Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10.320
City Limits 7.206
The figure lor Greater Xlngi Mountain li derived from
the 1955 King* Mountain city directory consul. The City
Limits figure Is from the United States census of 1950.
VOL 65 NO 44 Established 1889 _Kings Mountain N, C.. Thursday November 3, 1955 Sixty-Fifth Year PRICE FIVE CENTS
SELLS MILLS TO HORVATH FIRM
Local News
Bulletins
MOOSE MEETING
The regular weekly meeting
of Moose Lodge No. 1748 will
be held Thursday night at the
lodge on Bessemer City road.
METER RECEIPTS
City Parking meter receipts
Tor the week ending noon
Wednesday totaled $195.68,
according to Miss Gr^pe Car
penter, of city clerk’s office.
The'street parking meters re
turned $154.47, while off-street
meters accounted for $41.21 she
reported.
CRAIGS MOVE
The W. iR. Craig family mov
ed Saturday to Decatur, Ga.,
where Mr. Craig is Atlanta dis
trict representative for Inter
national Correspondence
Schools, Inc. Dr. and Mrs. D. F.
Hord have purchased the Craig
residence on Crescent Hill
drive and expect to occupy it
soon.
BUILDING PERMITS
Building Inspector J„ W. Web
ster issued two building per
mits this week. Wednesday,
October 26, a permit was issu
ed to Ben T. Goforth to erect
a one story office building on
York road, at an estimated cost
of $500. Monday, a permit was
issued to Mrs. L. B. Turner to
alter a one story house on Cle
veland ave., at an estimated
cost of $3,000.
PRESBYTERIAN
The Men’s Bible class of First
Presbyterian church will enter
tain their wives and friends at
a dinner meeting at the church
Monday at 6:30 p. m. The men
will prepare the meal, and an
entertaining program 'has been
planned, Rev.. P. D. Patrick, the
pastor, announced.
PROMOTED
Robert G. Cox, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Cox, of Kings
Mountain, was recently pro
moted to the rank of captain
in the marine reserves, accord
ing to information received by
his parents. The Cox family re
side in Augusta, Ga.
DIXON SERVICE
James Childers and Marvin
Huffstetler will be installed as
deacons of Dixon Presbyterian
church at ordination services
Sunday afternoon at 3:45 p. m.,
the pastor, Rev. P. D. Patrick,
has announced. The service
will follow the Sunday School
hour.
LIONS MEETING
Regular meeting of the Kings
Mountain Lions club will be
held Tuesday night at 7 o’clock
at Masonic Dining hall. Pro
gram for the meeting has not
been announced.
Nelson Wilson
Bites Friday
Funteral rites for Nelson Deca
ta Wilson, 49, of route 2, Besse
mer City, will be held Friday af
ternoon at 4 o’clock at Long
Creek Presbyterian church.
Mr. Wilson, former Bessemer
City appliance dealer and at his
death air-conditioning superinten
dent of Osage Manufacturing
Company, died at his home Wed
nesday at noon. It was his 26th
wedding anniversary.
Son of W. C. Wilson and the
late Mary Gordon Wilson, he
was a member of Long Creek
Presbyterian church. He had bteen
ill for the past four weeks.
Surviving, In addition to his
father, are his wife, Mrs. Myrtle
Long Wilson, a son, William
(Bill) Wilson, two daughters
Becky and Ella Sue Wilson, all
of Bessemer City, three brothers,
William and Harley Wilson, both
of Kings Mountain, and General
Wilson, of Chester, S. C., and six
sisters, Mrs. J. L. Guthrie, of
Gastonia, Mrs. Annie Bridges,
Bessemer City, and Mrs. Ola Ber
ry, Mrs. Lee Abshur, Mrs. Thur
man Seism and Miss Iva Wilson,
all of Kings Mountain.
The body will lie in state for
an hour prior to the final rites,
which will be conducted by Rev.
J. S. Johnson, pastor of Long
Crbek church, Rev. A. A. Bailey,
pastor of First Baptist church of
Bessemer City, Rev. Fred C. De
belee and Rev. Coit Hunter, both
of Charlotte. Interment will be
in Long Creek church cemetery.
