'Population
| Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
' City Limits 7,206
The figure for Greater King* Mountain Is derived from
•he IMS Kluge Mountain city directory census. The city
limits figure to from too United States census el 1SS0.
VOL. 70 No. 24
Kings Mountain's Reliable Newspaper
1 C Pages
IQ Today
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C.t Thursday, June 18, 1959
Seventieth Year
PRICE TEN CENTS
Textile Employees
To Get Vacations
Local News
Bulletins
SUPPER
El Bethel Methodist church
will sponsor an ice crealm sup
per at the church Saturday ev
ening beginning alt 6 p. m. Do
nations will be received, and
the public is invited (to partic
ipate in the fellowship.
ELECTED
Richard (Dick) Foster, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Joe B. Faster of
Kings Mountain, was elected
state vice-president Of the pos
tal clerk’s convention which
met recently in Columbia, S. C. ,
ROTARY MEETING
Jack V. Sohweppe, manager of
the Carolina® division of Pitts
burgh Plate Glass Company,
will address members of the
Kings Mountain Rotary club at
their Thursday 12:15 meeting
at Kings Mountain Country
Club. The program was arrang
ed by Tom Trott. Joe Hedden
will present Mr. Schweppe.
METER RECEIPTS
Parking meter receipts for
the week ending Wednesday at
noon totaled $125.12, with
$19.97 returned from off-street
meters and $105.15 from on
street meters, City Clerk Joe
McDaniel reported.
PLANNING PICNIC
The banquet and picnic com
mittee is making plans for the
annual employer-employee pic
nic outing of the Kings Maun -
tain Merchants association. An
' August date has been tenta
tively set. Committee includes
J. T. McGinnis, Jr., James Craw
ford, J. C. Bridges and Richard
Barnette.
Esso Adopts
Fair Trade
Esso Standard- Oil Company
has notified retail distributors
that it is establishing firm retail
prices for Its (gasoline under the
North Carolina fair trade act.
The new policy was effective
Wednesday.
She policy resolution provides
that either retailer or company
(may cancel their contracts on
five days’ notice, given in wri
ting.
Norman McGill said Wednes
day that Esso- is following Gulf
Oil Corporation in setting up
their fair trade policy.
/ The change indicates that cut
rate retailers fakve (the option of
holding prices firm or of finding
a new source of supply.
Esso’s prevailinlg prices on
Wednesday, exclusive of the 10.25
cent per gallon tax, were 19.9
I cents for base grade, 22.9 cents
for medium grade, and 25.9 cents
for top grade gasolines.
Hoophaugh Youth
Hit By Car
r, ' • « - .• « « ' ' |
Jimmy Hoophaugh, 11-year-old
route 3, Shelby Road youth, suf
fered a concussion and abrasions
in an accident last Saturday
when he was struck by a car at
7:20 a. m. on King street.
The automobile, a 1955 Ford
Station wagon, was driven by
Bennie Columbus Yarbrough, Box
23, Rock Motel. "
Young Hoophaugh, the police
report stated, was riding a bicycle
and came out of a driveway into
the path of the Yarbrough car. ,
A witness to the accident was
Lonnie Staley, Box 105, N. Bel
mont
Hoophaugh was rushed to
Kings Mountain hospital for
treatment where he is still con
valescing.
No charges were preferred by
investigating officer S. W. Ware.
Meanest Man Tale:
Grave Vase Thief
I
Sam Subter, city cemetery su
perintendent, is lijcensed at
some unknown vanda ls to make
a habit of stealing vases from
graves in Mountain Rest, ceme
tery. ' -
Mr. Sirbter say* he finds many
times that fixe vandal have re
mtTfed flowers firam. She graves,
thrown them an the, ground,
Many Finns
Set Week's
luly 4 Holiday
’Majority of Kings Mountain
textile firms will ignarit Indepen
dence Day vacations, a survey toy
■the Herald showed Wednesday.
Several firms will grant a
week’s vacation, wfhile others will
Sake less time Off.
