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, JULY 11, 1940
VOL. XLIV—NO. 50
CROWD AHENDS
JULY 4TH RACES
AT LAKE JAMES
Ballew, Of Marion, Heads
Scorers In Boating Events
During Afternoon Program.
Between eight and 10,000 people
lined the banks of Lake James last
Thursday afternAn, July 4, to wit
ness the first boat races to be spon
sored by the Marion Chamber of
Commerce.
Five races were held during the
afternoon with Marion entries, head
ed by Jack Ballew, taking first place
in three of the events. Ballew was
high scorer for the afternoon, plac
ing first in the inboard race, first in
the 25 horsepower outboard event,
and second in a free-for-all.
Added features of the afternoon
racing program were an aquaplane
NATIONAL GUARD UNIT
IS SOUGHT FOR MARION
Efforts aimed at the establishment
of a national guard unit in Marion
were begi^n here last week when a
committee of interested persons ap
peared before the town Board of
Aldermen to get its approval of the
movement.
Endorsing the proposal for the es
tablishment of a unit here, the Board
appointed J, J. Neal to act on a com
mittee with Mayor Zeno Martin to
serve with representatives of local
clubs and organizations in carrying
the project to completion. Within the
next two or three weeks committees
of interested persons will go to Ral
eigh to submit the proposal to state
officials.
Under plans outlined here, the
Community building basement would
be used by the national guard unit. A
petition endorsing the establishment
of the unit here will be circulated in
Marion in the near future. Young
men eligible and willing to receive
training through the national guard
will be contacted within the next
week.
Efforts are being made to assure
the success of the project by obtain
and a speed exhibition. To the ap
plause of the thousands lining theji„g cooperation and support of
banks of the Lake, Paul Lamer, of
all Marion civic clubs and business
organizations, as well as the govern
ments of the city and county. Back
ers of the proposal have expressed
the opinion that the plan will meet
with approval now in view of the
intensive preparations throughout
tbe nation for defense.
Canton, mounted an aquaplane be
hind a powerful boat, placed a step-
ladder on the plane and mounted it,
while being towed about the lake at
from 20 to 30 miles per hour. The
boat was driven by Cecil Ford, of
Canton.
Claude Jarrett, of Asheville, driv
ing a racing hull with a 185 horse
power motor, roared over the racing
course at the 70 mile per hour mark
in a speed exhibition. ^ u ttt
. Elbert E. Stamey, 44, a World War
The program for the afternoon ^ 1 -.r
u i. J • veteran of Altamont, Yancey county,
was begun with a boat parade, m ./I
„V. V i. J • ii. died m the Marion General Hospital
which all water craft entered m the , ^ ....
races participated, Thursday afternoon of injuries
The racing got under way about i " . the automobile he church here last Thursday af-
o.on _-4.U i.1, -1- J J. • 1 mi- ! was driving was in collision With a car
2:30 with the inboard trials. Taking i , ^ , t ^
. ■ ,-u- ^ T r ! owned by Norman F. Cocke, Jr., of
nrst place in this event was Jack! .
Ballew, of Marion, driving a boat
belonging to K. G. Lambeth. Second I
INJURIES PROVE, FATAL
TO ACCIDENT VICTIM
ST. MATTHEW’S LUTHERAN CHURCH — Above is a view of St.
Matthew's Lutheran Church of Marion, which will observe the fifth anni
versary of its dedication next Sunday with special services.
FUNERAL RITES
ARE HELD FOR
J. Q. GILKEY
Well Known Citizen Of Mari
on And Western N. C. Pass
es After Brief Illness.
Funeral services for John Quince
Gilkey, 66, of Marion, vice-chairman
of the State Board of Conservation
and Development and o«ie of West
ern North Carolina’s most promin
ent citizens, who died Wednesday
morning, July 3, about 9:20 o’clock,
were conducted at the First Meth
ternoon at 3:00 o’clock.
Officiating was the Rev. W. A.
! Jenkins, pastor, assisted by Dr. B.
! Charlotte.
