Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10.320
City Limits 7,206
tlM figure for Greater Kings Mountain is derived from
the 1855 Kings Mountain city directory census. The City
Units figure Is irom the United States census of 1950.
OH Pages
ZU Today
VOL 65 NO. 40
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, October 6, I9551
Sixty-Fifth Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Local News
Bulletins
HOSPITALIZED
Dan Huffstetler, general man
ager of Baird’s Furniture Com
pany, was admitted to Kings
Mountain hospital Tuesday for
treatment and Observation.
MOOSE MEETING
The regular meeting of
Moose Lodge No. 1748 will ‘be
held Thursday night at the
lodge on Bessemer Cityjoad.
IN SORORITY
Miss Bety Prince daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Prince,
of Shelby, former residents,
was recently pledged to Delta
Delta Delta sorority at Brenau
college, Gainsville, Ga., where
she is a member of the fresh
man class.
HAHBRIGHT REUNION
, Annual reunion of the des
cendants of Co. Frederick Ham
bright will -be held at Antioch
Baptist church near Grover
Sunday, Oct. 9, at 12:15. Din
ner will be served and a pro
gram and business session will
follow, J. Ollie Harris, secre
tary, announced. Bobby Ham
bright, of Grover, is president
of the clan.
ONE FIRE
Kings Mountain Fire De
partment was called Sunday to
the home of Johnny Houser,
304 Parker street, to extinguish
a trash .blaze which had ignit
ed in a container located on
the back .porch of the residen
ce, according to a report re
ceived from the department.
METER RECEIPTS
City parking meter receipts
for the week ending noon
Wednesday totaled $203.25, ac
cording to Miss Grace Carpen
ter, of city clerk’s, .office. The
street parking meters returned
$160.23, while the Cherokee
parking lot meters returned
$43.02, she reported.
SCOUT PROGRAM
Kings Mountain Girl Scouts
will present a program at the
Thursday night meeting of the
Kings Mountain Kiwanis club.
The program will be directed
„ by Mrs. J. N. McClure, Kings
Mountain Girl Scout chairman.
The club convenes at Masonic
Dining hall at 6:45.
ATTEND MEETING
Franklin L. Ware, Jr., and
Everette 'McNeilly of the Kings
Mountain office of the North
Carolina Employment Securi
ty Commission attended a
meeting Thursday at the Insti
tute of Government in Chapel
Hill. The meeting was for em
ployment security and indus
trial committee workers. Gov.
Luther Hodges spoke to the
group on “Economic Develop
ment in North Carolina,” and
pointed out the many assets
offered new industries by the
state.
lean Hicks Nominee
For FHA Office
Jean Hicks, of Kings Mountain,
will be a candidate for vice
president of the North Carolina
Future Homemakers of America
at Saturday’s district meeting at
Rutherfordton, it was announced
this week by officials of the high
school chapter.
Some 42 members of the Kings
Mountain chapter are expecting
meeting to support their candi
date. Previously the chapter has
sent out information on the can
didate to other chapters in the
district.
Miss Hicks was termed by he,
faculty advisor, Mrs. John Gam
ble, an outstanding student
and leader in the FHA chapter.
Miss Hicks is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Hicks.
Nice Thiel Returns
Church's Guitar
A thief who evidently had
more conscience than musical
ability has returned ane lec
tric guitar and guitar case
stolen September 30 from the
Parker Street Church of God.
Chief of Police Hugh A. Lo
gan, Jr., stated the stolen arti
cles were found early Wednes
day morning near the church’s
parsonage iby Rev. W. E. Lank
ford, pastor of the church. The
articles were evidently return
ed sometime Tuesday night by
the thief, he said.
The guitar and case were '
two of several articles stolen
by culprits who made a raid
the latter part of last month
on churches, cars, and a school.
McLarty, Barber
Will Fill Pulpits
TRANSFERRED — Rev. P. L.
