111
1UT1E
I .1 1 k I ii
ii Ji 11
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PUBLISHED TWICE A WEEK TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.
SINGLE COPY 8 CENTS.
Devoted to the Protection of Home and the Interests of the County.
LOO A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
i VOL. XXJU.
. GASTONIA, N. C. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1910.
NO. loV
mm
OVER GASTON COUNTY.
BESSEMER BRIEFS.
Correspondence of The Gazette.
BESSEMER CITY. Feb. 11. A
rat dui of alckness U noted In
' town Just now. The little two-year-
old child of Mr. Will Klaer died
hdrn Thursday and wai burled at
Concord Methodist church, Rev,
rrmk Armstrong conducting the
. funeral. Yesterday morning Mr. J
O. Tavlor's infant child died of
pneumoala and whooping-cough
Mr. Ben Bumgardner's child la crit
ically ill today.
Mrs. Nellie Mason and little
' daughter, Margie, of Dallas, are vls-
Ring Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Robblns
Mr. Pftm B. Hovls. a student In
Rutherford College, spent the week
end here with his mother, Mrs. Sal
He Hovls. and returned to Ruther
fordton today. Mrs. Hiram Caten,
of Concord, visited her sister, Mrs.
J. E. Hornbuckle, here last week.
She returned to her home Saturday.
The family of Mr. Thomas Simpson
rrmvpri to Concord last week. This
estimable family will be greatly
missed. Mr. Simpson has accepted a
good position with the Irwin Cotton
Mills. Miss Maggie Hall, after be-
in detained at her home several
days on account of illness, Is back
in charge t)f her room in the graded
school. Mr. Ralph Odell, of Con
cord, spent last week with Mr. and
Mrs. S. J. Durham. Mr. and Mrs.
Cicero Moore's little chird has been
quite sick, but is some better now.
Mr. I. H. Watts, of route one, has
been confined to his bed for several
days. Mr. W. R. Siimmerfleld, the
popular night operator at the South
ern depot, has been at his home at
Juneau for a week nursing a case of
grip. Mr. C. C. Kiser has six chil
dren in bed with measles. They are
doing very nicely. Mrs. D. A. Gar
rison, of Gastonla, is visiting Mrs. H.
N. Garrison today. Rev. E. F. Grif
fith, pastor of the A. R. P. church,
has been confined to his room for
ten days. He was not able to fill his
pulpit Sunday, though he is better.
Mrs. J. F. Armstrong has been
quite sick for two weeks but is con
valescent now. Mr. and Mrs. T. A.
Davis are spending some weeks with
their' daughter, Mrs. Moss, in Char
lotte. Mrs. J. P. Jones has been
quite ill of rheumatism for two
weeks but is better today.
Mr. J. W. Bailey, of Mooresville,
visited his daughter, Mrs. J. E
Hornbuckle, last week. Sheriff T,
is. snurora, or Dallas, was on our
streets Saturday. Mrs. J. A. Smith,
Miss Lily Cosby, Mr. Walter Or
mand and Mr. Pink Tate's little
child have been quite ill the past
week. They are slowly improving
DEATH OF MISS OWE JENKINS.
CLUB RECEPTION.
MR. JOHN II. CRAIG DEAD
DlT
elmont Items.
Correspondence of The Gazette.
BELMONT, Feb. 24. Mr. George
Gullick has made a vast improve
ment on his old store by remodel
ing It. Mr. John Lewis and family,
who are now living in the New Hope
section, will soon become residents
of this place. Mr. Qulnn Hall has
moved into his beautiful new home.
Dr. Orr, one of our leading phys
icians, had the misfortune of - losing
his fine horse the. other night.
Many of our young people attended
the "grand play" at St. Mary's Col
lege Monday night. Mr. George
Howe's people are right sick with
measles. Miss Torrence Stowe is
very sick with grip. Mrs. Brown
Lewis and children visited Mrs. Lew
Is's mother, Mrs. John Hoffman, of
Boogertown, last Saturday. Misses
Bessie and Janie Jackson, of New
Hope, and Misses Bertha Lowry and
Eliza Lindsay, of Lowell, visited
Misses Mamie and Torrence Stowe
last Saturday night. Dr. Orr was a
business visitor in Charlotte Tues
day. Mr. George Gullick attended
the funeral of Miss Matilda Wright
at New Hope Tuesday afternoon.
