►
Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
City Limits 7,206
figure for Greater Hag* Mountain Is dsrtrsd boa
tire last ring* Mountain ctty directory can*us. Tb* (Ur
Limit* figure to from too UHM State* caaouo of 1850.
Kings Mountain's Reliable Newspaper
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, August 6, 1959
U Pages
Today
VOL 70 No. 31
Established 1889
Seventieth Year
PRICE TEN CENTS
All Lithium’s Operations To Be At Local Plant
Local News
Bulletins
>
KIWANIS
Kiwanis President George H.
Mauney will give a report of
the Kiwanis International con
vention held in Dallas, Tex., at
the regular Thursday night
meeting of the local civic club.
Kiwanians meet alt 6:45 at ithe
Woiman’s club.
KIWANIS MEMBER
Sherman Perry, historian at
Kings Mountain National Mi
litary Park, was received as a
new member in the Kiwanis
club at a recent meeting, and
S R. Suber, Jr. was elected a
director replacing W. R. Geor
ge who is moving from Kings
Mountain.
BUILDING PERMIT
City Inspector J. W. Web
ster issued a permit to J. Wil
son Crawford to build a one
story residence at 709 Linwood
Road at the estimated cost of
$11,000.
FAIBV1EW LODGE
Regular communication of
Fairview Lodge 339 AF & AM
will be held Monday, August
10, 7:30 p. m. according to an
announcement by secretary T.
D. Tindall.
»
ON DEAN'S LIST
Miss Butch Houser, senior at
Wake Forest college, was list
ed on the dean’s list for the
past semester. Miss Houser is
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
W. F. Houser of Kings Moun
tain.
SLIGHTLY BETTER
Mrs. J. W. Webster, wife of
the city tax collector, was re
ported slightly improved Wed
nesday. She is a patient at
Charlotte Memorial hospital,
where she is undergoing treat
ment for a kidney ailment.
Her condition has 'been consid
ered quite serious.
FIRES
City firemen were called to
douse two blazes Tuesday, the
first at Elmer Lumber Com
pany at 7:35. The blaze was
caused by defective wiring. A
transformer fire at Slater Bro
thers mill was extinguished at
8:30 p. m. No damage was list
ed for either.
HOMECOMING
Homecoming services will be
held Sunday, August 16, at
Oak View Baptist church on
York road, the pasitor, Rev.
Earl Oxford has announced.
The services will conclude a
week of evangelistic services.
HOSPITALIZED
Mrs. John E. Gamble, fifth
grade teacher ait West Elemen
tary school, underwent sucoes
*ful surgery at Charlotte Memo
tial Hospital this week and is
progressing satisfactorily.
Powell BUI Aid
Report Is Filed
The city maintains 36.26 miles
of city streets qualifying for the
annual Powell aid appropriation,
W. K. Dickson, engineer showed
in the application filed recently
for this year’s Powell money.
Of the 36.26 miles, 25.74 are
hard-surfaced, another 8.24 mi
les have been given surface
treatment with soil, stone or gra
vel-itype surface, 2.28 miles of
unsurfaeed streets. In addition,
(the aity maintains 1.63 miles of
unsurfaced streets which are less
(than 16 feet in width and do not
qualify for Powell fund money.
Last year the city’s Powell
fund share — which accrues on
bases of population and caty
maintained streets—was $32,241.
80, which the city reported it sp
ent as follows: $5,702 for rou
tine maintenance: $3,177 for pat
ching and other crack-filling;
and 23,362 for paving.
Bloodmoblle Unit
ftt Grover Monday
w The Red Cross bloodmobile
will be in Grover all day Mon
day, and donors will be pro
cessed at First Baptist church.
Charles F. Harry, HI, of Gro
ver. member of tne Lions club
»*'*vch is ‘•'o-snousorinsr the vis
it, said the unit will be set-up
from 11 a. m. until 5 p. m.
Grover Woman’s club is also
sponsoring the visit.
