Population
City Limits. 7.206
nw populctlon it 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 7609. The trading area population in 1945. based
on ration board registrations at the Kings Mountain
odflce. wm 15.000.
Pages
Today
VOL. 65 NO. 30
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, July 28, 1955
Sixty-Fifth Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Local News
Bulletins
__ ... a
MOOSE MEETING
The regular meeting of
Moose Lodge No. 1748 will be
held Thursday night at the
lodge on Bessemer City road.
ON JOB MONDAY
Grady Yelton, recently nam
ed city superintendent of pub
lic works, will assume his du
ties Monday. Mr. Yelton suc
ceeds E. C. Nicholson, resigned.
HOSPITALIZED
Harold Crawford is a patient
at Charlotte Memorial hospital,
where he is receiving treat
ment for a kidney ailment. Mr.
Crawford became ill last Thur
sday night. He was reported
improved on Wednesday.
GRAHAM FILM
"London Crusade”, an hour
long documentary film of the
three - month campaign in
England of Evangelist Billy
Graham, will be shown at 7:30
Thursday night at Temple
Baptist church.
SOCIAL SECURITY
A representative from the
Gastonia Social Security Office
will be at City Hall at 9:30 a.
an., Monday and also the fol
lowing Monday, August 15.
KIWANIS MEETING
J. N. McClure. Kings Moun
tain Kiwanian, will address
members of Kings Mountain
Kiwanis Club at their regular
meeting Thursday night at
6:45 ip. m,., at Masonic Hall
dining room.
UNION SERVICE
Sunday night’s union service
for five city church congrega
tions will toe held at First Pres
byterian church with Dr. W. L.
Pressly, pastor of 'Boyce Memo
rial ARP church, to deliver the
message at 8 o’clock.
REVIVAL
Rev. Park H. Moore, Jr.., of
Gastonia, is conducting reviv
al services nightly through
Saturday at 8:15 p. m. at Dix
on Presbyterian church. Bible
school classes for all ages be
gin at 7 p. m.
KINDERGARTEN
Jack & Jill Kindergarten o
pens August 30 for the fall ses
sion and reservations should
be made as early as possible,
Mrs. Coman Falls, the director,
announced Monday.
• CHURCH PICNIC
AnnuAl Central Methodist
church picnic will be held at
Lake Montonia on Wednesday,
August 3, at 7 p. m. Members
and guests are invited to come
at any time during the after
noon. A large crowd is expect
ed to attend.
ORMAND REUNION
Annual Ormand Family re
union will ‘be held Saturday at
the old furnace picnic area at
the clan’s homeplaee- nfeat Long
Creek church. Friends of the
family arP invited.
ARP MEETING
Dr. J. M. Lesesne, president
’of- Erskine college, -Due West,
S. C., will address the men of
the church of Boyce Memorial
ARP church at their supper
meting Monday at 7 p. m. The
Macie Stevenson circle will
serve the meal.
FIRES
Two fire alarms were ans
wered Friday by Kings Moun
tain Fire department, Ted
Gamlble, fireman reported.. One
call was answered around 5 a.
m. to entinguish a mattress
fire at the home of Gene Wood.
The second call was answered
around 10 a. m. to extinguish
a trash fire at a residence on
Waco road.
METER RECEIPTS
City parking meter receipts
for the week ending Wednes
day at noon totaled $173.24,
City Clerk Gene Mitcham re
ported.
Tax Advertising
Starts Next Week
Annual advertising of sale
of real estate for delinquent
1954 tax bills will begin next
County Tax Collector Robert
M. Gidney said advertising of
county properties will begin at
that time, while City Tax Col
lector Clarence Carpenter said
city advertising would start
the following week on August
11.
Both officials urged payment
prior to the beginning of the
advertising period.