Lowell Locals.
Young Daughter of Mr. and MrsW,
K. Jenkins Succumbed to Fatal
Disease Last Night.
One of the saddest deaths of re
cent occurrence In Gastonla was that
of Miss Ollle Jsnkfins, the 18-year
old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. E
Jenkins, which occurred at 9 o'clock
last night at the Gaston Hospital af
ter an illness of about three weeks.
Miss Jenkins had been 111 about ten
days at her home on Broad street
previous to Saturday, February 12,
when she was taken to the hospital
where she underwent an operation
on the following' day for an abcess
of the brain. During the ten days
following the operation her condl
tlon had not been encouraging,
though It had varied and at times
there had been, hope that she would
recover. She grew gradually worse,
however, and It became evident yes
terday that the end was near.
OHie Ree Jenkins was born on
January 27, 1892, being the daugh
ter of W. E. and Fannie Lay Jenkins,
and has lived nearly all her life in
Gastonla. She is survived by her
parents, one sister, Miss Edna, and
one brother, Oscar. She had been
for four years or more an active
and earnest member of the First
Baptist church, being a member of
the choir and also a member of the
Philathea class and of the Young
Woman's Auxiliary. In her .Christian
life and her church work she was a
to right example to her associates and
her loss will be deeply mourned. In
the High School she was a member
of the Senior class, stood well in her
studies and was looking forward with
eager anticipation to her graduation,
but In the mysterious providence of
her taking away she has been pro
moted to a higher class where there
is no graduation but continual pro
gress In a better and brighter world
Funeral services were conducted
this afternoon at 4 o'clock at the
First" Baptist church by the pastor,
Rev. W. H. Reddish, following which
the remains were tenderly laid to
rest in Oak wood Cemetery. The
pallbearers were Messrs. Fred Wet
zell, George G. Willis, Ed Padgett,
B. Moore. W, H. Little and Ro
land Clinton, all' members of the
Baraca class of the First Baptist
church, which is the young men's
class corresponding to the Philathea
class, of which Miss Jenkins was a
member. In attendance'upon the
funeral services was a large number
of the friends and relatives of the
family, both from Gastonla and
from various parts of the county,
among the number 'being Miss Ollie's
aged grandfather, Mr. Edward Jen
kins, of route two, wiho is notf 80
years old and quite feeble. '
GaatonU Commercial Club's Fourth
Annual Reception Tuesday Night
A Most Pleasant Occasion.
The annual reception of the Gas
tonla Commercial Club, which has
become the principal event of the so
cial season In Gastonla, was held in
the club rooms Tuesday night under
especially auspicious circumstances.
There were present . about one hun
dred and thirty guests, Including a
large number of out-of-town visitors.
Being held on Washington's bfrth
day there was opportunity of mak
ing the decorations especially appro
priate to the occasion and in this the
ladies who had the decorating In
charge were' eminently successful.
The rooms were beautifully adorned
with streamers and festoons of crepe
paper in red, white and blue, and the
national flag was given a prominent
place in the' decorative scheme.
Portraits of President and Mrs.
Washington and a handsome bronze
bust of Washington were noticeable
as carrying out the patriotic idea.
Among the ladies to whom especial
credit is due for the success of the
decorative work were Mrs. J. H. Se
park, Mrs. S. B. Barnwell, Miss Low
ry Shuford and Miss Ellen Blair
Harvle.
In the receiving line were the fol
lowing: Mr. S. A. Robinson and
Mrs. Frank Cooper, of Charlotte;
Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Parker; Mr. J.
K. Dixon, Jr., and Miss Love, of
Waynesville; Mr. and Mrs. D. M.
Jones; Mr. A. G. Myers and Miss
Violet Rankin; Mr. and Mrs. W. M.
Wilson; Dr. and Mrs. D. A. Garri
son; Mr. C. H. Cavis and Mrs. Frost
Torrence.