'Massachusetts iMtdbair Plush
Company wiill suspend operations
Friday, July 3, and will resume on
Wednesday, 8. Vacation pay is
contemplated but not yet finally
detailed, it Was seated.
Maiuney Mills, Inc., ’Bonnie Cot
ton (Mills, and Mauiney Hosilery
Company will take a week’s sur
cease, closing on June 26th and
resuming on July 6th.
Pheniix Plant of Burlington In
dustries will suspend at 10 ,p. m.
July 2 and resume at 10 p. m. July
8. A vacation bonus Is contempla
ted. ')
Sadie Cotton (Mills will suspend
July 3 and resume on July 13.
Carolina Throwing Company
Will operate on regular schedule.
Train-Cat Clash
Injures Shelbian
The (Baker Strteet railroad
crossing claimed another Victim
Saturday 'night when Carroll Flor
’terfbe^ry, 18-year-old Shelby resi
dent was injured and (his car de
molished whten Southern Railway
train No. 153 collided with For
tenberry's 1940 Chevrolet at 8:05
p. tjvv ..-i
Fortenberry sustained a frac
tured Mt leg and wrist, a disloca
ted right fthilgh, and cuts On the
htead in the crash. He was rushed
Ito Kings Mountain Hospital by
Harris Ambulance where he 4s
still hospitalized.
Eye witnesses Wo (the accident
told police iinveatigiritors the car
driven (by Footttenfoerry staled on
the railroad track and he got out
arid was (trying Wo push it dear.
He <wais ’pushing on the ride at the
front left donr arid froze where
he stood when Ihte saw (the train
so dose.
The ■southbound train’s engi
neer was J. Keller arid the con
ductor R. E. Lee.
(Fortenberry is Whfe son of Mr.
arid (Mrs. John (Lee Fortenberry,
203 Cherinut street, Shelby.
The accident 4s (one of several
Occurring at Whe crossing in past
years, some daimtag a death toll.
Hahn To Speak
To Lntherans
Dr. Samuel W. Hahn, professor
at Lutheran Southern Seminary
in Columbia, S. C., will deliver
the sermon at Sunday morning
worship service at St. Matthew’s
Lutheran church.
Dr. Hahn will fill ithe pulpit in
the absence of Dr. W. P. Gerber
ding who is on vacation. The
worship service at 10 a. m. fol
lows the Sunday School hour at
8:45 a. m.
Dr. Hahn is professor of Chur
ch Administration and Church
Polity at the seminary.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran church
has just completed what officials
term a “very successful’’ Bible
School with the largest number
of children enrolled in recent
years. Teachers were Mrs. Ben
Bridges, Mrs. James Herndon,
Mrs. L. E. Hinnaint, Mrs. W. K.
Mauney, Jr., Mrs. Floyd Queen,
and Misses Louise Kiser, Donna
Cheatham, and Judy Cooper.
SPEAKER — Dr. George Staples,
chaplain at Davidson College,
will fill the pulpit at Sunday
morning worship services at First
Presbyterian church.
College Chaplain
To Speak Sunday
Dr. George Staples, Davidson
College chaplain, wiffl deliver the
sermon at the 11 o’clock morning
worship service Sunday ait First
Presbyterian church.
Mr. Staples will 1111 the pulpit
in the absentee of Dr. Plaul Ausley,
pastor, who is on vacation.
A native of Texas, Dr. Staples
was educated at fhte University of
Texas, Union Theological Semi
nary in New Yoilk, and Columbia
University. He served five years
with the United States infantry
during World1 War H and was
discharged with 'the rank of lieu
tenant-colonel, He came to Dav
idson in 1956 after 'serving for se
ven years as pastor of Winston
Salem’s Highland Presbyterian
church.
Ten-Yeax-Old
Killed By Cai
FunBitett rttes for (Patricia Ann
•Carpenter, lO-yaar-okd daughter
of Mr. and Mre. MMo Odell Car
penter of route tbrete, were held
•Friday at 4 p. m. from Shady
Onove Baptist church with the
Rev. iLee A. Smith officiating.
The child was Milled instantly
; last Wednesday about 4:30 p. m.