Paul T. Ledford Is Appointed
Commissioner On Split Vote
ELECTED — B. S. Peeler, Jr., has
been elected to the presidency of
the Kings Mountain Kiwanis
club for the year beginning in
January. He will succeed J. C.
Bridges.
Kiwanis Elects
Peelei President
The Kings Mountain Kiwanis
Club elected new officers and di
rectors at its meeting last Thurs
day night.
Sonny Peeler was named to
head the club as its president in
1956. He will succeed J. C. Brid
ge? as president pt the organiza
tion.
Other officers and directors e
lected were Harold Coggins, first
vice-president; John C. Smath
ers, second vice-president and
program chairman; and Ben H.
Bridges, James E. Herndon, Jr.,
Richard S. Lennon, Joe N. Mc
Clure, Fleete McCurdy, Joe A.
Neisler, Jr., and William L. Press
ly, directors.
These new officials will take
office in January 1956 to serve
for one year.
A secretary and treasurer will
toe named by the 'board of direct
ors at a called meeting, which
will probably toe held Thursday
night.
One Slightly Hurt
In Sunday Wreck
Mrs. Pansy Blanton Fetzer, of
418 S. LaFaylette street, Shelby,
was slightly injured Sunday, ar
ound 7:20 p. m., in a two car
accident at the intersection of E.
King street and Cleveland ave.
Drivers of the cars were listed
by police as Mrs. Fetzer, operat
ing a 1946 Oldsmobile, and Eu
gtene McCarter, of 518 King
street, operating a Pontiac.
Police stated the accident oc
curred when the Pontiac, travel
ing north on Cleveland ave, was
struck by the Oldsmobile, travel
ing west on King street.
Property damages were estima
ted to total $650.
Mayor Broke
Tie At Session
On Saturday
By a 3-2 vote, the board of city
commissioners appointed Paul T.
Ledford, Ward 4 city commission
er at a short special session Sat
urday morning.
He is scheduled to take the oath
of office at Thursday night’s re
gular monthly meeting.
Mr. Ledford, a Paulinfe Mill
employe, will succeed the late Oli
ver T. Hayes, Sr., who defeated
Mr. Ledford in a run-off election
last May. Mr. Ledford’s term of
office will end in May 1957.
After thle board took a routine
action on purchase of a truck
body, Commissioner J. H. Patter
son moved appointment of Mr.
Ledford as Ward 4 commissioner.
Commissioner W. G. Grantham
seconded with the remark “Led
ford ran for it and I think we
should give it to him.”
Commissioner T. J. Ellison in
quired if Comms. Patterson and
Grantham had checked public op
inion on the appointment and re
marked he had received sugges
tions for placing of ballot boxes
in various spots for a public ex
pression of favor for nominees.
Mr. Patterson rejoined, “We’re
not holding an eltection.”
Comm. Collins shook his head
and indicated he didn’t favor the
appointment of Mr. Ledford.
Then Mayor Bridges called the
vote, with Comms. Patterson and
Grantham voting “aye” and
Comms.'Ellison and Collins vot
ing "nay.”
“That puts me on the spot,” the
Mayor said. After a few steconds
pause, he continued, “I vote ‘aye’.”
After the vote, Mayor Bridges
asked the dissenters if they would
changte their votes and make the
Continued On Page Eight
Gotei Acting
Foote Manager
E. R. Goter, mine superinten
dent and assistant plant manager
of Foote Mineral Company’s
Kings Mountain plant, is serving
as acting manager until a succes
sor to James E, Castle is named
by the company management.
Mr. Castle completed his duties
with Foote last week. He and his
family moved on Saturday to
Evanston, 111., where Mr. Castle
has joined International Minerals
& Chemical Corporation as assis
tant to the vice-prtesident in
charge of the company’s industri
al minerals division.
Other interim change at the
Foote plant here include naming
of W. R. Hudspeth, mill superin
tendent, as as acting assistant
plant manager, it was announced
by Mr. Goter.
School Piogxams And Visitations
To Feature Education Week Here
The wetek November 6-11 wilh
be observed throughout the na
tion as American Education
Week.
Several events have been plan
ned in Kings Mountain in ob
servance of this national salute
to thte American educational sys
tem. These special programs in
clude the following:
Monday:
9:15-9:30—Radio Address—Mrs.
