Population
♦ Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
City Limits 7,206
n* flans* for Grooter flags Mountain lo derived from
Iks IMS Kings Mountain city directory census. The City
Units floors Is from the United States aonssss of lt$S.
Kings Mountain's Reliable Newspaper
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1 Q Pages
10 Today
VOL 66 NO. 50
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C.t Thursday, December 20, 1956
Sixty-Seventh Year PRICE FIVE CENTS
Kings Mountain Merchants To Be Open Later Friday, Saturday, Monday
Short Industrial Holidays Reflect Better Business
- -—-——-<
Buisness Power Rate Upped
Local News
Bulletins
BUILDING PERMITS
Two permits were issued this
week by Building Inspector J.
W. Webster. Thursday, Decem
ber 13, a permit was issued to
Kelly Dixon to erect q house
on W. Ridge street, at an esti
mated cost of $3,500. Wednes
day, December 12, a permit was
issued to Charles Alenxander
to erect a house on Henry
street, at an estimated cost of
$10,000.
DIXON PROGRAM
Dixon Presbyterian church
has scheduled two Christmas
programs, on Saturday night
and Sunday afternoon at the
church. A one-act play will Ibe
presented at 7 p. m. Saturday
night. A candle-lighting service
to feature-scripture and fam
iliar carols will 'be held at 3:49
p, m. on Sunday.
XIWANIS SESSION
The Kings Mountain Kiwanis
club will hol'd its regular meet
ing on Thursday night at the
Woman’s Club at 6:45. No form
al program has been scheduled,
with the meeting to be devoted
to the club's annual Christmas
charity project.
OFFICES CLOSING
Driving license offices wll pe
closed (Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday of next week, ac
cording to an offical report. The
offices will toe open in Kings
Mountain on Thursday and Fri
day as scheduled.
CITY HOLIDAYS
Business offices and tax of
fice at City Hall will toe closed
on Christmas Eve and on
Christmas Day and will re-open
for business Wednesday, De
cember 26. These offices will
also toe closed on New Year’s
day, it was announced.
AT SON'S HOME
Harvey Roberts is recuperat
ing at his son’s home on Grover
Road from an operation he un
derwent recently at Charlotte
Memorial Hospital. Mr. and
Mrs. (Roberts are at the home of
Mt. and Mrs. Howard Roberts.
Next Herald Out
On December 24th
The next edition of the Kings
Mountain Herald will appear
under date of Monday, Decem
ber 24.
It will be the traditional
“Christmas” issue, customarily
advanced in publishing sched
ule to appear the day prior to
Christmas. The Herald will ap
pear on newsstands Sunday
evening.
It will contain, in addition to
the regular content of up-to-the
minute news, social and sports
events, Christmas feature ma
terial, greetings from mer
chants and other features.
Both merchants and citizens
seeking news coverage should
observe these deadlines:
Advertising at 2 p. m. Satur
day.
Social and sports news at 10
a. m. Sunday*
Other news events at 2 p. m.
Sunday.
The Herald will suspend ope
rations for Christmas holidays
Monday at noon and will re
sume operations Monday morn
ing, December 31. The Decem
ber 24 edition will be the last
one of 1956. The next edition
will appear January 3.
Methodist Choir
To Sing Cantata
Choii To Sing
Handel Work
Sunday At 5
The choir of Central Metho
dist church will sing Handel’s
“Messiah” Sunday afternoon at
5 o'clock.
Soloists will be Mrs. Sue Dixon,
soprano; Miss Margaret McLarty,
soprano; Mrs. Alice Thompson,
of Gastonia, alto; Earl Marlowe,
Jr., and B. S. Peeler, Jr., bari
tones, and Albert Hewitt of
Marion, tenor.
Miss Bonnie McIntosh is choir
director and organist.
Handel wrote the “Messiah”
more than 200 years ago. Since
its introduction it has been a
traditional Christmas oratorio.
On occasion of the work’s bi
centennial in 1952, Critic Rafael
Kammerer remarked, “In the 200
years .... since ‘Messiah’ first
brought tears to the eyes of its
creator and filled him with the
vision of Heaven and the 'great
God Himself’, it has moved and
thrilled more music lovers per
haps than any other choral work
in the repertoire of choral socie
ties, church or secular.”