After being presented to the re
ceiving line the guests were shown
into the main hall, where the serv
ing of refreshments was in charge of
the local chapter. United Daughters
of the Confederacy, of which Mrs. D.
A. Garrison Is president. At the
punch table, where the cherries that
grew on Washington s tree were
brought to mind by the decorations.
were .Misses Lowry fcnurord, Janie
Morris ,and Carrie Morris. At other
tables a salad course with coffee and
an ice cream course and mints were
served. Assisting In serving these
courses were Mesdames J. M. Sloan,
C. B. Armstrong, H. M. Eddleman,
J. K. Dixon, A. M. Smyre, L. C. Da
vis, L. A. Rankin, John O. Rankin,
J. P. Reld, W. F. Michael, John C.
Moore, Mattie Pegram and Miss Ber
tie Duff.
At intervals during the evening
most excellent music was rendered by
the Lowell Orchestra, under the di
rection of Mr. James M. Wilson, of
One of Gaatonla's Oldest, Wealthiest
and Most Useful Citizens Passes
Peacefully to Ufa Reward Long
One of the Most Conspicuous Fig
ures In Gaston Ills Career a Re
markable One.
Following an illness of three
weeks Mr. John H. Craig, one of Gas
ton's oldest, wealthiest and most
useful citizens, passed peacefully
away at 12:20 o'clock this morning
at the family home In Gastonla. He
was surrounded at the time by all of
his children. Mr. Craig was strick
en with paralysis on Saturday, Feb
ruary 5th, since which time Ills con
dition had been critical, though at
times he seemed some better. Wed
nesday night he suffered a second
stroke and it became evident then
that the end was but a question of
hours. He never regained conscious
ness and sank slowly to the close of
his life.
The funeral will be held from the
late residence to-morrow, Saturday,
a'ternoon at 2 o'clock and interment
will follow in the family burying
ground near his home.
A NATIVE OF GASTON.
John Henry Craig, pioneer citizen
of Gastonia, was born in the Union
section of Gaston county Sunday
November 8, 1829, and was hence in
nis bisi year. mis parents were
poor but respected farm people and
he was brought up In frugal circum
stances. He early learned the mean
ing of work and the secret of finan
cial success, saving. In 1838, when
19 years of age, he began H.'e'c bat
tie on his own hook, his only earthly
possessions being a horse which his
father had given him and fourteen
cents in money. During the course
of a long and active business career
he accumulated a neat fortune but,
following an unique Idea of his own.
he distributed the bulk of his for
tune among his children during his
life time. It had been his custom
for several years past to have his
children gather at his home here on
his birthdays and on those occasions
he presented them with checks, In
this way bequeathing to them during
his life practically all of the prop
erty he had accumulated.
un starting out to wage his own
life-battle Mr. Craig went to Chester
county. South Carolina, where he
spent four years. By close saving
he was soon able to start a small
tannery which was the foundation of
a business which began to grow rap
idly. As he became financially able
he became the owner of several
slaves and taught them the tanning
ELECTRIC RAILWAY LINE.
A HOT WOLF CHASE
Isothermal Traction Company Char
tered to Bufld Line from Ruther
ford ton to Gastonla Will Touch
Clierryville and Dallas in Gaston
Additional Fart.
The following from this week's
Rutherfordton Sun will be read with
interest by all Gaston People:
A charter under the name of the
Isothermal Traction Company has
been secured through the Secretary
of State, now on file In this county
In the Clerk of the Superior Court's
office, for the construction of an elec
tric railway line from Rutherford
ton to Gastonla, the intention of the
company being to take In Forest
City, Caroleen, Henrietta and Cliff-
side, In this county, and Cherryville
Dallas and Gastonla, in Gaston coun
ty.
The new project originated with
Mr. Kenneth S. Finch of Charlotte,
who for thirty years was prominent
ly connected with the Seaboard Air
Line Railway, and Is now with the
Carolina, Cllnchfleld & Ohio Railway
as manager of the csal sales depart
ment of the company, and who Is a
most successful railroad man. Dur
ing his connection with the Seaboard
Mr. John C. Mills of our town, was
also associated with him in railroad
work, and It was through their for
mer association that this new pro
ject was brought about which will
result in the building of one of the
best electric railway lines in the
State.
