Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
City Limits 8,008
,or Onaxn Dug* Moral tain U derired from
1955 Kings Mountain city directory census. The city
to figure is from the United States census ef I960.
This fl
the
16
P a q e s
Today
Vol. 74 No. 12
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, March 21, 1963
Seventy-Fourth Year
PRICE TEN CENTS
Ben Bridges Wiif pot Seek Re-election In Ward 4
C. D. Blanton’s
Rites Conducted
RITES HELD — Funeral rites for
C. D. Blanton, Kings Mountain
druggist, were held Tuesday
morning.
Harris Rites
Held Monday
In Pasadena
Cleveland County Coroner J.
Ollie Harris is expected to return
Saturday from Pasadena, Texas,
where he was called by the fam
ily of his brother, Robert F.
Harris, 52, shot to death by a ber
serk neighbor about 6:30 p. m.
Friday.
Funeral rites for Harris were
held Monday afternoon from Pas
adena’s First Methodist church,
interment following in Pasadena
cemetery.
A Shelby native who moved to
Pasadena about 1939, Harris was
the owner of Bob Harris Enter
prises, prominent real estate de
velopers in Pasadena, near Hous
ton. Ollie Harris, J‘t\, formerly
of Kings Mountain, was working
with him.
Harris was allegedly shot by
Weldon J. Hornsey, next door
neighbor, long-time friend and
also a prominent realtor. A for
mer newspaper publisher, he was
an announced candidate for
mayor and had apparently suffer
ed a nervous breakdown.
Mrs. Hornsey reportedly called
upon Harris and bank president
S. R. Jones to sit with her hus.
band while she was out making
arrangements to have him com
mitted to a hospital. Hornsey re
portedly grabbed a gun and
wouded Harris in the stomach.
Jones ran and Hornsey reported
ly fired four shots after him be
fore he turned to fire the fatal
I shot at Harris. Hornsey then shot
and killed himself.
Harris is survived by his wife,
the former Miss Dorothy Red
road; his father and stepmother,
Mr. and Mrs. J. Frank Harris of
Troy, S. C.; two daughters, Di
anne, a junior at Texas college,
and Darlene of the home; a son,
Robert F. Harris, Jr. of the
home; his brother here and sis
ter, Mrs. W. F. Folsom of Hen
dersonville and two uncles, W.
C Harris and Miller Harris, both
of Shelby.
Mr. and Mrs. C. F Harry of
Grover went to Texas lor the
funeral rites.
"White-Way" Poles
Being Placed
Modernization of the city’s
“white - way” began to take
visible form this week.
City electrical chief Hunter
Allen started placing the new
poles for the change • over
lighting.
Allen hoped to place about
four of the 10 Wednesday and
complete the job within a few
days.
City Clerk Joe McDaniel said
that he didn’t know how much
light the new system would
provide but "the new alumi
num poles are certainly bright
and shiny.”
- CLUB TO MEET
The Oak Grove community 4-H
club will hold regular meeting
Friday night at 7:30 in the adult
assembly room of Oak Grove
Baptist church. Henry Dameron,
assistant county agricultural
agent will present a program on
“Selection of Projects.”
Local Druggist
Passes Sunday
In KM Hospital
Funeral services for Charles
Donald Blanton, Sr., 59, were
held Tuesday morning at First
Presbyterian church.
The Kings Mountain druggist
succumbed at Kings Mountain
hospital at 3:45 Sunday after
noon. He had been suffering
from leukemia since August.
Mr. Blanton was a native of
Forest City, a son of the late
William Charles and Georgia
Rollins Blanton. He was gradu
ated 'from the University of
North Carolina Pharmacy school
in 1926, spent a year at Henri
etta Mills Pharmacy, then be
came pharmacist at Lowell Drug
Company. He came to Kings
Mountain in 1935 as manager of
Summers Drug Company, a firm
he and his partner, Jc«n L. Mc
Gill, purchased in 1937, and op
erated since that time as Kings
Mountain Drug Company.
