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 1S96
MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1940
VOL. XLV—NO. 12
M’DOWELL MEN
REGISTERED FOR
MILITARY SERVICE
SUNDAY CONCERT TO BE
PRESENTED AT THEATRE
Registrants Serious as Approx
imately 3,275 Go To Polling
Places Throughout County.
“Have you registered yet?” was a
quistion asked hundreds of times
yesterday as residents of McDowell
county between the ages of 21 and
35 went to their regular polling
places yesterday to sign up for peace
time military training and service.
Leaden, overcast skies throughout
the day cast a shade of gloom over
men eligible for military training, as
they gfathered at the polling places,
each seemingly conscious of the
riousness of the step they were ab^t
to take and what it might mean. So
briety prevailed at all polling places
in the county with only occasional
levity being obser'fred.
By late afternoon yesterday ap
proximately 3,500 registration cards
had been delivered to polling places
in McDowell. Eraquent calls came in
to headquarters here yesterday for
the delivery of more cards as regis
tration totals climbed throughout the
day. Approximately 3,275. persons in
SfcI>owell are thought to have regis
tered yesterday. On the basis of
War department calculations, the
number of men registered equals
about 14 per cent of the population,
and about one in 40 of these will be
trained in the coming year. Accord
ing to these calculations, only about
81 men in the county would be called
for training this year, but this num
ber will be decreased by voluntary
The regular Sunday afternoon
concert of classical and semi-classical
music that has been presented in the
Marion Community building will be
given in the Marion Theatre next
Sunday, October 20, it was announ
ced this week. The concert will begin
at 2:30 o’clock in the afternoon and
will be open to the public. No admis
sion will be charged.
Albert Hewitt, of Marion, will be
guest soloist on the afternoon pro
gram, along with Nelson Parker, of
Marion. Mr. Hewitt will present sev
eral vocal selections and Mr. Parker
will accompany and present piano
solos. A program of recorded classi
cal music has been arranged and will
be played over special sound equip
ment. Selections to be heard include
the Prelude to Act III of “Lohen
grin,” the “Second Hungarian Rhap
sody” and “Finlandia.’'
The Sunday concerts are sponsor
ed by the McDowell county Chamber
of Commerce.
SEALED BIDS ON
MARION PLANT ‘
WILL BE ASKED
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR WPA FORMED HERE
A county advisory committee to
“promote, interpret and coordinate
the professional and service division
of the Works Progress Administra
tion and community activities” in
McDowell county was formed here
last Friday when a group of inter
ested citizens met in the courthouse
Walter J. Cartier was elected chair-
nmn of the committee and S. A. Mc
Duffie, of Old Port, vice-chairman.
A secretary will be appointed.
Mra. Lola V. Roberts, district di
rector of the professional and service
division of the WPA, appeared be
fore the group and explained the
need of such an organization in Mc
Dowell. The committee will help the
counted I people of the county to become bet-
enlistments which will be
against the county’s quota. }ter acquainted with the work of the
In the town of Marion, with 2,888 j WPA, and will study the needs of
people, according to the 1940 census county and direct WPA work in-
4J94 w«ul4 register and 10 would be,to most productive chann^, she said
trained by the array this year.
Approximately 75 volunteer work-
The next meeting of the commit
tee will be held at the call of the
ers throughout the county assi^ed i chairman. Mrs. Roberts will be pres-
with the registration yesterday, all' ent at that time and will explain the
reporting that the work was done in! organization of the WPA. An exec-
an orderly manner with the full coop-1 utive board will be appointed,
oration of the public. 1 The Friday meeting was called by
Polling places throughout the {Mayor Zeno Martin. Among the Mc-
eounty opened for draft registration Dowell residents attending the meet-
at 7:00 o’clock yesterday morning, j were Mayor Martin, I. L. Caplan,
Many Marion residents had already S. A. McDuffie, Mrs. G. W. Kirkpat
registered before 9:00 o’clock, tak
ing advantage of the opportunity be
fore going to work. Mills throughout
Marion township had schedules ar
ranged for providing time for their
employees to register.
Marion men in precincts one and
two registered at the Community
building. Heaviest registration was
expected there, over 1,500 cards hav
ing been delivered there late yester
day afternoon. Registration reached
its peak at the Community building
rick, Hugh F. Beam, N. F. Steppe
Walter J. Cartier, Mrs. John Poteat,
Mrs. Walker Blanton and Mrs. Mary
Burgin.