Petition Asking
Widening Of King
King Residents
And Businessmen
Seek 74 Retention
Numerous Kingis Mountain ci
tizens who either reside or oper
ate business establishments on
King street have appended their
names to a petition asking the
State Highway commission to
widen King street, retaining it
as U. S. Highway 74, rather than
by-pass Kings Mountain with
this major Hast-West highway.
Persons circulating the petition
said they already have obtained
signatures of a considerable
majority of the property owners,
residents and business operators
on King Street and will file the
petition with the State Highway
commission in the near future.
The commission, last month,
committed fundis for a by-pass.
Subsequently, W. F. Babcock,
commission director, said noth
ing “is fixed, or finalized’’ pend
ing making of surveys. However,
he indicated he personally fav
ored a by-pass, if it is at all fea
sible. He also indicated he felt
a tie-in with Interstate 85, now
under construction south of
Kings Mountain, the logical by
pass route.
Since Mr. Babcock’s visit here,
he and other highway commis
sion officials have stressed the
immient hold-up to the state’s
federal-state roadbuilding pro
jects. Projects under the federal
highway building program have
been approved faster than funds
have been derived frolm federal
gasoline taxes. Congress is cur
rently considering ways and
means of providing additional
funds to take up the slack. Mr.
Babcock has guessed that, un
less Congress acts, 'the road
building program would be held
up a minimum of nine months,
perhaps longer.
The U. S. 74 project would be
a joint federal-state project,
though on a 50-50 basis, Mr.
Babcock said, rather than the 90
percent federal ten percent state
formula for interstate roads like
the Interstate 85 project.
Following is the text of the
petition now being circulated a
mong King Street citizens, busi
nessmen and property owners:
“We, the undersigned, are all
citizens and residents of Cleve
land County, in the City of Kings
Mountain, North Carolina, and
also, have homes and businesses
located on King Street, within
the City of Kings Mountain,
North Carolina.
“It is our understanding that
the State Highway Department is
considering one of two proposi
tions: to either by-pass Kings
Mountain with Highway No. 74
or run Highway No. 74 by way
of East King through Kings
Mountain, North lOarofl&na.
"We the undersigned, are de
sirous of Highway No. 74 being
widened along East King Street
within the City of Kings Moun
tain, North Carolina, as we feel
that it will be advantageous to
our businesses as well as to the
well-being of our community.’'
Rotary Club
To Hear Maxwell
Robert M. Maxwell, executive
secretary of the Cherryville
Chamber of Commerce, will ad
dress Kings Mountain Rotarians
at their Thursday meting.
The club convenes at 12:15 at
the Country club.
Mr. Maxwell will speak on a
program of “Competitor Rela
tions” arranged by Wilson Grif
fin, chairman of the competitor
relations committee of the club.
Each Rotarian will have a “com
petitor’' as a guest, Mr. Griffin
pointed out. ,
“It is our hope to have a sim
ilar program every year" Mr.
Griffin noted, hto encourage bet
ter cooperation between the town
and other communities and bus
inesses”, he added.
Privilege License
Sales Total $4654
There was a rush last week
end at City Hall as business
firms beat the penalty dead
line for buying privilege licen
ses, but all the City’s firms
didn’t get under the wire.
City Clerk Joe McDaniel re
ported purchases during the
-week of $884.50, bringing the
total for Ithe new 1959-60 licen
ses to $4654.50, some $580 less
than the city guessed It would
receive from this revenue sour
ce for the year.
Mr. McDaniel noted that
penalty of five percent per
month accrues after July 31.
Tank Exploded,
Injured Connor
Earl Connor, mechanic ait Hay
es Tire and Recapping Company,
sustained a mangled arm Satur
day afternoon when an acetylene
torch oxygen tank exploded and
resulted in a small blaze.
Ernest Hayes, owner of the
company, said Connor’s arm was
injured from the pressure of the
explosion When thte tank blew
out from the regulator. He said
the oxygen caught fire, but made
only a very soft, low flame.
City firemen were called to the
scene to douse the blaze, but no
damage was listed except to the
torch system.
Connor was taken to Kings
Mountain Hospital where he un
derwent treatment. He was re
leased Monday.
