Population
Greater Kings Mountain 21.914
City Limits 8,465
The Greater Kings Mountain figure is derived from the
Special United States Bureau of the Census report of
lanuary. 1966, and includes the 14,990 population of
Number 4 Township, and the remaining 6,124 from
Number 5 Township, in Cleveland County ond Crowders
Mountain Township in Gaston County.
Kings Mountain's Reiiable Newspaper
VOL. 84 No. 2
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, January 11, 1973
Eighty-Fourth Year
PRICE TEN CENTS
Commission Moves Toward Lower Electrical Rates
Kerns
Conducted
School At 9:30
If No More Snow
&hools Take
(%ow-Eiiforced
3-Day Respite
Ki-n^s Mountain District schools
were scheduled to re-open this
morning on a revised schedule,
providing no snow fell duiring the
night Wednesday.
Supt. Don Jones said all schools
will open one hour later than
usual so bus drivers have am
ple tiime to assure that students
are transported safely.
Jones traveled all of the dis
trict’s bus routes Wednesday. ‘‘The
roads looked pretty good,” he
said, “but there were a few icy
spots. We called those driveis
and cautioned them.”
The three nTissed days will not
cause any problems for 'local
school officials since the school
beard had included three incle
ment weather days in the 1972-
73 calendar. Those days are April
16-18.
Jones said Jan. 19 had been
aside os an evaluation day
for teachers aind an off day for
students. 'IHowever,” he said, "we
will probably have school on Jan.
19 and re-schedule the evaluation
day for Jan. 27. I am going to re-
cH-mmenu that at Monday night's
b)ard meeting.”
If the board okays that recom
mendation and there are no more jjy International Association
REAPOINTED ^ Carl Wilson
has been reapointed to a live-
year term on the board of the
Kings Mountoin Housing Au
thority,
McDevitt Gives
UPC Report
It was 16 months old, but Chief
of Police Tom McDevitt read it
to the city commission Monday
night an>way.
It was report on a study of
the Kings Mountain Department
pissed days bec^aase of weather,
third inclement weather day
ViU be added to spring vacation,
Jones noted.
Resene Squad
Had Busy 72
Members of the Kings Moun
tain Rescue Squad answered 1,-
2(M calls, stood 17,171 man hours
on duty, trips, meeting and train
ing; rescue vehicles traveled 24,-
016 miles during the past year.
Car accidents accounted for
isi trips, there were three calls
of Police Chiefs
Chief McDevitt commented,
“Two thirds of the recommenda
tions already have been imple
mented.”
In other actions, the board:
1) Re-appointed Carl F. Wilson
to a five-year term as a member
of Kings Mountain Housing Au
thority.
2) Voted to invite bids on all
city insurance, hospitalization,
public liability, workmen’s com-
pensation and fire, to be received
January 26.
3) Appointed Bobby Scalf volun
teer fireman,
4) Named the Mayor the city's
for motorcycle accidents. Four! representative to the Cleveland
bundled and 83 trips were for!County water policy committee.
transpK'rtation of patients to or'An appointee had been requested
from the Kings Mountain hos-|by the county commission,
pital also 34 blood relays were
made for the hospital. Shootings
accounted for 12 calls and cut
tings 14. There were 43 service
calls and 40 miscellaneous calls
made. Twenty-one trips were
made to medical clinics in town.
The squad answei'cd 12 dead on
arrival calls, directed funeral
traffic 63 times and conducted
eight search parties for missing
persons, nine trips were false
alarm calls and all squad mem-
hers were called to assist in
draggings operations at two
downings. •
Out of town trips for the year
were: 42 to Charlotte hospitals,
35 to Gaston Memorial hospital,
to Cleveland Memorial, 20
V Shelby Convalescent Center,
three to Durham, three to
Brough hospital, four to Veter
ans hospital in Ottcon and others
to Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Spartan
burg. S. C, Lexington, S. C. and
Rock Hill, S. C.
Stand-by duty conducted by the
members wore for 41 fires, 40
Crossroad Music I^ark shows, all
local baseball, football and bas
ketball games,'Little League play
off, the Turkey 'Bowl in Novem-
er and a r:joxing tournament in
February, the July 4th celcbra-
lion and other events held at the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
SPO Asking
Foi Student
Board Member
The Kings Mountain board of
education will likely have a stu
dent member on its board in the
near future.
