building here late yesterday after
noon and raged for approximately
two and one-half hours before fire
men of Marion and Morganton were
able to bring it under control.
The fourth annual basketball tour
nament sponsored by Francis Marion
club got under way here in the Com
munity building last night with
eight teams out of the 12 entered
in the contest seeing action.
Entered in the tournament are
I Glen Alpine, Spindale, Valdese,
The blaze was thought to have | East Marion, North Cove, Harris,
originated in a small room in the | Ci°ssnore, Nebo, Beacon, Pleasant
west end of the building. It was first I Gardens, Glenwood, and Rhodhiss.
discovered by the janitor who noti- j Scheduled for play last night
fied city teachers who were conduct-]were:
ing a meeting in the auditorium. 1. Glenwood vs. Pleasant Gar-
The fire appeared to have started
in the wall of a small room on the
west end where the wiring for the
building entered, said Mr. Hugh
Beam, superintendent of Marion
schools, who was one of the first to
see the blaze.
The fire was discovered about 4:30
and firemen were still playing water
on th€ third floor at seven o’clock
last night although the fire was
practically extinguished.
School children and townspeople
poured into the building when the
fire was discovered and removed fur
niture and school equipment, much
of it being tossed out of windows.
The greatest damage to the build
ing was on the west end where the
roof was destroyed and furniture,
books, and records were ruined, j
dens at six o’clock.
2. East Marion vs. North Cove at
seven o’clock.
3. Crossnore vs. Nebo at eight
o’clock.
4. Glen Alpine vs. Spindale at
nine o’clock.
Play for tonight is scheduled as
follows: Rhodhiss vs. winner of 1.
at seven; Harris vs. winner of 2. at
six; Beacon vs. winner of 3. at at
nine; and Valdese vs. winner of 4.
at eight.
The semi-finals will be played on
Friday night with two games be
tween the four leading teams in the
tournament and two games between
the four consolation winners. Play
w^ill start at six o’clock with the con
solation winners starting the bill.
The finals are set for Saturday
Plastering was down in many of the!night ^jth play starting at 7:30.
rooms in other parts of the building i The tournament and consolation
and water had greatly damaged! winners will be crowned,
most of the building. j Awards will be made by the
Little headway was made in fight-1 Francis Marion club as follows: Gold
ing the fire until parts of the roof of j basketballs to the winning team,
the building were torn off and hoses | silver balls to the runner-up and
were played on the burning parti- i medals to the third; statuettes to the
NEW DUKE MANAGERS
MARION MAN KILLED
WHEN STRUCK BY TRAIN
J. A. WIER
J. D. HENRY
NEW MANAGERS
APPOINTED BY
DUKE POWER CO.
J. D. Henry Transferred To
Rutherf ordton District; J.
A. Wier Comes To Marion.
J. D. Henry, who has been mana
ger of the Marion district of the
Duke Power Company for the past
eight or nine years, has been promo
ted to the managership of the en
larged Rutherfordton district to suc
ceed the late J. R. Anderson who
passed away several days ago. An
nouncement to this effect has been
made by Vice-President E. C. Mar
shall at Charlotte.
J. A^ Wier, who has been mana
ger of the Madison district of the
Power Company for the past sever-
JUDGE STORY IS
NAMED HEAD OF
BAR ASSOCIATION
William Lawrence Kimsey, 37, of
Marion, was instantly killed last Sat
urday night when he was struck by
freight train on the Southern
track about two and one-half miles
west of Marion.
According to Sheriff Grady Nich
ols, who investigated the accident
with coroner G. B. Justice, Kimsey
was found lying beside the railroad
track. At the time of the mishap he
was accompanied by Carl Hensley.
Hensley was said to have crossed
the tracks and to have returned to
them in search of Kimsey.
Kimsey had apparently been
struck by the side of the train, said
Coroner G. B. Justice. He suffered a
broken hip, bi*uises on the back, and
lacerations on the head.
Funeral services WQi*e conducted
from the Westmoreland funeral
home in Marion at 11 o’clock Mon
day morning with the Rev. Clayton
of East Marion officiating. Inter
ment was in the Hoover cemetery.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs.
Mallie Lanning Kimsey; two duagh-
ters, Georgia and Ollie Mae Kimsey;
two sons, Willard and Ray Kimsey;
and two sisters.
THREE ANNOUNCE
FOR OFFICES OF
STATE, COUNTY
Cutlar
Hall
In Race For Senate;
For House, Chapman
For Register Of Deeds.