Shore, Jr., for the post three
years pastor of Central Methodist
church, was assigned as pastor
of Hendersonville's First Metho
dist church by the recently con
vened Methodist conference. He
will conduct his final services
here on Sunday.
Mauney To Head
Gill Scout Drive
George H. Mauney will serve
as chairman of Kings Mountain’s
1955 fund campaign for the Girl
Scout organization, to be con
ducted the week of October 17-28,
it was announced this week by R.
S. Lennon, % member of the Pio
neer Area council finance com
mittee.
Goal of the Kings Mountain
campaign is $1,200.
The area goal is $19,243, it was
announded by Mrs. F. A. Young,
of Gastonia, council president.
Mrs. J. N. McClure is Kings
Mountain Girl Scout chairman.
In- commenting on the fund
campaign, local officials noted
that the funds will be used to
finance the work of the council,
to develop and organize new
troops, to provide training for
volunteer adult leadership, to pro
vide year-round programs in Girl
Scout training in home-making,
outdoor living, and citizenship.
Mrs. Young reported, “We have
a membership of 1051 girls, ages
seven through seventeen with ap
proximately 400 more girls in
troops in the process of organiza
tion this fall in the Pioneer Area,”
Mrs. Young said >n announcing
the drive. “Through the Girl
Scout program of fun, service and
training in good citizenship, they
are growing up to be better quali
fied to undertake the Responsibi
lity that will be theirs in the
home and as active citizens of
their community.”
Builders Buy
Eight Permits
Crawford & Gantt, Inc., pur
chased building permits for eight
residencies to be constructed on
Belvedere Circle and Waterson
street last Friday, v
The permits called for build
ing of eight houses at $6,500 each,
the eight permits totalling $52,
000.
Building Inspector J. W. Wtebs
ter said it was the largest num
ber of permits he had issued at
one time in Kings Mountain.
Mr. Webster also reported is
suance of a building permit Mon
day to T. F. Bridges for the con
struction of a brick residence on
Sipes street at an estimated cost
of $8,000.
HAYES IN HOSPITAL
City Commissioner O. T.
Hayes, Sr., is reported in seri
ous condition at Gaston Me
morial hospital, following a
heart attack he suffered Sun
day.
Pulpit Changes
Aie Announced;
Sides Returns
Two Kings Mountain Metho
dist churches will have new pas
tors soon, as a result of assign
ments announced at the close of
last weekend’s annual Western
North Methodist conference held
in Charlotte.
At Central Methodist church,
Rev. James B. McLarty, pastor of
Mooresville’s Central church, will
replace Rev. P. L. Shore, Jr.,
Central Methodist pastor for the
past three years. Rev. Mr. Shore
will become the pastor of First
Methodist church, Henderson
ville.
At El-Bethel Methodist, Rev. J.
M. Barber, who has been serving
as pastor of the Jonesville Metho
dist church, was assigned to this
pastorate, succeeding Rev. Boyce
Huffstetler, now on a leave of
absence from the conference to
continue his education at Emory
university.
Rev. W. C. Sides, Jr., was re
turned to Grace Methodist church
for a second year.
Rtev. Mr. McLarty, son of Rev.
E. K. McLarty, retired Methodist
minister, is a graduate of Duke
university and was accepted into
the conference in 1930. He has
held pastorates at Trinity church,
Asheville, at Marion and First
church, Belmont, and served as a
navy chaplain during World War
II. He and Mrs. McLarty have
three children.
Rev. Mr. Barber is a brother of
S. T. Barber, member of the El
Bethel church, the Herald was
informed.
Rev. Mr. Shore will conduct his
final church services oh Sunday,
with a communion service sched
uled on Sunday morning. He said j
his family would move to Hend-1
ersonville next Tuesday.
TO SPEAK HERE — Rev. R. H.
Stone, D. D., general secretary of
Mecklenburg Presbytery, will
speak at First Presbyterian chur
ch here on Sunday evening at
7:30.
