THE MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
— — — —— 7 — ; —
ESTABLISHED 1896 MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1949 VOLUME 33—NO. 29
CLINCHFIELD MANUFACTURING CO.
DIRECTORS REELECT OFFICERS
The annual meeting of the stock
"holders of the Clinchfield Manufac
turing company was held in the
office last Friday afternoon.
Immediately following the ad
journment of stockholders, the reg
ular meeting of the Board of Di
rectors was held. The full Board at
tended and were as follows: Judge
J. W. Winborne, W. R. Chambers,
W. L. Norris, Judge J. Will Pless,
Jr., and Sam M. Yancey, all of Ma
rion; W. S. Blakeney of Charlotte;
TX P. Cave and M. Weldon Rogers
of St. Louis, Mo.; W. R. Chandler
of Greenville, S. C.; I. H. R. Genet,
Frank H. Leslie, Henry M. Leslie,
M. Rosenwasser and R. D. Scotfc of
New York City; C. A. Gibson of
Calhoun Falls, S. C.
The Board reelected the follow
ing officers to serve for the ensuing
jyear:
Judge J. W. Winborne, chair
man of the Board; W. L. Morris,
president and treasurer; Frank H.
Leslie, vice president; G. A. Morris,
secretary and assistant treasurer;
Miss Marie Jarrett, assistant sec
retary and assistant treasurer.
After the meeting Mr. and Mrs.
W. L Morris entertained the Board
of Dii-ectors at a luncheon at their
home on South Main street.
J. C. Bowman
Recommended
For U.S. Marshal
I
Capt. Jacob C. (Jake) Bowman
of Marion has been recommended
for the post of United States Mar
shal for the Western District of
t jmnoujaced■
fcyslifo?
Clyde R. Hoey according to an As
sociated Press dispatch.
The nomination is up to Presi
dent Truman. Capt. Bowman, if
named, would succeed U. S. Marshal
Charles R. Price, who has tendered
his resignation to Attorney General
Tom Clark, effective when his suc
cessor is named and qualified.
Marshal Price, during the 15
years he has held the office, has
been recognized on several occas- ]
ions for the efficiency of his organi
zation. He is expected to remain in j
government service.
Captain Bowman was born April
1, 1888, at Bakersville in Mitchell
County and moved to Marion with
Jais parents in 1962.
A World War I veteran, he was
discharged with the rank of cap
tain and was engaged in the mer
cantile business in Marion until
1929.
He served as instructor for re
serve officers while on active duty
^vith the U. S. Army from 1929 to
1937.
For the past 11 years he has been
serving as inspector for the State
Utilities Commission and at present
has charge of 12 Western North
Carolina counties.
Captain Bowman is an elder of
the First Presbyterian Church in
Marion and a Mason. He is married
and has four children.
26 CARS DERAILED
ON C C & O. RAILWAY
Forest City, Jan. 31—Large prop
erty damage resulted when 26 fruit
and vegetable cars were derailed on
the C C and 0 railway at Harris
Sunday afternoon at 3:15 o'clock.
The mid section of fast express
train No. 97, traveling from Spar
tanburg, S. C., to Erwin, Tenn., was
derailed when a truck bolster broke.
The engine and 19 front cars re
mained on the rails. The mid 26
cars were derailed and 17 cars at
the rear remained on the tracks.
The wrecked cars contained to
matoes, celery, egg plant, oranges,
grapefruit, fruit juices and other
vegetables and fruits. The right of
way was literally covered with
fruits and vegetables following the
wreck. Most of the cars piled up
in a small space of less than 100
yards.
Charles Fink, of Erwin, Tenn.,
was the conductor in charge of the
train and Red Harvey, also of Er
win, was the engineman. No one
was injured.
Lutheran Laymen
Vote To Sponsor
An Hour Rally
Representatives of the Lutheran
Laymen's League in Western North
Carolina met in the Hut of St.
Matthew's Lutheran Church on
Sunday afternoon and organized to
sponsor a Lutheran Hour Rally in
Asheville on May 1 at 3:30 p. m.
The speaker will be Dr. Walter A.
Maier.
Dr. Maier is a noted Lutheran
Hour evangelist and one of the
country's leading foes of commu
nism. Dr. Maier has been pointing
out the conflict between the Church
of Christ and the communism of
Marx for over a decade.
