Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10.320
City Limits 7.206
Tlu figure lor Greater Kings Mountain Is derived from
the 1955 Kings Mountain city directory census. The City
Limits figuie is from the United States census of 1950.
on Pa9es
ZU Today
VOL 65 NO 45
Established 1889
Kings Mountain N. CM Thursday November 10, 1955
Sixty-Fifth Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Local News
Bulletins
ONE FIRE
Firemen were called Satur
day morning to the home of
Avery Harmon, Alexander
street to extinguish an oil
stove blaze, C. D. Ware, fire
man, reported.
BUILDING PERMIT
Building Inspector J. W. Web
ster issued a permit Friday to
C. T. Bennett Constructibn
Company to erect a one story
ibrick Ibuilding on Kamseur
street, to he used as a school
building, at an estimated cost
of $172,000.
VETERAN'S GIFTS
Members of the American Le
gion Auxiliary are urged to
leave their gifts for the Veter
an’s Gift Shop at Mrs. Dicky
Tate’s .home or at Dellinger’s
Jewel Shop.
MOOSE MEETING
The regular wekly meeting of
Moose Lodge No. 1748 will be
held Thursday night at the
lodge on Bessemer City road.
DRAFT BOARD
The Cleveland county selec
tive service board is seeking
the correct mailing addresses
of two Kings Mountain men.
Mrs. Clara Newman, clerk, said
the hoard needs the addreses
of Edward Leon Jones and
Harvie Lanier..
CAKE SALE
The Magnolia Garden club
will conduct a sale of home
made cakes on Saturday, No
vember 19. Place of the sale
will ibe announced next week,
it was announced by Mrs. John
C. McGill.
METER RECEIPTS
City Parking meter receipts
for the week ending Wednes
day noon totaled $201.97, ac
cording to Miss Grace Carpen
ter of city clerk’s office. The
street parking meters return
ed $161.54, While the off-street
meters accounted for $40.43, she
reported.
COURT OF HONOR
The regular monthly Court
of Honor for Scouters in and
around Kings Mountain will
Ibe held at City Hall Thursday
night. A Roundtable will be
held for the Scout Leaders and
a training course will be con
ducted for Cub Scout leaders
during the program, which
will start at 7:30 p. m.
ARP STUDY COURSE
Boyce Memorial* ARP church
women will begin a five-day
study course Monday night on
the theme, “Consecrated Wo
men — Vessels for the Master’s
Use” from the ibook, "Women
of the New Testament” toy
Kuyper. The study, at 7:30 p.
m., nightly, is being held as an
oibservance of the Week of
Prayer and Self-Denial, and
will be led toy Mrs. E. W. Neal,
Mrs. Martin Harmon, and Mrs.
Kenneth McGill.
Kezziah Joining
New Yoik Finn
Johnny Kezziah, Margrace mill
fabric stylist, has accepted the po
sition of head stylist with Spec
trum Fabrics, Inc., New York City
drapery converters.
Mr. Kezziah, In New York this
week, will return here Friday and
complete his duties at Margrace
mill next wetek. He and his family
expect to move to New York as
quickly as suitable accommoda
tions can be obtained.
Mr. Kezziah attended Clemson
college and was graduated from
North Carolina State collegte in
1947.
Mrs. Kezziah is the former Miss
Marie Moss. They have a daugh
ter, Candy Kezziah.
City Asks *29-A"
Name For Old Route
The board of city commis
sioners adopted a resolution
last Thursday asking the State
Highway & Public Works Com
mission to designate the old
U. S. 29 route through Kings
Mountain as U. S. 29-A.
Mayor Glee Bridges told the
board the highway engineer,
Ed Kemper, had indicated the
route would not be numbered
except for the U. S. 74 designa
tion.
The commissioners took the
position the 29-A designation
would be a convenience to moto
rists wanting to enter Kings
Mountain. U. S. 29 now runs
south of Kings Mountain, as
result of recent opening of a
new by-pass.
DRAWING OF HERALD BUILDING — Shown a
bove is the architect's drawing ot the new Kings
Mountain Herald building, for which general and
plumbing contracts were let this week. Construe
tion is scheduled to begin this weekend. The
sketch was prepared by Architect T. W. Cothran,
of Shelby.
