North Carolina Newspapers

GASTON ETTE T . ' e PUBLISHED TWICE A WEEK TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. SINGLE COPY 3 CENTS. GASTONIA IS A BUSY TOWN. $1.50 A YEAR IN ADVAXGKi VOL. XXXIII. GASTONIA. S, G TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1012. NO. 13. A V r. Lowell Locals. (Omitted from last issue.) Correspondence of The Gazette. LOWELL. Feb. 8. There were two funerals here yesterday, botn those of infants. One was the four-months-old child of Mr. and Mrs. Jess Baucom, the other the 17-months-old child of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Allen. The boys from St. Mary's College are having a picnic at Spencer Moun tain, near here today. Mrs. .1 L. Thompson was taken to the Prepby teiian Hospital at Chariot: Tves day where she underwent an opera tion. She is reported as getting along nicely. Considerable cotton Is being rtn ned here this week by Harriaon & Ellington. It is also being sold for ten cents. Mr. S. M. Robinson bought over 80 hales last Saturday for the Iowell mills. Mr. H. S Ad ams is able to be out after an Ilness of 2 weeks. The youngest child of Mr. Kelly Lewis was pretty badly scalded Tuesday. Mr. Hoiiey,iU, who had his leg broken while work ing on the interurban depot, is pet ting along nicely. I have Just learned of the death of my old friend. George A. Gray. A good, true, kind man has passed. Many of his kind deeds perhans may never be known In this world. He may have had his faults but those who knew him best believe that long years ago George Gray ceased to do evil and learned t do well and that he has gone to reap the rewarrd or a faithful man. Peace to his ashes. MADE HIT IN ASIIEVILLE. Ken Greet Players Pleased Audience in Mountain City With Splendid Presentation of "Merchant or Venice" Will be in Gastonia Thursday Night. The following from Sundays Asheville Cit!?oi. with reference to t lie appearance 'here Saturday mat inee and night . Ill be of especial ;n T iest to Gastonians as this company is ri present "The Merchant of ep ic, !.i rc "t ' j.t'Uiy night of tins week ;i tl.e u.lral school auditor ium, j "Quite a number of lover? n i Shakespeare witnessed and greatly ar j.rec!?.ted literal presentations or i 'The Merchant of Venice' at tiie 1 ii'.'i'orinni yr crr' y nft" res '"amleC at night, by the Frank Mc " v !! ;i' I'omvmy o' 1'.. :i i n rl ' layers. Til's com1 v ;i;:s , n peared in A'ievilV Fevcr.il Mine.! ' m:C each appefri'-tn-e ha rees (."im in favor ''.nil iho "Hon Gte' crt.' are counted situ org (lie hu! ir r" reactions !',:' r-i-'e to this city. The plays are pr- - 'orl as the y v- f , v;itten. n"i were l;i 'i u,b .: J'oi preientaM;'i 1" 'ho Hard of .Vo u ; There is co s rainirg for fitiii e" i ;eets: it is purely dramatic ait it).- ar: 's sa e. ii '":!'.c . -.th..i; ..: e c ;. "c h'ntee hnels his best ex-cssion, his j conception of that role being prac tically perfect. In the opinion o" many, who may he regarded as good judges, he is much stronger as Shy lock than in t lie role of Hamlet, al though one can find no fault wirn his work in the latter role. Mr. Leonard Phepard acquitted himself superbly as Antonio at the matinee and as Claudius at night. Miss M1I licent Evison. always a favorite here, distinguished herself with artistic work as Nerissa and as Ophelia. In the famous 'mad scene' last night she was unusually effective and well merited the generous applause whleu greeted her efforts. Miss Agusta True made a splendid Portia in "The Merchant of Venice.' but she has but little opportunity to shine in 'Ham let.' Another strong actress was Miss Helena Head as 'Jessica' and 'Gertrude,' being especially suited to the latter role. In fact, there was not a weak sno: in the entire company and Asheville theatre-goers will look forward with pleasure to its promised return in the early summer when it will prob ably play on the Manor grounds. Mr. Falls Garrison, of Belmont, winner of the second prize of $16.50 In the 1911 contest of the Gaston County Boys Com Club, Is In town . today and received his prize. Mr. Garrison raised 78.8 bushels of corn on one acre of ground at a profit of $53.65. He Is fifteen years old and a son of Mr. Mac Garrison. He saysj he is going to try the contest this year again and feels sure that tne season is going to be better and that he can increase his yield very con siderably. -In connection with tno annual meeting of the Cleveland DIctrict Dental Society to be held here ' Thursday and Friday of this week a pobhc address will be given at trie .Centrar school auditorium at nine o'clock Friday- morning to which the public Is cordially