Population
City Limits.. 7.206
Tbm population Is from the V. S. Government census
report for 1950. The Census Bureau estimates the nation's
population gain since 1950 at 1.7 percent per year, which
means Kings Mountain's 1954 population should approxi
mate 7909. The trading area population In 1945. based
an ration board registrations at the Kings Mountain
office, was 15.000.
1 A Pages
IT1 Today
/OL 65 NO. 27
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, July 7, 1955
Sixty-Fifth Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Local News
Bulletins
HOMECOMING
Lave Valley Baptist church
will hold homecoming services
with dinner and an afternoon
program of singing Sunday, it
was announced toy Rev. Earl M.
(Redding, pastor. The church is
located near the former Dixon
school on route two.
ATTEND SYNOD
(Rev. IP. D. Patrick and C. D.
Blanton will attend a two day
meeting of Presbytery Synod
at Barium Springs Orphanage
next Tuesday and Wednesday.
AT CONVENTION
-W. A. Childers attended a
convention of Carolinas Roof
ing, Heating, and Sheet Metal
worker's In session June 30
July 3 at Myrtle Beach, S. C.
LEGION MEETING
Regular July meeting of A
merican Legion Post 155 will
be held at the Legion Hall Fri
day at 8 ip. ip. according to an
nouncement by W. D. (Red)
Morrison, commander.
TO CONVENTION
Mr,, and Mrs. Martin Harmon
will leave Thursday for Win
ston - Salem, where they will
attend the annual convention
of the North Carolina Press
association.
HARRIS BETTER
Ollie Harris, Jr., hospitaliz
ed since last Friday with a
throat infection at Kings
Mountain, hospital, was repor
ted improved Wednesday and
expected to return Thursday to
Columbia, S. C., where he is en
rolled in summer school.
NO TYPING CLASS
The city schools will not foe
able to offer a summer course
in typing, Supt. !B. N. Barnes
said yesterday, due to insuffi
cient registrations. Mr. Barnes
said an effort to organize a
class in the fall, perhaps to be
taught at night, may be made.
GOFORTHS MOVE
Mr. and Mrs* Ben H. Goforth,
Jr., have occupied their newly
completed home on Shelby
road.
IN NEW HOME
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Goter and
family moved last Friday into
their new home on Hillside
Drive in Crescent Hill. The Go
ters formerly resided at Mau
ney Apartments on W. Moun
tain street.
KIWANIS MEETING
Kings Mountain Kiwanis
club will hold their regularly
weekly meeting with a Barbe
cue supper at the ipicnic
grounds at Lake Montonia
Thursday night at 7 o’clock.
Wives and guests are invited
to the Barbecue.
MOOSE MEETING
Members of the Kings Moun
tain Moose Lodge No. 1748 will
hold their regular meeting
Thursday night at 8:15 at the
lodge on Bessemer City road.
METER RECEIPTS
Receipts from city parking
meters for the week ending
Wednesday at noon totaled
$160.21, Miss Grace Carpenter,
of city clerk’s office, reported.
Mr. ond Mrs. Kincaid
Leave For Europe
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold W. Kin
caid left Wednesday for New
York, prior to leaving Monday
for a European tour.
The Kincaids will travel via
Royal Sabena Airlines, to Man
chester, England, and will spend
several days touring Scotland and
England before going to Holland,
Germany, Switzerland and
France.
Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid explect to
arrive on the return flight to
New York on July 28.
fune Postal Receipts
Show Big Increase
Receipts during June at Kings
Mountain postoffice showed a
healthy increase over last June,
and the added total almost wiped
out lower figures for other mon
ths during thte second quarter.
Acting Postmaster W. T. Weir
said June receipts totaled $5,794,
29, or $832.83 more than the total
for June 1954.
Quarterly totals showed the se
cond quarter of 1954 receipts
slightly ahead, with $14“,053.66,
compared to $13,779.48 for the
three months fending last Thurs
day.
Crawford, Gantt
To Build Homes
fanners nan
34-House Project
On N. Watterson
Wilson Crawford and W. M.
Gantt, Kings Mountain business
men, expect to build a 34-house
residential development on N.