Hayes said the mechanic’s arm
was seriously injured, but no
bones were broken and the ex
tent of the bum was unknown.
j England Child's
i Rites Conducted
Funeral rites for Brenda Joyce
England, two-year-old daughter
of A/1C and Mrs. Kenneth Carl
England were held Wednesday
at 3 p. m. from Second Baptist
church.
The child drowned last Tues
day in an irrigation pdol in Tri
poli, Libya, North Africa where
her father is stationed with the
Air Force. She apparently step-,
ped into one of the pools last
Tuesday evening.
Surviving, in addition to her
parents, are two brothers, Ken,
Jr. and Charles Edward England,
and three sisters, Patricia Ann,
Norerta, and Pauline England.
Also surviving are the grandpar
ents, Mr. and Mrs. John England
of Kings Mountain and Mr. and
Mrs. Kennis Burchfield at Pres
tonburg, Ky.
The final rites were conducted
by Rev. Albert Hastings, with in
terment following in Mountain
Rest cemetery. '
City Gas Take
Tops Outgo
By $53,895
Kings Mountain’s Natural Gas
System has assets (totaling $584,
348,33, according to a report by
A. M. Pullen & Company, Char
lotte auditors.
The audit covers (the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1959.
The sinking fund, covered cash
on deposit, invesltment in stock,
ana monies due from revenue
fund, totals $87,476.26 while the
revenue fund, covering cash on
deposit, investment in stock,,and
accounts receivable, totals -85,
379.95.
Renewal and extension reser
ve fund, taking in rasih on de
posit, investment in stock, and
monies from the sinking and re
venue funds, totals $50,000 and
the plant fund, composed of fix
ed assets, land easements, trans
mission lines and distributing
system, service line installations,
general equipment, office furni
ture and equipment, and vehic
les, totals $351,492.12.
Gas sales during the period
grossed $132,167.11 and other re
venue totaled 1,749.77.
Operating expenditures totaled
$80,021.E5. After distribution of
$52,597.76 to other funds a net of
$1,297.37 was added to the sur
plus account. The excess over op
erating costs was $53,895.13.
The audit showed a total of
529 gas consumers, an increase
of 97 over last year.
Residential consumers number
441; small commercial, 63; large
commercial and industrial, 4;
interruptible, 1; and schools ahd
public buildings, 20. The custo
mer increase was 97.
Revenue bonds, series 1954,'
outstanding amount to $400,000.
First payment of 10,000 is due
October 1.
The audit lists insurance cov
erage in force through March 13,
1960.
In general liability insurance
the department has $50/100
thousand limits for bodily in
jury; $50,000 for property dam
age; aggregate operations, $100,
000; aggregate protective, $100,
000, and aggregate contractual,
$100,000.
Limits of $50/$100 thousand
are carried on bodily injury and
$50,000 for property damage in
the public liability policy.
Completing the insurance cov
erage is workmen’s compensa
tion, $100 deductible for collision
or upset, and comprehensive fire
and thefit.
Jaycee Paper
Pick-UP Sunday
Kings Mountain Jaycees will
conduct a waste paper pick-up
Sunday afternoon, beginning at
2 ©’’clock.
Bob Goforth, chairman of the
project, suggested that persons
with large quantities of paper or
persons wanting the paper ga
thered prior (to Sunday should
call him at 723-J or Bill Moss at
1175-M.
Otherwise, citizens are asked
to place their waste paper on the
curb In front of their homes.
Mr. Goforth also announced
the Jaycee pick-up schedule for
the forthcoming months as fol
lows:
Sunday, August 9; October 4;
November 29; January 31, 1960;
and March 26, 1960.
Falls Restrained By Court Order
From Interfering On Interstate 85
The State Highway commission
obtained a count order Saturday
from Superior Court Judge P. C.
Fronbberger to red train (Mr. and
, Mrs. Craig Flails from interfering
with work on the Interstate 85
project
The order was served on Mrs.
Palls Saturday and on (Mr. Falls
Wednesday.
In addition, the commission fil
ed a complaint in which it sleeks
'both a temporary and permanent
injunction to prevent the Fails’
from further interference with
the ooost®uctSon work on the pro
ject involving Falls’ lands in the
Jutue.