The meeting at the Hut voted to
accept a budget of $1,000 to ad
vertise this rally in newspaper and
radio. Carl Beck of Hickory presid
ed over the meeting and is chair
man of the executive committee;
Henry Beam of Hickory is secre
tary; and George Schreiber of
Asheville is treasurer.
Rev. Charles Frenzel, local pas
tor, was chaplain of the meeting;
and Elmer Erwin represented St.
Matthew's Lutheran Laymen's Lea
gue.
BETHEL METHODISTS
TO HAVE SINGING
The Sunday Singing Convention
of the community group will be
held at Bethel Methodist church,
Sunday, February 6, at two o'clock.
All singers are cordially invited to
attend.
Warlick Approved By
Washington, Jan. — The Senate
today confirmed Wilson Warlick of
Newton, N. C., to be Federal judge
of the Western North Carolina dis
trict.
Warlick, a State superior court
judge was nominated last year for j
the Federal post but the nomina-!
tion was never confirmed. President
Truman again nominated him this
year.
He will succeed Judge D. E. Hen
derson, who has been acting judge
since last fall. Henderson's resig
nation has been accepted by Presi
dent Truman to be effective upon
confirmation and qualification of
Warlick.
Judge E. Yates Webb of Shelby
retired from the post last year.
American Legion
To Sponsor Contest
For School Students
The McDowell Post of the Ameri
can Legion will sponsor an oratori
cal contest for all 9-12 grade stu
dents in the county, C. M. Steppe,
division chairman of the fifth di
vision announced this week.
It was pointed out that final plans
for the event in the fifth Legion di
vision of the North Carolina de
partment of which the post here is
a part, have been made.
School contests will be held from
February 14 through February 19,
county contests from February 21
through February 26, district con
tests from March 1 through March
5. A
The division contest will be held
in Marion with a parade, public ad
dress, banquet and contest.
The speeches, which are to be
ten to twelve minutes long, will
deal with the United States Consti
tution.
March Of Dimes Ball
Jack Reynolds, chairman of the
March, of Dimes Ball, has announced
plans for a dance at the Marion
community building, Friday night,
February 4, from nine till one
o'clock. The Melodeers orchestra
will alternate on the band stand
with Bob Carter and His Lake
City Playboys providing round and
square dance music. Both orches
tras have agreed to donate their
time and the public is urged to
"Dance That Others May Walk."
In every part of the nation more than 2,200,000 boys and
their adult leaders, will observe Boy Scout Week, Feb. 6th to 12th,
marking the 39th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
The theme of the celebration is "Adventure—that's Scouting!"
This year the movement is emphasizing the fun and fellowship its
members get out of the game of Scouting. More high adventure
is planned in the out-of-doors. Their adventure in citizenship
will find Scouts emphasizing civic service activities, emergency
service training and world Scouting relationships. During Boy
ScoUt Week, Scouts, their parents and countless communities
will honor the volunteer adult leaders of the nation's 70,000
Cub Packs, Scout Troops and Senior Units. Above is the official
poster marking the Scont T '•-^v.
anton
Widening Project Finished
way
-'-wofe. 4s
Martha Pettigrew
DAR Meets Wed.
The Martha Pettigrew Chapter of
the Daughters of the American Rev
olution named delegates to the State
Conference and to the Continetal
Congress at its meeting Wednesday
afternoon at the home of Miss An
nie Laurie Blanton.
Delegates to the State Confer
ence to be held in Asheville on
March 1, 2 and 3 are: Mrs. W. W.
Neal, Sr., regent, Mrs. R. J. Noyes,
vice regent, Mrs. R. I. Corbett, Mrs.
W. R. Chambers, Mrs. William B.
Noyes, Miss Bonnie Hill and Mis.c
Annie Laurie Blanton.
Delegates to the Continental Con
gress to be held in Washington, D.
C., the second week in April are:
Mrs. W. W. Neal, Sr., Mrs. R. J.
Noyes and Mrs. J. F. Jonas.
Adeline Neal was named a page
to Miss Gertrude Carroway, state
regent, for the State Conference in
Asheville. Miss Ann Hildebrand
was named a page to the national
officers at the State Conference and
Miss Marie Griffin, page at the
State Conference and also page at
the Continental Congress.