Herald Building
Contracts Go
To Hunt, Golorth
Construction of a new building
for the Kings Mountain Herald is
expected to ibegin this weekend,
following letting of general and
plumbing contracts early this
week.
C. D. Hunt, of Shelby, was a
warded contract for the general
construction, and Ben T. Goforth,
of Kings Mountain, was awarded
the plumbing contract. Mr. Hunt
was low bidder among five. Mr.
Goforth was low bidder among
four.
Electrical and heating bids
will be invited within the next
ten days.
The Herald will construct a
.building on South Piedmont av
enue near the present Herald
building, it will be a brick-con
crete block structure of fireproof
design, measuring 33.4 by 110
feet and with a basement of 33.4
by 53 feet.
Exterior design will be modern
type.
Plans for the building were
prepared by T. W. Cothran, of
Van Wageningen and Cothran,
Shelby architects.
Episcopol Meeting
Ploce Is Changed
Trinity Episcopal church mis
sion in Kings Mountain has
changed its meeting place from
the Woman's Club to the garage
at the home of E. E. Dill, corner
of Marion and Chestnut streets.
The church, formed on Sep
tember 26, now numbers 25
members, it was announced iby
the Rev. Floyd W. Finch, priest
in-charge.
Regular services are conducted
each Sunday morning at 9:00
o’clock.
Herbert J. Plonk
Dies In Raleigh
Next Wednesday
Last Half-Holiday
Next Wednesday will be the
final half-holiday for majori
ty of Kings Mountain retailers
until after Christmas.
Under by-laws of thte Kings
Mountain Merchants associa
tion, the customary Wednes
day half-holiday is suspended
on the week before Thanksgiv
ing and is resumer following
the Christmas shoping season.
The change is effected to ac
commodate Christmas season
shoppers.
Logan's Brother
Killed In Crash
Funeral services for James Lo
gan, of Chtesnee, S. C., brother of
Carl Logan, Kings Mountain, will
be held Thursday afternoon at
1:30 from Sulphur Springs Meth
odist Church, Patterson Springs.
Mr. Logan was fatally injured
Tuesday afternoon about 1:20
when his car collided on U. S.
221-A near Chesnee, S. C., with a
:ar driven by Max Cherry, of
Barnesville, Ga.
South Carolina Chterokee Coun
ty Sheriff Julian B. Wright said
the accident occurred when Lo
gan’s 1956 model car apparently
swerved and hit the front of the
Cherry auto. Logan was driving
into Chesnee and Cherry was lea
ving there, the Sheriff was quot
ed.
Central Methodist Pastor McLarty
Naval Reservist, Model Railroader
Naval veterans in Central Me
thodist church may well feel like
saying “Sir” to their new pastor,
the Rev. James B. McLarty.
The newly arrived Rev. Mr. Mc
Larty is a veteran of two years
naval service himself. He served
as a navy chaplain during the
years 1944-46 as a lieutenant.
Since that time, he has re
mained as a mem'ber of the ac
tive naval reserve, and holds the
rank of Lieutenant - Commander
at the present time. McLarty is
a member of the Charlotte re
serve unit and attends weekly
meetings there.
Mr. McLarty, who replaced
Rev. P. L. Shore as pastor of Cen
tral church, also has a unique
hobby, his wife relates.
Mrs. McLarty, the former Miss
Margaret Glenn of Asheville,
says that model railroading is
the nearest thing to a hoibby the
minister can claim.
Music is another great interest
of Mr.. McLarty. While at Duke
University, he was a member and
manager of the Duke Glee club,
and still holds a great apprecia
tion of music.
The McLartys have been mar
ried 27 years and have three chil
dren. Margaret, who is the eld
est and only daughter, is 22 and
a senior at Greensboro College.
Jimmy, nine years old, is a
fourth, grade student at Central
School, where Charles, six years
old, is a first grader.
Mr. McLarty served pastorates
MINISTER — Rev. James B. Mc
Larty, formerly of Mooresville, is
the new pastor of Central Metho
dist church. A former navy chap
lain. he is currently a lieutenant
commander in the active naval
reserve.
in Mooresville, Marion, and
Asheville prior to his appoint
ment at Central Methodist chur
ch.