Mr. Blanton was an elder of
First Presbyterian church and
served its Sunday School as trea
surer for 18 years. He was a
Charter member and past presi
dent of the Kings Mountain
Lions Club and a past president
of the North Carolina Pharma
ceutical association. He was a
member of Sigma. Phi Sigma
pharmacy fraternity and was
honored as pharmacist of the
month in the Southeast in 1950.
Surviving are his wife, Helen
Covington Blanton, a son, Char
les D. Blanton, Jr., a sister, Mrs.
T. O. Vernon, of Forest City,
and four brothers, John T. Blan
ton, Rutherfordton, Fred A.
Blanton, George M. Blanton, and
Robert R. Blanton, all of Forest
City. Two grandchildren also sur
vive.
The final rites were conducted
by the pastor Dr. Paul K. Aus
Iey, assisted by Dr. W. P. Gar
berding, pastor of St Matthew’s
Lutheran Church
Active pallbearers were Bob
Maner, Ben T. Goforth, Robert
H. Goforth, Henry Neisler, Her
man Campbell and Paul Mauney
Honorary pallbearers were eld
ers of First Presbyterian church
Kings (Mountain medical doctors
Humes Houston, Wilson Griffin
and Paul M. Neisler, Sr.
Retail business firms were
closed during the funeral rites.
Interment was in Mountain
Rest cemetery.
The family had requested that
memorials, in lieu of flowers, be
made to the Cancer Fund, Bar
ium Springs Orphanage or the
Presbyterian Home for the Ag
ing.
SENIOR PLAY CAST — Members of the cast of
"And Came The Spring," senior play to be given
Friday evening, include, from left, front row, Di
ane Roberts, Marilyn Dixon, Norma Spearman,
Brenda Lovelace, Laura Page, Barbara Cable and
Bgiwwwiiwuyiiwwiiwwwwia
Jewel Robbs. Back row, from left, Ronnie Black
bum, Wendell Phifer. Freddie Foster, Kenneth
Barnes, David Adams, Gary Wilson, Tommy Hope,
Robert Plonk and Junior Davenport. (Photo by
Truitt Moore)
Senior Play, "And
Came Spring,”
Is Friday Night
Kings Mountain high school
seniors will present the three
act comedy, “And Came the
Spring”, Friday night at 8 p. m.
in Central auditorium.
Directed by Miss Lillian Quinn,
the production by Manrijane and
Joseph Hayes will be staged by
a cast of 16 and on the first day
of spring, March 22.
Admission will be $1 for adults
and 50 cents for students.
Proceeds will be used by the
class to purchase the anhUal
class gift for the school.
Members of the cast will in
clude Jewel Robbs as Madge
Hartman; Wendell Phifer as
Jeffrey Hartman; Brenda Love
Lace as Mrs. Louise Hartman;
Diane Roberts as Virginia Hart
man; Robert Plonk as Elliot
Hartman; David Adams as Keith
Nolan; Laura Page as Christine
Myers; Vicky Hager as Carolyn
Webster; Barbara Cable as Ed
na; Junior Davenport as Clancy;
Tommy Hope as Mr. Fields; Mlar
ilyn Dixon as Mrs. Fields; Gary
Wilson as Alan Fields; Kenneth
Barnes as Buzz Linday; Freddie
Foster as Freddie North; Ronnie
Blackburn as the messenger
boy; and Norma Spearman as
Gabby Allen
Buddy Estes To Ploy
For Legion Donee
Buddy Estes and his band will
provide the music for dancing
Saturday as .the Legionnaires and
their guests have their regular
bi-weekly dance at the Legion
hall.
Dancing will be from 9-12 and
the kitchen will open to serve
from 6 p.m.
Admission will be $2 per cou
ple.