The company has also under con
sideration the building of a direct
line from Rutherfordton to Asheville
by way of Chimney Rock and Eads
Pass, provided the line from this
town to the pass will show an earn-
( Continued on page 8.)
Correspondence of The Gazette.
LOWELL, Feb. 24. ReT. R. A.
Miller conducted the funeral servlcss
of , Miss Matilda Wright at New
Hope Tuesday afternoon. Messrs
Ben Hawflekfand Everitt Howie, of
Providence. Mecklenburg county,.
were business visitors here Tuesday.
Mr. John D. McLean was In town
Tuesday. Mrs. A. R. Leonhardt and
Miss 'Mabel Leonhardt were Gasto
nla visitors Tuesday. Mr. O. .JL
Rhyne, of Dallas was a business vis
itor here Tuesday. Mrs. T. P. Ran-
Annufll Meeting.
The stockholders and directors of
the Gastonia Insurance & Realty Co.
yesterday -held their annual meeting
in the company's handsome new of
fice in the Realty building. The
business of the year just past was
gone over and the reports of the of
ficers showed that the concern had
experienced a prosperous and satis
factory year. Among the out-of-
town stockholders present were Mr.
R. J. Mebane, of Greensboro, vrce
president of the Southern Life &
Trust Co.; Mr. G. M. Gullick, of Bel
mont, and Mr. R. R. Ray, of McAden
ville. All the old officers and direct.
ors were re-elected as follows: Pres
ldent and treasurer, W. T. Rankin;
vice president, C. B. Armstrong; sec
retary, E. B. Brittain; directors
W. T. Rankin, C. B. Armstrong, J
K. Dixon, R. P. RankHn, J. O. White,
M. Robinson, A. E. Moore, R. R
Ray and G. M. Gullick. The usual
semi-annual dividend of five per
cent was declared and ordered paid.
The largest achievement of the com
pany during the year has 'been the
erection of the handsome new Real
ty building which was built at a cost
of about $40,000 and which is Just
now nearing completion.
kin and Mrs. R. A. Miller visited
Mrs. 7. W. Stowe at Belmont Tues
day. Mr. Albert Rankin, of Gasto
nla, was in town a short while Tues
day. Mr., Thomas Shuford, of Dal
las, was a business visitor here
Tuesday. Mrs. J. J. Stewart, of Mt.
Holly. Miss Mary Boyd, of Fort
Mill, 8. C, and Miss Mamie Robin
son, of Providence, were in town a
while Wednesday. Mr. Madison Ken
drlck was a business visitor here
Tuesday.
Lowell. In all its appointments the . . . . . .
. . . , 1 4he-cotton-buying business and H
was in this line that he accumulated
a large part of his estate. Moving
back to Gaston after four years in
South Carolina he continued the tan
ning business and in connection
therewith did a general merchandise
and live-stock business. Paring a
long number of years, In fact up un
til three or four years ago, ''e was a
familiar figure on the streets of Gas
tonla every day during the cotton
season, Duymg cotton as it was
brought In by the growers.
When the war came on Mr. Craig
enlisted in the Confederate army and
was twice in camp but, because of
an injury to one of his legs, received
early in life, he was not able to do
active service In fighting, so he re
turned to Gaston and made harness
and saddles and other leather goods
for the Confederate government dur
ing the course of that conflict.
Mr. Craig was one of Gaston ia's
first citizens. In 1876 he moved to
Gastonia from the Pisgah neighbor
hood, where he had lived for ten
years previous. The railroad had
just been built and there was as yet
no town, only a few scattering
houses. Mr. Craig had acquired con.
siderable property and sold to the
railroad the site for its first depot
here as he did also at Kings Moun
tain and Grover.
WAS GASTONIA'S FIRST BANKER
Many industries and enterprises
in Gastonla owe much of their suc
cess in their early stages to Mr.
Craig. Together with the fate Capt.