B. N. Barnes.
7 p. m.—Public Relations Din
ner at Masonic Hall.
Tuesday:
Visitation Day—West School.
Wednesday:
Visitation Day—Central, East.
5:05 p. m.—Radio Program,
Groups of High School Stu
dents, directed by Mr.
Swink.
Friday:
1:05 — Recording for High
School by Billie Davis.
Parents will be welcomed at the
Public Relations Dinner. Tickets
may be bought from teachers by
Thursday, November 3 at $1.25
per plate. The invited guests will
include the Mayor, City Council,
School Board and Officers of the
Civic Clubs.
HONORED — Dole Dixon, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Dixon, is
among High Point college stu
dents named by the faculty ex
ecutive committee to member
ship in the national "Who's Who
in American Colleges and Uni
versities." A senior. Mr. Dixon is
chief justice of the college's Ju
diciary council.
APPOINTED — Paul T. Ledford,
was appointed to the city board
of commissioners from Ward 4 at
a special session of the commis
sioners Saturday morning.
Employment Is
Bright Ware Says
Franklin L. Ware, Jr., manager
of the Kings Mountain office of
the Nor1,h Carolina Employment
Security Commission, reports that
business in Kings Mountain is
good at the present time.
Mr. Ware, in giving his regu
lar monthly report on the acti
vities in his office, said, “Busi
ness seems to be going along at a
steady pace at present, and since
local textile mills report enough
orders to run them until Spring,
we do not expect any winter
slumps on the local employment
scene.”
He added that this past month
showed the lowest amount of
claims received since mid-1953,
when he as umed the manager
ship of the local office.
New applications for the month
of October totaled 116, with a to
tal of 242 persons looking for
work at the fend of the month.
On the other hand, 148 job ope
nings were reported during the
month and 99 persons were plac
ed in these openings. This did not
include an additional five persons
placed in agricultural work dur
ing thfe month.
Four of the persons placed
were handicapped workers, Mr.
Ware said.
A breakdown of the placements
shows that 11 persons were pla
ced in contract construction work;
three in mining; 37 in manufac
turing (textiles); 15 in wholfesale
and retail trade; three in insu
rance, and real estate service.
Initial claims for the month to
taled 85, and 622 weeks of bene
fits, an average of 156 pfer week,
were filed during the month.
Mr. Ware said that the employ
ment picture at the present time
is much better than at this time
last year, when ttextile mills were
not enjoying as good a market as
at the present time.
Fire Damages
House Sunday
The residence of John Manson,
Negro of Watterson street, was
damaged by fire Sunday morn
ing, Ted Gamblle, city fireman re
ported.
The fire which damaged two
rooms, extensively, was said to
have originated from an oil heat
ing stove.
The house is owned by Fred J.
Wright.
Firemen also answered a call
last Thursday to Extinguish an
oil stove blaze in a residence on
Childers street, Mr. Gamble re
ported.
Firearms Film Set
For Kiwanis Meet
The Kings Mountain Kiwanis
Club will see a film called
“Showman Shooter’’ at its regu
lar weekly meeting. Tuesday
night, according to the Kiwanis
Bulletin.
This film is produced by the
Winchester Firearms Company,
and is highly recommeded.
Program Chairman Harold
Coggins announces that a na
tionally known speaker* may be
obtained for the club’s November
17 meeting.
Ledford To Take
Oath Of Office
Thursday Night
The city board of commission
ers will hold their regular No
vember meeting Thursday night
at 8 o’clock at City Hall court
room, with first order of business
the swearing in of Paul T. Led
ford as commissioner from Ward
4.
Mayor Glee A. Bridges said the
agenda for the meeting is short
and largely routine.
The board will consider an of
fer from Consolidated Textiles,
Inc., to sell power lines and water
lines serving the 75 houses at the
Consolidated community, Mayor
Bridges said.
In addition, the board will con
duct a public hearing on appro
ximately $2,000 in public improve
mlent assesment for hard-surfac
ing on First and Blanton streets.
Mr. Ledford was appointed to
the board of commissioners last
Saturday morning at a special
session. He will succeed the late
O. T. Hayes Sr.
Insurance Talk
Heard By Jaycees
Bod Ivlaner, local insurance
broker, presented a talk on in
surance to the Kings Mountain
Jaycees at their regular meeting
Tuesday night.