Harold Huiuiicnti "Mr. Kiwanian "
Is Honored For His Long Service
Harold R. Hunnicutt, charter
member who holds a 23-year-rec
ord of perfect attendance in the
Kiwanis club, was accorded the
civic club’s top honor as "Mr.
Kiwanian of 1962” Thursday!
night.
Third Kiwanian so honored,
Mr. Hunnicutt was presented the
service scroll at the Charter
Night banquet of the club by
Harold Coggins, recipient of the
honor last year.
In an address laced with both
seriousness and facetious humor,
Mr. Coggins categorized Mr.
Hunnicutt as “an enthusiastic
full-time Kiwanian. . ”
The award is based on accu
mulative service
A native of Stallings In Union
County, Mr. Hunnicutt attended
Indian Trail school, the Westmin
ister Presbyterian Prep school,
Glade Valley private school,
Kings Mountain high school and
Gupton Jones School of Mortu
ary. Semi-retired as maintenance
superintendent at Neisler Mills
fa- many years, he worked for
10 years at Hovis Funeral Home
in Charlotte and for two years
at Mackey Funeral Home in
Greenville, S. C,
He and his wife, the former
Margaret Neisler, celebrated
their 25th wedding anniversary
last year. Their son, Richard
Hunnicutt, Jr., graduated from N.
C. State college in January and
their daughter, Sue, is a fresh
man at Straford college in Vi-r
HONORED — Harold 1L Hunni
catt was boaorod as "Mr. Kiwani
an of 1982" by tbs Kings Moun
tain Klwanls dub Thursday
night_
■into.
M.v Coggins described Mr.
Hunnicutt as a citizen “whole
hearted; in all undertakings”, ci
ting his long record of service to
the KiwaUis club, his churchwork
and service in the community. He
credited him with the bringing of
the Red Cross bloodbank to
Kings Mountain and for his work
in civil defense, both as an air
plane spotter during the war
< Continued On Page Bight)
School Plans Get
Board’s Approval
SPEAKER-W. Faison Barnes
wilt make the address at Tues
day night’s Fanner's Night ban
quet of the Kings Mountain Lions
club.
Faison Bames
Is Farmer's
Night Speaker
W. Faison Barnes, Charlotte
attorney and former Kings
Mountain citizen, will make the
principal address at Tuesday
night’s Farmer Night banquet of
the Kings Mountain Lions club.
Area farmers will be guests of
the Lions at the dinner meeting
at 7 o’clock at the Woman’s club.
Members of the Farmer’s Night
committee for the annual affair
are John Seism, Bill Plonk and
Edwin Moore. Mr. Seism will pre
sent Mr. Barnes.
"We look forward to having
aur farmers as guests of the i
Lions and anticipate a large |
rrowd will attend," Lion Moore
said in making the announce
ment.
President Jonas Bridges will j
preside.
Senior Citizens
Plan Bus Trip
The Senior Citizens club has
scheduled a chartered bus trip
to Chapel Hill the first week in
April.
Members of the club plan to
see “Easter the Awakening" at
iMorehead Planetarium, visit
the Duke Gardens and the cam
pus of Duke University. Picnic
lunch will be spread in the fel
lowship hall of Holy Trinity
Lutheran church.
Reservations should be made
with Mrs. O. W. Myers.
Parking meter receipts xor the
week ending Wednesday totaled
$184.55, including $12820 from
on-street meters, $35 from over
parking fees and $21.35 from off
street meters. City Clerk Joe Mc
Daniel, Jr., reported.
Preliminaries
Sent To Raleigh
For DSP Reaction
;.1 ..
I Preliminary plans for the new
Kings Moun tain high school were
sent to Raleigh Tuesday for
study by Department of School
Planning officials, Dr. Dwayne
Gardner and Marvin Johson.
Permission for sending the
plans to Raleigh was granted by
the board of education Monday
night after study of sketches pre
sented by school architects Fred
Van Wageningen and Tom Coth
ran of Architects Associated of
Shelby.