One candidate for the office of
Register of Deeds of McDowell
county and one each for the North
Carolina lower house and senate, an
nounced this week that they would
I seek election in the Democratic pri
mary in May.
G. W. Chapman has announced
for Register of Deeds and L. J. P.
Cutlar and Horace J. Hall have giv
en notice that they will be in the
race for the Senate and House, re^
spectively.
Mr. Cutlar announced last week
that he was considering entering the
race for the House. His decision
Elected President At Meeting
Thursday Evening; Other
Officers Named.
P. J. Story, judge of the McDowell
county court, was elected president
of the McDowell county Bar Associ
ation at the semi-annual banquet-
meeting of the Association held in
the Community building here last
Thursday night. He succeeds R. W.| forehead
Proctor.
to run for the Senate was an-
Mrs. Kate Smith i nounced this week. He is now en-
and Mrs. Albert Shirlen, all of Mar-[gaged in the insurance business here
and was formerly connected with
furniture manufacturing. He has
served as mayor of Marion and is
PLESS IS INJURED IN known in McDowell county,
AUTOMOBILE COLLISION having been active in public affairs
for some time.
Judge J. Will Pless, Jr., Superior
court judge of the 18th judicial
district, of Marion, received minor
injuries Monday morning about
eight o’clock when his automobile
collided with a car occupied by two
Mr. Chapman is a well knowni far
mer and lumberman of the Pleasant
Gardens section of McDowell coun
ty. He is the son of the late Mr. and
Mrs. L. A. Chapman and is a native
- ^ , of the county. He has been active in
negro men of Morganton on High- jjethodist church of hU commu
way No. 70 a short distance from
Glen Alpine in Burke county.
Judge Pless suffered a cut on the , „ „ . , • „
which required several Horace J. Hall is the son of Mr.
stitches to close. He was brought tol^^d Mrs. G. C. Hall of East Marion.
He received his education at the
from j taken part in public
i affairs of the county.
Other officers elected were G. F.jhis home here shortly after the acci-
tions. !first, second and third teams; andjal years, has been promoted to sue-' "meeting.
The call for help by the local fire j ™«dals to the fourth place team, the ceed Mr. Henry as manager at Mar-j W. C. Chambers read
department was answered by the champion manager, as merit awards, ion. Mr. Wier is a native of Leban-Iwhich he had prepared titled “Some
Morganton force at about 5:30 when 'to the dead shot, the best sportsman, on, Tenn., and an electrical engin-| Basic Principles of an Estate by l*e
a truck arrived here all-tournament team, the all- eering graduate of the University of I Entirety.” On motion of Superior
Damages to the building were es-icandidate, the high scorer Tennessee. After his graduation he I Court Judge Frank M. Armstrong of
timated at between $50 000 and*^®*" game, the high scorer for spent two years in the testing shops j Troy, who presided in Superior court
*75,000 by Mr. Beam. His’estimate !*' h-nor and laboratories of the General 1 here • -
Washburn, vice-president, succeed- j dent.
P. J. Story; and W. C. Chambers,} He was en route to Mt. Airy to
secretary-treasurer, succeeding Roy j open Superior court there when the
W. Dfivis. The new officers took over | accident occurred,
their duties at the Thursday night j One of the negro occupants of the
includes the damage done to equip
ment and furnishings.
awards.
I other car was taken to Morganton
paper 'where he received first aid treat
ment for cuts.
School has been suspended for the; qqLDSMITH TO HEAD
remainder* of the week. The school j FRANCIS MARION CLUB;
board is scheduled to meet today and j OTHER OFFICERS ELECTED
it is expected that provisions mayj . .
be made by which school can be con-1 Frank Goldsmith was elected j in the utilities usiness,
ducted in other quarters beginning | president . of the Francis Marion legarded as one o t e
Monday I club at the meeting of the organiza-
The janitor of the school building | Monday night. Other offi-
and Mr. Tuttle, an employe of the elected were Hugh Conley,
town, suffered minor arm injuries | vice-president, and Oliver Cross,
in the fire. | secretary-treasurer.
Elected to the executive council
last week, the Association
Electric Company. Before becoming | agreed to furnish a copy of the pa-
manager of the Madison district he; to the North Carolina Law Re
was connected with the Greensboro
COUNTY BOARD OF
ELECTIONS MEN TO
BE RECOMMENDED
The Democratic executive com
mittee of McDowell county will meet
in the courthouse here at two o’clock
Saturday afternoon to recommend
men for appointment to the county j secretary-treasurer.
were George Conley, John Sullivan,
and Albert Neal. Chosen for the
membership committee were John
Gilkey, Hugh Conley, Eugene Cross,
and Fletcher Shoemaker.