Referee Holds Hearing Here
To Study Future Of Furni
ture Firm.
Plans for continuing operation of
the bankrupt McDowell Furniture
factory under new ownership were
discussed here last Friday ^t a hear
ing before Isaac T. Avery, federal
referee.
R. S. Crisp of Lenoir, forme^ offi
cial of the company, announced that
he could organize a corporation to
take over the plant and keep it go
ing without loss of a day’s work.
Mr. Avery ruled, however, that
sealed bids for the purchase of the
firm would be sought and that they
would be opened at a hearing in the
courthouse here October 23.
The factory is now being operated
in the trusteeship of W. E. Stevens,
of Lenoir, who has been given au
thority to keep it running until No
vember 15 to protect the interests of
the creditors.
Previously Mr. Stevens announced
that the company had assets of $467-
293.84. Outstanding liabilities, he
said, included a $100,000 first mort
gage and $195,039.47 owed to se
cured and unsecured creditors.
The factory was placed in the
hi^nds of state receiver^ last August
but later was transferred to the jur
isdiction of Federal Judge E. Y.
Webb who named Mr. Avery, oT
Morganton, to act as special master
of the hearings.
Since production during the next
six months or so depends largely on
orders obtained at the Chicago fur
niture show, opening October 28,
Mr. Avery agreed that Mr. Stevens
Cool4r S««iMire a luua^r of sample
suites for exhibition there.
A number of small controversial
SPECIAL TERM
i/SUPERIOR COURT
BEGINS MONDAY
Damage Suit Against the State
Highway Commission Sched
uled For First Week.
A special two weeks term of civil
court convenes here Monday, Octo
ber 21, with the case of John Yan
cey, and others, vs. State Highway
and Public Works Commission, a
$200,000 damage suit in which a ju
ry of view has recommended a settle
ment of $75,000, scheduled to be
tried during the first week. Judge
Wilson Warlick of Newton, will pre
side during the two-weeks term.
The plaintiffs to the damage suit
action. Supreme Court Justice J.
Wallace Winborne, as executor and
trustee of the W. W. Guy estate, and
John Yancey have charged that the
construction of the Blue Ridge Park
way has damaged the Holston and
Heffner apple orchard to an amount
betwten $200,000 and $250,000.
They charge, that the State Highway
Commission appropriated 206.76 ac
res of land, containing approximate
ly 6,825 “valuable apple trees” for
the Parkway, and that surrounding
property has been damaged.
Other cases scheduled to be tried
during the term are C. F. James et
al, vs. W. W. Faw, et al; B. S. Mc
Kinney vs. E. J. Randolph; Sterchi
Bros. vs. Mrs. Frank Waters; An-
idrew Rumfelt vs. Ida Rumfelt; Mrs
LOCAL PASTOR ELECTED
FIRST ZONE DIRECTOR
OF LUTHERAN LEAGUE
At the zone rally last Sunday at
St. Stephen’s Lutheran, Hickory,
Paul A. Boriack was elected spiritual
director of zone No. 1 of the North
Carolina Walther League. Zone No.
1 comprises all of Western North
Carolina including Hickory. The
Walther League is the young peoples
organization of the Lutheran church
Other officers elected were Miss
Mona Huffman, of Hickory, presi
dent; Dorothy Hawn, of Hickory,
vice-president; secretary and treas
urer, Miss I^elen Huffman, also of
Hickory. The above officers together
with Rev. Boriack constitute the Ex
ecutive Board of Zone No. 1. Other
officers to be appointed are the
chairmen of Christian Knowledge
and of Christian Service depart
ments. Both offices are to be filled
by representatives of the Asheville
or Ruthferfordton and Marion
leagues.
The early spring zone rally will be
held in Marion. In the near future
the executive board will meet in
Marion with Rev. Paul A. Boriack
to outline an intensive and far-
reaching program for the year.
The local Lutheran pastor is also
serving as spiritual advisor to the
North Carolina Lutheran Laymen’s
League and as Visitor of Circuit No.
7 of the Southeastern Lutheran Dis
trict.