Mrs. A. C. Hewitt, Sr., presented
C. C. Elledge, principal of the Ma
rion High School, who reported on
"Findings of the North Carolina Ed
ucation Commission" and also de
scribed conditions in the local
schools.
Mrs. R. I, Corbett reported on
DAR approved schools.
Out-of-town guests present at the
meetiftg were Mrs. T. G. Stone and
Mrs. 0. J. Holler, of Union Mills.
Mrs. Minnie Blanton was a local
guest.
Mrs. Ralph Alexander assisted
the hostess in serving.
County Schools
Are Opened
The schools in the McDowell
county system were closed Monday
and Tuesday of this week because
of adverse weather conditions. All
schools reopened Wednesday how
ever.
The schedule of schools in the
Marion City Administrative Unit
was not interrupted.
Moragnton—Widening of high
way 70 from Marion to Morgan ton
has been completed and workers
are now engaged in extending the
project eastward to Statesville.
Two-foot shoulders are being
added on sides where the road is
only IS feet wide.
H. E. Noell, district highway en- j
gineer of Shelby, said that it was
likely the whole road width would
be covered with an inch and a half
of topping.
There are many places between
Morganton and Marion where the
concrete pavement has been broken
up.
Stone and gravel for the two
foot black-topped shoulders have
been furnished by the Superior
Stone Company of Greenlee. Twen
ty-four trucks are being used to
bring the stone from the McDowell
County quarry. .
THREE MEN INDUCTED
The McDowell County Draft
Board sent three men to the induc
tion station at Greenville, S. C., last
Thursday for induction in the U. S.
army.
They are: Clyde Julian Cressmon,
of Old Fort, Jack Walker, 532 W.
Court street, Marion, arfd Bobby
Rudolph Roberts, Nebo.
NEW SfORE
The New Stepp's Dry Goods Store
will be opened this week-end, ac
cording to announcement by John
M. Stepp, owner.
The Store is located in the build
ing formerly occupied by the Bar
gain Store on South Main street. W.
H. Hinkle will be manager.
ATTEND MEETING
Mrs. Virginia James, clerk of the
McDowell, bounty Draft Board, and
W. C. Chambers, member of the
County Draft Board, attended a
meeting of members of draft boards
and clerks of the western district
of North Carolina in Asheville last
Thursday afternoon.
The dome of the Kentucky capi
tol in Frankfort is a copy of Napo
leon's tomb.
i
i
Community Council To Organize
At Meeting To Be Held Tonight
New Vestrymen
Are Elected
For St. John's
Henry W. Stauffer, R. W. Twit
ty and Mack Jay were elected mem
bers of the vestry of St. John's
Episcopal church at the annual par
ish meeting held at the community
building last Monday evening.
The new vestrymen replace S. E.
Whitten, William Treverton and S.
L. Homewood, whose terms expired.
Other mem'bers of the Vestry are S.
W. Blanton, E. P. Dameron, W. W.
Neal, Jr., Wayne Jarrett, Ray Fris
bie and Oliver Cross.
The Rev. Albert P. Mack, rector,
presided at the meeting and reports j
were made by the various officers,
including: Oliver Cross, treasurer;
Mrs. H. W. Stauffer, treasurer of
the Woman's Auxiliary; Mrs. Rob
ert Teeter, president of the Wo
man's Auxiliary; E. P. Dameron,
superintendent of the Sunday
School and president of the Men's
club.
The attendance was the largest in
the history of the parish and the
reports showed that marked pro
gress had been made.
WEST MARION PTA
WILL MEET MONDAY
The West Marion Parent-Teacher
association will meet at 7:30 p. m.,
Monday, February 7, with C. C. El
iedge as guest speaker.
Marion PTA
Meeting Tonight
Will Be Social
asso
ciation will hold its annual social
meeting of the year in the high
school auditorium at 8 p. m., Tues
day, February 8, Mrs. P. J. Story,
publicity chairman, announced this
week.
Because of the nature of the pro
gram, no provision will be made at
this meeting to care for the chil
dren while parents attend, as has
been the custom for the past few
months.
Mrs. Richard Cook has announc
ed that a meeting of room repre
sentatives and teachers of the ele
mentary school will be held at 7:15
o'clock and will be adjourned in
time for members to attend the
regular PTA session.
