Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
City Limits 7,206
n> figure lot Greater Kings Mountain U derived from
me 1965 Kings Mountain aty directory census. The City
Unite figure is from tbs United Stater census of 1950.
1 Q Pages
10 Today
VOL 66 NO. 14
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, April 5, 1956
Sixty-Seventh Year
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Local News
Bulletins
FAIHVIEW LODGE
Fairview Lodge 339 AF and
AM will hold stated communi
cation Monday night at 7:30 p.
m., at Masonic Hall, according
to announcement by J. B.
Simpson, secretary
CANCER PROGRAM
A program on cancer will be
given Friday night at 7:30 p.
m. at the Margrace Woman’s
clubhouse. Citizens of the com
munity are invited to attend,
according to announcement
from club officials.
OFFICE CLOSED
Offices of Dr. L. T,. Anderson,
chiropractor, will be closed Fri
day, April 6th until April 13th,
according to announcement by
Mr. Anderson.
CAKE SALE
The Bethware school parent
Teacher association will spon
sor a cake sale Saturday morn
ning at Phifer Hardware com
pany here on Battleground av
enue, it was announced iby
PT-A officials.
NEW POLICEMAN
Chief Hugh A. Logan, Jr., an
nounced Wednesday that Jack
ie Dean Barrett of Cansler
street has been named as a
temporary policeman to re
place Sgt. Martin Ware, who is
a patient at Bowman-Gray hos
pital in Winston-Salem.
WARE HOSPITALIZED
Police Sergeant Martin S.
Ware, Jr., is a patient at Bow
man - Gray Hospital, Winston
Salem for treatment, observa
tion and possible surgery. Mr.
Ware left for Winston-Salem
Tuesday. His address it Room
376, Bowman-Gray Hospital.
METER RECEIPTS
City parking meter receipts
for the week ending, noon,
Wednesday, totaled $206.49, ac
cording to a report by City
Clerk Gene Mitchem. He re
ported that off-street meters
returned $39.95, while street
meters accounted for $166.49.
MOOSE LODGE
New officers of Kings Moun
tain Moose lodge 1748 will be
elected Thursday night by
members who may-vote during
hours of 1 to 8 o’clock p. m., ac
cording to announcement ib£
Curtis Gaffney, secretary.
LIONS CLUB MEETING
The Kings Mountain Lions
Club will hold its regular meet
ing at Kings Mountain Wo
man’s Club Tuesday night at 7
o’clock. The program has not
been announced.
TO CONTEST
Five Kings Mountain piano
students will participate Sat
urday in Salisbury district pi
ano contests. Participating in
the junior division will be Su
san Kesler, a student of Mrs.
Hilda Kreutzer, and Mary Lil
lian Lewis, Jimmy Plonk and
Joyce Plonk, students of Mrs.
Martin Harmon. Peggy Joyce
'Reynolds, also a student of
Mrs,. Harmon, will play in the
senior high school division.
HOMES SOLO
The residences of Mr. and
Mrs. Otis Falls, Sr., S. Gaston
street, and of Mr. and Mrs. W..
L. McMaekin, W Gold street,
have been sold. The Falls res
idence was sold to William
Young, assistant treasurer of
Home Building & Loan asso
ciation, while the McMaekin
residence has been sold to
James Rotan, superintendent of
Phenix plant, Burlington Mills.
Mr. and Mrs. Falls expect to
rebuild in the city, while Mr.
and Mrs. McMaekin are re
building at the McMaekin farm
in the Bethany community.
Davidson Lake
At Overflow Point
Davidson lake, the auxiliary
city water reservoir flowed
over the 65-foot dam for the
first time Wednesday, indicat
ing the city has an additional
water reserve of 175 million
gallons of raw water.
The overflow was described
by Mayor Glee Bridgtes as "on
ly a trickle” and likely caused
by the heavy wind which kick
ed up small waves on the lake.
Heavy rainfall in thte past
tyo months also raised the
fevel of the malp water reser
voir on York Road to the over
flow point.