Watterson street within the next
12 months, the partners told thfe
city board of commissioners last
Thursday morning.
Mr. Crawford made the. state
ment to the commissioners in
the course of a request by him
and Mr. Gantt for utilities ser
vice. He said ten houses for re
sale to privafie owners will be
built “at once” and that the oth
ers will be built as demand de
velopes, which he anticipated
would be within the year. He said
the partners have completed a
gretement to purchase property
from W. A. Williams on the east
side of Watterson street.
After considerable discussion. I
the commissioners voted unani
mously to furnish water, sew
age, electrical and natural -gas
service on Watterson strfeet im
mediately and to other streets
in the proposed development as
the houses are constructed. The
board also entered into an agree
ment on street - paving with Mr.
Crawford and Mr. Gantt, where
by the partnership will pave the
streets, with the city to re-im
burse the partnership its one
third pro rata share of th'e cost
within two years.
Mr. Crawford had explained
that the development would be
FMA-financed and that proof of,
availability of facilities is requir
ed before final approval of finan
cing could be obtained from FHA.
The board action on utilities
and on the paving agrelement was
made on motion of .Commissioner
J. H. Patterson, with Commis
sioner O. T. Hayes, Sr., seconding.
To objections on grounds of
availability of funds for the city
services, Mr. Crawford told the
board, “The city is trying to
grow, the first time I can remem
ber, and I’ve lived hfere all my
life. It’s up, to you gentlemen to
decide whether this potential
growth will be pushed forward
or held DacK.
He noted that the development
would add a sizeable total to the
tax valuation of the city, and
would add customers for both
power and natural gas, two city
profit-making functions.
Pleading lack of available
funds, Mayor Glee Bridges first
Suggested that the city agree only
to furnish serviaes for Watterson
street, but Mr. Crawford said this
portion would serve only five
housfes, with eight "already spok
en for”. The Mayor also noted a
dirt-filling problem is involved,
and Mr. Gantt said the partners
would supply the engineering to
determine the requirements.
lack Reynolds
New Patiolnan
RALEIGH — State Highway
Patrol headquarters announced
recently the appointment of 15
rookie troopers to fill existing
vacancies in patrol ranks.
Among the newcomers was
Jack J. Reynolds, 29, of 401 W.
Mountain Street, Kings Moun
tain.
Patrolman Reynolds was sworn
in by Secretary of State Thad
Eure at ceremonies in Patrol
Commander James R. Smith’s of
fice.
He is a 1942 graduate of Cen
tral High School and was former
ly employed by Belk’s in Kings
Mountain.
Trooper Reynolds is a World
War II Navy veteran. He is mar
ried with two children.
Patrol headquarters said hh
will be assigned to duty in Lin
colnton.
Gas Tap Fee $30
For 60-Foot Line
The city board of commis
sioners has set a minimum gas
tap fee of $30, three times the
“bargain” tap fee charged dur
ing the construction of the nat
ural gas distribution system,
but considerably less than the
indicated tap fee of $55 to $75.
The fee set by the board on
unanimous action is $30 for
service up to 60 feet, plus a
half-dollar for each additional
foot required.
Gas Supt. Vincent Beachum
said departmental experience
indicated $30 would cover cost
of a 60-foot installation.
Carroll Youth
Hit By Racer
Harold Carroll, 12-year-old son
of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn R. Carroll,
Benlieia rd., Cora Mill, was criti
cally injured Monday afternoon
when struck by a race car at
Gaffney, S. C.
Young Carroll was attending
the Fourth of July stock car rac
es with his tyro brothers, Gene
and Kirk Carroll, who werle par
ticipating in the races. His father
reported that the car which
struck the boy ran off the track
into a crowd of racers in the in
field who were preparing their
cars for the next races. Carroll
and his brothers wfere working on
the Carroll vehicle, it was report
ed, and the youth had gone after
water for the car when the acci
dent occurred.
The youth was struck by a No.
5 car driven by a Kannapolis
man. No charges were preferred.
Carroll is a patient in Cherokee
County, S. C., hospital where he
is receiving treatment for a frac
tured skull, a broken leg, and
left lung injuries. His condition
is slightly improved.