R. C. G. Love and others he built
the first cotton factory here, the
plant operated by the . Gastonia Cot
ton Manufacturing Company and
generally known as the Old Mill. He
was Castonia's first banker, being a
member of the banking firm of Craig
& Jenkins, which was succeeded by
the First National Rank. As a busi
ness man he was shrewd and at the
same time Just and honest In all his
reception was successful and enjoy
ablcahoTTully sustained the record
already established by the Commer
cial Club in giving brilliant and en
joyable social affairs.
Among the out-of-town guests
present were Mr. and Mrs. H. N.
Garrison, of Bessemer City; Mr.
Fred A. Hull, of Asheville; Dr. G.
W. Taylor and Mr. E. C. Ray, of
McAdenville; Mr. J. C. Hardin, of
Rock Hill, S. C; Mr. C. S. Stockard.
of Memphis, Tenn.; Dr. and Mrs. S.
A. Wilklns. of Dallas: Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas F. Cooper, of Charlotte.
WILLIAM E. CROWDER DEAD.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Crowder
Passed Away Wednesday Night
Burial Yesterday.
William E. Crowder, aged 28
years, 8 months and 10 days, son of
C. M. and MaVguerite Sellers Crow
der, died at his home at 138 Loray
at ten o'clock Wednesday night af
ter an illness of five weeks, having
been critically 111 for the last ten
days of that period.
The deceased young man is sur
vived by his widow, who was before
her marriage about six years ago
Miss Fannie Whltesides, 6f South
side, and one daughter, Edith, aged
6 -years. There also survive his
parents and two sastera. Misses Ada!
and Prue, whose home is at 312
East Main avenue, and three broth
ers as follows: Mr.'A. L. Crowder,
of Danville, Va., who arrived in Gas
tonia last night too late for the fun
eral; Mr. Adlal Crowder and- Mr.
Grier Crowder.
Mr. Crowder was a carpenter by
trade and had lived In Gastonla for
the past two years, -having moved
here from Spencer Mountain. ' The
funeral and burial took place yes
terday, afternoon at 4 o'clock at Shl-
loh. a brief service being conducted
at the grave by Rer. W. H. Reddish.
transactions with his fellow-men
His business qualities were of the
highest type. He was built for suc
cess. The hard training of his early
years stood him in good stead all his
life. There was nothing wishy-
washy about him. He acted inde
pendently and rarely ever gave or
took advice from the ever-ready dis
pensers of that article. He invested
wisely and was quick to see the pos
sibilities of a business opening of
any kind.
As to his person, Mr. Craig was
a man who would attract attention
anywhere and in most any kind of a
crowd. He stood six feet two inches
and was as straight as an arrow. He
had a florid complexion, a keen eye
a massive brow and was, despite his
eighty years, a picture of robust old
age." For the past two years, how
ever, he had become pretty feeble
and during the past twelve months
had been uptown but occasionally.
He was of a jovial and sunny dispo
sition and a most interesting talker.
His was a ready wit and his knowl
edge of human nature was broad
and comprehensive. During his act
ive days he was always the center of
an Interested group of hearers when
up town.
For practically all his life Mr.
Craig had been a member of the
Presbyterian church and since he
grew to manhood had been an elder
first in the Union church and later,
for the past many years, in the Olney
Presbyterian church.
On December 21, 1858, Mr. Craig
married Mary A. Jenkins, daughter
of Hon. David A. Jenkins, at one
time Treasurer of North Carolina.
She survives him together with eight
children, viz: Mayor Thomas L.
Craig of Gastonia, Mr. J. Robert
Craig of Gastonia, Mr. David J
Craig of Statesvllle; Mr. John M
Craig of Charlotte, Mrs. Archibald
Brady of El Reno, Okla.; Mesdames
E. W. Mellon and T. M. Shelton of
Charlotte, and Mrs. T. A. Wilklns of
Dallas. He also leaves fourteen
grandchildren. He leaves one broth
er, Mr. Robert J. Craig of GastonIa,
and three sisters, Mrs. A. L. Hender
son, Mrs. J. L. Brandon and Mrs. J.
William Barnett, all of the Union
section of this county. All the chil
dren were at his bedside when death
came.
December 21, 1908,. Mr. and Mrs.
Craig celebrated their golden wed
ding, the occasion being one of the
most largely attended and enjoyable
events of its kind in the history of
Gastonia.
