North Carolina Newspapers

Population City Limits 7.206 Trading Area 1 5.000 (194S Ration Board Figures) VOL. 63 NO. 3 Established i 889 Rings Mountain's RELIABLE Newspaper Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, January 15, 1953 Sixty-Third Year 14 Pages Today PRICE FIVE CENTS Manager Recommendation Of Planning Body Declined Local News Bulletins METER RECEIPTS A total of $139.66 was collec ted from the city's parking meters Wednesday morning according to a report by the city treasurer's office. RETURNS PROM KOREA Pfc. Reld A. Thompson, U. S. Army, recently returned from duty In Korea and has been assigned to Fort Jackson S. C., He is currently on a 30-day leave, visiting his parents in Kings Mountain. LEFT FRIDAY Sgt. Dean Ramsey returned Friday to overseas duty in France after spending the hol idays here with his wife and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Willie Ramsey. He has been in the service two years. ? ? ? - | FRIDAY FIRE City firemen answered a call on Cleveland Avenue Friday afternoon around 3:30 o'clock to the home of Melton Riser. A gas heater, which had flared up, was under control when firemen arrived. No damage were reported. ? . 111 ' 1 ' 1 - 1 TAG SALES A total of 540 Kings Moun tain motorists hav* purchased 1953 city auto license plates, according to a report by the city clerk's office. Tags must be purchased by February 1, 1953, and twice of the tag is one dollar. BROOM SALE GROUP Fred Wright, Jr., has been named chairman of the 1953 Lions club broom sale for the benefit of the blind, with I. W. Webster as co-chairman. Oth er committee members are James Houser, Sam Stallings, Paul Howard, and Carl F. Mauney. BOOT TRAINEE SR Hugh Williams, Jr., 440 61-55, son at Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Williams of North Piec* mont avenue, Is now stationed with Company 0984, U. S. Na val Training Center, San Die ga 33. cam. He enitBted in the Navy six weeks ago and is un dergoing boot training at the California base. ENTERS CHINCILLAS Harold Hunnkmtt said this week that he Is entering all lour animals of Hun-Chin Ranch In the first annual show of the Carollnas Branch, Na tional Chincilla Breeders asso ciation, to (be held in Winston Salem Friday, Saturday and Sunday. TAX LISTING City and county tax listers were working at a "busy pace Oils week, as the tax listing pace increased. With half the jmontti gone, tax listing offici als doubted, they -said, that hall the property owners had completed the listing Job. The county and city tax listers are at City Hall dally except Mon day, when the county lister is at Groves ; MBTNEKSHIP dissolved . Ttie Arthur Hay Fire Insur ant! a partnership owned and operated by Miss Helen Hay and t>avld Nell], has been dissolved as of January 1, 1988, aocording to dissolution notice published today in the Kings Mountain Herald. Miss Hay, Who purchased the Neil] interest. Is now the sole owner, and will continue to operate the agency under the same Arm name. , ' , LEGION BULLETIN m<X.J&p.Q?rn* Post 155, the American Legion, wbo wish to serve as pallbear er* at the funetal of Pvt. Pink " J&Mre been re to meet at Harris' Home Sunday at 1:30 cannot anl urged ? . _ . ; * c*. Sunday at First BaptlM flam Col ? ? Commissioners Vote 3 to 2 Tor Status Quo Mayor Garland Still broke a tie vote Monday night, thereby enabling the city hoard of com missioners to refuse by 3-2 vote a recommendation of the city planning board that, steps toe taken to set up a city manager form of government. A motion of C. P. Barry, secon ded by B. T. Wright, to seek a legislative amendment calling for an election on a modified "Plan D" or city manager form of government for the city, had failed to carry. * , . James G. Layton then read a long letter, outlining reasons for refusal to accept the planning board recommendations, and moved that the letter be approv ed by the board and sent to the planning board. Olland R. Pear son, seconded, and or the 2-2 vote, Mayor Still broke the tie, favor ing the refusal and dispatch of the letter. . The letter, text of which is printed below, stated that the city manager election would be