DEDICATION OF
GILKEYPARKIS
SETOCTOBE20
Refuge Area And Lodge To Be
Named For Late Member Of
The Board.
COUNTY HEALTH UNIT
DISCUSSED BY ROTARY
Discussion about a health unit for
McDowell county was held at the
regrular weekly meeting of the Rota-
Ruby Bennett "vs. " J.’ rT Bennett;! Friday with Cari S. Gib-
Mrs. Annie Duncan vs. Bernus Dun-l^^n, county health officer, explain-
can; and Frank D. Glenn vs. G. P
Seagle.
Dedication of Gilkey Memorial
park and Gilkey Memorial lodge in
the Mt. Mitchell Game refuge near
Busick has been set for Sunday af
ternoon, October 20, at 4 o’clock, ac
cording to Coleman W. Roberts,
president of the Carolina Motor
club, member of the state board of
conservation aaid development and
chairman of the state parks commit
tee.
The ceremony honors the late John
Q. Gilkey, long active on the conser
vation board and in its progpram, and
precedes the semi-annual meeting of
the conservation and development
board and a conference with officials
of the Great Smoky Mountains Na
tional park regarding erection of
tourist facilities in the park area and
along the Blue Ridge parkway.
Santford Martin of Winston-Sa
lem, whose service as a member of
the board is described as having par
alleled that of the late Mr. Gilkey,
will deliver the dedicatory address
following invocation by the Rev. B.
F. Bray, of Marion. Hundreds of
visitors, including prominent state
officials and friends of Mr. Gilkey,
are expected to be present at the
dedication, for which music will be
furnished by the Marion high school
band.
Constructed of native stone and
consisting of a living room, audito
rium, kitchen and several bedrooms,
be used as
NOTED CLERGYMAN AT
ST. MATTHEW’S SUNDAY
St. Matthew’s Lutheran church
ing the advantages offered by a
county unit. Mayor Zeno Martin dis
cussed the proposal at some length,
j giving figures on the approximate | the memorial lodge will
cost of a unit in the county and ex-; conference quarters for board mem-
plaining details of the work that! bers, game protectors, foresters and
would be accomplished. j others'^f the department of conser-
Action to be taken by the Rotary i vation and development. Adjoinini?
will observe the /annual Mission Fes-! club was left up to the board of j a fish hatchery and game refug*
matters were brought before Mr. tival next Sunday. The speaker at | directors. The directors are sched-1 containing a collection of native wild
the 11 o’clock service will be theRev. juled to meet tonight at 7 o’clock in
Rudolph S. Ressmeyer, pastor of Im-|the Marion Drug Company. “It would not be possible for us
manuel Lutheran church of Balti-1 Guests of the Friday meeting in-jto erect a more fitting memorial to
more and also chairman of the Mis-1 eluded Mayor Martin, Mr. Gibson, {John Quince Gilkey, M^.Roberts
sion Board of the Southeastern Lu- i and Rotarian Fred Hallenback of j declared. Both the park area and
theran District. The purpose of the | High Point. j the lodge itself are entirely the re-
Mission festival, it is stated, is to I The following program chairmen, suit of his planning and it is, there-
comply with the Savior’s last wish to'were announced: October 18, Albert | fore, highly appropriate that they
His followers “Preach the Gospel to!Hewitt; October 25, Macon Hewitt;!be dedicated to his memory. Through
every creature.” Special emphasis in November 1, Clarence Rabb; and his work for the state and his own
Avery during the hearing Friday.
Most of the time was spent argu
ing the mei^ts of a claim that the
bankrupt concern owed over $1,500
to its company store operated by L.
M. H«9)|ihill, and that this should be
gfiven a preferred classification be
cause the debt involved coupons is
sued in lieu of wages to workmen.
Mr. Avery reserved decision on
this question until a later date.
TO BEGIN REVIVAL AT
EAST MARION BAPTIST
CHURCH NEXT SUNDAY
Rev. W. E. Pettit, pastor of Old
Fort Baptist church, will assist the
pastor. Rev. R. Von King, in a revi
val meeting to begin next Sunday,
in the early morning and tapered off j October 20 at East Marion Baptist
after that until the late afternoon church. Rev. Mr. Pettit will deliver
when many mill employees rushed to
the polls.