Foote To Appeal
NLRB Decision
Foote Mineral Company will
appeal to United States district
court an order 'by the National
Labor Relations board to reem
ploy Robert P. Martin, discharg
ed last summer.
The NIRB last week upheld
an order previously issued on
findings of Trial Examiner John
Hi. Eadie, following a hearing in
Gastonia last November. Mr.
Eadie had ruled that Martin was
fired last August 5 because of his
membership in and activities on
.behalf of the United States Steel
workers of America (CIO.)
Jim Castle, Foote’s general
manager here, said his company
will appeal the decision to fed
eral court.
County To Resume
Anti-Polio Shots
Cleveland County health office
expects to resume Salk anti-polio
vaccinations as soon as more
vaccine is obtained, Mrs. Eliza
beth Scruggs, of the health de
partment, said Wednesday.
Mrs. Scruggs said Dr. Z. P. Mit
chell, Cleveland County health
officer, was advised this week
by Dr. J,. W." R. Norton, state
board of health, that release of
the vaccine is expected within
30 days.
Resumption of the vaccination
schedule of school children will
probably begin July 25 when
county schools convene for sum
mer terms, she said.
LIONS MEETING
Regular Hons meeting will
be held Tuesday night at 7:00
o’clock at Masonic hall. The
program will be presented by
members of the 1955-56 pro
gram committee.
Little League Re-plays Ordered
To Determine Final Standings
Both the front-runners In the
Kings Mountain Little League
lost games June 30 as Kiwanis
defeated Burlington and Jaycees
downed Park Grace.
K. E. (Red) Morrison, presi
dent of the league, has announc
ed that Burlington and Park
Grace must re play a pair of tie
games to determine the final
standings.
Hie two clubs are scheduled
to play on Tuesday and Wednes
day at the Little League field in
the make-up games. If Burlington
currently in.second place, should
drop both games the club would
be tied with Kiwanis, necessitat
ing a playoff game for second
place. That contest, if needed,
will be played on July 14.
Mr. Morrison also announced a
league all-star game between
teams from the first and fourth
place clubs and the second and
third - plade clubs. The best-of
three series is to be played July
19-20-21.
The tournament all-star team
is to be announced on July 21' the
date state elimination play be
tween the leagues Is to bfegin.
Willie Ramsey
Funeral Rites
Are Conducted
Funeral services for*Willie An
thony Ramsey, 52, were conduct
ed Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’
clock from First Baptist church,
with interment following in
Mountain Rlest cemetery.
Mr. Ramsey, Bessemer City
textile employee and former own
er of Bonnie Mill Store, died en
route to Kings Mountain hospital
Monday afternoon after wound
ing himself in the right side of
the chest with a .32-caliber pistol.
Coroner J. Ollie Harris, after
an investigation, ruled the death
a suicide and said no inquest
would be necessary. He was aided
In the investigation by Chief of
Police Hugh A. Logan, Jr., and
Officer Paul Saunders.
The shooting occurred about
4:45 p. m. in the bedroom of the
Ramsey residence on Maple
street. Two children, Delbert
Ramsey and Mrs. Shirley Bell,
and a neighbor, Mrs. Robert
Ware, werfe in the kitchen at the
time. The victim was pronounced
dead on arrival at the hospital.
Coroner Harris said members
of his family told him Mr. Ram
sey had previously threatened
suicide.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Onice Falls Ramsey, his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ramsey,
Washington, D. C.; three sons,
Dean, Delbert and Billy Gene
Ramsey, all of Kings Mountain;
a daughter, Mrs. Shirley Bell, of
Kings Mountain; a brother, Bu
rel Ramsey, Silver Springs, Md.;
four sisters, Mrs. Bonnie Adams,
Washington, D. C., Mrs. Harvy
Mangum, Clarksville, Ga., Miss
Irene Ramsey, Baltimore, Md.,
and Mrs. Lucille Wright, Kings
Mountain; and five grandchil
dren.
The funeral service was con
ducted by Paul Johnson, educa
tional director of First Baptist
church, assisted by Rev. Yancey
Littlejohn Rites
Held Tuesday
Funeral services for Charles H.