RECEIVES BRONZE STAR CERTIFICATE — First Lt. Everette (Shu)
Carlton, high school football coach, received the Bronze Star Certifi
cate Monday from First Lt. Earl S. Shrader, of Third Cargo Marine
Reserves, Charlotte. Carlton was awarded the medal in 1952 in field
ceremonies while on active duty with the Marine Corps in Korea.
He was cited for leaving his tank to successfully evacuate a wound
ed Marine infantryman from a mine field which was under intense
rifle, machine gun, and mortar fire. Carlton, who also served in
World War II, was released from active duty in June, 1952 after serv-.j
ing 15 months.
Call Is Accepted
By Quakenbush
Quakenbush
To Fill Pulpit
At First Baptist
Rev. Aubrey T. Quakenbuslv a
native of Burlington, has accept
ed a call to First Baptist Church
and will assume his duties here
on August 15.
The congregation voted on July
10 to extend an invitation to the
new pastor and on Sunday heard
his letter of acceptance read.
The young minister has been
serving as pastor of Stoney Creek
Baptist church in the Dortches
community near Rocky Mount
for nearly two years. He has also
served churches in Oklahoma
and in Burlington,.
Rev. Mr. Quakenhush attended
Brown University, Moody Bible
Institute and Southeastern Bap
tist Theological Seminary. His
wife is a native of Minnesota
and the couple have three pre
school children. They will move j
to Kings Mountain on August 15.
Rowell Lane served as chair
man of the pulpit committee and
members were Mrs. Earl Led
ford, Mrs. Eugene Roberts, Mrs.
W. B. Logan, C. G. White, W. A.
Williams and Yates Harhison.
Rev. H. Gordon Weekley, form
er pastor of the church, resigned
on December 12, 1954,- to aecept
the pastorate of Charlotte's Prov
idence Baptist church about Jan
uary 1 after serving here for 30
months. Dr. Robert A. Dyer, Gard
ner-Webb College professor, is
servipg as interim pastor.
NEW PASTOR — Rev. Aubrey T.
Quakenbush, above, has accept
ed a call to First Baptist church.
He will assume his new duties
on August 15, coming here from
Rocky Mount. •
Retailer Outing
To Be August 10
The Kings Mountain Mer
chants association will hold its
annual summer employer-employ
ee outing at Lake Montonia on
August 10, it was announced this
week.
Barbecue dinner will be served
and facilities of Lake Montonia
club for swimming and horse
shoe pitching will be available.
John H. Lewis is chairman of
the committee arranging the
evlent.
90 Negroes Petition City Board
To Re-instate. Officer Cornwell
A petition bearing the signa
tures of 90 Negro citizens has
been addressed to the mayor and
board of commissioners protest
ing the action of the board in
dismissing Policeman Laymon
Cornwell.
The petition requests the re
employment of Cornwell or ano
ther qualified Negro citizen.
Cornwell was among three po
lice department employees dis
missed by the commissioners re
cently, due to a budget cut for
police department operations.
Mayor Glee A. Bridges said
Wednesday the petitioners had
asked that the hearing foe held
at a special meeting rather than
th,e next regularly scheduled
monthly meeting. However, he
added, he had not yet made ar
rangements for a special meet
ing.
The text of the petition fol
lows:
“We, the undersigned, all Ne
gro citizens and residents of the
Town of Kings Mountain, hereby
protest the action of the board
of commissioners in discharging
the Town’s only regular Negro
policeman, Laymon Cornwell.
“We are of the opinion and are
informed that corrupt and law
less forces have influenced the
action of the commissioners a
gainst those members of the law
enforcement division who have
endeavored to maintain the best
type of order and discipline in
and about our town and commu
nity.
“As a group of citizens we urge
the board of commissioners to
take note of the marked improve
ment in race delations, the ab
sence of unfounded and needless
police brutality, the higher re
spect for and cooperation .with
the Police department on the part
of Negro citizens, and a resulting
decrease in the crime rate among
Negroes in this community. We
have no doubt that this progress
has been made primarily because
our town took a forward step in
January. 1954 and hired a Negro
policeman.