CAR IN WHICH BLAKELYS WERE KILLED—Pic
tured is the Plymouth sedan in which two Kings
Mountain citizens and a Chester, S. C., teacher
were killed Sunday night in a wreck at McGill
crossroads in the Bethany community. W. E.
Blakely, former postmaster for more than 18
years, his wife, Mrs. Sara Oliphart Blakely, and
his sfster, Miss Mary Blakely, died instantly when
the car was struck at the intersection by a large
refrigerated truck driven by Marvin Hager, of
Wilmington, formerly of Cherryville. (Photo cour
tesy Rock Hill Herald.)
Blakely, Wife, Sister Killed
In Easter Auto-Truck Crash
Double Funeral
Held On Tuesday;
Tracker Injured
Double funeral services were
held at Boyce Memorial ARP
church Tuesday morning at 10:30
for Mr. and Mrs. William E.
Blakely, who were killed in a
truck-auto collision near York,
S, C., Sunday night.
Dr. W. L. Pressly, pastor of
Boyce Memorial church, and
Rev. J. Calvin Smith of Clover.
S. C., officiated. Pallbearers were
members of the official boards
of the church The bodies were
moved to Wrens, Ga., Mrs.
Blakely’s former home, for bu
rial.
Also killed in the Easter crash
was Miss Mary E. Blakaly, Mr.
Blakely’s sister and a Chester,
S. C., school teacher.
William E. Blakely was born
August 25, 1898, in Laurens
County, South Carolina. He was
the son of the late Ludy P. and
Carrie Brewton Blakely.
Mr. Blakely, a veteran of
World War I, was a former post
master in Kings Mountain, retir
ing some 15 months ago. He was
a past commander of Otis Green
Post 155, American Legion, and
a former member of the Erskine
College board of trustees. Since
retiring as postmaster, he had
been an agent for Equitable Life
Assurance Company. He came to
Kings Mountain in the twenties.
He was very active in the re
ligious and civic work of the
city, having been a former Sun
day School teacher and choir
member at Boyce Memorial ARP
church. He was serving as an
elder and clerk of the session in
the church at the time of his
death. An active Kiwanian, Mr.
Blakely had served as district
governor of Kiwanis Internation
al, as well as being a past presi
dent of the Kings Mountain club.
He is survived by five broth
ers, C. B. Blakely of Chester, S.
C., Ralph E. Blakely of Rock Hill,
Samuel H. Blakely of Latta S. C.
John F. Blakely of Conway, S.
C., and Ludy J. Blakely of Lau
rens, S. C.
Mrs. Blakely, the former Miss
Sarah Oliphant, was born De
cember 20, 1902, in Jefferson
County, Georgia She was the
daughter of the late Dixon N.
and Gertrude. Dodd Oliphant.
Mrs. Blakely was also very ac
tive in Kings Mountain’s church
affairs. She had served as a pri
mary department Sunday School
teacher at Boyce Memorial for
the past 16 or 1" years. She also
was active in the Women’s Mis
sionary Society, and was a for
mer officer of this organization.
She is survived by three broth
ers, Dodd, Pope, and Dixon. Oli
phant, all of Wrens, Ga.; and
two sisters, Mrs. Kate Barrow
and Miss Mamie Oliphant, also
of Wrens.
Rev. Pressly, who made the
trip to Wrens for burial services,
reported that a large crowd of
the Blakely friends and neigh
bors of Mrs. Blakely were pre
sent to pay their last respects
at the grave-side.
Miss Mary E. Blakely, the
third victim of the crash, was
born March 28, 1904, in Laurens
County, S. C. She had been an
elementary school teacher most
of her life having taught at
Continued On Page Ten
■ 1
REVIVAL SPEAKER — Rev. C. E.
Murray, associate minister of
Main Street Methodist church.
Gastonia, will conduct a series of
revival services at Grace Metho
dist church beginning Sunday
and continuing through April 15.
It was announced by the pastor.
Rev. W. C. Sides. Services will be
held each evening at 7:30 and
special music will also feature
the revival series.
Board To Meet
Thwsday Night
Members of the city board of
commissioners will convene
Thursday night at 8 o’clock for
the regular April meeting.