Reaction of the Raleigh offici
als is needed before the archi
tects proceed with further plans
of the proposed $1.1 million dol
lar school.
Sketch plans of the building
shown the board Monday inclu
ded layout of classrooms, library,
gymnasium, toilet facilities, ad
ministrative, guidance and health
offices, student commons, lunch
room and kitchen.
Van Wageningen, who made
the presentation to the board
stated that the structure was de
signed o hug the contours of the
site property and was made as
compact as possible to stay with
in the budget and avoid cutting
down on the footage.
Although the plans show four
elevation levels, the architects
stated that the variances were so
small that the building is a two
level structure only at the north
end of the building.
Plans for the structure call for
110,400 square feet of space with
the cost estimated at $1,186,000.
(Continued On Page Eight)
Charles Fulton
Rites Thursday
Charles Lee r ulton, 87, long
time Kings Mountain citizen and
city employee for over 40 years,
died Wednesday morning at 9:15
in the Kings Mountain hospital.
Funeral rites will be held
Thursday afternoon at 4 p. m.
from Central Methodist church.
The body yvill lie in state at
Harris Funeral Home until the
hour of service.
Rev. H. D. Garmon will offici
ate, assisted by a former pastor,
Rev Phil Shore, Jr., now of Char
lotte. Interment will be made in
Mountain Rest cemetery.
In declining health for several
years, Mr. Fulton had baen seri
ously ill the past week.
He was a son of the late Ho
ratio D. and Sarah Beatty Dixon
Fulton. His family moved here
when he was six years old.
Mr. Fulton was a member of
Central Methodist church. His
wife, Bertie Lee Fulton, suc
cumbed in 1856. „ ...
Surviving are two daughters
Miss Winifred Fulton of Kings
Mountain and Mrs. Hugh B.
Hoke of Lincolnton; one grand
so and one great-grandson.
Active Dallbearers will be stew
ards of the church and members
of the Davis Bible class will be
honorary pallbearers.
Injuries Fatal
To Hudson Child;
Rites Tuesday
Funeral rites for George An
Irew Hudson, three-year-old son
of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hudson,
were held Tuesday afternoon
from St. Matthew’s Dutheran i
church.
The youngster died Sunday
night from severe head injuries i
he sustained when he apparent
ly darted into the path of an au
tomobile operated by Andrew
Miller.
City police said the accident oc
curred at 5:30 p. m. last Wednes
day in front of the child’s grand
parents’ residence on Ridge
street. Investigating officers ruled
the accident unavoidable.
Young Hudson was rushed to
Kings Mountain hosytal for
treatment but was transferred to
Charlotte Presbyterian hospital
to be under the care of a neuro
surgeon. He died at 10:30 Sunday
night.
Born in Danville, Va., son of
Ben and Shirley Houser Hudson,
he is survived, in addition to his
parents, by a sister, Laura Ann
Hudson, age 9; his maternal
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
George H. Houser of Kings
Mountain; and his paternal
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Palmer Hudson of Snelby.
Dr. W. P. Gerberding offici-!
ated at the final rites and inter
ment was made in Mountain Rest
cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Bud
Rhea, Clarence Clifton, J:r., Jerry
King, Sonny McDaniel, David
Kincaid and Darrell Austin.
Slimnastic Classes 1
Continue Weekly
Slimnastic classes for wom
en and continuing weekly spon
sored by the Kings Mountain
Recreation commission at the
National Guard Armory.
The second class will be held
Thursday evening at 7:30 p.
05m., B. F. Maner, member of
the commission, said yesterday.
Students are asked to bring
heavy socks or tennis shoes,
Mr. Maner added.
Retailer Banquet
Plans Underway
Annual employee • employer
banquet of the Kings Mountain
Merchants Association will be
held Friday, March 29, at 7 p.
m. at the Woman’s club.