Presbyterians
To Hear Stone
Rev. R. H. Stone, D. D., gene
ral secretary of Mecklenburg
Presbytery, willl speak at First
Presbyterian church here on Sun
day evening at 7:30, it was an
nounced by the pastor, Rev. P. D.
Patrick.
Dr. Stone is a native of Stone
ville, a graduate of Davidson col
lege and Union Theological semi
nary, Richmond, Va. Prior to his
appointment as presbytery sec
retary, he established a reputa
tion for his work in home mis
sions by organizing several
churchtes in Ashe county, Mr. Pat
rick reported, and is recognized
as leader in church extension
work in the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian church.
“Dr. Stone is an able and out
standing man, “Mr. Patrick said,
“and we extend a cordial invita
tion to the public to hear his add
ress here Sunday evening.
MEETING TUESDAY
The Kings Mountain Lions
Club will hold its regular mon
thly meeting Tuesday night at
7 o’clock at Masonic Hall, the
Rev. Douglas Fritz, program
chairman announces.
Prince, Harbison, Alexander
Top Postmaster Examination
Garnishee Action
"Response" Good;
Drive Continues
Terming "response” good to 50
garnishee actions, taken last
week to force payment of delin
quent tax bills, City Tax Collect
or Clarence E. Carpenter Wednes
day urged other delinquents to
visit the office to make arrange
ments to pay their accounts and
thus to avoid garnishee action.
Large number of the 50 on
whom garnishee actions were ta
ken have already paid their ac
counts, Mr. Carpenter added.
Many said they’d just neglected
to pay them and the tax collect
or added he was very grateful for
their actions and attitudes.
Persons may arrange to pay
their old tax bills on piecemeal
basis, he noted, if they make ar
rangements prior to garnishee ac
tion.
Otherwise, the tax collection
drive wil continue in a new direc
tion. This week, Mr. Carpenter
said, he is preparing letters to
be directed by registered mail to
realty owners on whom tax cer
tificates are held through 1953.
Mr. Carpenter said the North
Carolina Machinery act, cover
ing real estate tax liens, directs
the registered letter procedure.
After receipt of the letter, the de
linquent has two weeks to pay the
account, or to protest it, before
judgement against the property is
docketed by the Superior Court of
Cleveland County.
Mr. Carpenter noted that pay
ment of the accounts would save
the taxpayers time, trouble, and
money.
Mountain Men Turned Tide
Here 175 Years Ago Friday
Friday, October 7, is the 175th
anniversary of the Battle of Kings
Mountain, considered by eminent
men of the day and by historians
since as the turning point for the
American colonies in their battle
to win independence from Great
Britain.
The anniversary will be cele
brated Friday morning at 11
o’clock at a memorial service at
Kings Mountain National Mili
tary park. The Kings Mountain
Chapter, Daughters of the Ame
rican Revolution, of York, S. C.,
will conduct the program and has
invited DAR chapters from
throughout the area to attend.
Many DAR members from Kings
Mountain, all descendants of Re
volutionary War colonial soldiers,
and other citizens are expecting
to attend.
Kings Mountain National Mili
tary Park, which became a fede
ral installation by Act of Con
gress March 3, 1931, contains
4,012 acres, including the ridge on
which Col. Patrick Ferguson,
commander of British forces,
lodged himsblf in an unsuccessful
effort to repulse the band of
backwodsmen who attacked him
on the afternoon of October 7,
1780.
Here is the summarized account
of the Battle of Kings Mountain,
as it i.J oontairied in a brochure
published by the United States
Department of the Interior:
‘‘Pushing northeastwardly
through the cold night rain, the
expedition forded Broad River at
sunrise in the continuing down
Girl Sconts To Sell White Canes
For Benefit Of Blind On Weekend
Girl Scouts of Kings Mountain
will conduct the annual Kings
Mountain Lions Club street sale
of White Cane badges this week
end.
Each year, the Lions Clubs
throughout the state join forc
es with the North Carolina State
Association for the Blind to sell
badges to raise funds to help
the 11,600 blind residents of Nor
th Carolina.