Special arrangements were made
at the Community building for the
registration of colored men. They
flocked to the place throughout the
day and several hundred are expec
ted to have registered.
In most instances only about 15
or 20 minutes was required for the
registration of a draftee. Each appli
cant was required to answer about
eight questions, was^ given an identi
fication card and a booklet of infor
mation about the di'aft.
The registration in McDowell was
under the direction of T. W. Gowan,
chairman of the county board of elec
tions. McDowell men who will be
eligible for actual military training
will be passed on by the county draft
board, composed of W. L. Morris, A.
S. Bradford, Wm. S. Shifiet, .and
Dr. J. B. Johnson of Old Fort. Robert
W. Proctor/Marion , attorney, will be
appeals agent. All members of the
draft board have not been finally ap
proved but have been recommended
by the President.
Registered men ha^ been reques
ted to keep in close touch with their
local draft boards, which will have
charge of deferments and the intro
duction of men, chosen by national
authorities, to military service.
PILOT CLUB MEETING
The Pilot ^Inb will itaeet at the
home of Mrs. C. A. Workman on
South Garden street Thursday even
ing at 7:30 o’clock.
his opening message on Sunday even
ing at the regular worehip service.
The services are planned to continue
day and night for two weeks daily at
10 a. m. and 7 p. m.
The public -will be welcomed to
these services. Rev. Pettit is a tal
ented speaker, and a successful pas
tor and evangelist. Before coming to
Old Fort he was pastor of Arkwright
Baptist church in Spartanburg, S. C.
He has many friends throughout'this
section. He is the vice-moderator of
the Blue Ridge Baptist Association
for the coming year.
WILLKIE RALLY AND
BARBECUE TO BE HELD
Members of the Marion Willkie
club will stage a rally 4ind free bar
becue at North Fork clubhouse to
morrow night, October 18, at 7:30
o’clock. The club house is located be
yond Yancey bridge on the North
Foi^ road.
The meeting has been advertised
as a “Non-Partisan” and “Indepen
dent Democratic Willkie Rally.” Free
barbecue will be given to all persons
attending the meeting. A special in
vitation has been extended to ladies
to attend.
M»LENDON IS TO SPEAK
this service will be upon the purpose j November 8, Walter J. Cartier,
and blessing of foreign missions. i
Special music will be rendered with; report $5,735 PAID TO
IN MARION OCTOBER 261 Albert Hewitt as soloist. j JOBLESS HERE DURING
I The Rev. Ressmeyer will address | MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
I
Major L. P. McLendon, prominent | the annual convention of the N, C. |
in Democratic party work in North
Carolina for many years and former
chairman of the state board of elec
tions, will speak at Ihe court house
in Marion on Saturday night, Octo
ber 26, at 8:00 o’clock, it was an
nounced this week. Major McLendon
comes to Marion in connection with
the Democratic campaign in McDow
ell which will be climaxed Saturday
night, November 2, with a torchlight
parade and an address by J. M.
Broughton, candidate for governor.
The parade, led by the Marion high
school band, will move up Main
street, then out West Court street to
the high school where Mr. Broughton
will ^eak.
\
SATURDAY NAMED AS .
DAY FOR TAG SALEf’
The annual milk bottle Tag Sale
day, sponsored by the Marion Par-
ent-Teachers association, will beheld
here Saturday, October 19, it was
announced this week. The tags will
be sold by the Marion school children
and the proceeds will be used by the
lunch room at the local school build
ing. Tag sales are under the direc
tion of Mrs. R. W. Proctor. Sales will
begin at 9:00 o’clock in the morning
WELFARE MEETING TO
BE HELD HERE NOV. 19
Mrs. W. B. Aycock, director of
noafatf organKation for the State
Welfare Board, announces that a dis
trict welfare meeting will be held in
Marlon on November 19th.
REGISTRATION FOR THE
FALL ELECTION BEGINS
Registration for the November
general election opened* last Satur
day in the 17 precincts of the county
Registrars will be at the polling
places from 9 a. m. until sunset for
the next two Saturdays to register
voters who have become of age or
moved from one precinct to another
since the last registration.
The third Saturday after today
will be for challenges.