Supt. Don Jones said that the
Student Participation Organiza
tion (SPO) at Kings Mountain
High School has requested that
a student be apponted to sit in
on all board meetings.
“I will recommend that the
hoard study this possibility when
we meet Monday night,” Jones
said today. “Of course, our char
ter would prohibit a person to
have voting rights ibut our meet
ings are open and anyone is free
to attend them.”
The meeting Monday is set for
7:30 p.m. at the school adminis
tration office,
Jones said the board will prob
ably also appoint an architect
for Kings Mountain's new junior
high school. Other items of busi
ness include personnel changes
and discussion of the school cal-
edar.
Bates To Address
Youth Banquet
Former KMPIS football coach
Bill Bates, h.gh school faculty
member, will be the speaker at
next Thursday night’s banquet
honoring the Optimist Pee Wee
and Mighty Mite teams at the
Optimist clubhouse.
Dinner will be served on Jan
uary ISth at 7 p.m.
President Charles Burns said
the annual affair is expected to
attract a large crowd of young
players.
Mr. Burns reminded team
members if they haven’t yet turn
ed in their enuioment to do so as!
soon as possible. !
loy Re-Opens
Friday at 8
Joy Theatre, closed since Sun
day for remodeling 'purposes, will
reopen Friday -night at 8 o'clock
with the shouing of “Where Docs
It Hurt.”
Eugene MeSwam, manager of
Kings Mountain’s only indoor
theatre, said remodeling work
will mot be completely finished
due to the recent snow and other
problems which weren’t antici
pated.
Workmen were scheduled tai>e^
gin installing new seat^ this
morning, however, MeSwain said
they would not be able to install
all 425 seats by Friday.
The inside painting and wall
work is colmpleted, MeSwain said,
but the outside will have to wait
until the weather is warmer.
MeSwain noted that the new
flourescent lights are already in
stalled but there is still work to
be done on the concession stand.
The theatre is to be completely
carpeted in red, but MeSwain said
he received word this week that
the carpet will not arrive until
Jan. 28. Thus, the theatre will
not be completely finished until
around Feb. 1.
The most noticeable change at
present is in Uhe lobby, where
1 panelling has beon 'installed and
new entrances built at each end.
When the seats are completely
installed, the theatre will show
only two aisles, with small rows
of seats on each side and large
rows in the middle.
/
AREA'S FIRST BABY — Jerry Evans Parker, first baby of New
Year 1973 in the Kings Mountain areo. 'is pictured with his
mother. Mrs, Carl Evans Parker. The first arrival is fourth child
and only son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Evans Parker of route three.
The baby arrived at 8:56 a.m. New Year's Day at Kings Moun
tain hospital with Dr. Chctles Adams as attending physic'an.
Grandparents are Mrs. L. B. Alexander of Kings Moimtain and
Mr. and Mrs. Odell Parker of Shelby. (Photo by Issac Alexander)
$477,150 Sewage
Grant Approved
Pilot Creek
Treatment Plant
To Be Doubled
Jerry Trammell
In New Office
Jerry TTammell, attorney-at-
law, has opened his own offices
at 146 West Mountain street, the
former Cham-er of Commerce
building beside of Dellinger’s.
Mr. 'Trammell was previously
associated with the law firm of
J. Roan Davis and Jack H. White.
His new location became effec
tive January 1.
Revenue-Sharing
Check $61,253
The city has received this
week its second revenue-shar
ing check for $G1,253.
The first was $63,248, mak
ing a total of $124,.501, or 95
percent of the inltialliy indicat
ed amount.
The revenue sharing coordi
nator, in a letter accompanying
the second check, snid the with
holding was to provide funds
for lafe-cqming applicants, such
as certain areas in Alaska and
Indian reservations, and for
updating, where indicated, of
1970 census figures.
The funds have been invest
ed on interest-bearing bank
certificates.
Horace Lee Patterson Rites Held
Sunday; Freak Accident Victim
An emplcive of Mauney,Mills
Inc. here died Thursday as a re
sult of an injury he suffered Jan.