Both Mayor Glee A. Bridges
and Citv Clerk Gene Mitcham
said they anticipated a light and
routine agenda. Mr. Mitcham
said he would present the com
missioners a detailed financial
statement showing results of
city operations for the first nine
months of the current fiscal
year.
The board meets at City Hall
courtroom.
!>'
Contract Terms
For Pathologist
ire Opposed Here
The county hospital (board of
trustees employed a pathologist
for Shelby hospital last week tout
deferred for decision the type .of
service the pathologist will ren
der Kings Mountain hospital
and to what extent Kings Moun
tain hospital will use his servi
ces.
The deferred decision resulted
from objection to the originally
planned contract with Dr. Frank
Watson, which specified that the
pathologist would be guaranteed
a salary of $13,000 per year or
40 percent of all laboratory fees,
minus fees in charity cases, at
tooth hospitals, whichever proved
greater. On basis of past records,
the pathologist would receive a
ibout $25,000 per year, or $17,000
from Shelby hospital and $8,000
from Kings Mountain hospital.
Opposition to the employment
of a pathologist on this basis was
voiced toy Number 4 Township
Trustee W. L. Plonk as well as
Kings Mountain physicians, who
had adopted a resolution against
it.
The matter was referred to the
joint conference committee,
which includes Trustees Lewis
Hovis, Ladd W. Hamrick, Grady
Howard, George Layeock, Dr. W.
L. Ramseur, Dr,. John C. McGill,
Dr. H. C. Thompson and another
Shelby physician, as yet un-nam
ed.
Kings Mountain township trus
tees objected principally to the
fee arrangement. They felt, It
was indicated, that the cost
would jeopardize the financial
position of Kings Mountain hos
pital.
In the past, tooth Cleveland
county hospitals have sent their
pathological work to Grace hos
pital, Morganton, which has no
Cnntinued On Page Ten
Funeral Services Held Saturday
For Mrs. lane Crawford Anthony
Funeral services for Mrs. Jante
Crawford Anthony, 68, wife, of
Dr. J. E. Anthony, Kings Moun
tain physician, were conducted
Saturday afternoon at Boyce Me
morial Associate Reformed Pres
byterian church.
Mrs. Anthony died at 10 o’
clock last Thursday night at Gas
ton Memorial hospital, where she
had been a patient for several
weeks. Though in declining health
lor several months, Mrs. An
thony’s death had not been ex
pected. She had been apparently
improved and had anticipated re
turning to her North Piedmont
avenue home the following day.
Her husband and a son, J. HL
Anthony, Jr., had visited her
shortly before her death, which
was attributed to heart failure.
Mrs. Anthony was the former
Elizabeth' Jane Crawford, daug*
ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam Meek Crawford, of the Pis
gah community in Gaston county.
She had lived in Kings Mountain
sinde 1912. An active member of
the Associate Reformed Presby
terian church, she was diligent in
its activities and loyal in her sup
port and attendance. Mrs. An
thony was a member of the
Thursday Afternoon Book club
and a charter member of the
Home Arts club.
The funeral services were con
ducted by Dr. W. L. Pressly, her
pastor, with Rev. M. B. Grier,
pastor of Pisgah ARP church, as
sisting.
■ Dr. Pressly paid tribute to Mrs.
Anthony for her patience, her
work in the church, and as a good
neighbor and mother.
Interment was made in Moun
tain Rest cemetery.
Surviving, in addition to her
husband, are two sons, J. E» An
thony, Jr.. Kings Mountain, and
William C. Anthony, Kalamazoo,
Mich., a daughter, Miss Elizabeth
Anthony, Kings Mountain, a bro
ther, Mott Crawford, Gastonia,
and a sister. Miss Naomi Craw
ford, Gastonia, and two grand
children.
Pallbtearers were Johnny Kiser,
Kings Mountain, and R. P. An
thony, Jr., Edward Anthony, W.
A. Anthony, Jr., William Shan
non and Charles Crawford all of
Gastonia.