The accident occurred approxi- t ^ jo
iF^ Brav. Bev. J. C. Cornett and Rev.
Cecil Curtis, of Asheville. Run-|^ ® i, w jL. D. Thompson, of Lenoir, Tormer
ning third and fourth respectively! ,* ^ ^ ^ ° ® ® {pastor of the church. Interment was
were Cart Haigler, of Drexel, ™ Oak Grove cemetery.
Buster Miller, of Marion, driving a
boat of Will Wilkinson.
Only Marion entries participated
in the five horsepower outboard race.
The winner was John Hunt. Second
i Marion and Cocke was going in
opposite direction.
Miss Clayton Sullivan,
of
1 lotte, who was riding in the car own
ed by Cocke, suffered a rib fracture.
Mr. Gilkey died in the Marion Gen-
Char i became ill while in New
York attending a meeting of the
North Carolina World's Fair com-
. ^ . . ... J i mittee, of which he wa;; a meniber.
, V n/r J » fracture of a wnst, and an ankle __ ^ x
place was won by Rowe Mauney and - oi. a. » \ i He returned to Manon two weeks
Zu- J u T\/r T * sprain. She was taken to a Charlotte j i. j u
third by Max Lentz. L , x • • j 'ago and had been
j hospital. Cocke was not mjured. j .
Investigation of the accident wasj , ^ _ j-
I about a year ago, was the immedi-
Two heats of three laps each were
run in the 10 horsepower outboard
class. Placing first was Hazel Cline
of Swannanoa. Second was Ross
Moore, of Morganton. Running
third, fourth and fifth were C. D.
Bryant’s boat driven by Junior Wil
son, of Swannanoa, Bill Harden, of
'Morganton, and M. F. Johnson, of
Oteen. The first four winners were
given cash prizes of $8, $6, $4 and
$2, respectively.
The feature race of the day was
the 25 horsepower outboard event,
run in three heats of four laps each.
"Winning in this division was Jack
Ballew. Ballew won the first and
third heats but lost the second, after
being forced to refuel during the
Tun.
Taking second place was Will Wil
kinson, of Marion. Third place was
taken by M. H. Wilson, of Swanna
noa, and Wilburn Queen, of Marion,
ran fourth. The first four winners
were awarded cash prizes of $12,
$10, $6 and $4, respectively.
Closing the program was the free-
for-all in wbich the winners were
Cecil Curtis, of Asheville, first; Jack
Ballew, of Marion, second; and Ted
Smith, of Morganton, third.
Judges for the races were Jack
the hospital
A heart ailment, first serious
CCC TO ENROLL
2,400 IN THIS
STATE IN JULY
MAN HELD FOR MURDER
AFTER FATAL ACCIDENT
Charles T. Williams of Grassy
Creek, is being held in the McDow
ell county jail here on a charge of
murder as a result of an automobile
accident which resulted in fatal in
juries to Charles McKinney, 39-
year-old Little Switzerland man, ac
cording to Sheriff Grady Nichols.
McKinney died in the Marion
General Hospital Monday night. He
suffered a fractured skull in the ac
cident and had been in a semi-con
scious condition since Sunday morn
ing.
The accident occurred about 9:00
o’clock Sunday morning on High
way 221 a short distance from Mar
ion. Sheriff Nichols said that Willi
ams was thought to have been driv
ing the automobile and lost control
just before it crashed into a bank
near Woodland.
Burnie W’’yatt, also of Grassy
Creek, another occupant of the car.
LUTHERAN CHURCH
WILL OBSERVE rrs
5TH ANNIVERSARY
Special Services To Be Held
Sunday; Rev. J. G. Spillman
Guest Speaker.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran church
will observe the fifth anniversary of
the dedication of its church next Sun
day.
The guest speaker at 11:00 o’clock
Sunday morning will be the Rev. J.