2 in an industrial accident.
Horace Lee Patterson, 45, of
503 S. Cansler Street, died about
7:.30 p. m, Jan. 4 in Kings Moun
tain hospital after ibeing hospi
talized since the accident,
A steel stud fired from a stap
ling gun hit Patterson in the left
side of his abdomen and passed
through his body about 1:20 p.m.
(Jt'orge Mauney of Mauney
Minis said the gun fires the studs
out with enough force to drive
the studs through concrete or
walls.
Kings Mountain Police Captain
William Roper said Patterson
was standing at the end of a
piece of plywood when Ben Tess-
ncer of Shelby reportedly picked
up the stapling gun and fired a
stud through the plywood.
Roper said the stud then rich-
1 ocheted off a wall and struck Pat
terson
pened In the plant’s shop where
Patterson had gone to pick up
some supplies.
Roper said the incident appear
ed to bo an acciient and no
charges would be filed.
Funeral rites were conducted
at 3 p. m. Sunday at the First
Church of the Nazarene with the
Rev. C. A. Bost and the Rev. Bo<b-
by Willis officiating. Burial was
in the Mountain Rest Cemetery.
Patterson was the son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. Darvin Patter
son.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs.
Eva Willis Patterson; one son,
Horace Willis Patterson of Kings
Mountain: three daughters, Mrs.
Rick Crane of Shelby, Mrs, Bob
by Riioy and Miss Pam Patter
son, both of Kings Mountain;
three brothers, Charles Pattrson,
Audle Patterson and Walter Pat
terson, all of Cherryville; and
five sisters, Mrs. Tom Benton of
Blacksburg, S. C., Mrs. 'Marie
Willie, Mrs. Carroll Willie, Mrs.
Charles Willie, and Mrs. Keith
Mauney said the accident hap-1 Beam, al lof Cherryville.
A federal grant of $477,150 for
City of Kings Mountain sewage
System improvements has been
approved by the Environmental
Protection agency, Jack E. Ra-
van, Atlanta regional adminis
trator, has announced.
I
The grant approval was includ
ed in a total grant of $s.3 made
to North Camlina cities under
the federal water pollution con
trol act.
Kings Mountain’s grant, which
had the endorsement of the
state’s board of water and nat
ural resources, will be used to
double the capacity of the Pilot
Creek sewage treatment plant to
four million gallons daily, plus
construction of interceptor and
outfall sewers, pumping station
and force main. j
Pending is application to the'
state agency for a grant of,
$159,045 for the $768,410 project. |
The city’s share would be i
$132,235, if the state application j
is approved.
Mayor John Henry Moss said,
“I am highly pleased at the fed
eral approval and feel the state
agency will also provide its
share.”
City Maintaining
Pick-Up Schedules
The city sanitation aepart-
ment is making every effort to
maintain regular garbage col
lection schedules in spite of
the snow and ice, Roscoe Woot
en, cJy public works director,
said Wednesday.
“So far,” he added, “we’re
doing pretty good.”
If more snow comes, as pre
dicted. it would be most help
ful if citizens could put their
garbage containers at the curb,
he added.
New Yeai s
Power Bills
Anger Citizens
' By MARTIN HARMON
In the wake of many com
plaints on the amounts of power
bills due January 1, the city
commission Monday night in
structed their electrical engineer
ing consultant to re-stpdy the
city’s power distribution opera
tions with the aim downward re
vision of the new rate schedule
adopted in November.
The commission had adopted
the report of Southeastern Con
sulting Engineers, Inc., presented
to the city under date of (^tober
24, 1972. The study was based,
Joutheastern said, on the fiscal
year 1972 power operations. Rec
ommendations were designed to
Include higher power costs to the
‘ity, result of rate increases al
lowed the city’s supplier, Duke
Power Company.
Biggest outcry from customers
came from residential users.
Southeastern had recommended
an increase of 33.8 percent. But
the customers reported increases
of 40 to 30 percent.
Other recommendations of the
engineers, all adopted:
Outside residential, increase of
9.6 percent.
Inside
cent.
commercial, 14.8 per-
RE ELECTED — John L. McGill
has been re-elected chairman
of the Kings Mountain Public
Housing Authority.