Hospital In Red By $6,135
After Depreciation Charges
Mrs. Joe Hord, 85,
Died Wednesday;
Rites Thursday
Mrs. Frances Stubbs Hord, 85,
longtime Kings Mountain citizen,
died at 5:30 Wednesday morning
at Kings Mountain hospital. She
had 'been ill the past three weeks.
Funeral services will be held
Thursday afternoon at First Bap
tist church, of which she was a
member. The rites will ibegin at
2 o’clock, with burial to toe made
at Elizabeth Baptist church cem
etery, near Shelby.
The funeral services will be
conducted by Rev. Aubrey Qua
kenbush, assisted by Dr Zeno
Wall.
Mrs. Hord was the widow of
Joe S. Hord, who died on May 1
1928. She was a native of Lin
colnton, a daughter of the Late
Mr. and Mrs. Eltoridge Stubbs.
Surviving are ten children, in
cluding six sons and four dau
ghters. They are Bryan Hord,
George Hord, and Fred Hord, all
of Kings Mountain, Joe B. Hord,
of Maxton, Roy Hord and Ned
Hord, tooth of Charlotte, Miss
Marjorie Hord, Mrs. D. G. Little
john and Mrs. J. K- Willis, all of
Kings Mountain, and Mrs. P. M.
Mauney, of Shelby. Also surviv
ing are two sisters, Mrs. Will Car
penter, of Charlotte, and Mrs. M.
B. Davis, of Gastonia, 21 grand
children and 23 great-grandchil
dren.
Grandsons of Mrs. Hord will
.serve as active pallbearers.
Employment
Up Foi March
“Kings Mountain employment
picture is a little better than last
month, but still is not as bright
as it could toe,’’ was the report gi
ven toy Franklin L. Ware, Jr.,
Kings Mountain’s Employment
Service office manager, Wednes
day.
Mr. Ware reported that 77 per
sons applied for jobs at his office.
This compared with 107 new ap
plicants during the month of
February. He added that this
made a total of 388 persons a
vailatole for work at the end of
the month. Some 416 persons
were listed as available in the
last report.
The office received 84 jab o
penlngs during the month, and
filled 73 of them, Mr. Ware said.
Orfly 56 persons were placed dur
ing February with a total of 63
job-openings.
iDuring the month 1096 weeks
of claims for unemployment
compensation were filed, an av
erage of 274 per week for the
four-week period. This dropped
from 293 for the previous month.
A break - down of positions
filled shows that 13 of the work
ers went into contract construc
tion; seven in mining; 10 in
manufacturing; four in public
utilities; nine in retail and
wholesale trade; two in service
other than private household;
and 28 in private household ser
vice.
Mr,. Ware cited an increase in
construction and mining opera
tions as being primarily respon
sible for the improvement in the
report for March.
Mrs. McCurdy
Drive Chairmen
Mrs. F. R. McCurdy will servo
as Kings Mountain chairman of
the membership campaign of the
Cleveland County community
Concert association, it was an
nounced this week by J. A. West,
' of Shelby. *
Mrs. Glenn Roundtree will
i serve as Grover chairman.
Mr.-West said association of
ficials hope to book the Mauney
'Twins, duo-pianists, for a return
i engagement fo rnext season, add
ing that this factor is expected
I to heighten interest in the asso
ciation membership campaign.
A short one-week campaign is
planned, beginning next Monday.
Admission to the concerts are
by membership card only, Mr.
West pointed out.
Number of membership sold de
termine both the number and call
ber of concert attractions, he
pointed out.
> —
Two Men Indicted
For Plonk Theft
Moore Admits
Robbery, Tate
Remains Silent
Two men charged with the
$13,700 daylight robbery of the
C. S. Plonk safe on March 11 are
in Wake and Johnston county
jails and one of them Dewey H.
Moore, 29, has admitted„:his part
in the robbery..
Horace Garland Tate, 49, whom
Sheriff Haywood Allen describes
as "a hardened criminal,” has
admitted nothing.
When the pair will be returned
to Cleveland county for trial
hinges on the outcome of other
charges facing the two men.