! when struck by a car on N. C.
216. Shb and her older brother
were headed home from a road
slide stone with 'Soft drinks for the
family.
The accident, according to Pa
trolman, O. R. McKinney who in
vestigated, occurred about six
rnfftes north of Kings Mountain
near Sellers’ Store. He said the1
girl and her 14-yeairold half-bro
ther, Billy, were Walking north
along the right aide of the road
wfhten the younger child evidently
started to cross (the mad toward
her parentis’ home, was struck toy
a car (driven toy Mrs. Marie Sum
ter Davis, 18, of Columbia, S. C.
Trooper McKinney said the body
was thrown or dragged some 198
flebt down the roadway from the
point of impact He said the car,
With a dented hood and grille,
Came to a stop some 249 feet from
the impact point. Mr. MCKinnby
quoted Mrs. (Davis as Saying she
did not see the girl until it Whs
too late to stop.
Coroner J. Olilae Harris said
that death was instantaneous and
there will toe no inquteiSt.
Mrs. Davis, charged with man
slaughter, was released under
$1,000 bond pending hearing July
10 in Cleveland Recorder’s Court.
Surviving the accident victim
are her parents, two half-broth
ers, Billy of the home, Charles
Carpenter of Anchorage, Alaska,
the maternal grandfather, and
the paternal grandmother.
Interment was in the Church
cemetery.
KIWANIS CLUB
Kings Mountain Kiwanians j
will gather for a picnic Thurs
day evening at Bethany ARP
church on York road. It will be
the regular meeting of the civ
ic club.
Marshal Gore In Philadelphia
For Delicate Heart Operation
iMairahlat] Gore, welil - known
Kings Mountain service station
Operator, Sis a patient ait Che Uni
versity of PanrusylvanJa hospital,
Philadelphia, whtene he is to un
dergo a deflioate heart operation;
soon.
Actually, tohfe operation was ]
scheduled far Wednesday hot
friends here learned Wednesday
the Operation was postponed a
gain for funthter teste.
Dr. John C. MdGlil, Mr. Gone’s
physician here, said, (hie surgeons
will crapSoy the heart valve, more
fiamiliairly known as tHe “substi
tute heart machine” to kteep the
patient alive while opening a par
‘tiafl blockage in the aortic valve.
Mr. Gore, a heart patient for
tine past sfcverafl years, has been!
in severe pain recently, t» the]
point that nitroglycerin tablets
have been insuiUMent to relieve
it.
With a partially Mocked aortic
valve, Or. aMcGai sapid, the pa
tient's Ihaaajt must pump with con
stant/sta^p. Mr. Gore's .ailment
is diagnosed as intractable angina
pWn«Ht&f£' *. " -
Mr. Gam ifad previously under
gone heart: surgery at Etmory Uni
versity 'hpsfjaal'm Attonta, Ga.
In that operation, centadn arteries
in the chest wtere tied «8f.
Mr. Gore underwent a series Of
advance tests and exlaiminaltkwis
at the (Philadelphia hospital about
ten days prior to rfe-entisring the
hospital thfr week.
U. S. 74 Project Remains Static
Education Body
Okays Nine-Man
Merges Plan
Kings Mountain Oiity School
Board voted unanimously to ac.
cept a proposal for igoverniment
organization of the proposed No.
4 Township consolidation at Mon
day night’s session at Kings
Mountain High school.
The proposal was outlined in
last week’s issue of the Herald
and provides for a temporary in
crease to 9 members in the school
board, 4 to be elected outside of
the corporate limits of Kings
Mountain. At the end of two
years the board would be reduced
to 5 members, three within the
corporate limits and two from
outside.
Terms of the board members
would be staggered on the pre
sent plan.
Fred W. Plonk,member of the
committee working on the con
solidation proposal, in presenting
the plan pointed out that if con-1
soli da tion, is "worked out to the;
specifications of the committee, j
a new high school will be built i
to house the enlarged unit and
Negro schools will be improved.!
This will require a bond issue, he
said.