Rev. Mr. Shore, whom he suc
ceeded, was transfered to First
Methodist church in Henderson
ville at the last Methodist Con
vention in Charlotte.
Funeral Rites
For Banker
Here Friday
Herbert J. Plonk, 55, Kings
Mountain native and prominent
Raleigh banker, died of a heart
attack Wednesday morning at
10 o’clock at his Raleigh home.
Mr. Plonk had suffered from a
heart ailment for several years,
but his death was not expected.
Brief funeral services are sche
duled at Brown-Wynn Funeral
Home in Raleigh Thursday morn
ing -at 10:30. The body will then
be brought to Kings Mountain
and remain at Harris Funeral
Home until final rites to be held
at 11 o’clock Friday morning at
St.. Matthew’s Lutheran church,
with the pastor, Dr. W. P. Ger
berding, officiating. Burial will
be made in Mountain Rest cem
etery here.
Semi-retired, Mr. Plonk was a
vice-president and director of
Wachovia Bank & Trust Compa
ny. With Wachovia since 1926, he
had .previously been associated
with Wachovia branches in Win
ston-Salem and Asheville.
Mr. Plonk was a son Of the late
Rufus S. and Mary E. Motley
Plonk. His wife, who survives,
was before marriage Miss Inez
Swindell, of Fairfield. A Mason,
he was a graduate of Kings
Mountain high school and Roan
oke College, Salem, Va. He was
a member of White Memorial
Presbyterian church, .Raleigh.
Also surviving are two broth
ers and seven sisters, Rufus S.
Plonk, Bessemer City, T. Motley
Plonk, Charlotte, Mrs. Hugh Or
mand and Miss May Plonk, both
of Kings Mountain, Miss Ethel
Plonk, of Winston-Salem and
Kings Mountain, Mrs. C. A. Ha
ger, Hickory; Miss Eva Plonk,
Charlotte, Mrs. W. M. Hite, Green
ville, S. C., and Mrs. W. E. Alex
ander, Robbins.
City Is Quitting
Gas House-Piping
The ciy natural gas department
will end its house piping business
for gas service effective Novem
ber 15, per action of the board of
commisioners last Thursday
night.
Suggestion was made by Mayor
Glee A. Bridges, who Said the
city was having difficulty' ex
plaining charges for the work,
was encountering somb collection
problems, and felt the work
should be done privately in the
first place.
The city gas department will
continue to make gas taps and
run the lines 50 feet back of the
property lines, according to the
unanimous action.
A check at the city clerk’s of
fice reveals four firms, two in
Kings Mountain and two out-of
town, have furnished bonds and
purchased city licenses for gas in
stallation work herb. The four
firms are P&N Appliance Com
pany and The Appliance Center,
both of Kings Mountain, Farris
Heating Service, of Shelby, and
Holland-Cash Company, of Gas
tonia. ,
City Will Take Consolidated
Utilities Quickly As Possible
Lack Of Funds,
Needs Of System
Delay Take-Over
The city will accept, at no
cost, the power and water facili
ties of the Consolidated Textile
village “if and when we can and
as quickly as we can.”
Consolidated Textiles, Inc., had
advised the city it wanted to re
linquish its utilities to the city,
but had inferred it expected
some payment.
The decision of the board of
commissioners was made last
Thursday night, after Mayor
Glee A. Bridges had told the
board the power lines and water
lines would not be adequate to
handle demands for service and
that the city would be required
to construct a costly line from
the Duke sub-station to the vil
lage.
If it acquires the utilities, the
city would serve about 75 houses.
The “if and when” action was
taken on motion of T. J. Ellison
and was unanimous.
Mayor Bridges had doubted
that the city had funds to handle
the project within this year's
budget, which brought the state
ment from City Attorney j. R. Da
vis that the city could issue
bonds up to two-thirds its net
debt requirement ofthe previous
fiscal year. This would amount
to approximately $20,000.
Previously, Mayor Bridges had
administered the oath of office
to Paul W. Ledford, appointed to
the commission from Ward 4
as a successor to the late G. T.
Hayes, Sr.