invited. : Dr; J. C. Watkins, of Winston-Salem, Is down ' on the program to deliver this ad- dress, but in -rase he Is not able to be present, the address will be given by Dr; A. E. Frailer, of High Point i , , ...,. - 1 1,1 IN SOCIETY. S. & O. CLUB WITH MRS. ATKIXS. Mrs. J. W. Atkins will entertain the S. and O. Club tomorrow after noon at her homer No. 210 West Fourth avenue. STUDY CLUB WITH MRS. WRAY. t Mrs. Joe S. Wray is hostess to the Study Club at her home on Third av enue this afternoon. The subject for study is Riley and Field and tne progras is as follows: "An Old Sweetheart of Mine," Riley, by Mrs. F. L. Wilson; "Childhood as Depict ed by Riley and Field," by Mrs. Wray; "The Duel," "Wynken, Blyn ken and Nod." "Little Roy Blue," Field, by Mrs. Kennedy: "Wet Weather Talk," Riley, by Mrs. La Far; round table, leader Mrs. Reid. Stockholders' Meeting. The annual meeting of the stock holders of the Piedmont Telephone & Telegraph Co. was held in the of fices of the company in its handsome new building on South Marietta street at 10 o'clock this morning. Among the many business matters transacted was the authorization of the building of several hundred miles of new toll line circuits, one of which Is to be a heavy copper cir cuit from Charlotte to Forest City. Reports of the president and tne general manager showed the compa ny to be in a good and prosperous condition. The semi-annual divi dend of three per cent was declared on the preferred stock and three and one-half per cent on the commpn stock. All the officers were re-elected as follows: W. T. Love, of Spen cer Mountain, president; W. T. Gen try, vice-president: A. Vaupni. of Ar lanta, Secretary and Treasurer; K. H. Babington. of Gastonia. assistant treasurer anil general pmagT. AM of the above were present except Air Gentry, and other stockholders at tending were .Mr. .T. White. Ware, c f Gastonia. Mr. Morgan II. l-'pier. of Charlotte, Mr. W. M. Moore. o Yor: -vi lie. P. ('., and Mr. J. Kpps lirown, of Atlanta. Personal Mention. - Mi'- T ois Ad 'tn sne-nt yester ": ( r'.o'ie shopiiitv!;. ''" .1. A. ' .i viugc o'l ni''?i Sun day wi'h friends in t ' :( ensboro. 'r. .T. A. Mil'';. (' r.e'monf. vs a !::"ini ss visitor in the c;v ve-stei- -!r. i I i d . . to:;ia ti W L. Fall: f,f P'ensTnt a business; visitor i:i Gas- o: e I '! r. ('. T. Hinith. of Pehnor.t, n ;;s visitor i n ; a.-,i ia Mr. i" fiet-t ' i; it of 1 1 e y t 1" V,--' a hit-i;c"s v's'tor in Ga;' ::i.:i today and paid The Gazette of ;; a pleasant call. -Miss Maccie Hall, of the Cherry vine graded school faculty, and Miss Klva Hall, of I'ich Fltoals. were Gas tonia visitors Faturday. Mr. R. P. Harmon, of Kincrs Mountain, is a business visitor in the city and is the guest of his sister, Mrs. L. C. Davis. Mr. R. V. Williams, of Atlanta, arrived Sunday to spend the week with Mrs. Williams, who is visiting itr parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. R iia ber. Little Misses Mabel. Elizabeth aiid Nell Ormand spent Saturday u j-fct with their grand parents, Mr and Mrs. J. L. Burke, at Bessemer City. The concert which was to have been given at Belmont by the At kins Orchestra on Friday, February 23rd has been again postponed until some time In March. The date will be announced later. Superintendent Joe S. Wray, of the city schools, placed In the libra ry today several extra copies of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice so that those who contemplate attend ing the play Thursday night and wisn to re-read the text may have ample opportunity to do bo. Mrs. R. L. Smith, who came a few weeks ago to Gastonia from Lit tle Rock, Ark., to make her home with her mother, Mrs. Pierce, under went a serious operation at the- Gas ton Hospital last Thursday. She Is. recovering nicely from the effects of the operation. Prof. J. S. Wray has done the Gastonia public a real service in se curing the Ben Greet players Tor Thursday night of this week. . They will present "The Merchant of Ven ice" at the Central school auditor ium. The papers In towns where, this company, has played this season accord them very high praise. Mr. J. W. Culp. of the Standard Hardware Company, was the victim of a very painful accident yesterday afternoon. While showing a cus tomer a largo cross-cut saw it slip MONTANA POSSE ON HUNT FOR RATTLERS Organize a Party of Extermina tion and Kill 290 Reptiles in Gulch. Anaconda, Mont. A posse of ex termination was organized and at least 290 rattlesnakes of all sizes were killed in Rattlesnake Gulch, near Three Forks. The source cf the hundreds of the reptiles from which the gulch, takes its name was found in the shape of a small cave, discovered by accident by Amos Smith the other morning. Mr. Smith notified his friends in Three Forks and nearly 100 men and boys proceeded to the scene, armed with all variety of weapons. For three hours the battle raged and at its close 290 rattlers were per Three Hours the Battle Raged. counted stiTv'n on the ground, a::d not a man find been bitten. 