The retiring officers are James
Neal, president; George L. Conley,
vice-president; and Hugh Conley,
branch of the Power Company
where he served in several capaci
ties. He has had a well rounded ex-
the Duke
board of elections, announced R. W
Proctor, Democratic executive com
mittee chairman, this week.
Those persons recommended by
the executive committee must be ap
proved by the State Board of Elec
tions and those approved will elect
a chairman from their number, he
said.
The McDowell county Board of
Elections must decide this year
whether the registration books are
to be revised or whether a new reg
istration is to be held, he said. Some
change must be made because of
new state requireme^nts making it
necessary for voters to be rejgister-
ed according to their party affilia
tion, both for the primary and gen
eral election. Under the new rules a
voter can’t change his party affilia
tion after the registration books
are closed, said Mr. Proctor.
All Democratic candidates for office
must file on or before April .13. Fil
ing ipust be done with the county
board of elections and filing fees are
one per cent of the annual salary of
the office sought and one per cent of
Joe Padgett and Charlie Smith,
Jr., were voted into the club.
Chosen as the most valuable mem
ber of the organization during the
past year was Eugene Cross, Jr.
Plans for the installation of offi
cers and the presentation of awards
to Rev. Norman F. Kinzie, elected
Marion’s most valuable citizen of
the year, and to Eugene Cross, Jr.,
the club’s most valuable member,
were made for the next regular
meeting on March 14.
Members of the organization de
cided to hold a fancy dress ball at
the Marion Lake club on March 15
in celebration of the anniversary of
the Francis Marion club.
Twenty-one members and one
-gruest, E. A. Tennant, were present
at the meeting.
standing young men
organization.
Mr. Henry has already assumed
his duties as manager of the Ruther
fordton district, but will continue to
spend some time in Marion until Mr.
Wier becomes familiar with the sit
uation in this district. Mr. Henry’s
promotion to the managership of the
Marion high,school and the Textile
Institute College of Spartanburg, S.
C. He is a former member of the
faculty of South Mountain Institute
is a member of the East Marion Bap-
tistchurch and a native of this coun
ty.
Mr. Chapman’s announcement
brings the number seeking the Reg
ister of Deeds office to six. Already
JAMES SAYS HE WILL NOT announced are John M. Stepp, Mack
SEEK SEAT IN THE SENATE Dixon, D. M. Steppe, Zeb L.
I Lackey, and T. W. Gowan.
R. L. (Bob) James, of Marion, j « ^ i os „
, ' / .u, ^ .c L ' Mr. Hall is to seek the office
who announced the first of February, . • v • 4. j u a u
j j ^ J. that IS being vacated by Ash-
that he would be a candidate for the ,
by Robinson of Old Fort, who will
view for publication. . . w, wx ....v,
Short talks were'given by Roy W.; State Senate in the May primary,. ^ Senate. D.F.
Davis, W. R. Chambers, Judge Frank;has withdrawn fr^^ ' t 'Giles of Marion has already an-
M. Armstrong, and J. F. Moody. E.; With the withdrawal of ^r. James, candidacy for the House
A. Morgan was appointed to preparejfrom the Senate race two candidates, Robinson
a paper on some legal topic for pre-iare left in the running for that of- State Sen-
fice. They are Ashby Robinson of i
;ate.
sentation to the Association at the I
next meeting in August. ' Fort and L. J. P. Cutlar of Mar-j
W. D. Lonon welcomed Hugh lion, who announced this week.
Beam and A. P. Honeycutt, licensed ! announcing his withdrawal from | MORE CpNSERyATION_
attorneys who are not now
ing.
Honeycutt.
practic-'the race, Mr. James said,
jnew and additional bu
jtions that will require
‘Due to I
The response was given by Mr.|«ew and additional business connec-|
CHECKS ARE RECEIVED
Present at the meeting were Judge
all of my; Soil conservation checks for 128
itime, I will be unable to continue! more farms in McDowell county
Frank M. Armstrong, Judge J. W. >as a
candidate for the nomination
enlarged Rutherfordton district is a |;
i Pless, Jr., W. R. Chambers, Roy W.jfor the State Senate in the Demo
. „ - - J) . ^ p Lonon C. Cham- c^-atic primary May 25, 1940.”
distinct tribute to his capacity and; ’ . „ ^ t •
talent as a utilities executive. ! Morgan, C. C. Lisenbee, j
Mr. Henry is a native of North
Wilkesboro. He was graduated from
North Carolina State College at
SCHOOL CLOSED
The school at Old Fort failed to
open last Monday because of snow
and accompanying bad weather, an
nounced N. F. Steppe, superinten
dent of McDowell county schools,
the fees with a minimum of $5 for'this week.