Mrs. Luther Joy, association
secretary, said plans are well
underway for the event which
customarily attracts a large 1
crowd. i
Tickets are $i.75 and reserva
tions should be made at the as
sociation office by March 23.
DECIDE — Ben Bridges, top. and
T. J. Ellison made decisions this
week pertaining to the city's
May elections. Bridges will no.
seek re-election. Ellison filed
Tuesday for re-election as Ward 3
commissioner.
Neisler Heads
C of C Drive
The Kings Mountain Chamber
of commerce launched its 193S
membership drive th.s week.
Charles A. Neisler, chairman
said plans are to broaden the
scope and work of the organiza
tion.
Mr. Neisler accepted the mem
bership drive chairmanship fol
lowing resignation this week of
L. E. (Josh) Hinnant who asked
to be relieved as chairman be
cause of other pressing business.
“I accept the assignment en
thusiastically”, Mr Neisler said
He added, “I have been assured
full cooperation and I feel sure
our goal will be met. We need
m active Kings Mountain Cham
ber of Commerce.”
Other members of the member- j
ship drive committee include;
rom Tate, Jonas Bridges, J. Ollie
Harris and Bill Brown.
Mir. Neisler said organization
of the campaign would be com-j
pleted within the next few days.
City Boazd Of Commissioners Set
New Registration, Election Dates
It’s official. Municipal and
school board elections will be
Tuesday, May 14.
City commisisoners made this
official Thursday night as they
set dates and appointed regis
trars and judges fo. the new city
and school district registration.
Re-iregistratlon by eligible vot.
ers may be done on 5 succesive
Saturdays beginning April 13 and
running through May 11, three
days prior to the elections. Chal
lenge day will be May 11.
Voters can register each of
these Saturdays at the eight poll
ing places or may register on
weekdays by contacting the pro
per registrar.
Polling places, registrars and
judges are as follows: Ward 1,
City Hall, C. L. Black, Nell C.
Cranford and Mrs. Willie Grice;
Ward 2, Americtn Legion Build
ing, R. D. Goforth, Mrs. Ruth C.
Thomasson and Mrs. Tom Trott;
Ward 3, East School, Mrs Ruth
Bowers, Rochel Connor and H. R.
Murray.
Ward 4, Kings Mountain Manu
facturing Co. club house, Mrs.
Paul Cole, Brooks Tate and Mrs.
Vera Cash; Ward 5, National
Guard Armory, Mrs. J. T. McGin
nis, Jr., Mrs. Charles Ballard, and
Mrs. Paul Patterson.
Also, Grover District, Grover
fire station. Mrs. J. B. Ellis, Mrs.
Margaret Scruggs and Miss Ethel
Martin; Beth ware district. Beth
ware school, Mrs. Will Watter
son, Leonard Gamble and Mrs.
John Jones; Park Grace district,
Park Grace school, Mrs. James
Clonlnger, Mrs. T. W. Smith and
John Cloninger.
For each registration day and
election day registrars will be
paid $15 each and judges $10.
In other actions Thursday the
commission agreed to Mayor Kel
ly Dixon’s suggestion that altera
tions be made to city jail cells.
Mayor Dixon referred to an inci
dent several weeks ago when a!
youth hanged himself in one of
the cells in suggesting that the
overhead bars be removed from
each of the cells. |
The commission delayed action
on the requested extension of
vestigates the possibility of a
Gold Street until Mayor Dixon in
right-of-way. Approved requests
! that mercury - vapor lghts be
> placed on Park Circle and at the
Cleveland Avenue-Linwood Road
intersection.
Also delayed was action on a
suggestion that one police car be
traded for a new one.
The commission agreed also to: j
1. Sell remaining old street I
lamps and posts on a first come,
first serve basis at $15 each. •
2. Extend sewage lines on I
Boyce Street from Linwood to \
Groves Street when tap fee has
been paid.