“We are interested in the con
tinued progress of our town as
well as ourselves and we do here
by petition the Mayor, Chief of
Police, and the Board of Commis
sioners to rescind the action tak
en on the 15th day of July, 1955,
and either Reinstate Laymon
Cornwell or place any other quali
fied Negro citizen on the regul? -
police force in his stead.
“In the event that this request
is not acted upon with favor with
, out delay we herehy petition the
board for a public hearing on this
matter in the presence of the
Mayor and Chief of Police.”
Military Rites
Are Conducted
For Sgt. Causby
Military burial rites were hfeld
Saturday afternoon for S/Sgt.
Bobby Lee Causby, 25, at Memo
rial Park of Mountain Rest cem
etery.
The Kings Mountain air force
isergeant and another man, ,Rol
lie Dorn, 30, of Greenwood, S. C.,
were killed instantly about 10:30
the night of July 20 in an auto
collision six miles north of
Greenwood on the Laurens high
way. Dorn, a former service
friend of Causby, was returning
home with the Kings Mountain
serviceman for a visit. Mr. and
Mrs. Larry Smith, a Greenwood
couple in the other car involved
in the collision, were not seri
ously injured.
Sgt. Causby, son of Mrs. Coley
Freeman, of Kings Mountain,
and Noah Causby, of Ninety-Six,
S. C, was a veteran of eight years
in the Air Force, having serviced
in Japan, Hawaii, and Albrook
AFB, Canal Zone. He was a na
tive of Shelby and a member of
First Baptist church of Ninety
Six.
The final rites were conducted
at First Baptist churdh, here w-jth
Dr,. R. A. Dyer,. Rev, H. G. McEl
roy, and Rev. H. T. Cooke offici
ating. The body lay in state at
the church for 30 minutes prior
to the services. A detachment
from Donaldson AFB, Greenville,
S. C., conducted the military bur
ial rites.
Surviving, in addition to Caus
by’s parents, are a brother, Noah
Causby, Jr., Kings Mountain, a
half-brother, Charles Freeman,
of Kings Mountain, and two
half-sisters, Mrs. Jimmy Suiber,
Spencer Mountain, and Miss
Mary Freeman, Kings Mountain,.
Lingerfelt Rites
Held Wednesday
Funeral rites for Mrs. Lucret
tie Summers Lingerfelt, 56, were
conducted Wednesday at 3 p. m.
from her home on York road, in
terment following in the Smyrna
cemetery.
Mrs. Lingerfelt died of a cere
bral hemorrhage Monday after
noon at 12:40 p. m. A native of
Hendersonville, she was the dau
ghter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Summers and was the
widow of John ^rank Lingerfelt,
who died in 1949.
Rites were conducted by Rev.
C. G. Shawver and Rev. J. F. Mor
gan.
Surviving are four sons, John
F. Lingerfelt, Sanford, Fla., and
Calvin, Carl, and Lester Lingter
felt, all of Kings Mountain, one
step-son, Cline Lingerfelt, Char
lotte, four daughters, Mrs. Edwin
Dixon, Mrs. Lewis Carroll, Mrs.
Norman Roper, and Mrs. George
Lovelace, Jr., all of Kings Moun
tain, a step-daughter, Mrs. J. C.
Proctor, Gaffney, S. C., four bro
thers, Tom S. Summers, Forest
City, Oscar Summers and Pink
Summers, both of Rutherfordton,
and John Summers, of Valdese,
21 grandchildren, and one great
grandchild.
Award Presented
Henry Neisler
An award for reaching the
1955 Kings Mountain Red Cross
fund goal was presented to Fund
Drive Chairman Henry Neisler
Friday night at an officers and
directors dinner meeting held at
the Country Club. The award was
presented by Rev. P. D. Patrick,
first vice' chairman of the com
mittees.