'J tie reji tiles vvio si:i;'uly dormant, o io the coolness, b;.t when aroused v. o uitl saily forth I r un the cave. Club.-!, si. 'it;, ns an1. ' :!'.es were used in tiio slaughter. V. 'V.t n no more sua! -s Hi.: u;. j f ..'on) tne cave a repeating ' ' i in v;;s i 'sjcliared jr.lo it and aoout fifty more were dragged lorth. Some of the specimens kill' d meas ured more than three feet long, while others were only a few inches in length. Some of the larger ones will be stuffed and placed on exhibition. For years the farmers in that neigh borhood have been bothered by the great number of rattlesnakes. Tho gulch of that name was literally alive with them. The den discovered by Mr. Smith is on the Peoples ranch. After cleaning out this den it was de cided to continue the crusade and there are a number of men and boys scouring the community for more snakes. ped from his hands and the large teeth Inflicted a severe wound on one of his knee caps. The wound was dressed by a physician but It will probably be some days before Mr. Culp can use his leg with ease. Mr. and Mrs. T. R. E. Oates. of Bessemer City, route two, are spend ing the day in Gastonia. Mrs. Oates is secretary of the Gaston County Sunday School Association, whicn was organized at Bessemer City lasr .November, and is now distributing to a') the Sunday schools of the coua ty blauks to be used in making sta tistical repcits which it is hoped to have in hand within the next two weeks to to complete the county report. Any Sunday school secre tary or superintendent whose school fails to receive one of these blanks should write a card to Mrs. Oates, who will gladly furnish them. Xew Officers Elected. At a called meeting of the board of directors of the Gray Manufac turing Company Saturday night of ficers were elected as follows, this action being necessary because of the death: of Mr. George A. -Gray, president. of the company:.. Presi dent, L. L. Jenkins; vice-president. Thomas Li Craig; secretary, and treasurer, J. H. Separk; superintend endent, J. L. Gray. ' Get Gazette dinner set free, MR. GRAY'S FUNERAL Hundreds of People Pay Last Re spects to Dead Citizen Splendid Tributes by Kevs. G. H. Detwller and J. K. Abernethy Postofllee, MIUh and Business Houses Close for Kervlce Magnificent Floral Tributes Laid jo Rest in Oak wood Cemetery. While the thousands of spindles and looms in Gastonia's sixteen cot ton mills stood silent and while banks, postofllee and business hous es closed their doors at the busiest hour of the busiest day of the weeK, Gastonia stood for an hour Saturday afternoon at the bier of the late George A. Gray In Main Street Meth odist church and paid solemn and heartfelt tribute to the memory ot the man who did more than any other one man toward making the town what It Is today, one of the most important cotton manufactur ing towns in the South. When the hour of 1 o'clock ar rived, the hour 6et apart for tne funeral service, the auditorium, Sun day school rooms and gallery of the church were crowded to their ca pacity and many could not gain en trance. It was the largest crowd that ever attended a funeral in Gas tonia. As the casket, covered with flowers, was borne down the aisle to the chancel, preeeeded by the officiat ing ministers and followed by the ac tive and honorary pall-bearers and the family and relatives, a special elio'.r sang "Like As a Father." On Hie rostrum were Rev. J. E. Aberne tity, pastor of deceased; Rev. G. H. Letwller. D. D., and Rev. C. M. "aiiiphell. former pastors, and Rev. J. A. Baldwin. Prayer was offered by Dr. Detwll er, following which Mr. Campbell toad from the ritual the Scripture ie&son. The choir then rendered the old fanfillar "Rock of Ages" and Dr. Detwiler followed with a splendid tribute to Mr. Cray which Is given below in full. Mr. Abernethy then paid a very beautiful and feeling tribute to deceased, which is given iu part below. "Nearer My God to Thee" was sung by the choir and as the pary )Pft the churNi the choir sans: Tennyson's beautiful hymn "dossing the Par." Thf floral tributes, which came from friends far and near, were the no; i elaborate in design and tne lar.'tt in uariMtv ever seen here. The e itire chancel and pulpit were l.arl etl with them. The body was take,, to Oak wood cemetery and