■Otherwise, the rtegular Novem
ber session was largely routine,
with complaints on various ac
counts by citizens requiring the
major portion of the session.
! On the complaints, the board:
1) Declined to alter an account
for $174.41 for which it had bill
ed D. C. Mauney for dirt moving
work done in June. Mr. Mauney
had contended the charge was
excessive and that some of the
work done had benefited the city.
2) The city agreed to pay $17
to Dewitt Patterson, as partial
reimbursement for the cost of
building steps to his residence,
necessitated by the widening of
West King street.
3) Declined to reduce an old
account for $3 charged Jesse
Yarboro, a charge made by the
city when garbage being hauled
by Yarboro fell into a city street.
The bill was for cleaning the
street.
4) Voted to accept $11 in full
settlement of a $46 account a
gainst 'Ray Alexander. Alexand
er said the city had damaged
some drainage pipe he had in
stalled in certain work done on
Continued On Page Eight
Katie Garrett
Rites Conducted
Funeral services for Miss Katie
Garrett, onetime Kings Mountain
school teachfer, were held last
Friday.
The funeral service was held at
the Methodist church in Weldon,
with interment at Tarboro.
Miss Garrett died on November
2, following a long period of ill
health.
Her father was the late John
Garrett.
In Kings Mountain, Miss Gar
rett taught music and other sub
jects in the Kings Mountain
schools for many years.
Cooper Bucknell
Program Leader
Rev. Edgar M. Cooper, Luthe
ran minister and Kings Mountain
nativle, was among the group of
resident leaders participating re
cently in a three-day “Religion in
Life Program” at Bucknell Uni
versity, Lewisburg, Pa.
Rev, Cooper, son of Dr. and
Mrs. E. C. Cooper, of Kings Moun
tain, served as Header of three
group seminars during the three
day meeting on the Bucknell
campus.
Educated at Lenoir-Rhyne Col
lege and Mt. Airy Lutheran
Seminary, Rev. Cooper is pastor
of America’s oldest German Lu
theran church. New Hanover, at
Pottstown, Pa. The church cur
rently numbers 550 members and
is in the midst of an expansion of
its parish plant.
LEDFORD TAKES OATH OF OFFICE — Paul W.
Ledford is pictured above as he took the oath of
office as Ward 4 commissioner from Mayor Glee
A. Bridges last Thursday night. Mr. Ledford was
appointed commissioner to fill the vacancy crea
ted by the deoth of Oliver T. Hayes, Sr. Seated at
left is Commissioner W. G. Grantham, Commis
sioner Sam Cbllins is seated at right. Commission
er I. H. Patterson is hid bv Mr. Ledford. (Penning
ton Studio photo.)
Bridges Says
'No Comment"
On Park Ruling
Monday’s Supreme Court rul
ing holding illegal segregation
in tax-supported recreational faci
lities, brought a “no comment”
here from Mayor Glee A. Bridges.
Kings Mountain has only re
cently embarked in public recrea
tion, last year opening two swim
ming pools, one for Negroes, one
for whites. Previously the city
had opened a small picnic area
on property it owned off Cherry
ville Road.
Kings Mountain citizens, how
ever, are also regular visitors to
the South Carolina State park at
Lake Cherokee, only a few miles
distant, and joining Kings Moun
tain National Military park.
Governor George Bell Timmfer
man’s comments on the ruling
were succinct. He said there
would be no de-segregating of
South Carolina’s public parks.
The ruling follows last year’s
Supreme Court order holding
segregation illegal in public
schools. In North Carolina, the
public schools are still segregat
ed, through the issue has been ex
pounded heavily by various
groups, including those who want
to fight the ruling, those who ask
“voluntary segregation” along
with Governor podges, and those
who want immediate de-segre
gation.
Major public school de-segrega
ting has been accomplished at the j
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, where two Negro
students from Durham won ad
mission to the undergraduate
school by court ruling. The ruling
is being appealed but the students
weiie admitted. Several years ago
Negroes were admitted, again fol
lowing a court ruling, to the Uni
versity graduate schools.
Officer Davidson
May Be Dismissed
Lykrand To Take
County Position;
Board To Meet
A special session of the city
board of commissioners has been
called for Thursday afternoon at
4 o’clock, Mayor Glee A. Bridges
said Wednesday to act on the re
signation of James A. Lybrand,
Jr., city fireman, and to consider
relieving City Policeman S. R.