Sheriff Allen said Moore, who
gave his address as Norfolk, Va.,
had admitted to a part in a sim
ilar country home rbbibery near
Smithfield occurred some three
months ago. He is lodged in
Johnston county jail awaiting
trial.
Tate, who gave his address as
Delray Beach, Fla., is held in
Wake county jail, under suspi
cion of taking part in the Smith
field robbery, as well as under
indictment foe the Plonk rob
bery, which included $12,700 in
cash and two diamond rings.
The pair have been in the clut
ches of the authorities since Mar
ch 13, two days after the robbery.
The two men were arrested on a
liquor violation charge, and au
thorities searched their quarters.
In Tate's bedroom, the officers
found $3,500 in cash and two dia
mond rings. Subsequently, a
“suspicion of safe robbery” no
tice on the two and the findings
appeared in the March 15 and 22
■bulletins of the State Bureau of
Investigation. After the second'
■bulletin, Sheriff Allen and SBI
Agent John Vanderford compar
ed notes, quizzed Mrs. John But
ler-Plonk, owner of the two dia
mond rings stolen from the Plonk
safe, and took Mrs. Plonk to
identify theirings. They proved
to be hers.
After a day’s questioning,
Moore ‘Ibroke” and admitted his
part in the robbery. Sheriff Al
len said, and implicated Tate.
Sheriff Allen said he and SBI
Agent Vanderford went to Ralei
gh and Smithfield again Tuesday
to question the two men again.
Sheriff Allen says Moore has de
scribed the smallest details con
nected with the Plonk robbery
and is consistent in his state
ments that the two of them,
Moore and Tate, brought off the
robbery by themselves. Further,
the Sheriff says, Moore told him
Tate had “cased” the Plonk resi
dence for as long as a year.
A week prior to the March 11
church-hour safe - cracking, a
man had driven to the Plonk
hodse, during church-hour, and
Continued On Page Ten
t
WELLS' MANAGER — Leg Roark,
well - known Shelby newspaper
editor, has been named to head
the 11th District Congressional
race for Hugh Wells. Roark, a na
tive Cleveland County man, is a
veteran of World War II, and is
very active in various veteran or
ganizations.
Roark Named
Wells Manager
Hugh Wells, Shelby congres- ;
siona] candidate, has named Les
ter D, Roark, Shelby newspaper
editor, as his District campaign
manager.
In making the announcement I
today, Wells stated:
“Les Roark is a splendid citi-1
zen, a great newspaper editor,
and has never supported any
cause for his own selfish bene
fit. He has always advocated
honesty and fairness in govern- i
ment, with an uncommon devo-1
tion to the needs of the people.
“Les cahie up the hard way..
He was raised on a Cleveland
County farm, working also in
textiles and construction before
entering the newspaper field.
His help will be invaluable in
this campaign.”
The campaign manager accept, j
ted the assignment by stating: |
"I admire Hugh Wells for his
many good qualities, and respect j
his sound judgement and con- j
structive thinking. He is a man j
of courage and honesty, with
deep convictions regarding our
democratice process of govern
ment.
"Hugh Wells’ positive cam
paign, based on the issues, is
meeting the enthusiastic appro
val of the people in the 11th dis
trict. I am happy to give my as
sistance in his effort to become
our next Congressman.”
Roark stated that campaign
committees would be set up in
various counties as quickly as
Continued On Page Ten
Cancer Campaign To Begin Friday;
Kings Mountain Quota Is $2,000
Members of Kings Mountain’s
Junior and Senior Woman’s clubs
will begin work Friday to raise
$2,000 as Kings Mountain’s part
in the Cleveland county fund
campaign for the American Can
cer society
The county quota is $10,000.
Chairman of the Kings Moun
tain campaign is Mrs. J. H. Ar
thur, and other members of the
campaign committee are Mrs. P.
G. Ratterree and Mrs. S. S. Weir,
Jr.
Mrs Arthur said the members
of the two sponsoring organiza
tions intend to complete their
work in a ten-day period A full
house-to-house canvas will be
made.