The consolidation was approv- j
ed by the board on the motion of j
A. W. Kincaid.
In other action the board:
1) Accepted with regret the
resignation of E. Lawson Brown, I
Kings Mountain High school
principal. Brown was commended
for his excellent work with the;
school and best wishes extended
for the future.
2) Accepted the resignation of
elementary teacher Mrs. William
R. George.
3) Heard a report from Supt. |
B. N. Barnes that Miss Delores
Blanton, Miss Louise Kiser, and
Miss Mary Nolan did not accept
teaching contracts. Miss Kiser, he j
said, has accepted work with the
Department of Schools of the U-!
nited States Army and plans to
teach \in Germany. Miss Nolan is:
seeking the same type position,
he reported.
4) On motion of Mrs. Lena Mc
Gill accepted the following tea
chtens to fill vacancies in the
school system: Mins. Carolyn Ruth
'Bennett of Shelby, first grade; J
Miss Anita Vlaughn, Owings, S. C.,l
sixth grade; Mrs. Iva Jean Kin
caid Reason, Boiling Springs, sev.
enlth grade; Miss Sue Bonders,
Shelby, seventh grade; Mrs. Sa
rah Simpson, Kings Mountain,
seventh! grade; and Mrs. Helen
B. Ausley, high school science.
5) Heard a report from Mr.
'Barnes that instead of replacing
<M3ss Blanton as English teacher,
he would like to employ a guid
ance counselor. In discussing the
girl’s physical education teacher
vacancy, he said he hasn't any
<Continued On Page Eight)
Garmon Named
Central Pastor
Rev. James B. McLarty, pastor
of Oantrafl Methodist church the
past four years, will replace the
Rev. J. G. Wilkinson at Concord,
and Rev. (H. D. Garmon will come■
from RutherfordTon to Kings!
Mbun/tain, as a result Of changes |
announced Sunday at the Western!
■North Carolina Methodist Confer-1
ence in session at Lake Junalus
kta.
The MdLairty f atmdly expects to
move into the parsonage of FOr
eSt Mil Methodist church on Wed
nesday. Thfe Garmons are also ex
pected to arrive here next week.
Two other Kings Mountain Me
thodist ministers were returned
to their present pastorates, Rev.
W. C. Sides, Jr., as pastor of
Grace Methodist church 'and Rev.
Frank E. BLatcck as pastor of E>1
Bethel Methodist church.
A number of Methodist minis
ters from the Gastonia District
were reassigned to other areas
during the confertenoe.
Mr. MdLarty came to Kings
Mountain from Mooresville. A
Naval reserve chaplain, he was
educated at Duke University. He
served as secretary on the Bre
vard College Board of Trustee®
and since coming to Kings Moun
tain has been active in the Ki
warns dub and in other phases of
community life. Mrs. McLarty is
the farmer Margaret Glenn. The
MlcLantys have <byo eon®, James
and Charles (McLarty, and a mar
ried daughter. Mrs; Bill Cochrane
of New York. Foneat Hill Metho
dist Church has a membership of
850.
Mr. Gorman has servied the Ru
therfordton Methcdtst qpurch the
post five years. 'Rev. and Mm
Garmon have three children, a
daughter 16, a daughter 0, and a
■on 13. <
Stroupe Statement Doesn’t
Deny Charges By Ellison
RECEIVES DEGREE — Shirley
Ann Ware, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Otto Ware, was graduated
recently from Erskine College at
Due West, S. C. Miss Ware re
ceived a bachelor of science de
gree in home economics.
Mis. Patteison's
Rites Conducted
Funeral rites for (Mrs. Annie
Dove Flank Patterson, 74, Kings
(Mountain .native and promdntent
Gastonitan, were held Friday at
11 a» m, (from Gastonia's First
Presbyterian church, interment
following In Mountain Rest cem
etery herte.
Mrs. Patterson, Wife of George
V. 'Patterson, succurribed (Wed
nesday at 6:15 p. m. She 'had been
seriously ill one week Bind in de
clining (health the past ytear.