BOY SCOUT
DISTRICT HEADS
ARE NAMED
Organization of a district com
mittee for the McDowell County
Boy Scouts of America is now un
derway, Rev. J. B. McLarty, county
chairman, announced this week.
In making the announcement Mc
Larty said the following persons
have been asked to serve:
E. P. Dameron, vice chairman;
Eugene Cross, Jr., secretary.
Organization and Extension: J.
M. Snoddy, chairman; Carl White
side, sub committee on troop or
ganization chairman; J. E. Peppers,
sub committee on cubbing chair
man; E. L. Carter, sub committee
on Senior Scouting chairman.
Leadership Training: J. Homer
Beaman, chairman; Paul Story and
E. C. Carnes.
Advancement (and Chairman of
the Court of Honor): E. P. Dam
eron.
Camping and Activities: Fred
Murray and Oliver Cross, chair
man; Fred Murray, sub committee
on camping chairman; Oliver Cross
and Vernon Eckerd, sub committee
on civic service chairman; Rev. M.
0. Owens, sub committee on read
ing chairman.
Health and Safety: Dr. George
Rowe and Dr. Donald Mcintosh.
Finance: J. Neal Morris and J. E.
Neal, Jr., finance.
Public Relations: Ray Murray,
chairman and sub committee on
publicity; Charles C. Elledge and
(Continued on last page)
Representatives of civic clubs
which comprise the nucleus of a
Community Council will meet with,
the Executive Board of the Marion
Parent-Teacher association at 7:15
p. m., Thursday, February 3, in the
school auditorium. The purpose of
the meeting- will be to formulate or
ganization of the Council.
The project, sponsored by the
Marion P. T. A. at the suggestion of
Mrs. Richard Cook, has been under
way for the past few months. The
Council will be composed of repre
sentatives of civic clubs and other
local organizations to coordinate
and promote movements for commu
nity betterment with especial em
phasis on educational improvements.
Appointment of members on the
Council to represent all organiza
tions are incomplete at the present
time, but are expected to be named
within the near future.
Inasmuch as the project is under
sponsorship of the P. T. A., the ex
ecutive board will meet with mem
bers to adopt a name for the group
and make formal plans for the or
ganization. Later, however, two re
presentatives from the Marion P. T.
A. will represent the P. T. A. at
meetings of the Council. The names
of all persons serving on the Coun
cil will be announced as soon as the
list has been completed, Mrs. Cook
said.
Social Security
Benefits Paid
Totals 305
There were 305 persons in Mc
" county reee+rfrrg- irwritMy
benefits from the Social Security
Administration during 1948, ac
cording to announcement by D. W.
Lambert, manager of the adminis
tration field office in Asheville.
Of this number, 163 or 53 per
cent are women and children. Of the
women and children, 13 are widows
over age 65; 19 are widows with
children under age 18 in their care,
and 131 of the persons receiving
monthly benefits are children under
age 18.
"Most people think of Social Se
curity as something that concerns
old age alone," Lambert said, "but
approximately 60 per cent of all
the benefits paid under this pro
gram in the United States as a
whole go to the wives, widows and
children of deceased wage earners
who worked in employment cover
ed by the provisions of the law."
In the Western North Carolina
area, which includes 17 counties,
there are 4,343 people receiving
monthly payments and of this total.
2,392 of them are women and chil
dren, or 55 per cent of the total
number of persons receiving mon
thly benefits. Of these 2,392 peo
ple, 219 are aged widows over 65
years of age; 386 are widows with
children under 18 years of age;
and 1,787 of these monthly bene
fits are paid to children under age
18.
Rotary Meeting
Master Sergeant John Hall and
Sergeant Harry Belt, local recruit
ing officers, presented a film entitl
ed, "GI Holiday in Europe," at the
weekly meeting of the Marion Ro
tary club last Friday.
J. M. Snoddy was the guest of
Clarence Wise at the meeting. Ed
Porter, of Gastonia, was the guest
of Ernest Ross and Bill Stanley was
the honor student of the month.
DISCONTINUANCE OF
STATION REQUESTED
A member of the North Carolina
Utilities Commission will be in
Asheville Wednesday, February 9,
for a hearing on the petition of the
Clinchfield Railroad Company to
discontinue the railway agency at
Sevier, is announced by the Ashe
ville Times. The hearing will be
conducted in the seventh floor
courtroom of the courthou$e.