Mrs. Arthur noted that the
quota for the campaign had been
doubled over last year and said
it resulted from the heavy need
for funds for the two principal
functions which the proceeds
aid: 1) research to discover im
proved means of detecting and
treating cancer; and 2) to pro
vide financial aid to needy can
cer victims.
CHAIRMAN — Mrs. J. H. Arthur
is serving as chairman of the
Kings Mountain fund campaign
of the American Cancer society
The Kings Mountain quota is
5X000.
Audit For 1955
Shows Occupancy
Bate 97 Percent
Kings Mountain hospital books
showed red ink for 1955 opera
tions, in spite of the fact that the
hospital averaged nearly 35 pa
tients per day or an occupancy
rate of 96.94 percent.
Prior to depreciation charges,
the hospital showed an operating
profit of $3,594.55, but deprecia
tion charges of $9,729.82 moved
the operations into the red bv
$6,135.27.
These figures were detailed in
the audit report on 1955 opera
tions by George G. Scott Com
pany, of Charlotte, certified pub
lic accountants.
Gross charges to patients to
taled $222,641.13, but $56,777.54
were deducted as charity allo
wances, bad accounts, etc., to re
duce the actual operating income
to $166,632.98. Income from gov
ernments and other sources to
taled $16,002.70. Expenses totaled
$178,887.49, plus interest of
$153.64.
Major operating expense items
included: nursing service, $35,
889.30; dietary expenses, $26,791.
73; administration, $17,140.95;
medical and surgical expense,
$15,070.32; Pharmaceuticals and
drugs, $13,849.70^ and x-ray ex
penses, $11,724.27.
Cost Analysis
During 1955, Kings Mountain
hospital discharged 2,720 pat
ients, Including 396 newborn ba
bies. The patients’ average
length of stay was 5.48 days. Ave
rage payment per patient was
$16.70 per day, against a cost
of $14.81 per day. A total of 1,287
days of charity care cost the hos
pital $18,082, of which $14,918
was reimbursed.
During 1955, the hospital kitch.
en served 52,114 meals, at an
average cost of 51-plus cents.
Net Worth
At the end of 1955, the hospital
showed a plant fund net worth
$537,316.51, including fixed as
sets (land, buildings, equipment)
of $513,843.40 and $23,473.31 in
Cash.
It showed an operating fund
surplus of $38,583.45, including
$13,109 cash, $30,795 in accounts
receivable, $8,959 in supplies, and
$402 in deferred charges, less
liabilities of $14,683.79.
In a note on accounts, the au
dit report stated that the ac
counts receivable were consider
ed fully collectible, a reserve for
doubtful accounts having ben es
tablished “on a conservative ba
sis.’’
The auditors made only two
recommendations, both techni
cal; 1) that plant fund cash re
ceipts and disbursements be
made a part of permanent re
cords of the hospital and 2) that
charge-offs for bad accounts be
made intermittently during the
year in order that accounts re
ceivable would represent a “more
realistic and collectible” total.
Hospital Room Fees
Raised $1 Per Day
A new schedule of room fees
went into effect at Kings
Mountain hospital April 1, fol
lowing approval by the board
of trustees. The new rates are:
Semi - private room, $9 per
day.
Private room, $11 per day.
Private room with tub bath
(only one available), $12 per
day.
The new schedule reflects an
across - the - board one dollar
per day increase. However,
Business Manager Grady Ho
ward pointed out, the hospital
will no longer charge extra
fees during summer months
for air - conditioning. Thus the
average increase will approxi
mate 50 cents per room per
day, as all rooms will have air
conditioning facilities.
When the new addition
comes into use in the near fu
ture, the hospital will have
50 beds, including 14 in private
rooms.
Mr. Howard listed these rea
sons for the increase which
he termed “slight:” 1) the for
mer rates were two low for
2) the opening of the new wing
will require additional staff
ing, and 3) the rates were very
low as compared with those
charged by neighboring hospi
tals. In fact, Mr. Howard add
ed, the rates will still bfe well
under those charged by hospi
tals in nearby cities, includ- j
ing Charlotte and Gastonia, m