George Spilman, president of th»
Southeastern Lutheran District of the
Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio,
and other states. He will be accom
panied by J. Schmidt, a lay member
of the Board of Governors of the
has been released from the county i Southeastern District. Mr. Spilman is
jail after a hearing before U. S. I Pastor of the large Bethlehem con-
Commissioner J. L. Nichols on a'&regation in Baltimore with two aa-
charge of drunkenness. He was not j sistant pastors serving under him.
injured in the accident. , At 8 o’clock Sunday evening the
Williams received a cut in thejpulpit will be filled by Rev. F. A.
Qualifications Changed; Boys
Not On Relief May Enroll
Under New Regulations.
made by State Highway Patrolman
ate cause of his death.
J. J. Johnson, of Marion. No arrest
has been made.
Funeral services for Stamey were
held last Friday afternoon at the
Pisgah church in Yancey county. 1 ■ ■ nr ^ xt v
„ . • J 1. -J ,1 especially in Western North Caroli
ne is survived by his widow and |
In addition to his many civic and
industrial activities, he found time
!to show interest in the wild life of
[the state and its natural resources.
three children, E. E., Jr., Frank and j
Lillian Stamey. i
BRADLEY’S STORE IS |
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Fire of unknown origin complete
ly destroyed Bradley’s Cash Grocery
store in East Marion last Thursday
night, the blaze being discovered too
late to save any of the stock.
The Marion Fire Department an
swered the alarm call at approxi
mately 12:30 last Thursday night,
but reached the flaming building
too late to save it. Water was played
on surrounding homes and buildings
i to protect them from the blaze. Buc
ket brigades went into action and
helped to keep the flames from
spreading in the neighborhood.
It is understood that only a small
part of the store and its furnish
ings were covered by insurance. No
Bradley, of Morganton, R. M. Dark estimate on the loss has been given,
and W. D. Tuttle, of Marion. An
nouncer and score keeper was Wal
ter J. Cartier, secretary of the Cham
ber of Commerce.
The committee arranging the races
was composed of Jack Ballaw, chair-
NEW RECTOR COMES
TO ST. JOHN’S AUG. 1ST
He was a member of the State
Board of Conservation and Develop
ment for 17 years, having begun his
service when the body was the State
Fish Commission.
In 1932 he was a North Carolina
delegate to the Democratic national
convention at Hous'ton, Texas.
He was a pioneer in the good roads
movement in the state prior to 1921
when the new road set-up in North
Carolina was made. At one time, he
was a director of the old North Car
olina railroad. As a young man he
worked for the Southern Railway.
Mr. Gilkey served the people of
Marion and McDowell county in
many capacities, including the posi
tion of chairman of the city schools
and the county road commission. He
was for several years an official of
the McDowell Building and Loan
Association and a director of this
First National Bank of Marion. He
was for a number of years president
of the Marion Grocery Company and
was one of the original ’evelopers
of the Lake Tahoma properties.
During the time of the National
Recovery Administration, Mr. Gil-
Gilkey was state compliance officer
of the NRA with headquarters in
Rev. David N. Peeples, who has
been serving a church in Savannah,
man, Jack James and Dave Blanton. |Ga., for some time, will become rec-
Blanton acted as-^official starter. tor of St. John’s Episcopal Church Greensboro. He was instramental in
here in August. Mr. Peeples is ex-1 bringing to McDowell county the
pected to arrive the first of August jg^^te fish hatchery and was a prime
and will hold his first service in St. mover in obtaining the state game
John’s Episcopal Church on Sunday,
August 4.
Lake James was the site of many
all-day outings, with hundreds of
families and parties picnicing along
its shores. During the races, crowds
jammed the road paralleling the
lake at Catawba dam, and traffic
around the lake was at a standstill
until about 6:00 o’clock in the after
noon.
According to Walter J. Cartier,
secretary of the Marion Chamber of
Commerce, the interest displayed in
the races has led to talk of holding
more speed events at the lake with
Labor Day b^ng conisidered as a
possible date.
M»CALL PURCHASES
NEW FUNERAL COACH
The McCall Funeral Home of
Marion purchased a new LaSalle
coach last week. The new car is now
in operation at the home.
Mr. C. R. McCall drove the coach
to Marion from Lima, Ohio, last
week.
