Newspapers / The Community Survey (Gastonia, … / Jan. 1, 1921, edition 1 / Page 1
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7M" IT T "ALONG THE FRIENDLY WAY WE JOURNEY TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THE BEST IN LIFE." VOL. 1. NO. 8. GASTONIA.N. C, JANUARY, 1921. PRICE: 50c PER YEAR IT If JT TY SURVEY COL C. B. ARMSTRONG PASSED ' AWAY ON DECEMBER 27, 1920 Following An Illness of Two Months Col. Armstrong Pass ed Away at 1 O'clock Monday Morning, Dec. 27 Was Gaston County's Leading Citizen and Cotton Manufacturer Leader in Civic and Municipal Affairs --Funeral Tuesday at Three O'clock. Following a serious illness of two months from a complication of diseases brought on by high blood pressure and kidney trou ble, Col. Charles B. Armstrong, Gastonia's foremost citizen, passed away quietly and peace fully athime home here at 1:05 o'clock Monday morning, De cember 27, 1920. Surrounded "by his family, intimate friends and business associates, Col. Armstrong died calmly as if passing into a sleep. Since Sun day, December 19, he has been in an unconscious condition. On ly his vigorous, rugged consti tution and powerful vitality has kept him alive so long. Through out the Christmas holidays the end was expected momentarily. At 10 o'clock Sunday night at tending physicians made the an nouncement that he could not live more than two or three hours, and the e:ad came at one o'clock. Colonel Armstrong was stricken on the night of October 26 while making a speech at the Osceola Mill, introducing the county candidates. He was at tacked then by a fainting spell, but his condition at that time was not regarded as serious. Shortly afterwards, he was well enough to get out of the house and ride around town. During the Gypsy Smith meeting in No vember he was able to attend one or two of the services to war the close of the meeting. Following this, he suffered a re lapse and was again seriously ill for a f?w, days. He gradually regained strength and was able to sit up and to take an occas ional ride. Plans were made by the family that he should spend the winter in Florida, and he entered into and discussed the proposed trip with his" friends. On -Tuesday, December 14. he was able to go riding. On Thurs day, the 16th, he suffered an other serious attack. Dr. L. N. Glenn was a visitor at the home at the time. Since that date, his condition had been precari ous, and physicians had enter tained small hopes ofhis recov ery. Charles Beauregard Arm strong was without doubt the foremost citizen of Gastonia. Since his entry into the textile world in 1906 his has been a name to conjure with in the fi nancial and textile world. Start ing from a small beginning, the Clara Manufacturing Company, he had added mill after mill to a chain that now numbers fif teen. He was president of all these, as follows: Armstorng. Clara, Dunn, Monarch, Mutual. Piedmont. Seminole. Lockmore, Wymojo. Victory1, Winget, High Shoals, Champion, Helen and Mildred. The last three named are in course of construction. In addition these businesses he was president of the Citizens National Bank, the Armington Hotel, the Armstrong Land & Investment Company, and a di rector in numbers of other en terprises in and around Gas tonia. Col. Armstrong was not only a leader in the financial world, but in affairs of church and state he took a foremost part. As mayor of Gastonia for two .or three terms he established a record for civic improvements. During his terms of office the present magnificent system of streets and sidewalks was laid out. Under the directing hand of Col. Armstrong many other civic improvements were made, all of which stand as a monu ment to the clear foresight and business sagacity of the man. As chairman of the city schpol board he has always evi denced a keen interest in the ed ucation of the youth of the city. It is due to his efforts that the school teachers of Gastonia are paid the highest salaries of any teachers in the State. He wa an earnest advocate of a new high school building for Gas tonia. In his church, he was one of the mainstays. He had been a deacon in the First Presbyter ian church of Gastonia for a number of years. He loved his church and his pastor. It was as frequent saying of his that his church and the causes it represented came first with him. He was particularly interested in the financial affairs of the church.. No cause for needy purposes, for orphans, aged ministers, education or exten sion of church work ever found him not a champion and a lead ing giver and pacemaker in con tributions.' He was especially interested in the extension of the work of his church in Gas tonia in the outlying sections. He was one of the first to vis ualize the future in the cotton mill industry in this section and met conditions as they arose. He was am'ong the first to establish the community work among the employes and operatives of his mills. Along with W. T. Ran kin, he was also among the first to adopt the plan of profit-sharing among the mill employes. For the past two years, the Armstrong mills have paid out at Christmas time, large amounts in profits to the opera tives. Col." Armstrong was a mem ber of several fraternal organi zations, including the A. F. & A. M., Royal Arch, Knights Tem plar, Oasis Temple, Knights ..of Pythias. He was 59 years of age, having been born Septem ber 6, 1861. Col. Armstrong began life as a country boy under many han dicaps. The South was in the midst of that long and arduous struggle to recuperate from the devastating effects of the War Between the States. Her farms were laid waste, her few factor ies were demolished or disman tled, nearly all property of ev ery kind was either destroyed or was so depleted that it re quired all the strength of the people to keep body and soul to gether. Schools were few and far between and the subject of this sketch was denied the ad vantages of an education. He, together with the other young men of his time and section, had to work to make a living. Life