PHA Reelects
McGill Tate
Outside commercial, 5.2 per
cent less.
Housing Authority, 59.9 per
cent increase.
Special rate (all-electric resi
dential) same.
Before adopting the Southeast
ern report- actually Duke's “R”
, or residential rate and Duke’s Wilson, William Orr and Martin
commercial rate amended down-
ward in heavy user categories—
John L. McGill was re-electcMi
chairman of Kings Mountain
Public Housing Authority at
Tuesday’s annual meeting. Brooks
R. Tate was re-elected vice-chair
man.
Other members are Carl F.
Dr. Edwards
Speaks To Lions
"The Biblical Daniel purposelh
in his heart he would not defile
himself and maintained his per
sonal pledge though he served
five heathen rulers as chief
counselor.”
Basing his address on the life
of Daniel, Dr. Charles E. Ed
wards, pastor of Boyce Memorial
ARP church, addressed the Lions
club Tuesday night and declared
Daniel’s tenets are equally appli
cable today for a life of “High
Purpose”.
He said man must define for
himself “high purpose”, must
have the courage to stand for
that purpose, must really believe
(“sometime you'll need a power
greater than your own”), and
must have the vdW to work.
“We need the old-fashioned will
to work again,” he declared.
Long Illness
Proves Fatal
To Executive
Funeral rites for Clyde Wil
moth Kerns, 68, retired president
of Kern.« Brothers Trucking CV>m-
pany, were c*anducted Tuesday
afternoon at 3 p.m. from St. Mat
thew’s Lutheran church of which
he was a member. ,
His pastor, Rev, Robert E.
Jen, officiated at the final rit$|
and interment was in Mountii
Rest cemetery.
Active jjallbearers were Ja
White, Bcrf>by Bridges, Tom Popes,
j Paul Robertson, David Royster and
I Mayor John H. Moss.
Mr. Kerns died Sunday night in
Shelby Convalescent Center after
illness of several years.
A native of Rowan County, he
was son of the late Mr. and Mrs.
John Ross Kerns. A resident of
Kings Mountain since 1940, he
and his brother, James Kerns,
founded Kerns Trucking Company
in 1934. He was a director of
Kings Mountain Savings & Loan
Association and of City Auto &
Truck Parts.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Nancy Hill Kerns; one son, John
ny Kerns of Kings Mountain; two
brothers, James Kerns of Kings
Mountain and Hugh Kerns of
Elverson, Pa.; one sister, Mrs.
Glerrn Trexler of Granite Quarry,
N. C. and two grandchildren.
the city commission had indicat
ed it would simply pass on to
customers the amount of Duke’s
increase. |
However, the engineers, in
recommending Duke’s schedules
predicted an annual revenue in
crease of $161,550, with a net
revenue increase of $108,245.
The engineers predicted, “If
the proposed rates are adopted,
the increased revenue can be
utilized to bring capital outlay to
five percent and new revenue to
35 percent of total revenue, in
addition to recovering the ($53,-
3(6) fuel charge.”
The engineers concluded, "Tlie
adoption of the proposed retail
rates in an amount sufficient to
offset the increased power cost
and restore net revenue to the
thirty-five percent level.”
WORKSHOP TODAY
A substitute teacher work
shop will be conducted today
from 10 a.m. until 12 noon at
the school administration build
ing at 500 W. Parker street for
persons interested in doing sub
stitute teaching in the system.
There is no charge for regis
tration or participation.
The authority was constituted
by the city commission six years
ago, now rents 200 low rent hous
ing units in ten areas, 50 of the
units under lease from private
developers.
Mr. McGill has been chairman
and Mr. Tate vice-chairman since
the authority w'as constituted.
Thomas W. Harper, director,
reported one vacancy, with more
than 300 applicants on the wait
ing list.
The authority, with approval
to construct an aJdilional 1(K)
units, has purchased four adja
cent lots on Ark street from
Neisler Brothers, Inc., wheix?
eight units will be.buJt. Purchase
price for the 1.13 acre tract (ap
proximately 374 street frontage
by 150 deep) w'as $2100.