Chief of Police Hugh A. Logan,
Jr., and Hal -Ward have (been
named by Dr- Blake iMcWhirter,
chairman of the drive, to head
the street sale.'
The Girl Scouts will actually be
doing the selling of the White
Cane Badges.
The sale was originally sche
duled for Friday and Saturday,
but Dr. McWhirter announced
that this had been changed, and
that the sale will be conducted
Saturday only.
Lions Clubs in North Carolina
have* long cooperated with state
agencies to assist in aiding blind
persons. Each year many servi
ces are performed for these per
sons. Over 300 clubs in the stafe
are assisting in the White Cane
Sale.
pour. But by midday on October
7 the rain had ceased, and as the
frontiersmen neared Kings
Mountain their scouts confirmed
Ferguson’s position there. Quick
ly the mountain leaders devised a
final plan of attack which was to
surround the ridge upon which
Ferguson' camped and gradually
to close in from all sides.
“After dismounting and pass
ing through Hambright’s Gap,
some three-quarters of a mile
west of Kings Mountain, the
frontier detachments moved rap
idly into their preassigned posi
tions around the ridge. Seeking
cover in the wooded ravines, the
Whigs "advanced, and Campbell
and McDowell horridly passed
through the gap at the south
western end of the ridge, taking
their positions respectively on the
southeastern and eastern slopes.
Seivter formed along the western
slope, while Shelby took positions
on the northwestern slope. Mean
while, the other Whig detach
ments were forming along the
bottom of the ravine leading
around the northern and north
eastern base of the ridge.
Moose To Aid
Disaster Victims
The Kings Mountain Moose
Lodge will collect old clothing
this weekend to be sent to the
hurricane disaster areas of North
Carolina.
Lodges throughout the state
are participating in this project,
which is under the direction of
the Moose Hurricane Relief Com
mittee.
There are four drop-off sta
tions in Kings Mountain, where*
clothing may be left. These are
Arthur Cornwell’s Grocery, Cen
ter Service Station, Gaffney’s
Barber Shop, and East King
Esso Station. Residents of Bes
semer City may leave their dona
tions at Froneber^c s Hardware
Store.
Anyone who enn not drop the
clothing at one of the drop-off
stations may c il 1274 after 3 p. ]
m., and someone from the Moose
Lodge will pi up the clothes.
Warren Re. olds, governor of
the Kings Mountain lodge, said
that this clo hing will be distri
buted to residents of the hurri
cane hit arets at no cost whatso
ever to them.
‘Ferguson's main camp was
near the northeastern end of the
ridge, but his picket line extend
ed along the crest nearly to its
southwestern end. About 3 p. m.,
as the Whigs began to encircle
the ridge, Ferguson’s pickets
sounded the alarm and engaged
thte advancing mountaineers in a
brief skirmish. Then, as they
reached their positions, Campbell
and Shelby almost simultaneous
ly opened the main atack. From
the crest the Tories and Provin
cials replied with a burst of
trained volly firing. But Camp
bell’s anci Shelby’s men moved
steadily up the slope Indian fash
ion, from tree to rock, and for 10
to 15 minutes maintained their at
tack, while the other Whig deta
chments moved into position
arouna me nage.
"As the two Whig commands
neared Ferguson’s lines, the To
ries charged and drove them
down the slope at the point of the
bayonet. Though they had no bay
onets, the Whigs rallied at the
foot, and the unerring marksman
ship of their deadly Kentucky
rifles forced their pursuers to re
tire. Slowly following the retreat
ing Tories and Provincials, Camp
bell’s and Shelby’s men were
again driven doWh the rugged in
cline by the Tory bayonets. Tak
ing cover behind trees and rocks,
the two Whig comands again for
ced the Tories to retreat toward
the crtest.