Littlejohn, 67, were conducted
Tuesday at 2 p. m, from Temple
Baptist church, interment follow
ing in Mountain Rest cemetery.
Mr. Littlejohn died Saturday
night at 11 p. m. in a Johnson
City, Tenn., veteran’s hospital
following an illness of seven
years. A native of Cherokete Coun
ty, S. C., he was a former mail
carrier. He was a member of
Temple Baptist church and a
World War I veteran, serving as
a private first class in an army
medical division.
Surviving are three sons, Char
les Littltejohn, Denver, Colo.,
John Littlejohn, Charlotte, and
Bobby LittlejOhn, Kings Moun
, tain, four daughters, Miss Betty
Littlejohn, Charlotte, Mrs. Nell
Stacey, Mrs. Peggy Fraley, and
Miss Mary Littlejohn, all of
Kings Mountain, and four grand
children.
Members of Otis D. Green Post
155, the American Legion, serv
ed as active pallbearers.
June Employment
Figure Constant
Employment in Kings Moun
tain remained relatively con
stant in June, with a slight drop
off in total claims for unemploy
ment compensation, regarded as
a major barometer of economic
well-being.
Franklin Ware, manager of the
North Carolina Employment Ser
vice 'branch office, said his of
fice received a total of 1248
claims for jobless pay during the
four weeks ending June 25, or an
average of 312 per week.
Meantime, the employment
service received 85 requests to
fill vacancies, and was a'ble to
supply workers for 61 of these
jobs. The employment service re
ceived 98 jab applications during
the month.
Mr. Ware said demand for tex
tile and construction employees
remained constant during the
month, with the only noticeable
drop-off in demand for domestic
workers. Up noted this Is not un
common during summer months.
Air-Conditioning
Work Proceeding
Installation of air-conditioning
units at Kings Mountain hospital
is underway and the cut-on should
be ready by next week, Business
Manager Grady Howard said
Wednesday.
L. A. Hoke, Kings Mountain
electrical contractor, was low
bidder on the wiring contract.
Individual room units are being
installed in all the patient rooms
of the present plant
Yelton Named Public Works
Chief; Board Meets Thursday
Biush Removal
Service 01 City
To Be Continued
The city board of commission
ers voted last Thursday to em
ploy Grady Yelton, Kings Moun
tain citizen, as superintendent of
public works, delayed action on
cutting the police department
roster, and failed to discontinue
its brush-removal service.
Commissioners W. G. Gran
tham, O. T. Hayes, Sr., and T. J.
Ellison objected to suspension of
the brush-hauling service, but a
greed that the city sanitary de
partment should not be expected
to remove large trees nor debris
from lot-cleanings preparatory to
new construction. The board indi
cated that shrub trimmings and
small brush would still be remov
ed from residences, with Wednes
days designated as the day for
this particular job. Mayor Brid
ges had indicated suspension of
the service, on the grounds the
city Couldn't afford the cost of
twice-weekly garbage collections,
plus brush-removal service.
The police department cut back
was tabled for action at Thurs
day night’s regular meeting.
Chief Hugh A. Logan, Jr., is to
make recommendation on lay
off of three to conform with bud
get parings. Final action will be
taken by the commissioners.
ivir. leiura, currenuy empioyea
by J. D. Lowder construction
company, was employed at a sa
lary of $350 per month, same a
mount paid his predecessor, E. C.
Nicholson. He is expected to as
sume the duties about August 1.
Only other applicant for the po
sition was B. O. Weaver.
The board also finally adopted,
with two amendments and sub
ject to approval of its engineers,
the 1955-56 gas department bud
get, previously adopted tentative
ly. The changes included addition
of a $1,000 expense item for por
tion of salary of J. W. Webster,
who devotes a part of his time to
gas department work, and upp
ing of the labor appropriation
from $2400 to $4000. Vincent Bea
eftum, gas superintendent, ex
plained that the $2400 would cov
er less than the amount required
for one man. Two are currently
employed. Mr. Beachum said both
’would be requirted with the be
ginning of cold weather.
In a technical action, the board
adopted an “interim” budget to
provide operating funds until the
1955-56 budget is adopted finally.
The action provides that prior
year appropriations will limit ex
penditures until the ntew budget
is enacted.