3. Put streets into Wilson Craw
ford’s Gaston County real estate
development when arrangements
are ready to be worked out. The
lots were previously annexed by
the city.
4. Pave and gutter Mitchell
Street from Watterson Street to
city limits when a proper pe
tition is prepared and presented
to the commission.
Ellison Files
For Re-election
In Ward Three
Incumbent commissioners of
Wards 3 and 4 reached decisions
this week pertaining to the city’s
biennial election Tuesday, May
14.
Cimmissioncr Gen Bridge de
cided that he will not seek re
election to a fourth term as Ward
4 representative on the city
board.
Commissioner T. J. Ellison filed
Tuesday for re-election to anoth
er term as commissioner from
Ward 3.
Commissioner Bridges’ action
developed from his decision to
move outside the city limits into
Gaston County. He had been con
templating such a move for the
pas several months.
“I have enjoyed my service to
the community during the six
years as commissioner from
Ward 4,” Mr. Bridges said in an
nouncing his decision, "but feed
;t !ir to my family’s bect Interest
that \ve make tills move.”
Fir t elected in 1S57, Commis
sioner Bridges, secretary - treas
urer of Kings Mountain Savings
and Loan Association, has been
chief policy maker throughout
his three term ., customarily be
ing assigned duties connected
with adminstration, including
budget committee work.
Commissioner Ellison’s candi
dacy was the lone one of the
past week.
An East Kings Mountain groc
er, Mr. Ellison was elected to the
commission in 1961, unseating
Luther Bennett. Prior to this he
had many years of service on the
commission. He served in the po
sition from 1947-51, returned in
1953 and served for four more
years before losing to Mr. Ben
nett.
Commissioner Elilron was the
eccnd incumbent to announce
for re-election. J. E. (Zip) Rhea,
Ward 5 commissioner, is the oth
er.
Mayor Kelly Dixon and Glee
A. Bridges, candidates for mayor,
and George H. Mauney, candi
date for the board of education,
are the only other candidates fil
ed for the May elections.
CC Stockholders
Elect Directors
Stockholders of Kings Moun
tain Country club elected five
new directors and heard repo, ts
of the 1962 year of operation at
the annual dinner meeting Tues
day night.
The 71 present named these
new directors: Glee Edwin Brid
ges, Ollie Harris, Henry Neisler,
D. M. Peeler and Dr. George
Plonk. Directors, with terms not
expiring, are John C. Smathe~s,
Jimmy Gibson, W. S. Fulton, Jr.,
P. A. Francis, Tolly Shuford,
Charles Carpenter and William
Herndon.
New officers will be elee'ed
by the directors at a dinner meet,
ing Tuesday at 6:30 p. m. at the
club, President Smathers said.
Due to other pressing matters
at this time, L. E. Hinnant. a
director, asked to be relieved. Mr.
Hinnant was also serving as co
treasurer with James Gibson.
Other outgoing officers are Joe
MeClu”e, vice-president; and W.
S. Fulton, Jr., secretary.
Presentation of reports by of'i
cers and by chairmen of stand
ing committees revealed a good
year, Mr. Smathers reported,
giving reports were chairmen of
standing committees, including
C. T. Carpenter, Jr., pool: Jacob
Cooper, house; P. M. Neisler, S ,
greens; Tolly Shuford member
sh!p; and William Herndon, soc
ial.
High School Bond
To Give Concert
The Kings Moun Lain high
school 51-piece band will plav
contest selections in a free pub>
lie concert Sunday afternoon at
3 o’clock in Central audito i
um.
Director J. C. Hedden said
the band will play in contents
at Marion March 30th and Sun
day’s concert here will give an
opportunity to appear before an
audience.
Their numbers will include:
“Queen City March”; “Ba’let
Parisian”; "Das Pensionat”;
“Prelude To Act Five” bv Kin"
IManled and “Variation Over
ture.”