‘Much of the volley firing of
the Provincials and Tories, with
their muskets and a possible scat
tering of Ferguson breech-load
ing rifles, was aimed too high and
passed harmlessly over the heads
of the two Whig detachments,
which now pushed even higher
toward the crest. As the Tories
began their third bayonet charge
upon Campbell and Shelby, they
were suddenly attacked along the
northern and eastern slopes by
the other Whig detachments.
Moving to meet the Whig attack
from these quarters, the Tories
allowed Campbell and Shelby to
gain and hold the southwestern
summit.
“Now completely surrounded,
Ferguson’s demoralized and rap
idly decreasing force was grad
ually pushed toward its camp
site on the northeastern end of
the ridge. In this desperate situa
tion, with attacks and counterat
tacks raging on all sides, the
Continued On Page Eight
DISCUSS BAPTIST BUDGET — Rev. A. T. Quakenbush. left, the pas
tor, and Byron Keeter. chairman of the Budget committee, discuss
the 1955-56 budget of First Baptist church. The church membership
approved the recommendations of the budget committee on Sep
tember 28. The budget is a record one, calling for raising during the
coming year of 366,474.
«s>
Fiist Baptists
Adopt 566,474
Budget For Year
Members of First Baptist chur
ch last week adopted a record
budget for the church year be
ginning October 1.
The Ibudget, approved at pray
er meeting on September 28, calls
for total expenditures of $66,474
which compares to the $60,150
budget for the year ending Sep
tember 30. During the year, the
actual contributions totaled $61,
700.
Largest figure in the new bud
get is $24,000 for the First Bap
tist church building fund. Oth
erwise, the church expects to
spend $12,290 for missions, an in
crease of about ten percent, $15,
764 in administrative expense,
an increase of 19 percent, and
$14,380 in operational expenses,
representing a 20 percent in
crease. It was noted that the
weekly .budget requirements will
be $1,277.57.
The budget had .been prepared
by a church budget committee,
including Byron Keeter, chair
man, Mrs. J. C. Bridges, Mrs. Har
old Coggins, Eugene Roberts. Dr.
D. F. Hord, Mrs. Yates Harbison
and Rev. A. T. Quakenibush.
IN HONOR GROUP — Gene Ray
mond Welch, senior at Western
Carolina college, has been elect
ed a member of the National
State, Teachers honor society.
Alpha Phi Sigma. Mr. Welch is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Welch, of Kings Mountain.
AT BOONE
Charles J. Shytle, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Fred Shytle, has en
rolled in the sophomore class fo
Appalachain State Teacher’s
college, Boone. Shytle, who re
cently completed a tour of duty
with the navy, is married to the
former Mis Rita Gamble. They
have a young daughter, Debra
Ann.
Ministers Will Present Petitions
Opposing Sunday Movies Thursday
Presentation of petitions seek
ing reconsideration of its July
blue law amendment action is
expected to take top .billing j
Thursday night at the regular
October meeting of the city
board of commissioners.
For the past three weeks,
members of the Kings' .Mountain
Ministerial association have been
circulating the petitions through
majority of the community's
churches and several confirmed
Wednesday their plans to present
them to the board members on
Thursday night.
Several ministers, among them
Rev. W. C. Sides, Jr., pastor of
Grace Methodist church, and
Rev. Howard Cook, pastor of Sec
ond Baptist church, reported re
sponse “good" to the petition ef
fort. *
Specifically, the ministers ab
ject to the board’s action—which
they charge was without suffici
ent public notification — in a
mending the city ordinance to
permit the showing of motion
pictures on Sunday.
Mayor Glee A. Bridges declin
ed to predict what action, if any,
the board might take. He noted
that two commissioners, W„ G.
Grantham and O. T. Hayes, Sr.,
arp ill, though he said he expect
ed Mr. Grantham to be able to
attend Thursday night’s meet
ing. Mr. Grantham is recuper
ating from a recent operation.
Mr Hayes is a patient in Gaston
Memorial hospital, receiving
treatment for a heart condition.