laid 1" rest in the fam'ly plot where It was buried beneath a wealth of in ;i - it : f i (! t flowers. It was a noticeable fact that nl iu o c t the entire frallery was filled with colored ieo:!, evidence tnar Mr. Gray was held in the very hign es! esteem by the best negroes of tne 't.wn end set lion. They had a friend in him and tliey mourned at al his death. DR. DKTWH.KR'S ADDRESS. j In s'rea' i:.ir to you this afternoon, j 1 hi, d it necessary to hold nissel." uti- 1 tier lonttol anil be ,iy ijireful what ' I suy. for two ic isotis. First. mv , f'blid and I Pwul so close together; ."I bis friendship int iut so much to n e that I bird it ci y dillicult and a'nioM impossible tl( use l-uuu-e 'hat would t.vui.-s my fed jug to- ard this L-neat and uood man. tn ;l.e set ond pla c. I must hold niysclri iry much in restraint becuuse my 1 friend was not a man of the amen i'o; :if r. i:e v. as a Ice n-siui' salnr. I must be very (.refill what 1 say about him today, for I feel that my friend is ver near us ri.uht now and be was always so unosteuitat ions ami so modest in all the things that he did. I eio not wish to incur his displeasure, ami I must cive an a eemnt to him for wh it I say about him here today. There was nothing that my friend dislil-ed more than display, so it heroines necessary for us to be very careful what we say about him. I shall not take a text and attempt to preae h a sermon. Tor that would be very inappropriate on this oceasion. I shall simply speaK of my friend in the two relations ships that he had in this community. His first relationship that 1 snail speak of is that of a business man and a citizen. I want to say that so far as his personal influence and his personal work was concerned. If you have not discovered It now you will discover It some of these days that he was one of the most aggressive and forceful men that this city has had In Its citizenship. As a business man he had peculiar qualities. He had qualities that gave him the hlgn est efficiency for success. But Tie had one quality that hindered and hampered him some in the develop ment of his qualities. I have had some acquaintance with great finan cial and business men. and I thins my friend had In him qualities to have achieved as high success in the world as any man in this common wealth, and would have done so but for two hindrances. First, he was a man of such excessive modestv that he distrusted himself. Secondly, he was too honest to do a great many things that other men do. I person ally know of instances where he had opportunities to take advantage or men and make money by so doing opportunities to enrich himself by' questionable means and without any hesitation I have known him: rather than sacrifice his principle or right, to simply and quietly brusn them aside. o, for that reason, his real business genius never did come to its full flower, and bloom. I sup pose Mr. Gray has had more to do ar:th the construction of mills in this section and all the south than any other man. He used to tell me in some of our confidential talks of the trills e had lurnlshed. . buying all the equipment and putting them In operation for men who did not know the difference between a spindle and a 100m. These were fine op, oluni lies for graft, but he was too honest to take any advantage of the man who did not know. By taking ad vantage of his fellowmen he could have enriched himself, but I am quite sure that he never in a single instance did a thing of that kind. He was a builder and had much to do with the development of Interests that will make the Southland one of the greatest industrial centers or the world. If he had not been hindered and hampered as he was, none of us are able to measure the things that might have been accom plished by him. One of his pecuiar qualities was his prophetic spirit. He told me that he never knew wny he came to his decision. He never eould tell the methods by which he reached a business conclusiou. He told me that he was standing on the door-steps of his office one day, con sidering an important matter, when he suddenly looked up and said "This thing will not do," and it didn't do. This Is the way he reached a business conclusion by that" pec uliar pro phetic, intuitive spirit. 