Hearing on the petition is
' scheduled before Judge Waiter E. ■
Orissrrfan in Gastonia Thursday
morning.
Mr. Fails last week ordered
Spamgter & Burns construction
crews Off their property, on j
grounds hight-otfAvay had not been
obtained. In spite of the order,
the construction crews returned
last Thursday and again cut a
water Mrie which served two ren
tal dwellings of Mr. and Mrs. Biffl
Oashiooi. It was repaired after
pretest by Mr. Flails, Mrs. Cash
nan's father.
The highway commission com
plaint, filed by Ham & West, Shel
by attorneys, contends that North
Carolina law gives the commis
sion the power of eminent do
main and thtait state Saw also pro
vides that the commission “is au
thorized to enter and take posses
sion of the lands required by It >
‘prior to (bringing the proceedings j
for condemnation and prior to the
payment of the money tor the I
said property.’ ”
From the Fails, (the commis-:
sion says it win use a strap of
land about; 60 feet wide and 550
feet long along Highway 161,1
which, the oompftamit says, will fee'
a part of Interstate 86.
Prior to the Saturday legal aie- ‘
tion, the construction crew on the
project had felled seven trees on
Flails property.
Mr. Falls said the crewmen hhdj
also leveled a 10 x 18 foot out- j
building on the property of thej
OashHons and had moved a privy.!
Sam Stallings Is Chairman
Of United Fund Organization
bridges, Bush,
Lennon Named
To Other Posts
Saim S Callings will serve as
Chiairmain of the local United
Fund, in Kings Mountain’s first
effort to combine its numerous
charitable money-raising cam
paigns.
Othhr officers named axe J. C.
Bridges, vice-chairman; Wesley
Bush, secretary; and R. S. Len
non, treasurer.
Four directors have also been
named. They axe Ben Grimes,
mlamager of Fheniix Plant of Bur
lington Mills; Grady Howard,
Kings Mountain hospital busi
ness manager; George H. Miaun
ey, Mauney Mills official; and
Ollie Harris, owner of Harris Fu
neral Home.
The United Fund organization
became official at a launching
session last week.
On Thursday, the group will
hold what is terms a “working”
session on operational details
with Mike Sten^trom, manager of
thb Greater Gastonia United
Fund.
Under usual plans far organi
zations of this type, Charitable
agencies are 'invited to join in a
cooperative, one-time-per - year
fund-raising effort. After budgets
are presented and approved, the
campaign is launched. Persons
may give to any one or all of the
several agencies participating,
designating those they prefer.
Undesilgnated gifts are pro-rated
on basis of percentage Of budigtet.
Mr. Stallings, associated with
Mauney Hosiery Company, Inc.,
and Carolina Throwing Company,
has been active for many years
in Civic affairs. " He iis a former
president of thte Lions dub and
an active member of Central Me
th odist -church. He has participa
ted in many charitable fund-rais
ing Campaigns and has expressed
enthusiasm for the United Fund
type operation.
Vice-President Bridges is a part
ner in Bridges Hardware. Secre
tary Bush is associated with C.
E. Warlftck Insurance Agbncy and
Treasurer Lennon is vice-presi
dent and cashier Of First Nation
al Bank.
Adams' Shingle
Out In Grover
Dr. Charles Adams, first Gro
ver resident doctor in 20 years,
started general practice in the
nearby community July 17.
Dr. Adams was named a Staff
member of Kings Mountain Hos
pital last week.
The new Grover physician is a
graduate of Glenville, West Vir
ginia State College and West
Virginia University and holds
the degree of doctor of medicine
from Itihe university of Virginia.
He is a veteran of a medical
unit of the Korean War.
Dr. Adams, his wife, and infant
daughter moved to Grover on
June 27.
He has been practicing out of
his dodtoris bag and awaiting
completion of his new office
building on Stonewall steret. His
office is expected to be finished
this week.
Ardent efforts on the part of
many Grover citizens and the
work of the 32 Civic Community
Development Council paid off
when Dr. Adalms began practice.