A 'former school teacher and (ac
tive dhunchwaTker, Mrs. Patter
son was the daughter of (the late
MlkShael luthier and Uenora Dovte
Plonk. She moved to Gastonia as
a child and hived with an aunt
and uncle, attended the Gastonia
schools and Woman’s College and
married: (Mr. Patterson, a textile
official. Later they moved back
to Kings MOunitain, to Spencer
Mountain!, and Gastonfa. The An
nie Patterson Sunday School class
at Spencer Mountain is named for
her.
Mrs. Patterson .taught the Nol
le Warren Bible class at Gas
tonia’s Finst Presbyterian church
for over 20 years. She was presi
dent of Kings Mountain Presby
terian, president of the WOmten of
the Church otf the Synod of North
Carolina, and was 'for two years
chairman otf the Women’s Advis
ory Committee otf the (Board of
Women’s Work, the highest office
in Women’s work in the Assem
bly. One of the founders otf Pres
byterian Home of High Point,
Mrs. Patterson served on its
(board until 'this ytear. She was on
the (board otf directors of Mission
Court otf Richmond, Va., a home
for returned missionaries. She
was also active in WMiliam Gas
ton Chapter, DAR, and the Unit
ed Daughters otf the Confederacy.
Surviving Mrs. Patterson are
her husband, a daughter, Mrs.
Casweffl Taylor of Gastonia; one
brother, Grier Plonk of Kings
Mountain; one Sister, Miss Jettle
Plonk; and one grandson, Cas
well Taylor, Jr.
The final rites werte conducted
by Dr. Harry Moffett and Dr. J.
N. Brown.
-*——
Moore To Speak
At Union Service
Sunday night’s union service1
for five city church congregations
will be held ait Resurrection Lu- i
theran chiurdh.
Rev. George Mdore, the pastor,
will deliver the message alt 8 o’-!
aiaek.
Kings Mountain Ministerial As
sociation is sponsoring the sum
mer schedule of services with
ministers to bring tine messages
from their own pulpits.
TO CONFERENCE
Rev. and Mrs. J. W. Phillips
will go Ito Houghton ,N. Y„ next
week where they will attend
the quadrennial general con
ference of the Wesleyan Meth
odist church. Mr. Phillips is a
ministerial delegate to the con
ference, while Mrs. PihlMps is
a missionary delegate.
Mayor Names
Bennett Police
Commissioner
BY DAVID BAITY
ihe city (board of commission
ers, Thursday night, on a motion
by R. Coleman Stroupe, voted to
accept former police officer War.
ren Bildson’s resignation from the
police force on charges that po
lice commissioner Stroupe had
ordered Ellison not to make ar
rests in certain sections of the
city.
Mayor Glee A. Brdiges pointed
out the (board was there to ac
cept or decline the resignation,
nett to answer the charges.
However, Police Commissioner
Stroupe asked to make a state
ment, but did not categorically
deny the charges. Addressing Po
lice Chief Martin Ware, he ask
ed, “Mr. Ware, have I asked you,
or any officers, not to make any
patrols in certain seotions of the
city?”
Mr. Ware answered negatively.
Reportedly the sections to
which Ellison was referring were
in the Negro communities where
some citizens had allegedly com
plained that he was too rough on
them.
Mr. Ellison has become an em
ployee of Superior Stone division
of American-Marietta Company
I here. -
Mayor Bridges (made appoint
ments of commissioners to var
ious city (posts for the coming
term. Before the appointments he
stated some changes had been
made, but he hoped the board
would co-operate with him.
(Appointments made were: Boy.
ce Gault, administrative commis
sioner: Ben Bridges, streets and
garbage commissioner; Coleman
Stroupe, electric commissioner:
Ross Alexander, natural gas com
missioner; and Luther Bennett,
police commissioner.
IMr. Bennett was reluctant in
accepting the police commission
ership, but stated, “Since you
have assigned me this depart
ment, I’H do the best I can with
it But if anything comes up, I
want you all to bring the prob
lem to me, not go directly to the
police chief. I want to know
what" going on.”