called should a petition bearing signatures of 25 percent of the voters be presented. The five-member planning board had written the mayor and board members on January 9, as follows: "A number of citizens of Kings Mountain have brought the pro position of a City Mahager form of government to members of the Planning Board and the bofcrd ch -ffovember 25, 1902 re quested that the Secretary write the Lions Club, Merchants Ass'n, Kiwanis Club and the Junior Chamber of Commerce and get the sentiment of the members of these groups on this matter. A reply has been received from c--.ch of the above Civic groups and each overwhelmingly endorse a City Manager system for Kings Mountain. "At a call meeting of the Plan ning Board on January 8, 1953 with the following present: By ron Keeter, C. E. Nelsler, Carl Mauney, Hal S. Plonk and L. E. Abbott, on motion the board unan amlously approved a recommen dation that the City Council give serious consideration to this mat ter of a City Manager form of government and act 6n this rec ommendation as soon as possible in order that action can be taken by our County Representatives in the present State Legislature which is now in session. 'Inquiries have been also made to us about the Gas Allotment to Kings Mountain and we suggest that you also give this matter consideration. "If we can be of any service to you on these matters please call on us.* Text of the letter rtad by Mr. Layton and sent to the planning board follows: "On August 30, 1948, the citi zens of Kings Mountain had an election. The ballot was divided into three (3) parts ? : Plan A (Mayor- Council) Plan B (Council-Mayor-Man ager) Plan C (Present Form of Gov ernment) '.The tabulation of the votes were as follows: Ward 1 ? 78 For, 1 Against Ward 2 ? 69 For, 2 Against Ward 3 ? 43 For, 2 Against Ward 4 ? 31 For, 1 Against Ward 5 ? 87 For, 2 Against TOTAL ? 308 For. 8 Against "The result* of this election shows that the citizens of Kings Mountain were In favor of oar present form of government by a vote of 38 to 1. "Under our present form of government all the affairs of the City are administered by the Mayor and five (5) Board Com missioners all of whom are duly elected by the voters of the City of Kings Mountain. Under this form of government no expendi ng*, purchases, allocations or any other business transactions may be made or entered into with out first being brought before the Board and approved by a majority Vote. Alter this has been done, *11 business discussed by the Board ii written up Into minutes and kept for permanent record. To our knowledge, this Is the first administration In the City of Kings Mountain to adhere strictly to th* rule* and regula tions sa set forth In the Cttj^ "What other form q&?aMtife . . ? . ' ?? * . RITES SUNDAY ? Final rites for Prt. Pinkney Roberts, Jr., above, will be held Sunday at 3 p. m. at First Baptist church. A Marine, he was killed in action in Korea on October 29, 1952. Roberts Rites Sunday At 3 p. m. Final rites lor Marine Private Pinkney Roberts, Jr., 19-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Pinkney Ro berts, Sr., of route two, a Korean war casualty, will be held at First Baptist church Sunday aft ernoon at 3 o'clock. 'Rev- H. G. Weekley, pastor of the church, and Rev. E. H. Simp son, of Concord, will officiate and touriel ?vill be in Mountain cemetery with full military honors. I A Marine Corps reserve unit of Charlotte will serve, as mem bers of the firing squad and Le gionnaires of Otis D. Green Post 1S5, of Kings (Mountain, will serve as pallbearers. The body arrived in Kings Mountain Wednesday morning and will remain at Harris Funer al Home until 1 p. m. Saturday, when it will be taken to the home. Pvt. Roberts, who served with a First Marine division artillery unit, was killed by an enemy ar tillery shell on October 29, 1952. He left the United States on Sep tember 15, 1952, joining the vet eran Korean unit on Oetoiber 1, 1952. A former Grover high school student, he had entered the ser vice on Febraury 4, ? 