Lutheran Woman’s League at Ruth- distribution of $16,370,-
erfordton Sunday afternoon at 3:00
o’clock. There will be no services at
St. Matthew’s Lutheran church on
Sunday night.
C. W. WILSON RE-ELECTED
RECORD CHIEF 40TH YEAR
For the 40th consecutive year C.
W. Wilson, of Clinchfield, has been
re-elected chief of records of the
Improved Order of Red Men for this
district.
Mr. Wilson was re-elected Satur
day night at the district meeting at
the lodge. Other officers are Quincy
Morgan of * Marion, sachem; S. R.
Mashburn, of Asheville, prophet; C.
C. Alexander of Arden, senior saga
more; and Luther Anders of Ashe
ville, jttoior sagamore.
George Pennell, Asheville attor
ney, delivered the principal address.
The address of welcome was made
by R. L. Bishop of Asheville, and
the response was by G. W. Kinzely
of Marion.
M’DOWELL TEACHERS
TO ATTEND NCEA MEET
Teachers of the Marion city unit
and of McDowell county schools will
attend the district meeting of the
North Carolina Education association
in Asheville Friday of this week. They
will be accompanied by principals of
all McDowell schools and Superin
tendents N. F. Steppe and Hugh F.
Beam.
Superintendent Beam has been
recommended for the presidency of
this district of the N.C.E.X. and the
recommendation has been supported
by many educational leaders through
out the district.
462.19 to unemployed and partially
unemployed workers on North Caro
lina in the 33 months of benefit pay
ments through September, the 46
white employment offices and 10 col
ored branches distributed 2,595,147
checks, Chairman Charles G. Powell
of the State Unemployment Com
pensation Commission, states.
This distribution included 30,516
checks for $325,473.68 going to out-
of-state workers who had previous
ly established wage credits by work
in North Carolina.
During the month of September,
1940, the distribution of jobless
benefits amounted to $413,506.75,
included in 79,795 checks, of which
2,211 checks for $19,551.36 went
to out-of-state claimants with wage
credits in North Carolina.
The McDowell Employment office
distributed $268,667.33, embraced
in 41,260 checks, in the 33 months
of payments in the area served by
the office, through September. In the
month of September, this office dis
tributed 1,179 checks for $5,735 to
the unemployed in the area.
LOCAL STORE TO SELL
NEW LINE OF GOODS
The Streetman Drug Company of
Marion this week received a large
shipment of Hanna’s Green Seal
paints which will be handled by the
store in the future in this territory.
Featured in the large stock of paint
now on display at the store are out
side paint, floor and hard-finish en
amels and wall finishes of all kinds.
The paints to be sold at Street-
maA’s have been distributed in this
territory for many years. The store
now carries a complete stock to fill
all painting needs.
unselfishness, Mr. Gilkey has built
for himself a far more lasting me
morial in the memory of his associ
ates.”
Highlight of the dedicatory exer
cises will be the unveiling of a
bronze plaque containing a profile
of Mr. Gilkey and a tribute.
LOCAL ELEVEN LOSES
GAME TO SHELBY, 13-0
With Moore, fullback, making the
scoring plunges, Shelby high school
tallied in the second and fourth quar
ters and defeated the Marion high
school eleven, 13 to 0, in Shelby last
Friday afternoon. Handicapped by
the loss of several players who were
out because of injuries. Coach Art
Ditt’s Marion squad entered the game
with Shelby being favored to win.
Robertson, Good, Hawkins and
Harris sparked the play for the local
eleven, while Moore was outstanding
for Shelby.
The Marion high eleven rests this
Friday, no game being scheduled. On
October 25 the squad goes up against
Forest City, there. After the week’s
rest it is expected that the full team
will be in shape to tackle Forest City.
PTA SUPPER AT NORTH
COVE SCHOOL TONIGHT
The North Cove school l*arent-
Teachers Association will sponsor a
supper to be held this evening from
6:00 to 8:00 o’clock in the school
building. Proceeds from the supper
will be used to buy equipment for
the lunch room so that it may be
opened for school children. There
will be a small charge of 25c per
plate. Everyone is invited to come.
DULA HAWKINS HONORED
Dula Hawkins, who is a law stu
dent at the University of North Car
olina at Chapel Hill, has been elec
ted vice president of his class.
Mr. Hawkins is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. W. H. Hawkins.