In other action the hoard:
1) Firmly established the meet
ing .time and date at 7:30 p. rr.
on each second Thursday of the
month.
zi voiea ro euro ana guner
Lackey street from Alexander (to
G^nitit streets, construct side
walks on Deal street from Ridge
to Parker streets on both sides,
and to install a feme from the
Deal street pool to Dilling street.
3) Approved the purchase of
six fire alarm signals by Pat Tig
nor, fire chief, from Garland E.
Still if Mr. Tignor deems them
necessary. The units cost $34.95
each.
4) Exempted Woodrow Eng
land on physical disability from
purchase of a city privilege lic
ense to run a fruit stand on
Fourth street.
5) Heard a report from Ken
Pruitt, representing citizens from
N. Piedmont avenue, that the re
sidents in that section wish to
have a stop light installed at
the intersection of N. Piedmont
with Faimew Street as a traffic
check. He said dump trucks from
several firms do not observe the
speed limit on the strteet and are
a real hazard to the children of
the community. The light would
(Continued On Page Eight)
CHARLIE MOSS
Mohair Promotes
Charlie Moss
Charlie /Moss has (been promot
ed to superintendent of laiM Kings
Mountain weaving operations by
Massachusetts Mohair Plush Com
pany's Nedsler division.
Mr. Moss, previously superin
tendent of weaving exclusive of
pile fabrics, has assumed, in ad
dition to his other duties, those of
Morris Dodge, who resigned June
115 tip return to New England.
; Mr. Moss rejoined (MsassaicMu
setts Mohiair Plush Company last
July, after spending two yeairs
with the Lumite ((auto fabrics) di
vision of Ohicoptee Manufactur
ing Company.
He joined the former Neisler
Mills in 1920 and remained with
Massachusetts (Mohair after Sts
purchase uni til imiid-1956.
Ice-Coal Firm
Now In Business
Claude Kambrttg'ht amid James
R. (R, R.) Yartooro, partners, lare
announcing this week thle opening
of a new business to toe Operated
under the tirade name City Ice
& Coal Company.
The firm is located on City
street with, twoway a veniues be
tween Railroad avenue and City
street. The plant, built out of
Sheet aluminum, has a 40-block
capacity icehouse and ample
spade for coall 'storage, • to addi
tion to a supply room, the plant
will contain an office room.
The firm will 'be open during |
the summer until 9 p. m., daily'
and Sundays. Other products of
fered for sale will toe ice cream j
salt and Charcoal.
Mr. Hamtaright, for the past!
five years a salesman with Dean)
Bulick Company and previously!
with Victory Chevrolet Company,
was for 26 years an employee of
Kings (Mountain Cotton Oil Com
pany.
Mr. Yarboro is a veteran of 38.
ytears with the state highway!
commission.
Both reside on W. Mountain!
street.
Mr. 'Hambright will serve as;
manager Of the establishment, |
while Mr. Yarboro will not be ac-!
tive in management Of the firm.1
ROBB? RESIGNED
City Policeman Johnny Robbs
has resigned from the force, ef
fective Friday, City Clerk Joe I
McDaniel said this week. Mr. I
Robbs plans to begin work 1
with a Cherryville finance com- j
pany.
Merchant Holiday Ideas Varied;
Independence Day Saturday Date
Independence Day falls on
Saturday in 1959 and a mercan
tile hassle on when to observe
toe holiday has been produced
again, just as the time July 4
and Saturday collided.
Directors of the merchants as
sociation apparently have dictat
ed a regular operating day for
the Fourth by a Tuesday after
noon action, In which they rec
ommend that merchants remain
open on July 4 and close on July
6, a Monday. In other words, re
tailers and their employees will
get a ‘‘long” weekend, but it"ll
start later.
Several merchants have al
ready Indicated objection to the
Merchants association action. One
said he felt a holiday should be I
taken on the day it comes. An-,
other said he felt failure ito fol
low the calendar indication of;
"hick-town thinking”. Another;
guessed. "We won’t toe taking!
Christmas soon, should it fall on,
Saturday.”
However, most indicated they’d'
go along with the majority po-,
licy, if reluctantly.