A film dealing with driver
training was also showed to the
group toy Mr,. Maner.
Some 35 members attending
the meeting heard Bill Eldon
give a report on the Voice of De
mocracy Contest that is toeing
conducted for high school stu
dents in this area.
President Bill Jonas presided
over the business portion of the
meting. Jonas also announced
that the Junior Chamber of Com
merce’s meeting on November 15
will feature the presentation of a
traffic safety award for the city.
This award will be made to Ma
yor Glee A. Bridges.
Hallowe'en
Conduct Rowdy
Kings Mountain’s one-night
per-year spooks and goblins
whooped and screeched heavily
Monday night in what Chief of
Police Hugh A. Logan, Jr., termed
the “worse Hallowe’en” in seve
ral years.
The Chief pointed to some eldler
whoopers as endangering them
selves and others by fast in-town
driving, and noted the popping of
numerous firecrackers, which
North Carolina law forbids on all
occasions.
Otherwise, Hallowe’ten mayhem
was considered about normal. Vir
tually every business house found
his show windows platered with
signs and streaks Tuesday morn
ing, and hundred of houewives
parked themstelves at their front
doors to provide treats, thereby
(supposedly) preventing tricks.
Victory Chevrolet Company
had a unique sign on a show win
dow which a Hallowe’en pranks
ter left. It read, “Sete the new
1956 Buick!”
A lady said Hallowe’en was get
ting a bit expensive, as treats
completely cleaned out five boxes
of stick candy and every piecte of
fruit she had in the house.
One gruff citizen was reported
to have invited the doorbell ring
ers to rid themselves from the
neighborhood. Hie was tired and
wanted to get some sleep. The
pranksters left, but next morning,
painted on the front door, was the
sign ‘Drop Dead!”
The several school Hallowe’en
carnivale wtere reported well-at
tended and expectedly noisy, with
firecrackers in the vicinity of
East and Central schools the only
mar to the occasions. The school
programs were under PT-A spon
sorship and featured unique
games and sidteshows.
At West school, one booth clai
ming special attention was the
‘Big Baby’ concession. Visitors
willing to pay the fee found three
well-known businessmen—Tolly
Shuford, Claude Hambright and
Amos Dean—attired as babltes,
bottles, and winking at every
pretty lass who came along.
GIFT
Postmaster W.. T. Weir has
acknowledged a gift to the
heart fund by Mrs. Van Smith,
in memory of the late Oliver T.
Hayes, Sr., city commissioner.
Mr. Weir said the check was
mailed Tuesday to the local
postoffice.
Plants Resumed Operations
Under New Owner Monday
D. B. Blalock
Named Chairman
Of County ASC
D. B. Blalock, of Kings Moun
tain, was elevated to the chair
manship of the Cleveland Coun
ty Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation committee at the
annual convention held Monday
morning in Shelby.
Mr. Blalock succeeds Boyd C.
Beam, Number 9 Township, who
was elected vice - chairman. R.
W. McBrayer, of Number 7 town
ship, was elected regular mem
ber of the committee. First al
ternate member will bo Warren
Warlick, Number 8 township,
and second alternate will be
Grady Hamrick, Number 6 town
ship.
The committee was named by
the respective chairmen of the
eleven township committees, e
iecteu Iasi Friday as 391 farm
ers went to the polls to name
community committees.
It was the second ASC election
held, the first having been nul
lified by the atate ASC commit
tee on grounds the first had in
sufficient participation. Only 160
had voted in the first election,
and numerous ties had resulted.
Chosen in the Friday elections
from local area townships were:
Kings Mountain township, J,. N.
Hughes, chairman; Clyde Randle,
vice-chairman; Willis Harmon,
regular member; Otto Williams,
first alternate; and Wayne Bess,
second alternate. Number 5
township, John D. Cline, chair
man; William A. Wright, vice
chairman; Dewitt Randle, regu
lar member; A. S. Kiser, first al
ternate; and Giles Sellers, sec
ond alternate.
Girl Scout Drive
Reaches $850
George H. Mauney, solicitation
chairman of the Kings Mountain
Girl Scout fund campaign, report
ed Wednesday that he still does
not have a completed report on
the amount of motley raised in
the drive.