1952, ? and completed boot training at Par rls Island, S. C., Marine base. Survivors, in addition to the parents, are two -brothers, Ed ward and David Roberts, and five sisters, Mrs. Edith Hender son of Camden, S. C., Mrs. Vir ginia Frederick of Greensboro, Mrs. Ethel Dover of York, S. C, Mrs. Isabelle Odom of Varmville, S. C., and Mrs. Donnie V. Miller of Grover. Lake Montonia Elects Officers Howard P. Whisnant, Gastonia furniture dealer was elected president of Lake Montonia Club, Inc., at the annual stock holders meeting of the group held at the courtroom at City Hall Tuesday night. Mr. Whisnant succeeds Dorus C. McSwaln, of Gastonia, as president. Other officers elected were Dr. O. R Lewis as vice-president, Harry E. Page as secretary-treas urer, R. H. Crockett, Jr., of Gas tonia as assistant secretary ? treasurer, J. Pat Tlgnor and W. S. Swicrs, of Gastonia, as three - year directors, and Bonnie F. ftorris, Jr., ol Gastonia, a a di rector to fill a two-year vacan- 1 at left toy Mr. Whlsn->r.t's eleva on to the presidency* Retiring officers are Mr. Tlg nor as vice-president* B. S. NeiU, Jr., as secretary - treasurer, Mr. Page as assistant and Dr. Lewis and Bill Spencer, of Gastonia, retiring directors. The group discussed msny items of business, with some 30 stockholders present. The group voted to sell SO as Alexander Buys The Jewel Box From Grayson ?; ' Ross Alexander, for . the past five years watchmaker at Gray son's Jewelry, has purchased The Jewel Box, on Battleground av enue, from T. W. Grayson. The transaction was comple ted last Thursday, and the sale included accounts, merchandise and fixtures of the Jewel Box. The fjrm will henceforth be known as Alexander's Jewelry, and will feature a full lin<> of watches, 'jewelry and gifts, in addition to watch repair service. Mr. Alexander, a native of Wadesooro, has seven years' ex perience at the watchmaking trade. He is a navy veteran of World War II, having spent two years in the service. The Jewel Box was successor to Garland's Jewelry, and was. purchased by Mr. Grayson in June 1950. Mr. Grayson will now demote his full time to the op eration of Grayson's Jewelry. Weekley Speaks To Lions Club Christianizing the world Is the only answer to its problems, Rev. Gordon Weekley, pastor of First Baptist church, told members of the Kings Mountain Lions club Tuesday night, ? "Because we have failed to plant Bibles in the hands of four fifths of the people of the world, we are forced to plant bombs on their heads, he declared. "if we will return to God, we can avert this tragedy," he con tinued. Reviewing the recent war fiis tory of the world, Mr. Weekley said that the beginning of the Korean War was a beginning of change in the world picture. He described the fpur-fifthi ojt the people of the world in Asia and other non-educated nations as "waking up", and of making new Remands on civilization. He said that the "civilized" world only comprises about one fifth the people, at one time of no seeming consequence because of distance and the fact that the civilized peoples had all the tech nological konw-how. Two ways to peace, he listed, are "working on ourselves" and "working on others". He said that this natlou has been "major- ; ing on minors", and listed as one of the "minors" the legal sale of alcoholic beverages. C. D. Wart presented Mr. Week ley. Prior to the address, Dr. N. H. Reed conducted an Interview with Boyce Cash, a polio victim of a few years ago, who described the efforts of thp March of Dimes of flclals in returning him to health. V '?*. ? Bank Officials Axe Re-elected . ' * All officers and directors of First National Bank were re elected at the annual meeting of stockholders Tuesday. The stockholders heard reports from officers showing the bank enjoyed a prosperous year. Of ficials said more stock was rep resented at the meeting than in several years. Officers are F. R. Summers, president; B. S. Neill, executive vice-president; R. L. Mauney, vice ?president; L. E. Abbott, vice president and cashier; J. C. Mc Kinney, assistant cashier; and Mrs. Helen R. Blanton, assistant cashier. " Directors of the bank are F. R. Stammers, B. S. Neill, R. L. Mau ney, P, M. Neisler, W. K. Mauney, M. A. Ware, Glee A. Bridges, and Dr. L. P. Baker. Residential