The last resident physician
was Dr. George Oates, who re
tired from active practice many
years ago and went to Ruther
fordton.
The council, headed by the
Rev. Trent Howell, pastor of Shi
loh Presbyterian Church, began
a search for a resident physician
for the community about eight
months ago.
Dr. Rufus Hambright, former
resident and now practicing phy
sician in Greensboro, first spot
ted Dr. Adams at Cone Memorial
Hospital during his internship.
Dr. Hambright passed on the in
iormaition which eventually led
to the securing of the doctor.
OFFICE CLOSED
Offices of Dr. L. T. Anderson, \
chiropractor, will be closed Au
gust 10-17 while Dr. and Mrs.
Anderson are vacationing at
Cherry Grove Beach.
HEAD FIRST UNITED FUND ORGANIZATION — Pictured are offi
cers of Kings Mountain's first United Fund organization which will
attempt to consolidate several of Kings Mountain's annual charl
table fund-raising campaigns into one aggregate appeal. Sam Stall
ings. top left, is chairman. J. C. Bridges, top right, is vice-chairman.
Wesley Bush, below left, is secretary, and R. S. Lennon, below right,
is treasurer.
Tax Prepayment
Month Is Here
City land county taxpayers may
pre-pay their 1959 tax bills dur
ing the month of August and ob
tain the maximum discount of
two percent.
R. M. Sidney, Cleveland Coun
ty tax coffliector, said 'he would
follow his customary procedure
and would mail notices within the
next week to taxpayers who pre
paid their county taxes in 1958.
Other taxpayers, who wish to
earn the two percent discount
should Call the county tax office
in Shelby for a statement of their
account.
The city, on the other hand, will
accept prepayments now, though
tax notices havten’t yet been pre
pared, partially due to the fact
the city didn’t finally adopt its
budget until July 28 and partially
because of the serious illness of
Mrs. J. W. Webster, wife Of the
city tax collector.
City Clerk Joe McDaniel said
temporary receipts wild toe Issued
to person 'and firms prepaying
their flaxes, with permanent, re
ceipts to follow as quickly as they
are prepared.
Plonk School
Plays Friday
The Plonk School of Creative
Arts will present its summer per
formance, including three one
act plays, ait the school auditor
ium Friday evening, beginning
at 8 o’clock.
The students will present Mor
itz Jagendorf's “The Ghosts of
Kalamazoo”. What’s Wrong with
the Girls”, a comedy by Conrad
Seiler, and Myrtle McCormick
Grimes’ historical fantasy*' Jean
ne D’Arc”.
In the Seiler comedy, three
Kings Mountain students play
roles. Sue Hunnicurtt plays Miss
Hazel Duckworth, Sandra Plonk
plays First Actress, and Ercelle
Stallings plays Second Actress.
In the ‘‘Jeanne D'Arc” product
ion, three other Kings Mountain
students play roles. Beth Houser
has the role of Jeanne D'Arc,
Maid of Orleans, Peggy Plonk
plays Rone, and Linda Walker
plays Corrette.
Auto Repossesor
Returns City Gear
The city recreation commis
sion’s Babe Ruth league base
ball equipment, which was in
the hands of a Gastonia loan
firm a week ago, has been re
turned to the city.
Jake Early, recreation direc
tor, reported to City Hall last
Thursday, the equipment had
been reclaimed.
Initially, his request to re
claim the equipment had been
denied by the loan firm, which
had acquired the gear in re
possessing an auto of one . of
the coaches.
Cento's Gives
htoodeimg Waj|
ta*n branch*!1^ Kings \r
a maior h ann°nnoJi^t.Mo»n.