The board confirmed a long
public improvements assessment
scroll totaling more than $11,000.
Only one protestant appeared for
the formal hearing, J. P. Lackey
stating that work fronting Lac
key property on Rams'eur street
had been done without his prior
knowledge. He questioned whe
ther the original petition covered
a majority of the property. May
or Bridges said it did.
In other actions the board:
1) Approvted advertising for
bids for sale of the enclosed gar
bage truck the city has used for
several years, but delayed action
on a proposal to get a new bed
for a city dump truck at net cost
Continued On Page Eight
Betty Vance Wins
Scholarship
At the commencement exerci
ses at Meredith College, Raleigh
North Carolina, Miss Betty Van
ce, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Zeb
'B. Vance of Macon, Ga., and
granddaughter of Mrs. Richard F.
Elam and the late Mr. Elam of
Kings Mountain, was awarded
the Ida Poteat Scholarship given
each year 'by the Meredith Alum
nae Association to the most out
standing member of the. rising
senior class.
It iwas the first time the award
hAs been given to a daughter of
a Meredith graduate. Mrs^ Vance
is the former Miss Mary Eliza
beth Elam of Kings Mountain.
Miss Vance is a member of
Kappa Nu Sigma, scholastic
honor society; Silver Shield, hon
orary leadership society; and is
president of the student body
and Student Government Coun
cil for next year. During the
summer she is serving as water
front director at Sky Ranch,
summer camp for physically
handicapped children at Blowing
Rode
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OPENING NIGHT NEAR FOR BATTLE DRAMA — In modern dress
of Bermuda shorts and long plaid socks, Cynthia Plott resembles a
bonnie lass from Scotland, out of the Revolutionary era, as she is
pictured at the ticket booth of Kings Mountain National Military
Park amphitheatre, where the outdoor historical drama "Sword of
Gideon" will open for a 15-performance season on the night of July
14. The drama, commemorating the Battle of Kings Mountain, is
staged and produced by Kings Mountain Little Theatre. (Photo by
Harley Ferguson.)
Cast Is Announced
«
For Battle Drama
new renoimers.
Veterans Listed
For 1955 Holes
The cast of “The Sword of Gi
deon” this summer contains a
number of familiar faces blended
with a group of newcomers to
the National Military Park Am
phitheatre.
Appearing in thle drama based
on the famous Battle of Kings
Mountain will be a group of sea
soned veterans who are repeating
roles, in some instances, for the
fourth or fifth season, a few new
comers to the world of outdoor
drama, and a group of college
dramatics students. As in years
past, the cast comes from many
communities in this area, yet di
rector Dan Bly stated that this
season a larger number of Kings
Mountain citizens will appear in
leading roles.
Local actors repeating charac
terizations from previous ytears
are: Susan Moss, playing the fe
male lead, Sally, for the second
year; Meek Carpenter, a five
year veteran of the project, and
this year serving as the drama’s
general manager as well; Dr.
Philip Padgett, ndw in his fourth
Continued On Page Eight
City To Return
To Metal Car Tag
Kings Mountain motorists
will get an old-fashioned city
auto tag for their dollar in
1956.
The board of commissioners
voted unanimously last Thurs
day morning to return to the
strip metal tag used until 1954,
when the city switched to decal
type window stickers.
The city expects to obtain
its single tags from the North
Carolina prison department
and will order it in colors to
harmonize with North Caro
lina’s 1956 auto tag.
Imperial Theatre
To Reopen Thursday
The Imperial Theatre, after be
ing closed for several weeks for
remodeling will re-open Thursday
for businesc. Claude Webb, man
ager of the theatre, announced.
The theatre, Mr. Webb said,
will operate temporily on a week
end schedule, on Thursday, Fri
days, and Saturdays. In several
weeks, after remodeling of the
building has been completed, a
full schedule will be resumed, Mr.
Webb said.
Kings Mountain's 1954 Tax Bill
89.75 Percent Paid At Year-End
Kings Mountain citizens paid
891.75 percent of their gross 1954
tax bill during the fiscal year
ended June 30, City Tax Supervi
sor Clarence E. Carpenter said
yesterday.