Light Rate Cut Again; Paving Assessments Are Confirmed Objections To Assessments At Minimum Question of whether the city could assess for the paving of East Gold street furnished the principal subject of discussion at the hearing Monday night on a large group of street ? paving as sessments.. B. D. Ratterree, one of the pro perty ownerst said no petition had been signed for. the paving of East Gold street, that the work had been done by the State Highway and Public Works com mission. and that he would not pay any assessment. He also said he was representing W. K. Mauney and W. K. Mauney, Jr.. other property owners affected, and that their position was the same as his. .George W. Allen, assessed for paving on Deal street, said he wouldn't pay unless the Gold street owners paid, He said Deal street was also paved by the State highway department and the fact of a petition would make no difference. He also con tended that assessment for use of highway street money (prede cessor to Powell Bill funds) is illegal: Mr. Allen further suggested that it would be wise for the board to forget all the assess ments. He contended that "some streets have been paved for nothing" in the past. Mrs. H. H. Moss, who was pres ent at the meeting in reference to the paving of Cherokee srtreet, took exception to Mr. R*tter ree's statement, saying "I sign ed no petition, but I'm going to pay my part. Surely you people will pay . your part. The town can't Improve If people don't work together to make It" Otherwise, the objections to the proposed street - paving assess ments were more routine, ma jority of them limited to re quests for correction of footage errors. Eugene R. Roberts was present to object in person and F. R. Continued On Page Eight Legion Favozs State Bonus ^ Legionnaries of Otis D. Green Post 155 went on record at the regular January mooting last Fri day night as favoring a state bon us and donated $11.15 to the an nual March of Dimes drive. Twenty-two members were pre sent at the meeting. Commander Sam Collins presided. The group also voted to pro ceed with plans to sponsor a dance. Commander Collins announced that John W. Gladden had been awarded a Century Club citation for signing over 100 members for 1953. Other "Go-Getters" were an nounced as James S. Ware, Glee A. Bridges, Millard Prince and Commander Collins, each, having signed 10 or more members. KIWAN1S MEETING A report of activities of the Kings Mountain Kiwanis club during the past year will be made at the Thursday evening meeting of the club, Which convenes at 6:45 at Masonic Dining hall. The program is to be presented by the achieve ment committee, which inclu des Rev. W..L. Press ly and Dr. L. P. Baker. I POUO CAMPAIGN CO CHAIRMAN ? Dr. Nathan H. Reed, left, and Grady Howard, right, are serving as co-chairmen of the 19S3 March of Dimes campaign in Number 4 Township. County-wide goal of the campaign this year is S25.000. ? : : ? March Oi Dimes Drive Is Oil To Fast Start Number Four Township's an nual March of Dimes drive got off to a fast start Monday with the announcement of a contribu tion of $f>4JpO by the Harry Bro thers oi G rover. The donation was one-fifth of_ the Cleveland County quota of 525,000. Some $29,000 was raised last year, it has been reported. Donors of the $5,000 statsd that the gift was presented In grati tude for the care accorded by the county chapter to three children of the Harry family who were stricken with polio last summer. Only other reports from the township were $344 netted at a community song festival at Gro ver on Sunday and $11.15 collect ed at the January meeting of the American Legion Post last Friday night. Dr. N. H. Reed anxl Grady K. Howard,. Kings Mountain area chairmen, listed additional cam paign workers this week. Chairmen of the employees- di vision of the industrial organiza tion were listed as ? Harold Phillips, Craftspun; Bruce Thor burn, Burlington; B. S. Neill, Jr., Margrace; Hoyle McDaniel, Mau ney Hosiery; Clarence Black and Rufus Mltchem, Mauney; Leo nard Smith. Sadie: Bob Morrison. Bonnie; Haskell Wilson, Loom Tex; J. C. Smathers, Park Yarn; Harry E. Page, Pauline; Brooks