First National Bank will close
on July 4. R. S. Lennon, cashier,
said special permission would
have to he obtained to remain
open on the legal holiday and
that bank officials didn't think
the paper work worth it.
Right-Of-Way
Cost Negotiable
Under New Law
BV MARTIN HARMON
Will a recently-enacted change
in the right-of-way division f«nm
ula between t/he highway com
inltssion and municipaiitiies mate
'the widening of King street — if
and when It is — cheaper or more
cost/iy tor the city?
It's a deba'taible point.
Under the new tew, adopted on
recommendation of the highway
camimissJion, division of right-of
way cost between cities and the
commission is a negotiable sub
ject. Under the former tew, cities
were required to pay 20 percent
of the right-of-way cost with the
commission paying the remaining
Lee Whilte, of Concord, member
of the six-man ihlilghway commis
sion, appearing aft the hearing an
ifihe Gastonia link of U. S. 85 Wed
nesday rrtomiing, commented that
it was 'the oommissiom’s thanking
| that Jft should pay ail the right of
way cost where a pUbfflic road bi
sected a small oarranuniity “for
'the convenience of the public.”
On the Other hand, he noted, the
commission feels the municipality
should pay a share of the cost
Where a new through-city or cross
town Wightway materially benefits
the municipality.
What about U. S. 74 through
Kingis Mountain ?
"I don’t know for sure, Of
course,” (Mir. White 'replied, “but
I’ve never felt the commission
Should pay for in-city parking
space.”
The status of the U. S. 74 bot
tleneck through Kings Mountain
remains the same, other (highway
department officials said, with
■ no firm, decisions 'having been
made jfy f' -
E. L. Kemper, division engineer,
has (recommended widening of
King street to make King a
Franklin avenue, Gastonia, boule.
vard-type, as tihb cheapest and
shortest route through Kings
Mountain.
Mir. White said he had accom
panied Highway Director Bill
Babcock through Kings Mountain
last summer on a ltrip to AiShe
Vilie. He indicated agreement with
Mr. iBalbcock’s statement after re
turning to Raleigh. Mr. Babcock
termed U. S. 74 through Kings
Mountain "a definite 'bottleneck.”
Sam Beard, highway Commis
sion publicist, conducted the Wed
nesday morning Gastonia Wear
ing. (Mr. Beard said he 'and Mr.
Babcock and others would be hap
py to confer with city officials
and interested Citizens at any
mutually convenient time on (the
U. S. 74 project.
“We would like to get the le
gislative business cleaned up
prior to scheduling a conference,”
Mr. Beard commented.
Would right-ot-way for King ’
street widening (36 feet needed)
come from both sides or exclu
sively from one side?
Mr. Kemper said he doubted It
would be a one-side arrangement
through Kings Mountain, noting
that the decision, however, would
have to await 'penciling after
right-of-way appraisers had giv
en their estimates.
What would the cost be?
Mr. Kemper said grading and
structures on the one-plus mile
shouldn’t run much over a mil
lion dollars.
At the Gastonia hearing, large
scale maps of the proposed Gas
tonia link of Interstate 85 were
posted on the wall of the city
hall courtroom, lit shows that 85
will link with present U. S. 29
west of the residence of Mrs. Beu
lah Henderson, with a large ac
cess bridge to require property
of Dr. J. E. Anthony and several
others in the area.
The hearing attracted a stand
ing room only crowd. However,
none objected to the route which
will find Interstate 85 skirting
Gastonia to the north. Most of
the questioners wanted answers
on personal property which will
be damaged by the new road.
in process ot explaining the
highway commission’s policy on
establishing right-of-way costs.
Mr. Beard noted that the com
mission is now spending for
right-of-way ait the rate of a mil
lion dollars per month.
This commission feels very
strongly that it should not run
roughshod over private property
owners in building roads for pub.
lie use”, Mr. Beard commented.
He explained that the ooramis
skm now employs independent
experts for appraisal work who
were instructed to establish right
of-way damages at fair market
value.
® was indicated the highway
commission will approve the pro
posed route within 30 days and
that work would be underway
by spring I960.