Washington, July 3.—North Caro
lina boys from families in moderate
circumstances but not in need of re
lief will be considered for enroll
ment in Civilian Conservation Corps
for the first time this month.
James J. McEntee, CCC director,
announced today that Federal Secu
rity Administrator Paul V. McNutt
had approved a modification of the
eligibility regulations governing the
selection of young men for the corps
to permit such enrollment.
The revised regulations will be en-
The revised regulations will be in
force during the July replacement
enrollment, when approximately 2,-
400 young men and war veterans
will be signed up to fill vacancies in
North Carolina camps caused by the
departure of men to accept employ
ment, or because their terms have ex
pired.
“Prior to the change in eligibility
standards, enrollment in the junior!
contingent of the ,CCC was limited ‘
to young men whose families were
on relief, eligible for relief, or
back of the head in the crash. nej
is being held under $1,500 bond.
Funeral services for McKinney
were held at Collis cemetery Wed
nesday morning at 11 o’clock.
He is survived by one son, Rex
HejF^eed, pastor of Christ Lutheran
church in Hickory and a member of
the Mission Board of the Southeast
ern District.
Both of these men are able and
pleasant speakers. Special music will
McKinney; one brother, Briscoe M. I be rendered at both services.
McKinney; five sisters, Mrs. Alf
Self, Mrs. James Waycaster, Mrs.
Lydia Self, Mrs. Reid Queen, all of
Little Switzerland, and Mas. Troy
Boone, of Micaville; one half-broth
er, Sevier McKinney, of Little Swit-
During the past five years in the
church building of its own St. Mat
thew’s Lutheran has been making
slow but steady progress.
During these years St. Matthew’s
Lutheran congregation has been
whose incomes were below the nor-j
mal standards of living in the | recently
munity,” McEntee said.
zerland; and one half-sister, Mrs. j most ably served by J. H. L. Miller
Emma Biddix, of Spruce Pine. jas president, who was elected to re-
I place J. Lichty, the first president of
FOUR ALIENS LISTED |the congregation. During the entire
ON COUNTY RECORDS! existence of the congregation Ver-
I non T. Eckerd has supervised the fi-
Four aliens have registered with' vandal matters as treasurer of the
the clerk of court in McDowell coun- congregation. During the past eight
ty since the Bolick Alien Registra-1 John Sigmon has served as
tion Act went into effect in North jfirst elder. The other eldefs at the
CaroUna in 1927, according to the' »re B. M. Isenhour,
county records. | Harvey Fox, and A. J. Hewitt. Chaf-
Charles M. Lecka, an Albanian, Sigmon has served as deacon of
registered with the clerk of court in'*^® congregation for eight years.
1927. He listed his residence deacons at present are Poley
Marion. jFox, Henry Willis, Harold Davis, and
During the past few weeks three I J- McKinney. The ladies of St. Mat-
other aliens have been listed on thejtl'e^'s Lutheran have been active in
county records. Jack Manick, of Old I assisting the congregation in aU
Fort, a native of Sweden, was regis- ^^^tters under the four years pres-
tered June 20. Miss Bertha Miller, of ^rs. Vernon T. Eckerd
Old Fort, a native of Germany; and^Other officers at the present are
Mrs. M. E. E. Kearsey, of EastMar-fMrs. Paul A. Boriack, vice- presi-
McEntee said.
“The revised regulations will make
it possible to enroll boys from fami-j
lies in moderate circumstances if thej
boy is in need of employment and
training and his family is unable to
give him needed education, job train
ing and vocational opportunities.
“Priority always has been given
to young men in the order of need.
The same policy will be followed in
the July enrollment.”
All enrollees whose families have
incomes below the normal standard
in their community must send home
$22 a month of their cash allowance
of $30 a month. Orphans without de
pendents and boys from families in
moderate circumstances will deposit
$22 a month with the chief of fin
ance of the United States Army, who
is C.C.C. fiscal agent. Money saved
by enrollees is paid them when they
complete their terms of enrollment.