To date, he said that approxi
mately $850 has been raised on
the quota of $1,200 set for the
Kings Mountain District.
Mr. Mauney said that he
thought the actual solicitation
had stopped, but that sieveral of
the solicitors have not turned in
reports.
He is urging all solicitors, who
have not completed their records,
to get this in as soon as possible.
The Kings Mountain District
drive was a part of the Pioneer
Council campaign which had a
quota of $19,000 to raise for use
in Girl Scouting work.
PREACHER — Dr. Robert P. Roth,
of Columbia, S. C., will conduct
a teaching-preaching mission be
ginning Sunday at St. Matthew's
Lutheran church.
Roth To Conduct
Services Here
The Rev. Robert Paul Roth, Ph.
D., of Columbia, S. C., will con
duct a preaching-teaching mis
sion at St. Matthew’s Lutheran
church beginning Sunday feven
ing.
Dr. Roth, professor of New
Testament Theology and dean of
the graduate school at Columbia’s
Lutheran Theological seminary,
will speak on the theme "Your
Divine Destiny.” Services will be
held each evening, Monday
through Thursday, at 7:30.
His sermon subjects will be:
Sunday, “Christ in the Promise;”
Monday, “The Man Who Went
to Hell;” Tuesday, “The Truth
Shall Make You Fret?;” Wednes
day, “Take Up Your Cross;” and
Thursday, “Rest in the Lord.”
Each evening’s program will
include special music, hymn-sing
ing, and a short teaching period,
in addition to the sermon, Dr. W.
P. Gerberding, the pastor, an
nounced.
Dr. Roth was graduated from
Carthage College, Carthage, 111.,
received his master’s degree from
the University of Illinois, earned
the Bachelor of Divinity degree
at Northwestern Lutheran semi
nary, Minn., and received his phi
losophy doctorate at the Univer
sity of Chicago in 1946. He has
served the Lutheran church as a
teacher in India, as professor at
Augustana Lutheran college in
Illinois, and as pastor of St. Paul
Lutheran church, Red Wing,
Min. In 1953, he joined the fac
ulty of the Columbia, S. C., semi
nary.
Foreign Students To Visit City;
Churchwomen Announce Programs
Kings Mountain churchwomen
will observe World Community
Day at services Saturday even
ing at Grace Methodist church as
the group honors foreign students
of nearby colleges and universi
ties.
Designated ‘‘Foreign Student
Weekend,” the council is holding
thte annual inter-denominational
service in conjunction with a pro
ject for entertaining foreign stu
dents in various homes of the
community.
Mrs. J. B. Simpson, president
of the Kings Mountain Council
of Churchwomen, said the 7:30 p.
m. program will be presented by
the students. She noted that a si
milar service is scheduled at 7:30
p. m. at the Mt. Zion Negro Bap
tist church on W. King street with
several of thte visiting students to
present the program.
The group will be taken on a
tour of the city by the church
women. A reception will be held
following thie Saturday night pro
gram.
Churchwomen are being asked
to bring bundles of fisable cloth
ing or denim for needy children
overseas. Last year United
Church Women gave 361,000
pounds of clothing for the needy
of the world.
World Community Day is onte
of three observances o4 the coun
cil of ehurchwomen. The other
are World Day of Prayer and
May Fellowship Day.
Students to visit here during
the weekend include Inga Lill
Jepson, of Sweden, student at
Converse college, who will be a
house-guest of the Rev. and Mrs.
R. D. Fritz; Andrew Ho Kang,
of Formosa, student at Woffard
college, guest of the Rev. and
Mrs. W. C. Sides, Jr.; Harlow Bo
wen, of British Guiana, Lenoir
Rhyne college student, house
guest of Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Ham
rick; Hong Yup Chi, of Korea,
student at Lenoir-Rhyne, who will
be a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Aub
rey Mauney, Leila Varu, of the
Jordan, student at Lenoir-Rhyne
college, house-guest of Mr. and
Mrs. J. B. Simpson; Jacques Del
pbch, of France, and Erick Dei
chgraber, of Denmark, students
at Davidson college, house-guests
of the Rev. and Mrs. P. D. Pat
rick; Oyvind Norstrom, of Nor
way and Alfred Wang, of Korea,
Davidson student, who will be
a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mau
ney, and Ichiro Matsuda, of Ja
pan, student at Erskine college,
who will be a house guest of Mr.
and Mrs. John E. Gamble.