Raleigh in 1923, taking his degree
in electrical engineering. After two
years in the test shops and laborato
ries of the General Electric Compa
ny, he joined the Duke Power or
ganization at Winston-Salem in
1925. He served in several capaci
ties in that branch, and then for a
short period he took over as mana
ger of the Taylorsville district. He
was promoted to the managership of
of the Marion branch in 1932.
Mr. Henry is president of the Mer
chants’ Association, he is a mem
ber of the Kiwanis and identified
with various other organizations.
He has taken an active part in pub
lic affairs feince coming to Marion
and has many friends here who will
regret his leaving.
G. F. Washburn, J. F. Moody, Hugh
Beam, and A. P. Honeycutt.
The baniquet was served by la
dies of the First Presbyterian church
CARTIER CHOSEN SEC.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.T.A. MEETING AT NEBO
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY
22
The Nebo P.T.A. will meet Feb
ruary 22 at 7:30 o’clock. Founders’
Day will be observed, celebrating
the 43rd year of P.T.A. There will
Walter Cartier of Charlotte has
been selected as secretary of the
Marion Chamber of Commerce, it
was announced yesterday.
Mr. Cartier was formerly director
of playgrounds in Charlotte and will
take up his work here on March 1.
He will take over the office vacated
by Oliver Cross, who resigned Feb
ruary to accept a position with the
Cross Mills.
The announcement of the new
secretary was made yesterday fol
lowing a meeting of the board of di
rectors of the Chamber of Commerce
It is understood that several appli
cations for the office of secretary
were considered by the directors.
THIRD PASSION PORTRAIT
ST. MATTHEW’S LUTHERAN
Next Sunday morning at 11 o’
clock, the St. Matthew’s Lutheran
have been received in the county ag
ent’s office this week, it has been an
nounced by S. L. Homewood.
The checks represent a sum of
$1,683.05 and will bring the total
TOWN SUBMITS WPA ____ distributed to farmers in this county
PROJECTS FOR STREETS $12,179.25. These payments have
I /»^o!'^een earned by planting soil con-
An application for a $56,048 returning
WPA project for the paving and;^^^y ^939
improving of several city streets in; According to Mr. Homewood, 744
Marion was sent off to WPA officials I farms in McDowell
will receive soil conservation pay
ments. This leaves some 71 farms
yet to receive checks.
Those persons to receive checks
will be notified by the County Agent
and must present this notice at the
local office to receive payment.
Some 550 farms have already
signed up to comply with the soil
conservation program in 1940. The
deadline for signing for compliance
in 1940 is April 15, said Mr. Home
wood.
last Saturday.
The project as submitted calls for
an outlay of $20,094 on the part of
the town and the sum of $35,954 to
be cpntributed by the Federal gov
ernment, according to E. R. Keeter,
superintendent of water works of
Marion.
The project was approved by the
board of aldermen at its regular
monthly meeting last week.
Curbing and sarfacing will be
placed on North Logan and Craw
ford streets. Avenue A, Morgan Ter
race and Crescent Drive, should the
project be approved. Curbing will
be placed on Morgan street and
sidewalks will be extended on North
Main and West Court streets.
Should the project be approved it
id planned for work to start on the
city streets in the early spring.
HOLIDAY FOR BANKS
Both the First National and the
be music on the program honoring 1 church will present the third Passion; Marion Industrial banks of Marion
those offices on a fee basis.
Registration books in McDowell
county will be open April 27 and
will close May 11.
All other schools in the county j Stephen Foster, the composer. A Portrait, “The Religious Formalist.” | will be closed February 22 in ob-
are running full time, he said, but j discussion of the “Shb^d the Fed-1 At the 7:30 services the topic will be | servance of Washington’s birthday,
the Old Fort unit 'still remains j eral Government Aid the Schools'
closed. will be heard.
“The Defending Christian.’
welcome.
All are 1 The date is a national holiday for
banks.
VACANT OFFICE BURNS
Fire of unknown origin raked a
vacant office building on South
Garden street last Thursday night.
The old office was located alonflr-
side the railroad and was owned by
Tobe Brown of Valdese. It was for
merly used as an office by the Gil
key Veneering plant, but has been
vacant for the last few years.
The blaze was discovered at
about nine o’clock Thursday night.
Only the walls and part of the roof
were left standing. No damage was
done to adjoining property.