^hich\Ul rtT,od‘>iin^d ****
day. mu m unde7wa^°^n
sta^ionroitUro «m, pJa . /
marqUee .£a new /jY>?,.ans *«-/
ssF&sss-ztesl
552*zg&l
sjzrs£sy>rt:
2«£?;
^cement, n taking
® Bethel I
Bevivol
tS!E*„25!«I
s^da?nl^^Shmc11 *«??/
*»* ££&at Ej ^REp/
thSlS^ be „e,ri /
aEl Bethels 30 Pm.
a new sen/.- **as **iso 3„h /
V?g SuJJ?* ^beduJL^eed
—ft"*—<p^ss£i
Minneapolis
Operations
Will Be Moved
BY MARTIN HARMON
'Lithium Corporation of Ameri
ca will move itis entire produc
tion and research facilities to its
plant near here on Bessemer City
Road, the company has announ
ced from Minneapolis.
Target date for resumption of
its present St. Louis Park, Minn.,
production operation is January
15, while the new research and
development laboratories at the
Bessemer City plant are schedu
led for completion in April 1960.
R. L. Nielsen, -plant manager
of the Bessemer City operation,
said, ■“The new production faci
lities are expected to be ready
for operation in time to provide
continued employment for a lar
ge number of the company’s
present North Carolina personnel
even after our Government con
tract has been completed.”
The immediate future of lith
ium industry production has
been in doubt since the Atomic
Energy commission notified the
major producers—Lithium Corp
oration, Foote Mineral Company
and American Potash Company
—that their contracts for supply
ing lithium hydroxide would not
be renewed. Lithium Corpora
tion’s contract expires January
1 Foote Mineral Compamy’s con
tract expired April 30, resulting
in an approximate 50 percent
cutback of employment.
Mr. Neilsen said the number
of persons to be employed at the
expanded facilities is not avail
able, bwt that a substantial
number <!>f technical and admin
istrative personnel will transfer
to North Carolina from the firm’s
Minneapolis plant and offices.
The company said it has ear
marked $800,000 for the trans
fer of general offices to the Nor
theastern Atlantic area and its
production and research facili
ties to North Carolina. It expects
the change to result in a $500,000
saving in the first year of opera
tion and great amounts in sub
sequent years. It expects to re
cover over $400,000 from liquid
ation of its Minneapolis facili
ties.
The $7,000,000 Bessemer City
plant has been producing lith
ium carbonate and lithium hy
droxide. Transfer of production
facilities means that the local
area plant will produce many o
ther products including lithium
hydride, butyl lithium, and the
base metal lithium, among oth
ers, Mr. Neilsen said.
Mr. Neilsen continued:
“The decision to consolidate
all of our production and resear
ch facilities in North Carolina is
based primarily on economic fac
tors. In addition to its proximity
to the major U. S. lithium reser
ves our Bessemer City plant is
favorably situated to the more
important Lithium markets. Also
important is the fact that we
have found in North Carolina a
most favorable business climate
incorporating ample supply of
power and water, a willing and
able labor force and a public ap
preciation of the value and pro
blems of new industries.
•“When the transfer of facili
ties and personnel to our Besse
mer City property is complete
Lithium Corporation vyill have in
North Carolina not only a mo
(Continued on Page Eight)
Gantt Funeral
Conducted Friday
Funeral riftes for William Mc
Kinley Gantt, 60, well-known
Kings Mountain businessman,
were conducted last Friday from
Central Methodist church of wh
ich he was a member.
The final rites were conducted
by Rev. Herbert D. Garmon, the
pastor, and by Rev. James B. Mc
Larty, a former pastor.
The family had requested that
no floral tributes be made and
designated the Central Methodist
church building fund for mem
orials in lieu of flowers.
Active ' pallbearers were Hill
iard Black. Baxter Payseur, J. H.
Patterson, Ben H. Bridges, John
C Sinathers, Wilson Crawford,
John Mauney and Paul Walker.
Honorary pallbearers included
directors of Kings Mountain Sav
ings & Loan association, mem
bers of the J. R. Davis Sunday
school class of Central Methodist
church, and R. S. Lennon, W. T.
Weir, W. L. Plonk, Floyd Wil
liams, Virgil Self, and J. C. Mc
Daniel, all of Kings Mountain,
and Sloan Morrow, of Gastonia,
and Boyd Putnam, of Shelby.
Mr. Gantt’s body was entomb
ed temporarily at Sharon Mem
orial Mausoleum, Charlotte.