Mrs. Simpson issued an invita
tion to the public to attend and
especially urged young people of
the community to attend.
Management,
Personnel Same
Under Horvath
Neisler Mills, Inc., 45-year in
dustrial citizen of Kings Moun
tain, sold its six textile plants
in North Carolina and South Car
olina last Friday to Horvath, Inc.,
a recently formed corporation by
George A. Horvath, of New York,
who heads wide New England
textile operations.
Neisler owned and operated six
textile plants in the two states.
Hy far the largest were the Pau
line and Margrace plants here,
employing 1,225 persons, about
one-fourth Kings Mountain’s em
ployment and one-third of its
textile employment. Other plants
transferred to Horvath are Pal
metto Mills, Inc., of Pageland, S.
C„ Mayo Mills, of Mayo, S. C„
Ellenboro Mills, of Ellenboro,
and Belmont Mills of Shelby. In
addition, Horvath also acquired
the lease of Neisler on Double
Shoals mill, a yarn manufactur
er.
C. E. Neisler, president of the
firm which is wholly-owned by
the Neisler family, said the
Neisler corporation will retain
its 200 houses at the several
plants, Archdale Farms, and
other holdings. It conveyed to
Horvath the real estate on which
the plants are located, equip
ment, inventory and trade names
of Neisler products. The sale does
not include Neisler Mills Com
pany, New York sales agency, of
which the family corporation
owns a principal share.
Anouncement of the sale
brought the concurrent announ
cement that management would
remain the same.
In addition, Mr. Horvath, in re
ply to a Herald inquiry concern
ing plans and policies for the
Neisler acquistion replied by tel
egram: “In answer to your tele
gram of this morning, the Neis
ler chain of mills will be operat
ed in the same manner as here
tofore. No change of personnel is
contemplated in either manufac
turing or selling."
Operations at Neisler plants
resumted on Monday’s third shift,
after weekend cessation for in
ventory.
Horvath obtains in the trans
action 30,000 spindles and 600
looms, which have been used by
Neisler to manufacture cotton
yarn, upholstery for furniture
and automobiles, sbat cover ma
terial, drapery materials and pile
fabrics, napkins and table cov
ers. Employees at the six plants
total 1675 persons.
George A. Horvath, who as a
child came to this country from
Europe with his parents, heads
Monument Mills, Massachusetts
Mohair & Plush Company, and
Dana Wrap Mills, all in New
England.
Officers of Neisler Mills, Inc.,
are C. E. Niesler, president; Hun
ter R. Neisler, vibe-president; Joe
A. Neisler, secretary and Paul
M. Neisler, Sr., treasurer.
Neisler’s employees include
members of the fourth genera
tion of the Neisler family in tex
tile manufacturing. Grandfather
of the present owners of Neisler
was J. R. Neisler, of Concord,
wno operated a textile partner
ship with A. M. Phifer at Rocky
River in Cabarrus County. This
mill supplied textile products to
the Confederate Army. He latter
operated a textile plant at Rock
Hill, S. C., and is interred there.
J. R. Neisler was born in 1834
and lived until Christmas Day
1903. J. R. Neisler's son, C. E.
Neisler I, who, a daughter says,
originally intended to be a den
tist, w’as married to the former
Miss Ida Mauney of Kings Moun
tain, and entered the textile bus
iness here. He founded Neisler
Mills, Inc., in 1910. Prior to foun
ding his own concern, Mr. Neis
ler w’as superintendent of Dallas
Manufacturing Company in 1892.
He came to Kings Mountain in
1893 to become superintendent of
Kings Mountain Manufacturing
Company, then in 1899 helped or
ganize the Indian Creek Mill in
Lincoln county. Mr. Neisler was
born in 1868 and, in Kings Moun
tai, was active in all phases of
the community’s life, civic, polit
ical, and religious. Following his
death, in 1931, his sons assumed
management of the grow’ing firm
Continued On Page Eight, ;