Mayor Bridges said the agenda
would otherwise *be short and
routine.
Public hearing has been adver
tised for the Thursday night
meeting on a request of a prop
erty owner for re-zoning of a
portion of West King street, near
Nolan’s Grocery, to permit erec
tion of a business establishment,.
In addition, Mr. Bridges said
the board would he asked to au
thorize publication of advertise
ment for public hearing on a
group of street-paving assess
ments.
The commissioners will also
receive regular monthly reports
from department heads, he add
ed.
The commissioners will con
vene at 8 o’clock in City Hall
courtroom.
Alexander may
Get GOP Nod;
Prince First
Millard Prince, postoffice Em
ployee. Yates Harbison, super
market manager, and Charles
Alexander. Elmer Lumber com
pany employee, finished one-two
three in competitive civil service
examinations for the permanent
position of Kings Mountain
postmaster.
Acting Postmaster W. T, Weir,
who had the endorsement of the
township Republican committee,
failed to pass the written Exami
nation by one point.
Mr. Prince topped the list with
a combined grade of 87.45, in
cluding a grade of 92.9, on the
written test, and a grade of 72
on the general fitness and ex
perience test. Mr. Harbison and
Mr. Alexander were slightly low
er on combined grade. All are ve
terans of World War II and
their grades reflect equal civil
service preferment of five points.
The results of the grading
again pose the question of who
will be permanent postmaster.
All arc registered Democrats,
though Mr. Alexander is recog
nized as a Republican, having
held a position on the township
Republican committee until he re
signed to compete for the post
mastership.
ThE notification of grade re
ceived by Mr. Prince stated that
the permanent appointment to
the position which now pays
slightly in excess of $5,900 per
annum would be made from
among the tOD three annlicants.
Mr. Weir, the acting postmast
er, had Requested a re-check ot
his grade on the written examina
tion, but notification of the
grades indicates that no changes
were determined.
W. A. Williams, co-chairman of
the Republican township commit
tee, said he had not received for
mal notification of the grade re
sults, though he had been inform
ed by individuals. He said there
is, at the moment, no change in
the Republican committele’s re
commendation of Mr. Weir but
indicated possible favor for Mr.
Alexander with the remark, “We
have one in there.”
Other members of the Republi
can township committee are C.
P. Goforth and Grady Howard.
One prominent Republican said
it was possible Mr. Weir would
continue “indefinitely” as acting
postmaster, adding that the re
cent heart attack of President
Eisenhower indicates a complete
ly new political situation for the
1956 presidential election with
the possible result that the Kings
Mountain postmastership may
not be a long-term optening—un
der Republican administration ap
pointment.
Technically, the position is fil
led by the Civil Service commis
sion on the basis of competitive
examination, but the Republican
administration has been able to
obtain retirement of many De
mocratic postmasters. The Kings
Mountain Republican felt the De
mocrats. if returned to control
of the federal government in 1956
as he considers possible, would be
able to vacate the positions in
thle same manner.
Mr. Weir became acting post
master last January, on retire
ment of W. E. Blakely.
By-Pass Woik
On Schedule
Actual construction work, pre
pa tory to opening to traffic, is
virtually completed on the U. S.
Highway 29 by-pass from Arch
dale Farms to the U. S. 74 inter
section.
J. D„ Peek, assistant division
engineer of State Highway com
mission at Shelby, said Blythe
Brothers, the contractors, infor
med him Tuesday the final treat
ment or ‘‘seal coat” would be ap
plied by Thursday. A week or two
will then be required to complete
cleaning up operations, shaping
of shoulders and other similar
type work.
The highway department will
then install necessary road mark
ers and signs and the road will
be ready for opening to traffic.
Mr. Peek said that Division En
gineer Ed Kemper’s estimate of
three weeks ago that the by-pass
would be opened to traffic about
October 22 “wont miss it much.’
After thle road has been opened
to traffic for about a year, it will
be topped with another "seal ,
coat.”