Members of the 29-voice choir
are:
Sopranos — Mrs. Barbara A]
len, Mrs. Joan Cross, Mrs. Sue
Dixon, Miss Winifred Fulton,
Miss Jean Hicks, Miss Dorothy
Goforth, Miss Ann McCluney,
Miss Mary Alice McDaniel, and
Miss Margaret McLarty.
Altos — Miss Linda Biser, Miss
Shirley Falls, Miss Norma Kay
Hamrick, Mrs. J. N. McClure,
Miss Mildred McDaniel, Mrs. Y.
F. Throneburg, and Mrs. Alice
Thompson.
Tenors — Jacob Dixon, Albert
Hewitt, Reginald Murray, and
Arthur Walker.
Basses — Bin Allen, Gary All
ran, John Cross, I. Ben Goforth,
Jr., Earl Marlowe, Jr. Buddy
Mayes, Rev. James McLarty, B.
S. Peeler, Jr., and John Warlick.
LIONS MEET FRIDAY
Members of the Kings (Moun
tain Lions club will meet Fri
day night at 7 a’ckxflc at the
Kings Mountain Woman’s Club
to have dinner, then distribute
Christmas ibaskets to (blind
families of the area. The meet
ing will replace the regular
meeting, which, on regular
schedule, would be held Christ
mas night.
ELECTED — Dr. Feral E. Hen
dricks. Kings Mountain physi
cian. was elected president of the
Cleveland County Medical society
at its recent quarterly meeting.
Dr. Hendricks will assume office
in January.
County Doctors
Elect Hendricks
Dr. Paul E. Hendricks, of Kings
Mountain, has been elected presi
dent of the Cleveland County
Medical society for the coming
year. \
Dr. Hendricks, who was elected
at the recent quarterly dinner
meeting of the society held at
Cleveland Country Club, will suc
ceed Dr. S. F. Parker, of Shelby.
The medical group elected Dr.
Charles Padgett, of Shelby, vice
president, to succeed Dr. C. M.
MeMurray, also of Sheliby. Dr.
Avery W. McMuray, of Shelby,
was re-elected secretary-treasur
er.
The newly elected officers will
assume office at the January
meeting of the organization.
Dr. Hendricks, a Kings Moun
tain general practitioner, is a
graduate of Wake Forest college
and Bowman-Gray School of
Medicine. He served as a medical
officer in the army before re
suming practice here. He is sen
ior partner of the the HendrickS
Nolan Clinic here.
Postal Peak Recorded On Monday;
28 Persons Kept Busy Moving Mail
Kings Mountain past office has
good news for late mailers.
Traffic, Wednesday morning
though still brisk, was on the
“downbeat” Assistant Postmaster
George Hord said in reporting
cancellation figures on outgoing
mail for the Christmas rush sea
son.
“I can’t say whether the big
rush is over for sure, but it’s on
the downbeat this morning,’* Mr.
Hord commended.
Cancellation comparisons for
Monday and Tuesday bore out
Mr. Hord’s statement. Monday
was peak day for out-going mail,
as postal clerks cancelled stamps
of 23,825 pieces of mail. Tuesday’s
total was off slightly at 23,566.
The Kings Mountain post-office
was keeping abreast of its work,
as nine extra employees aided
the regular staff of 19 in handling
the big volume of parcels, Christ
mas greeting cards and regular
mail.
Extras included Delvin Huff
stetler, George Hord, Jr., Carl
Cole, Guy Fisher, Harold Pearson
and Robert Hullender, in addition
to the regular substitutes for the
three rural carriers, who are Ed
win Moore, Marshall Van Dyke
and Gettys Seism.
Parcel post was moved swiftly
as the post office kept two trucks
moving at top speed Monday and
Tuesday. This was a boom to
special orders for customers.
As has Ibeen previously an
nounced by Postmaster C. L.
Alexander, the post office will
provide window service until 6
p. an. Saturday. Customarily, the
post office windows close at noon
on Saturdays.
According to cancellation fig
ures the postal rush actually be
gan last Thursday, on December
13. From regular cancellations of
6,000-plus on the three previous
days, items of out-going mail in
creased to 9,180.
On Friday the total was ll,086r
on Saturday it was 12,001, with
another 2,142 on Sunday.