(Pop) Davidson from duty.
Mayor Bridges said recommen
dation for firing Officer David
son, onetime city police chief dur
ing the Still Administration, came
from Chief of Police Hugh Logan
Jr. The Mayor said, “Davidson
and Logan have never been able
to get along.”
Officer Davidson said Tuesday
that Chief Logan had asked him
to resign but that he had declined.
Fireman Lybrand resigned in
a letter to the mayor and board
of commissioners, dated Novem
ber 7, to accept a position with
the Cleveland County tax depart
ment.
Mayor Bridges had previously
called the board session for Wed
nesday afternoon, but later can
celled it. He said, “I want to do
some checking.”
Mr. Lybrand has done double
duty with the city for several
months, handling the regular
fireman’s assignment and als6 as
sisting during off-hours in the
Continued On Page Eight
Did Shrine Coaches Tap Hanis?
Fans Think They Should Have
Will George Harris be thfe first
Kings Mountain football player
to play in the annual Shrine Bowl
in Charlotte?
Football fans in and around
Kings Mountain are holding their
collective breaths awaiting the
announcement of the North Caro
lina squad to see if Harris is nam
fed to the gridiron classic.
Most of the fans awaiting the
final word are saying that Har
ris will make it. Some are of the
opinion that Harris’ talents are
not well enough known.
Harris’ performance this year
has put his name on the lips of
fans, coaches, sports writers, and
college scouts throughout the
state.
He has played a bang-up game
of quarterback for the Mountain
eers, and the records prove it. He
has gained 386 yards in 71 tries
for a 5.4 yards rushing average,
has completed 18 of 47 passfes
for 395 yards and seven touch
downs, and has picked up another
337 yards on punt and kickoff
returns and intercepted passes.
In addition to this excellent per
formance, he has scored six
touchdowns himsfelf.
Coach Shu Carlton said Wed
nesday,” I belive that George’s
all-round ability, including his
outstanding defensive play, gives
him a good chance to be selected
on the North Carolina squad.”
Coach Carlton servled as an as
sistant coach in the 1949 Shrine
Bowl and he appreciates the
tough job of picking 33 men from
an entire state to play in the
Shrine classic, for North Caroli
na.
Coaching staffs of both squads
have already said that they had
a surplus of backs, and not
enough linembn. Therefore, it
seems a good lineman stands a
better chance than a backfield
star.
The rosters of both squads will
be released later this week in
Charlotte. Until that time, the
public must wait to learn whether
thejr favorites were tagged or
passed by.
SPEAKER — Ed Wimmer, Cin
cinnati, Ohio, trade association
executive, will speak here Thurs
day night before a Joint session
of three Kings Mountain civic
clubs.
Civic Clubs
To Hear Wimnter
Ed Wimmer, vice-president of
the National Federation of Inde
pendent Business, will address a
joint session of three Kings
Mountain civic organizations
Thursday night at Masonic Din
ing hail.
The program has been arrang
ed by the Kings Mountain Kiwan
is club, who will have as their
guests members of the Kings
Mountain Lions club and Junior
Chamber of Commerce.
The Lions cancelled thleir Tues
day night meeting to convene
with the Kiwanians.
Mr. Wimmer, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, is an official of a non-pro
fit organization of about 100,000
businessmen, including several
in Kings Mountain. In addition to
his work with the federation, he
writes a newspaper column for
the Cincinnati Enquirer.
In Kings Mountain, Mr. Wim
mer will speak on the topic "Free
Enterprise KILLS Free Enter
prise."
A trade association, the Fede
ration seeks to keep its members
informed on the “pro’s” and
"con’s” of federal legislation.
Harold Coggins, Wiwanis pro
gram chairman, said he felt Mr.
Wimmer would supply much in
tresting in formation. “We’re very
glad the other civic clubs could
meet with us,” he added.
The meeting will be held at Ma
sonic Dining hall at 6:45.
HOSPITALIZED
Attorney George Thomasson
was admitted to Kings Moun
tain hospital Tuesday for treat
ment and observation.