Tate, Kings Mountain Manufac turing Co.; and C. W. Cradic, Slater Brothers. . Professor J. A. Gibson was list ed as Negro chairman. Missionary To Speak To Lutheran Women Miss Clara Sullivan, missionary to China, will be the guest speak er at Resurrection Lutheran Church Monday evening at 7:30 p. m. This program Is sponsored by the Women of the Church of Resurrection and St. Matthew's Lutheran churches. Miss Sullivan, a missionary for more than twenty years, was In terned twice, during the recent turmoil 'ji China. Mrs. Aubrey Mauney will pre sent the speaker. Scripture will be read by Mrs. J. E. Herndon, welcome will be given by Mrs. PauJ McGinnls. RITES CONDUCTED ? B. Hud son Bridge*, former city commis sioner and well known cltlsen, died last Thursday following a heart attack. Funeral rites were held Friday. B. H. Bridges Rites Conducted Funeral rites for Ben Hudson Bridges, Sr., 57, resident of 110 Fulton Street, were conducted last Friday afternoon at 4 o'clock from Temple Baptist church. Rev. David N. Morris, pastor of the church, officiated, assisted by Rev. H. Gordon Weekley, Pa3t01' oT First Haptlst church, liurlal was in the Patterson Grove church cemetery. Mr. Bridges died in a Gaston County hospital Thursday morn ing following an illness of two years. A native of Gaston county, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George W. Bridges. He was a former city commis sioner and was a director of the Kings Mountain Building and Loan Association. He was a World War I veteran, serving with the 81st Infantry division. He was a former employee of Nelsler Mills. Mr. Bridges was a charter member and deacon emeritus of Temple Baptist church. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mae Sneed Bridges, one son Ben Hudson. Jr., of Salisbury, and a brother, J. W. Bridges of Gaston la. Also surviving are two grand ?hHU first wife, Mrs. Llllie White Bridges died in 1947. Active pallbearers were Ho ward Roberts, Paul Bridges, Mel ton Hope, Jr., Bob Grlgg, Thomas Tlndall and James E. Amos. Honorary pallbearers were dea cons of Temple Baptist church and directors of Kings Mountain Building & Loan Association. Bob Patterson In Honor Group Bobby Earl Patterson, of Kings Mountain, is among 6 S students at Baylor University Initiated In the school'! chapter of Alpha Chl, national honor scholastic society Wednesday, according to an nouncement by Dr. E. B. Thomp son, faculty sponsor. Baylor Junior#, seniors and graduates who are In the upper five per cent of their claas, scho lastically, are eligible for mem bership in Alpha Chi. Tl>? re quirements for the Baylor /chap ter of Alpha Chl are high* than those for the national organiza tion which allows members from the top ?m par cent .. , * Local Phones Top 2,000 Mark Expanded telephone service was oart of substantial progress recorded In Kings Mountain in 1952, according to E. P. Farrls, Southern Bell Manager here. During 1952 the number of telephones In service Increased by 202, or approximately ten per cent. Aa the year ends, 2041 tele phones are in service, aa against 1839 at the tint at the year. . "The number of people with telephone service is regarded as a good barometer of economic health, and the number in ser vice at Klitgs Mountain oonthitt* es to Increase. We oontlnue to jBseetve a heavy volome of new applications," Mr. Farrfs said 1 Mr. Farrls explained that the total number of telephones now serving King* Mountain la two and-ope-hajf times greater than at the end of World War II. On ' ' ?U l?ui- ?? T i , January 1, 1947, there were 897 telephones in service and at the end of 1938 there were 397 tele phones In service. The expansion of Kings Moun tain's telephone system was a part of a statewide telephone growth which in 1952 added over 28,000 to the total telephones in the state. .North Carolina now has 374.800 Bell telephone* In iervlce, which is more than two and-one-third times the number In service in the state at the end of World War II. Southern Bell In 1992 provided $17,335,000 worth of additional facilities in North Carolina, ma king ? total of 992,000,009 spent In the state sln6e world War II. "In addition