The quota reached was $5,220,
the first to be reached in several
years, Mrs. P. G. Ratterree, trea
surer of the local chapter, said.
The meeting, the first of the
new year, was held to appoint
Committees and to fnap activities
of the coming year.
Miss Antoinette Beasley, of At
lanta, Ga., and Red Cross field
representative, was guest at the
dinner. The dinner was a dutch
affair.
Retailers Decline
Changes In Policy
Directors of the Kings Moun
tain Merchants association took
no action Tuesday on a request
to change Saturday hours, and
voted to adhere to present by
laws on Wednesday afternoon
half • holiday policy.
Under present by-laws, the
Wednesday afternoon halt-holi
day is suspended Wednesday
prior to Thanksgiving and re
sumed following Christmas.
An informal pol^ of depart
ment stores on the question of
changing Saturday hours for a
6 p. m. closing resulted in a
split 3-3 vote, Mrs. Elaine Queen,
secretary, rep or ed. These stores
now close at 7 p., m. on Satur
days.
1955 Season Last For Drama
As Little Theatre Production
Crowds Increase
As Performances
Near Mid-Point
“The Sword of Gideon”, out
door drama commemorating the
Battle of Kings Mountain, moves
into its third weekend series of
performances Thursday night,
with crowds increasing as the
1955 season progresses.
Officials reported attendance
increased heavily last weekend
over the trio of opening weekend
performances. Saturday night’s
crowd of 300 viewers was tops
for the season thus far. Total for
the weekend was 800 persons.
Officials say the attendance
trend is “normal”. Past atten
dance records showed continuing
increases as the seasons progress
ed.
Curtain time at Kings Moun
tain National Military Park am
phitheatre is 8:15. Tickets may be
obtained in advance at the Little
Theatre office in the Woman’s
Club, or at the amphitheatre box
office. Admissions are: reserved
seats, $2; general admission.
$1.20; children, 60 cents. School
groups, Scout organizations and
others can obtain special rates
in groups of 20 or more.
The outdor drama is presented
by a 90-member cast on weekends
through August 13.
Lead roles are played by Biff
Leonard, of Lexington, as Reece
MacDermott, Susan Moss, of
Kings Mountain, as Sally, Doug
Swink, of Kings Mountain, as
Col. Ferguson, Dr. P. G. Padgtett,
of Kings Mountain, as Billy Ro
ver, and Mrs. M. A. Ware, of
Kings Mountain, as the Widow
Smith.
The outdoor drama is toeing
produced for the fifth season by
the Kings Mountain Little Thea
tre, Inc.
Plonk Hospital
Board Officer
The county hoard of hospital
trustees installed new members
and organized for the coming
year on July 20, electing Jack
Dover, III, of Shelby, chairman,
and William L. plonk, of Kings
Mountain, vice-chairman.
Robert Moser, hospital admin
istrator,, was re-elected secretary.
Mr. Dover succeeds R. J. Ruck
er, and Mr. Plonk succeeds
Franklin Harry, of -Grover. Both
Mr. Rucker and Mr. Harry have
completed their three-year terms
as hospital "trustees. Other retir
ing members were M. II. Walk
er, Everett Lutz, and Zeno Hord.
New members, beginning
three-year terms ending in 1958,
are R. B. Keeter, of Grover, Dr.
Fred Falls, Shelby, Edgar Cooke,
Lawndale, Hugh Davis, Waco,
and Billy Joe MeCraw, No. 3
township.
Holdover trustees, in addition
to Mr. Dover and Mr. Plonk, are
A. L. Calton, Lattimore, Carver
Bridges, Route 2, Shelby, Ladd
Hamrick, Sr,., Boiling Springs,
Lewis Hovis, Kings Mountain,
Blaine Baker, Lawndale, and W.
H. Covington, Polkville.
The organization meeting was
held at Brackett’s Cedar Park
and was attended by wives of
trustees, members of the county
medical society and the board
of county commissioners.