Noting that the final figures
are subject to re checking, Mr.
Carpenter said preliminary totals
show total payments during the
year of $147,648.06 against the
gross levy of $164,510.08. The to
tal levy includes the $2 poll tax.
In addition, the tax office gave
receipts for $6,207.83 in taxes
for 1953 and other prior years.
Mr. Carpenter’s report shows
that $16,862.06 remains uncollec
ted from the 1954 levy.
He reminded taxpayers that
advertising of real estate for sale
due to unpaid 1954 taxes will be
gin in August and said letters
will be mailed soon to persons
who have not paid personal pro
perty taxes informing them that
the properties are subject to lien
for taxes and/or that their wages
are subject to garnishment foi
the delinquent taxes on person
al property.
Police Roster
Paring, Reports
On City Agenda
The city board of commission
ers will convene again Thursday
night at 8 o’clock for the regular
monthly session, with one of the
principal items on the agenda the
prospective paring of the police
department roster to eleven.
The matter was tabled at last
Thursday’s special meeting of
the commissioners.
Last Friday Mrs. Juanita Falls,
desk sergeant on the day shift,
was discharged. Chief Hugh Lo
gan said Mrs. Falls was asked to
resign, but declined.
Two policemen thus face dis
charge Thursday night, but the
identity of the two could not be
learned from Chief Logan, who
will be asked to recommend the
two men for discharge, nor from
the five city commissioners, who
will accept or reject the Logan
recommendation.
Commissioner W. G. Grantham
said he would support the Logan
recommendation, though he did
n’t know what the recommenda
tion would be. Mr. Grantham said
he felt it poor administrative po
licy to over-ride decisions of de
partment heads.
The paring could be avoided
only by changes in the 1955-56
budget'which has been tentative
ly adopted with a police depart
ment appropriation providing for
11 officers, including the chief.
"Will the budget be discussed
further Thursday night,” Mayor
Bridges was asked. He said he
doubted it would be.
Mayor Bridges said the remain
der of the agenda for the meeting
appeared routine, as of Wednes
day morning.
At the monthly meeting, the
board customarily approves min
utes of previous special meetings
held during the month, receives
monthly reports from depart
ment heads, and other related
business. •
Tabled last week was sugges
tion by Chief Logan for installa
tion of a traffic signal at the
corner of Piedmont avenue and
Linwood road.
Eanes Resigning
Church Position
Thomas Eanfes, minister of mu<
sic at First Presbyterian church,
has accepted a position with
First Methodist church, Houston,
Texas, and will complete his du
ties here next week.
Mr. Eanes will give an organ
recital at morning church ser
vices Sunday at 11 o’clock. He
joined thb Kings Mountain chur
ch staff last September, succeed
ing Franklin Pethel.
A graduate of Furman Univer
sity, Greenville, S. C., Mr. Eanes
attended the Chaplain’s School of
William and Mary College, Vir
ginia, while serving in thfe navy
for two years, and studied one
summer at Union Seminary Scho.
ol of Sacred Music, New York. He
has worked as a vocal coach and
accompanist for singers of opera
and oratorio and spent six sea
sons as coach and assistant con
ductor of the opera company at
Chautauqua, New York.
Rites Conducted
For Mi. Layton
Funeral rites for James
(Wash) Layton, 64, were con*
ducted Tuesday at 4 p. m from
St. Matthew’s Lutheran church,
interment following in Mountain
Rest cemetery.
Mr. Layton died Sunday at 4 p.
m. at his home at 404 Wilson
street of a heart condition. He
had been ill for three months. A
native of Rutherford county he
had lived in Kings Mountain al
most all his life.
He was a formfer employee of
Bonnie Mills and was a member
of St. Matthew’s Lutheran chur
ch.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Hattie Randall Layton, stepmoth
er, Mrs. Minnie Layton, of Ruth
erfordton, one son, James G.
(Red) Layton, of Kings Moun
tain, two stepbrothers, three
step-sisters, and four grandchil
dren.
Rev. R. D. Fritz conducted the
final rites.
Pallbearers were Roy Howard,
Herschel Elgin, T. C. McKee,
William Cashion, Ray Cline, and
Gus Kiser.