1 want to say of my friend as a -citizen, he was "a man among men." His standard was very high, and he was one of the cleanest men I have ever known. You have to find this out by associating with him. He was too modest to parade his virtues be fore men. He was always tender ana sympathetic, but he was also nrm. One day 1 remarked to him some thing about his gentle disposition, and he replied, "Oh, you don't me: I am a fierce man when aroused.' lie had a temper when he was aroused, and he knew that. All these things come to my mind now as 1 talk about him. But how many of you have ev er known George Gray to lay vio lent hand on any man? Who ever heard him use violent words on any man? If he did, there was present only the other man, himself and God. Who ever heard him rebuke an other for his wrong doing, and Bay "You must not do that?" He never thought himself better than other people. His greatest rebuke to those who did wrong was his high stand ard of living. That was so tjuiet and effective. Another of his peculiar rii'-ilit b's was his spirit of forgiveness. In talking with me on day in one of our confidential coaversntiein.-. be said to me, "Brother Dvilor, life is too short and too serious I hold gruelges, and I just will not allow myself to do it. I have had some me'ii to wrong me, but before God I can say te you this day that I have no ill will in my heart toward any of these men." He was forjriving even unto tne end. If you had stood around his bed in bis last boms, you would have heard him speak of forgive ness. I am going to tell you the last thing he said because' I think you men ought to know. You men who bouubt and sold with him. you men who went up auainst him and ti" against you. you who dealt with him in tiie business world. I wr.nt to say I these' things to you. This Is what tie said: "If any man has done me a j wrong, tell him that be is forgivem: that I foririvo him. and if I have wrnnge'd any man. ! tsk bis fort'iv- ii ess. The second thine was. "It is j all ri'-'ht with me: cvorythini: is rer tle il." How like him to say that. 1'e had made his life settlement witn God, and everything was all rilit. "Ibis was the last thing be said. "1 am oing eiut of this life now: I know I am going out. but I am going out without any feeding of ill win toward any man. If any man lias wronged me. led him know that ! have already forgiven him." 1" those words eoulel be preserved in just the way he spoke them, might they not be written in letters of goid on the walls of this ehurcn. He was always so fjuiet and unos tentatious in the performance of his duties. But he had his opinions. I "used to wonder when I first knew my friend if he had any positive convic tions about things, he said so very little. You might have known him for years and never have known what political party he belonged to. I was very much surprised one day to find that he had very strong con victions about politics. His opin ions about politics were sometimes different from the opinion of other men, but he did not think less of the other man because he differed in opinion with him. And he never spoke evil or any man when he was not present, as I look into the faces of you business men here today. I want to tell you that you always had a friend to de fend you when you were discussed in George Gray's presence. He was a friend to every one of you. Some times I have heard the faults and shortcomings of other people dis cussed in bis presence, and he would say, "Well, 1 don't know what temp tations they have had, and 1 don't know all the circumstances. May be if we had been situated just as they were, we would have done the same thing." But, as 1 have said, mv friend a back-seat saint. Mr. Gray had his limitations. He was a man wno could not talk. 1 never heard him make a speech in my life. He had no way of expressing -what he felt, and I think that is one reason he worked so hard. I have often thought if he were only able to ex press his feelings in words, how elo quent his language would have been. But he could not talk,, and he could not sing. These two ways of ex pression were closed to him. He was a member of the city council and very prominent in the Industrial world, but I have never heard of a speech made by him. And I call on you who have been closely associat ed with him in the business world to say if you ever heard him try to make a speech. All that he accom plished was done in a very quiet way. That was the life he lived with you in this community. As he could neltn er talk nor sing he felt that he could not be of much use in the amen cor ner of the church, so he always stay ed In the back of the church by ths dew When . I came in the ehurcn, oil ? ;r-day morning, I always l:i-v a here to find my friend; he wai al ways at his post by the door. I must be very careful what I say about my friend today, for 1 must give an account to him for every thing I say. And I owe him very much. I know if he were here by my side now, he would be pulling my blteve and saying, "Be