City Auto Moves
To New Quarters
City Auto & Home Supply is
moving this weekend into the
Battleground avenue building
owned by C. T. Bennett and most
recently occupied by Friendly Bil
lard Parlor.
The auto store is owned and
managed by Sam Collins.
A franchised Goodrich dealer,
the firm opened here in the
quarters it is vacating, on Feb
ruary 29, 1948.
Movies Attracted
640 Here Sunday
Attendance at Joy and Dixie
Theatres Sunday, third showings
on Sunday since the city amend
ed the blue law to permit Sun
day movies, totaled 640, Manager
Ed Tutor repotted.
He listed the totals as 340 at
the Joy and 300 at the Dixie.
Imperial Theatre did not op
erate. Manager Claude Welfcb
said he doubted he would offer
Sunday showings before autumn.
"SWORD’' TRIO BACKSTAGE — Pictured obove are three Kings
Mountain youths alter a performance last week of “Sword of Gide
on" at Battleground Amphitheatre. Jimmy Short plays a savage In
dian, "Dragging Canoe," while the "palefaces" are Joan Thomasson,
left, a dancer, and Evelyn Cline, dancer and make-up assistant. Per
formances are again scheduled on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
nights. (Photo by Carlisle.)
Street Payments
Top Budget Guess
Assessments
Outstanding
Now $23,152
Payments by citizens on city
public improvements assessments
totaled $6,106.55 early Wednesday
aft'ernoon. The total was more
than 20 percent above the antici
pated revenue from this source
for the fiscal year which began
July 1.
In the recently adopted budget,
the city board of fcommissioners
estimated that $5,000 would be
received from this source.
Still outstanding, however, in
various assessments, most of
them for street - paving, is $23,
152.52 from the total of $29,259.07
outstanding at the beginning Of
the fiscal year July 1. These fig
ures represent principal only and
are exclusive of interest charges,
which accrue at one-half of one
percent monthly.
City Clerk Gene Mitcham noted
that interest charges will begin,
after the close of business Satur
Continued On Page Eight
HERE SUNDAY — Rev. Harold
Gordon Harold. D. D., Pittsburg,
Pa., minister, will preach here
Sunday at morning services at
Boyce Memorial ARP church. Dr.
Harold conducted a series of ser
vices at the ARP church here in
October 1953.
Municipal-State Right-of-Way Law
Poses Problem For Town Of Grover
State law concerning highway
right-of-way through incorpora
ted towns is causing a difficul
ty for the Town of Grover and
division highway officials as
wefl as delay in completing ar
rangements for a four-lane ex
tension of Highway 29 through
Grover.
Under state law, highway
right-of-way through cities and
towns must he provided on a
share-cost basis, with the muni
cipality furnishing one-third of
the right-of-way cost, which, in
the particular instance, is esti
mated at $60,000.
Mayor Franklin Harry, of Gro
ver, says, “We’re poor folk and
just don’t have the money.” He
further notes that the Town of
Grover collects only $179 per
year in taxes from the area to
the south of the present two-lane
Highway 29.
Mayor Harry acknowledged
that the town fathers have even
discussed unincorporating that
portion of the town, if that would
solve the impasse, though he
says Grover prefers a :by-pass,
due to traffic hazards occasioned
by the railroad crossings.
Division Engineer Ed Kemper,
of Shelby, is still hopeful some
arangement can be made where
by the projected widening can
be made and said he expects to
confer with Mayor Harry and
other Grover officials in the near
future.
Meantime, paving of Iht new
section of Highwayv29, which
will by pass Kings Mountain, is
underway. This portion of the
road will he four-lane from the
intersection with U. S. 74 to the
Richard Owens property west of
Highway 161. Thence it will be
come single lane to Archdale
Farms. Present highway plans
call for another four-lane strip
from Archdale through Grover to
the South Carolina border.