to providing tele phones to residents at North Carolina cities and towns Sou thern Bell has Insulted mmny rural telephones throughout the state," Mr. Farrls said. "During the past year, we have added 11,100 rural telephones in North Carolina at a cost of over $2 000.000." Mr. Farrls pointed out that Southern Bell Is aware that in spite of its tremendous expan sion program in North Carolina, there are still many persons waiting for telephone service. "Due to the rapid economic growth of this region," he added, "We still receive heavy demands for telephone service. We are working hard to meet all service needs, -both civilian and mili tary. As we enter the new year, we are confident that telephone service will continue to play an lncreaaingly important role In the economic and social life of the state." ? ? *?' Residential Users To Get Another Cut Cily power users will got an otlior cut March 1, 'according to action of the city hoard of com missioners Monday night. By 9-2 vote, the mayor break ing a tic. tiie board voted to cut residential rates an additional ten percent as of March 1. James G. Layton made the motion and Oliand Person seconded. B T. Wright and G. P. Barry opposed. M. K. Fuller, general superin tendent of public works, estima ted the cut would cost" the city about $4,000 for the romander of the fiscal year, or about $1,000 per month. The cut equalizes the rate re duction previously given com mercial users. Under present bil ling schedules, commercial users get a 20 percent discount, while residential users have been get ting only a ten percent discount* Commissioner Lloyd Davis was absent. In other actions the hoard: 1) Approved a requested change in the zoning ordinance, designating a portion of York Road neighborhood trading area rather than residential. No ob jections were voiced to the change aft<;r advertisement of Jhe proposal. . - 1 2) Voted to provide a reserved parking space on S. Piedmont avenue for the First Baptist church educational director. 3) Authorized issuance of a 'privilege license to Oakley Shenck for operation of a pool room. 4) Authorized paymer.l of a 'bill of $264 to the N. C. League of iMunicipalties for coding work. 5) Accepted the resignation of Ollie Harris as civil defense chairman, effective on obtaining of a replacement. 6) Approved a price increase of 10 cents per square foot on cemetery lots in Section 5 of Mountain Rest cemetery, effec tive February 1. Superintendent Sam Suber made the recommen dation. 7) Voted payment of $50 to the women of Second Baptist church for serving the Parsons banquet dinner. 8) Contracted with Orkin Company for pest control serv ice at City Hall for $10 a month. 9) Voted refund of $67 55 to E. k. ana j. k. Koberts for llbO ihd 1951 taxes . paid on property found to be outside, the city li mits. The board also authorized cancellation of the 1952 tax hill on the same propwty. 10) Voted to prohibit parking on the North side of W. Moun tain street, from Railroad avenue Continued On Page Eight School Next Wednesday A school of instruction for the 37th Masonic District will be held with Fairview Lodge No. 339 here in Kings Mountain Wednesday, January 21st. Beginning at 3:30 p. m. Camp Call, Lodge No. 534, will exempli fy the first degree. At 5 p. m., the Mooresboro Lodge No. 388 will exemplify the second degree. At 7:30 p. m., Cleveland Lodge No. 202 will exemplify the third de gree. All of this work will be un der the supervision of District Deputy Grand Lecturer Raymond Rhyne, of Belmont. At 6:45 p. m. barbecue will be served by "Red" Bridges of Shel by, at $1.50 per person. Persona planning to attend the supper are being asked to notify James B Sirrpson or A. B. Chandler b^ Tuesday. The meetings are open to all Master Masons. Furniture Sought For Needy Family The Kings Mountain Red Cross chapter is seeking arti cles of used furniture for tbe Hubert Hutchlns family, a ne gro family which lest its home es the night of December 27. Dm IskhiBi house on Lake Mostesia lead was complete ly dsstisyed by fire, including , all it* fmrntihl? < Persons having distant ed ar ticles el famttare (hey wish ?? call Mrs. J. If.