City Increases
Over 2500 Rate
By 40 Percent
The city board of commission
ers upped base power rate sche
dules for large commercial us
ers by approximately 40 percent
at a special session Wednesday
afternoon.
Though the noard did not set
an effective date, it is presumed
the increase in the schedule from
.88 of one cent per kilowatt hour
to 1.4 cents per kilowatt hour for
all over 2500 will be reflected hi
billings of February 1.
The action or the board -was
unanimous.
Assistant City Clerk Joe Mc
Daniel estimated that the rate
increase would effect probably
20 customers, though he added
it might effect more in the sum
mer months when air-condition
ing systems are in use. Four lar
gest users of city purchased po
wer he named as Elmer Lumber
Company, Kings Mountain Hos
pital, A & P Tea Company and
Dixie-Home Stores. Mr. McDan
iel guessed the rate increase
would return something like $200
per month to city coffers in win
ter months, much more in the
hot summer months ,again with
air-conditioning to play a major
role in power bills.
Commissioner Sam Collins ob
jected to the Herald reporter on
a statement appealing in lajst
week’s issue concerning power
rates and crediting Mr. Collins,
who had served on the committee
to investigate power rate revi
sion, with “long being a booster
of higher power rates.” Mr. Col
lins said he has only supported
increased rates in the commer
cial schedule.
Mayor Glee A. Bridges and
Commissioner W. G. Grantham
pointed out that the new rate
keeps the city rate under those
of Duke Power Company and of
the neighboring cities of Shelby
and Gastonia.
Residential rates are unaffect
ed by the change.
In other actions, the board:
1) Told the Mayor to inform
the state higlTway and public
works commission it desired a
traffic signal installed at the in
tersection of Piedmont avenue
and Linwood Drive and also
wished installation of an island
at the Linwood Drive entrance.
(The state had suggested use of
the island and caution lights).
2) ' In a technical action, au
thorized City Tax Collector J. W.
Continued on Page Ten
Would Up Pay
The city board of commes
sioners will ask the county’s
legislative delegation to intro
duce a bill in the forecoming
session of the General Assem
bly to raise the pay of city
commissioners from $10 to $25
monthly.
The motion was made iby
Commissioner T. J, Ellison,
with Commissioner Sam Col
lins seconding, and was passed
unanimously. m
There was some discussion
on the mayor’s pay, but Mayor
Glee A. Bridges said, “Let’s
leave that out of it.’* He added,
T might want to run again, and
I don’* believe that would help
me get re-elected.’’
The commissioners now have
authority to pay the mayor a
minimum of $50 per month and
a maximum of $300. (Mayor
Bridges has received $300 since
he assumed the mayoral spot
on a full-time basis in 1955.
1955.
Under Mr. Ellison’s motion,
the bill, if approved, would
not become effective until after
the May 1957 city election,
onoww cmfwy
NEILL HONORED BY BANK — B. S. Neill, left,
executive vice-president of First National Bank,
was honored by the bank Saturday night on the
silver anniversary of his joining First National
Bank. Louis Brooks, right, is congratulating Mr.
Neill after presenting him a sterling silver service.
Mr. Brooks, of Charlotte, is president of the North
Carolina Banker's association. The presentation
was a surprise to Mr. Neill and was made at First
National's annual employee Christmas party.
(Photo by Pennington Studio.)
Av
Neill Is Honored
By First National
Neil Joined
Hist National
25 Yeais Ago
Buren Shuford Neil!, executive
vice-president of First National
Bank, was honored Jby the bank
and its employees Saturday night
on the 25th anniversary of Mr.
Neill’s joining the Kings Moun
tain bank.
The occasion was the annual
First National Christmas party,
held at the Kings Mountain
Country Club, and the homage
to Mr. Neill, who joined First
National on December 15, 1931,
included a surprise testimonial
and a handsome gift.
Louis Brooks, of Charlotte,
executive vice-president of Union
National Bank and president of
the North Carolina Bankers’ as
sociation, made the brief testi
monial speech and presented
Mr. Neill a sterling silver ser
vice, gift of the bank.
, Mr. Neill and his wife obvious
ly were completely surprised at
the turn of events. Mr. Neill
could only remark, “I’m too full
to say anything.”