Engineer Kemper doubts that
the by-pass will be opened to
regular traffic before spring of
1956.
The paving process includes a
14-inch thick gravel base, topped
with a sealing material. The by
pass will then be opened for traf
fic. Ten months to a year later,
Mr. Kemper ■ said, another top
ping of so-called “hot mix’’ will
complete the paving job.
Mr. Kemper said he doubted
the contractor could complete the
first portion of the paving, esti
mated at 10 to 12 miles with the
four-lane part, by October 15, fi
nal 1955 date for applying the
seal coat. Weather problems af
ter October 15 prevent the con
tinuance of the paving process.
Tasks Buigeon
For Volunteer
Cast And Staff
^ The Kings Mountain Little
Theatre will discontinue produc
tion of “The Sword of Gideon” at
the end of the current season, ac
cording to recent vote of the or
ganization.
Concurrently, spokesman for
the organization offered the hope
that some other group, perhaps
a college drama organization,
will consider continuing the pro
duction in future years.
The Little Theatre statement
noted that continuance of the
drama on the present volunteer
basis is proving increasingly dif
ficult with both cast and produc
tion staffs finding the task more
demanding bach year,
The Little Theatre is currently
in its fifth season of production
of an outdoor drama commemo
rating the Battle of Kings Moun
tain, famous Revolutionary War
engagement. In 1951, the Little
Theatre produced Robert Os
bornb’s “Then Conquer We
Must!”. Since 1952, the Little
Theatre has produced Florette
Henri’s “The Sword of Gideon”.
The Little Theatre statement
read: “It is with great difficulty
that we make this decision, but
it is the feeling of the members
that we have accomplished our
original purpose of bringing the
heritage of our area to the fore
front. It is emphasized that the
decision is not motivated by a
lack of the venture’s success, but
rather because of it. While the
production is a non-profit ven
ture, the productions have at
tracted sufficient box office to de
fray the expenses of production
which are in the range of $7,000
to $10,000 per season. Average
attendance for the first four
years has been 450 per perfor
mance, and the only sbrious cri
ticism has concerned the limited
number of performances each
season.”
The current season will con
tinue for three more weekends,
with performances each Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday even
ing through August 13. The 15
performance 1955 season is the
longest of the five.
The drama is presented on the
site of the battle it commemo
rates at Kings Mountain National
Military Park amphitheatre.
Bessemer City Man
Indicted By Police
A route 1, Bessemer City, man
was indicted Friday by Kings
Mountain Police department on
a charge of driving while drunk.
The indictment stemmed from
an automobile collision the same
day involving Dewey L. Kiser
and Ruby L. Alexander, of Box
294.
Police report stated both ears
had stopped for a traffic light at
the intersection of Linwood road
and Cleveland avenue. When the
traffic signal changed, Kiser at
tempted to pass the Alexander
vehicle, and in passing struck the
car on the left rear fender. Mrs.
Alexander was listed by police as
driving a 1954 Oldsmobile, while
Kiser was driving a 1954 Buick.
Property damages were estimat
ed to total'$608.55.
Trial for Kiser has been set
for Monday in City Recorder’s
court.
Monday, a wire fence at Duke
Power sub station was damaged
by a 1941 Chevrolet owned by
William Head, of 102 Cleveland
avenue. Police report stated the
i brakes on the car, which was
parked on N. Gaston street, fail
ed to hold causing the car to hit
the fence. Property damages
were estimated to total $287.08.
The accidents were investigated
by Kings Mountain Police depart
ment.
License Penalty
To Apply Tuesday
Penalty for late purchase of
city privilege licenses begins
after the close of business
Monday.
City Clerk Gene Mitcham
! reported license purchases to
taled $3,655.75 early Wednes
day afternoon, or only slightly
more than half the estimated
total of this revenue source.
Penalty of five percent per
month applies, beginning Au
gust 2.