careful what vou say about me, for you know I whs not very much of a man." . But he was a Christain. I remem ber (ne day as I was sitting in my study, there was a knock on my door, and I said. "Come in." My friend stepped in the door, and his face was as white as chalk. He came in and pulled off his hat. Great beads of sweat st.ood on his forehead like the size of af pea. He sat down and said. "T have an important matter to set tle today, and you must help me. K Is Lot a question of doing my duty, but of wanting to know what my duty is. Thousands of dollars are involved, and great business inter ef.3 depend on my decision 1 must lind a way out." I am nut goin to tV. you what passed between us there, because that was strictly con fidential. Men's names were men tioned, which if I were to repeat yon would know. We talked the matter over and he said "You have helped me, but 1 think we had better pray over it before I go.' So we went down on our knees, side by side, and prayed, asking God for light, and when I said "Amen" he said "That's enough." We arose from our knees and he walked out of the room with out a word. This was like the man. He could not trust himself to speaK to me Just then. Months and months afterwards he said to me, "I got all the light I needed in your study that day." He was a Christian. He was a Christian. No one knew better than his pastor how close he lived to his Saviour. His life was so 'tuiet anil he talked so little about his religion. If he were hearing my words, and were he not dead, he would rise up-and look in my face, and say, "Oh, don't talk that way about me, about me." The last thing he said was. "Everything Is settled." And his mind was a clear as glass when he said that. And the other was. "There is nothing be tween me and any man. If any man has done me a wrong, I forgive him." So, brothers, you are forgiven. Can't all say to him. "Yes, brother, T hold nothing against you, nothing against you." I was in my study the other day. had been scanning The Cnartotte OD perver as it came to my office every day at noon. Although reports came to us that my friend was getting along very we ll, still I always glanc eu! over the column for the dead fear ing to find my friends name there. At every meal the ruestion went around in our little family circle or three. "How is Mr. Gray?" I was sitting in my study when the tele gram announcing bis death was placet! hi mv hand. I read the tele gram, and then sat perfectly still Tor sometime', so deep was my feeling for my personal friend. I cannot think- of my friend as dead. 1 know there are hundreds of people in this community who have said. "It eioesn't seem like George Gray is dead." You business men will looK up street and expee t to see him com ing. You will do this tomorrow and the next day. People will turn arounel at the corner and listen for his voice. There is something pecul iar about personality. Some men die ami are soon forgotten. But It will be impossible for this community to forget my friend. You will be look ing for him for months and months to greet you on the streets. My friend is not dead; he has just begun to live. He is sneaking now. His voice did not sing here, but now it has joined in that Angelic chorus, and he will sing ffis Saviour's praises evermore. He was a back-seat saint in this church, and 1 think the other day when he knocked at the Gates of Heaven, the usher said, "Come In; I have a seat up here for you." And as they started up to the front with my friend, it seems that 1 can hear him saying, "Excuse me, but 1 think you have made a mistake. I am not used to sitting up at the front; I al ways had a back seat." But I think the usher told him that he was !n the right place, the place that had been prepared for him. and he was loaated very near the front at last. I have prayed one prayer today, and that is that these sorrowing ones may be led by the hand of God. and that He will give peace and comfort to their saddened hearts. What I have to say to the stricken family, I will say in the seclusion or the home circle that my friend loved. bo well. TRIBUTE BY HIS PASTOR, . The following tribute was made by his pastor. Rev. J. B. Abernetny: George Alexander Gray was born in Mecklenburg county, N. C, Sept. 28, 1851. His opportunity in school lasted but eight months and four days. In that time he learned how . to study. His books were more at tractive to him than the playground, In all his life he never learned to play games of any kind. He never smoked a cigarette. He never used ' whiskey or tobacco. He knew no language but the language of a fen - ' ' (Continued on page 5.