CASE IN COURT HERE
ENDS IN COMPROMISE
A compromise judgment was
reached in McDowell County Supe
rior Court here Tuesday in the case
of W. C. Bates vs. Henry Greene,
after the court^ had ordered i mis
trial.
The two parties to the action,
which was brought over a dispute
about a boundary line, were each
taxed one-half the court costs.
Presiding at this civil court term
is Judge W. H. Bobbitt, of Char
lotte.
SALE BEGINS FRIDAY
refuge for Western North Carolina.
At the time of his death, Mr. Gil
key was an officer of Linville Cav
erns, Inc. The corporation owns and I BELK>BROOME’S JULY
operates, as a scenic attraction, the ‘
Linville caverns near Marion. The
caverns were developed under Mr.
Gilkey’s direction as general mana
ger.
Born in Marion on March 15,
1874, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. H.
Gilkey, he was throughout his life
(Continued on last page)
The Belk - Broome Company an
nounces a big annual clearance SHile
beginning Friday, July 12th. The
opening hour is set for 9 a. m.
Special values in all departments
are listed in a two page ad. in this
paper.
ion, a native of England, registered Mrs. Richard Shaw, treasurer;
' Mrs. B. M. Isenhour, and Mrs. A. J.
The^Bolick registration act requir-‘Hewitt, enteri:ainment committee;
ing the registration of all aliens injurs. L. M. Hemphill and Mrs. Henry
North Carolina was passed by theiWiUis, program committee.
General Assembly of 1927. The pro-1 The Sunday School has had a
visions of the act have not been en-healthy growth in
forced in the state until recently. ‘^'*® removals
I to other towns. Vernon T. Eckerd
wrrn PATRni MAM Tn [served as superintendent for three
PATROLMAN TO |years in the eourthou^
! years in the church. Mr. and Mrs- L.
The town of Marion will hire a
patrolman for an indefinite time to
check on speeding on the city streets,
it was decided at a meeting of the
Board of Aldermen last week.
The patrolman will be hired in
the effort to prevent speeding with
in the city limits of Marion, said
Mayor Zeno Martin. It is understood
that the appointment will be made
in the near future.
In further action taken by the
Board it was agreed to begin the ad
vertising of town property for sale
for taxes the second week in August.
The Board voted to renew its mem
bership in the North Carolina
League of Municipalities.
Approving a movement for the
establishment of a national guard
unit here, the Board voted to allow
the use of the Community building
as headquarters for the unit as long
as should be. necessary.
COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE
TO OPEN AUGUST 29
McDowell county schools will op
en for the fall term August 29, an
nounced N. F. Steppe, county super
intendent, this week.
Thanksgiving holidays will be giv
en all county students on Nov. 28-29
and school will close for the fall
term on December 20.
After the Christmas holidays, the
spring school term will begin Janu
ary 6 and will continue until April
25, when summer vacations will be
gin.
M. Hemphill are serving the Sunday
School as secretary and treasurer
assisted by Miss Louise Miller.
The Lutheran Laymen’s League,
the young people’s organization, haa
been pursuing a most active and
wholesome program, headed by
Francis Nichols for the past year.
“On this fifth anniversary Sun
day,” the pastor states, St. Mat
thew’s desires to express its deep
gratitude to God and to the good
people of Marion who have on many ‘
occasions been so helpful and en
couraging in its work and invites the
entire community to come and wor
ship with us in thanking and prais^
ing God on this our fifth anniversary
Sunday.”
STREET CLEANER IS
ON REGULAR SCHEDULE
A daily regular schedule for Mar
ion’s new street cleaner has been es
tablished this week, according to an
announcement of town officials.
Elach morning at approxinaitely 4
o’clock all streets in the business
area of the town are washed and
swept.
Merchants have been requested
by Chamber of Commerce Secretary
Walter J. Cartier to sweep the side
walks in front of their stores every
night. Trash should be swept into
the gutters where the street cleaner
will dispose of it in the early morn
ing hours, he said. Cooperation, on
the part of the merchants and busi
ness men of Marion will reduce dost
in the town by 90 percent, he stated^