Normally, he could have been
referring to the sumptuous holi
day-season dinner, but his atti
tude indicated otherwise.
Present for the dinner were all
employees of the bank, their
wives and husbands, directors
and their wives, Mr. and Mrs.
Brooks and Mr. and Mrs. Martin
Harmon.
The format was that of the
customary First National Christ
mas party, with handsome favors
and gifts for the ladies, cigars
for the men, and a huge Christ
mas dinner. President Summers
noted that the party would not
be featured by long speeches but
recognized Mayor Glee A. Brid
ges, a bank director, to take the
rostram. The invited mayor re
cognized guests and presented
Mr. Brooks, the Banker’s asso
ciation president, a mammoth
key td the city. Mr. Brooks used
his "thank you” as a sprink
board into his testimonial to Mr.
Neill for his 25 years here. The
silver service was concealed un
der the table, well-hidden by
the copious tablecloth.
Mr. Neill is a native of Iredell
county. He attended school at
Oxford orphanage, then became
a hotel clerk at Hickory, where
he married the former Elizabeth
Continued on Page Ten
New City Commercial Power Rate Schedule
First 100 Kilowatt Hours @ 4.8c
Next 900 Kilowatt Hours @ 2.56c
Next 1500 Kilowatt Hours & 1.6c
Al over 2500 Kilowatt Houas ' @ 1.4c
MEDICAL CHIEF — Dr. P. G. Pad
gott, Kings Mountain physician,
has been elected chief of the
medical staff of Kings Mountain
hospital. He succeeds Dr. W. L.
Ramseur.
Padgett Named
Medical Chief
Dr. Phillip G. Padgett Was
elected chief of the medical staff
of Kings Mountain hospital at a
dinner meeting Monday. He suc
ceeds Dr. W. L. Ramseur.
Dr. John C. McGill was elect
ed to succeed Dr. Paul E. Hen
driicks as assistant chief of staff
and Dr. Kenneth McGill was re
elected secretary-treasurer.
Attending the session in addi
Continued on Page Ten
Retailers Set
Later Weekend
Closing Hours
Kings Mountain retailers will
be open later than usual Friday,
Saturday and Monday to accom
modate last-minute Christmas
shoppers.
The merchants will observe
Saturday hours on both Friday
and Monday, as well as Satur
day.
This means most stores will be
open until 6:30 or 7 o’clock, with
grocers remaining open slightly
later.
Merchants reported brisk sales
this week and last weekend.
While some reported shortages
in a few items, majority of the
merchants said thei rstocks are
still complete in both variety
of style and size and numerous
merchants said thir stocks are
minute arrivals via parcel post,
express, and motor freight.
Payments of Christmas bonuses
by several industrial firms was
expected to put a last-minute spur
to Christmas season shopping
here.
(Majority of the merchants will
take a two-day holiday for Christ
mas, tooth Christmas Day and De
cember 26. They will re-open on
regular schedule December 27.
Majority of the merchants will
also observe New Year’s Day as a
holiday. The same schedule will
be followed toy the city’s dry
cleaning and laundry industry,
Fleete McCurdy, of McCurdy
Cleaning-Laundry announced.
MOOSE MEETING
Members of Kings Mountain
Moose Lodge 1748 will hold
their regular weekly meeting
Thursday night, at 8:15 at the
lodge on Bessemer City road,
according to an announcement
by Curtis Gaffney, secretary.
Escapee lames Woods Is Captured
After Drawing Pistol On Officers
A 17-year-old Kings Mountain
prison cfllmp escapee threatened
city officers with a pistol here
Monday night when he was re
captured at his home, police say.
James Woods reportedly pull
ed a gun on Sgt. B. P. Cooke and
Officer Paul Saunders when
they apprehended the young es
capee at his home on Phillips
Drive.
Woods had escaped from a
Newton Prison Camp earlier. He
was serving a term for break
ing and entering and larceny in
connection with a break-in of
Keefer’s Department Store here
last summer.
Chief Hugh A. Logan, Jr. re
ported that Cooke and Saunders
went, to the Woods’ home on a
“tip”. The officers spied the fu
gitive through a window and
when they knocked he ran into
a room and turned the lights
out. When the policemen enter
ed the room, Woods pulled the
pistol but Sgt. Cooke disarmed
him before any damage could
be done.