Mr. Craig left no will but request
ed that his youngest aon, Mr. John
M. Craig of Charlotte, take charge
of his affairs and settle up the es
tate. . - .
Gaston's Fox Hunters Abandon Rey
nard's Trail to Run a Western
Coyote Which Furnished Great
Sport Twenty-Nine Men and For
ly Dogs in the Chase. -
Fox hunting has long been a pop
ular sport In old Gaston but wolf
hunting Is an altogether new diver
sion. Doubtless generations ago, bo
fore this section was thickly settled
and when white men were few and
far between, in the pioneer days,
wolves may have been as plentiful as
foxes and may have furnished amuse
ment for the lover of the chase. As)
to this the writer is not prepared to
speak at this time with any authori
ty (information on this point will be
gladly received, however). Be that
as it may, it is a fact that there was
a wolf chase in uaston yesterday
morning and it Is a fact also that the
hunters and the dogs had a barrel of
fun out of It. as one of them re
marked to the newspaper man.
There were 29 hunters and about 35
or 40 dogs.
A few months ago Mr. R. L. Wil
son, formerly of the police force, re
ceived from his brother, Mr. Boyco
Wilson, who lives in Oklahoma, s.
real live coyote, an animal of the
wolf breed. Part of the time It has
been kept at the fire station, where
Mr. Ned Hayes looked after Its tem
poral wants and took an Interest in
exhibiting this citizen of the wild
and wooly West to many curious
spectators.
Yesterday morning, soon after 8
o'clock, the covnte wan taken to thm
farm of Mr. Nell Davis, south of
town, and turned loose. At first the
animal refused to run but as Boon as
the pack of hounds was shut up Is
the slaughter pen he immediately
took to the tall timbers. He was
given a little start and then the
hounds and hunters started in ho
pursuit.
Taking a start at Ed Crawford's
cotton house, Mr. Coyote ran back
towards town a short distance, then.
turned across the Rhyne and Jack
son lands, turned again and cams
back on the Davis farm, then cross
ed between the places of John and
Will McReady, down to the lb Thom
as place and across Crowders Creek;
After crossing the creek he made a
circle and started back. As he was In
the creek on his way back the hounds
reached the animal and pounced up
on him. taking his life in the middle
of the stream on or" near the Jack
son Gamlble place. An old darker
who was nearby, thinking the ani
mal a fox, rescued it from the wa
ter and brought in on to the party of
hunters which was at the time some)
distance away. When told that it
was not a fox but a wolf he exclaim
ed, with a show of genuine feelinff
of fright. "Lors a massy, ef I'd
aknowed that air animal wuz a wolf
I never would a touched hit." And
he delivered it quickly to the hunt
ers. The chase lasted for about an
hour and it was an hour of fun, not
withstanding the fact that the hunt
ers were all the while considerably
behind the dogs and were not in at
the death.
The party was composed of James
E. Falls, Robert A. Falls, John Falls;
Bruce Falls, Will McReady, J. M.
Smith, Wash Smith, Ballard, Dan
Grier, R. L. Wilson, Willis Wilson.
Ed Mitchem, Jim Mitchem. Roscoo
Rhyne, R. L. Davis, Flay Davis, J.
Flem Johnson, L. H. Long, John
Jenkins, W. C. Abernethy, B. W.
Craig, Locke Shelton, Clarence John
son, R. C. Warren, Ned Hayes, T. R.
McArver, Pressley McArver, Politas
McArver and J. Ed Crawford.
A Business Carnival.
The Gazette learns that the ladies
of the Woman's Betterment Associa
tion are making preparations to give
-what will be called a "Business Car
nival" at some time during the
spring months. No local organiza
tion is more active in everything
that looks to the best interests of
the town than the Betterment Asso
ciation and In this new enterpriss
they should have the hearty support -
of the business men. The affair will
be in the nature of an entertainment
in the different numbers of which,
the various business houses which
enter will be advertised la unlqns
and Interesting ways. The work of
preparing for the carnival is now In
the hands of a committee who will .
strive to make this the most novel
and successful affair of the season.' '