The authority adopted a reso
lution to take condemnation ac
tions, w'hich Mr. Harper laibeled
"friendly”, to acquire property of
the Will Rainey Heirs, 70 x 142
feet at the corner of East Ridge
street and McGill Court, and a
portion of the property of Fred
Herndon Heirs, 63 x 70 feet, ad
jacent to authority property on
McGill Court. Housing units will
be built on the Rainey property
and an addition to the offices
for storage of equipment will be
built on the Herndon property.
Snow Postpones
Basketball Game
The Kings Mountain-Cherry-
ville basketball doubleheader
was postponed for the second
time Wednesday night because
of weather conditions.
Coach Allen Dixon soid that
there's a possibility the game
might be played here Saturday
nioht.
The KMHS wrestling team is
scheduled for a home motch
tonight and the cageis are ot
Shelby Friday, thus, Saturday
is the earliest possible date
that KM and Cherryville can
get together.
KIWANIS SPEAKER
Larry Davis of Gistonia will
speak on "The Telephone Sys
tem” at Thursday’s meeting of
the Kus’anis club at 6:45 p.m.
at the Woman's club.
Supper Benefit
Set Jan. 27
Mrs. Ramsey's
Riles Conducted
Funeral rites for Mrs. Marie
Hord Ramsey, 64, of 615 Floyd
street, were conducted Sunday
afternoon at 2 p. m. from East
Side Baptist church of which she
was a mem'^er.
Mrs. Harry Vance, assisted by
a former pastor Rev. Darrell
Coble, officiated at the final rites
and interment was in Mountain
Rest cemetery.
.Mrs. Ramsey died Friday in
Kings .Mountain hospital after
All pnxx'o iS fn>m a hot dog
supjx'r January 2Ttli at Groveu*
Elementary s..‘hool \v II go to the illness of several years.
Cle\eland County Association for She is survived by one son,
Retarded Children. Eugene Ropijer of Kinston; one
The benefit is sponsored by daughter Mrs. Charles Poheler
Bethany Baptist church of Gro- of Kings Mountain; one brother,
ver. J. C. Hold of Cherryville; two
Serving of hotdogs with all the sisters, Mrs. R. M. Bridwoll and
trimmings and homemaie cakes Mrs. Irene Bnymor, both of At-
will, erin at 5 p.m. in the sc1kh)1 lanta, Ga.; nine grandchildren
cafeteria, said a spokesman. and nine great-grandch Idivn.
H
Fifst 1973 Snowfall Is Melting,
Slowly; Street Crews Pushed
ADKIUARY MEMBERSHIP AT HIGH MARK—The five women pictured ^>ove are all smiles at re
port of the 1972-73 membership figures of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 155. The Kings Moun
tain Unit initiated 42 new members Thursday night, bringing to 110 the niunber of members now
in the ozgonization. Mrs. Robert Ruff, Vice President, second from right, receives two certificates
os green thumb go-getter”, signing 20 new senior members during the period. Unit President
Elizobeth Stewart, left, conducted the program, assisted by the other women pictured. From left.
Miss Stewart, Mrs. W. A. Christenson, Mrs. Jockie D. Barrett, Mrs. Robert Ruff and Mrs. Leonard
Gamble, (Herald Photo by Isaoc Alexander)
Kings .\f"vuntain’s first .snowfall
of (ho winter was gradually molt
ing away W<'dnesday as the wea
therman foreca.st a 50 pi'nent
chance of mbro white stuff to
day.
Five irwchos of snmv reix>rtod-
ly fell Sunday, causing no major
problems and bringing smiles to
the fac<\s of hundreds of sohool
children who rcH'civod three days
off from their .studies.
Police reported that the snow'
caused sev’eral minor accidents
but no major damage or injuries
were reported.
Traffic was light Monday as
roads wore pa.s.sable for those
ix'rsons witli snow tkres or chains.
However, things mo\ed at a
steadier pace Wednesday as most
■of the main roads in the city and
surrounding areas cleared.
City and county str^'ot erenvs
were busy most of the dny Mon
day clearing nxads but the sub
freezing temperatures left a slick
sheet of ice. Mnoday night’s low
was reportedly 14 degrees but the
mercury hit the high 30’s during
the day TueAiay and Wedne^sday
and melted most of the ice off
tile roads* ^