Chief Logan also reported that
the pistol was taken in a break
in of the home of Wiley Woods,
Gaston County Negro, Monday.
The .32-calibre pistol, along with
a quantity of jewelry, and a box
of. .32 shells was taken in this
break-in. According to Chief Lo
gan, this loot was found on
young Woods when he was ar
rested.
Detective Ed Groves, of the
Gaston County Sheriff’s Depart
ment, is investigating the break
ing and entering case, and char
ges will probably be filed against
the captured man in Gaston
County.
James Woods has a long po
lice record with the local depart
ment, and has served at least
one other road sentence, Chief
Logan reported.
Several Firms
Are naming
Gifts, Bonuses
Holidays and holiday bonuses
and gifts are instore for most
of Kings Mountain’s citizens
next week.
Local textile and other manu
facturing firms announced that
holiday schedules will range
from two days to a full week.
A good portion of the plants
are paying Christmas bonuses,
avid others are giving their em
ployees gifts of hams, blankets,
turkeys and fruit.
Mauney Mills will stop work
Saturday, December 22 and will
resume operations on December
31. Bonuses of two and four
percent of earnings will be paid,
with persons employed five or
more years getting the four per
cent.
Kings Mountain Manufactur
ing Co., announced plans to stop
work on Thursday, December 20
until December 26. A bonus of
three percent will be paid em
ployees on the last six-months’
earnings. '
Foote Mineral Company will
cease operations Friday and will
re-open its plant on Wednesday,
December 26. A few workers will
maintain a skeleton work crew
during this period. Bonuses of
$20, $10 and $5 will be paid, de
pending upon length of service.
Mauney Hosiery Co. will stop
off on Friday, December 21, and
will start work again on Decem
ber 31. Bonuses of two and four
percent will be paid employees.
Burlington Mills’ Phenix plant
will shut down on Saturday and
will re-open operationg on Wed
nesday, December 26. All em
ployees have received $15 bonus
es as is the firm’s custom of past
years.
Craftspun Yarns, Inc., employ
ees will begin their holidays De
cember 22, and will return to
work on December 27. The com
pany announced that all workers
will receive owe day’s pay as a
bonus. .
Park Yarn Mills will close De
cember 22 and employees will
return to work on December 30
beginning with the third shift.
Bonnie Mills will halt opera
tions on December 22 and will
return to work on December 31.
Bonus plans were not ready for
announcement Wednesday, com
pany officials said.
Lambeth Rope Corporation will
6tand idle only two days, Decem
ber 24 and 25. Part of the firm’s
employees will return Wednes
day, December 26, with full ope
rations beginning with the third
shift on that night. Gifts will
again be given employees by the
company.
Slater Brothers will close at
7 a. m. on Friday and will re
sume operations at 7 a. m. De
cember 31. Employees will be
given turkeys, a company spokes
man said.
Neisler Division of Massachu
setts Mohair Plush Company
plants will halt operations on
Saturday and will Tetum to work
on Wednesday, December 26.
Lithium Corporation of Ameri
ca’s Bessemer City plant will
halt its operations at midnight
Saturday night and will stand
Continued on Page Ten
Fog Caught Eldon's
Plane. Stacked It
Bill Eldon, of Foote Mineral
Company, left Philadelphia last
Saturday rooming by plane on
a scheduled three hour flight
which should have put him on
the landing at Charlotte air
ports, as the fog refused to lift.
But the weatherman had dic
tated fog for the day, and the
result was that the plane got
"stacked” over Charlotte, along
with another batch of trans
ports, as the fog refused to life.
Eldon’s plane subsequently
headed for Atlanta, found the
weather no better there, then
pointed toward Jacksonville.
But Atlanta airport cleared and
the pilot finally sat the plane
down at 1:45 p. m.
Mrs. Eldon and their four chil
rived home at 1:45 Sunday
morning.
But there is some question
who “worked” the harder, Pas
senger Eldon or Mrs. Eldon.
Mrs. Eldo nand their four chil
dren were meeting the pas
senger at Charlotte Airport.
Questions to the Charlotte Ter
minal folk brought no help
at all. It all depended on the
weatherman, and he never co
operated.