was hard. But young Arm strong had an ambition thai could not be dampened even bv the ravages of war. He struck hard places all along the route, but he never gave up. He pos sessed that - "never-say-die" spirit which guarantees success against all obstacles. These characteristics were, in large part, inherited from a fine old family of Scotch-Irish an cestry. They were strong and sturdy men. They were men of mental and physical force. Of his ancestors Lewis' History of North Carolina says : "The an cestors of the Armstrongs own ed Margerton Castle, near Car lile, Scotland, and were among the last to yield to England's rule in Scotland's struggle for independence. Because of their resistance the English king con fiscated their estates and many of the family moved to Ireland and thence to America, coming to the latter country between 1720 and 1750 and settling in Pennsylvania,- Virginia and North Carolina." It was but natural, in view of the family's experiences in the old country that they should en ter heartily into the Revolution, being among the first to organ ize "Committees of Safety" and taking the initiative in raising companies to fight for the free dom of America. Among the Armstrongs who figured prominently in the Rev- (Continued on last patre.) r ' ' I s - v -A: '. ti... -8 t 4 V CHARLES BEAUREGARD ARMSTRONG C. B. ARMSTRONG. HOME LIFE OF COL. ARMSTRONG Charlotte News. The life of C. B. Armstrong of Gastonia, who died early Monday morning, was an epic in accomplishment. Any poor boy reading his biography ought to catch the vision of the possibil ities that reside in any man, no matter of how humble circum stances in youth, no matter how disadvantageously placed at the start of his career, no matter how modest in means, and catching this vision, reach the conclusion that nothing is im- i The news of the death of Col. C. B. Armstrong which reached us at the early hour Monday, December 27th, was a shock and a source of unspeakable sorrow to all in our community. It means the taking away from us a real man a man who had 'done much for us a truly won derful good friend with a big heart, a genial spirit and com radeship and as has been aptly said before, "A Prince of men among men. possible for him who has faith ! 0Crrf eV in his own capacities and conf der.ee in his fellow-men. Colo nel Armstrong started life ped-! T j"1" dling clocks; he ended his life ; with millions having been made, i , ... of his employes from "doffer" to his chief officers was alwavs with millions having been ma with honors in industry having been heaped upon him, with the piaudits of the multitude ring' ing in his ears -:hen the writer entered up on her duties in his employment, he expressed his desire to visit among the families in order r;;; "-Ijthat he might know them as nothing; he concluded his career J' with crowns of achievement up-jg Cmadeent trS 0i' f1"1, - if J through our Mills and. if his And so have many other of ;t:nie was iimited and he could trie greater men ot tne times lnot talk to all. hP would mss in It vi's no unusual sight to see a numbor of people congregated on- Main Street, with eager eyes and ani mated faces nr.d to' find that the center of attraction was Col. Armstrong. Keen of wit, e!e?,r of intellect, he was always ready with just the right story or just the right joke, at just the right time. The fact that a crowd gathered as soon as ho began talking was proo that he always said something worth while. The ideals he held up to us, the suggestions he off er ,ed, the friendly criticisms and ,th- adyice;iv,en, ;when most needed have become proverbs. They bore fruit at the time and will continue to bear fruit for many, many years. Now they hang on Memory's wall among the ' rarest gems. Sayings of Col. Armsrtong That Will Endure. A young man had just returned from France and was recommended to Col. Armstrong by a mutual friend as v. man of splendid ability. Col. Armstrong said, "I always try to give a deserving young man an opportun ity in life. Ye:;, I'll put him cn. Tell him to come and see me." One day, as a well known grouch passed by. Col. Armstrong" remarked, "That ron has the most even disposition I ever saw. He stays mad all the time." Cm one occasion in visiting the mills Col. Arm strong walked quietly up to a man who looked rather dejected and down cast. Putting his hand on his shoul der he paid. "Cheer up ! Some one may be taking your picture." I always like to see my young people in Sunday School. Then I know who I can depend on to run the business when I am gone. Go to Church. Have faith in your church and in your fellow man. A young man who gets up early on Sunday morning and attends Sunday School and church never loses any thing by so doing. ' ' Save your money and never fail to connect yourself with some church and some Sunday School and attend regularly. It is the best paying business I know and will pay dividends when all others fail. When a man tries and fails he deserves much credit, for he has at least tried. An ability to meet difficulties is the measure of a man. You'll never be sorry for helping those who need your help. 1 . You are all my partners in business. Often a man thinks himself very smart when he says that he always looks out for number one. How ever it happens that when he finds his correct number, it turns out to be number thirteen. More people go around telling bad news than good. It doesn't make any difference how long a man lives, it's how he lives. A man doesn't need an education to make money, but when he has madr money ho does need an education to enjoy it and to make the best u?e of it. I tr1' to finish each 'hy's work with the day. If anytkiV! 1,-'n'id happen .' -ring the night a man's bus inosa she 1 ' bo in shape so that some one else could be gin. iust whore he left off and go right on with jt. I am sorry for the growing boy. He hears so many Don'ts. come to their graves. They fought their way through the Theirs were not ease and view tnat eacn ana every one might exchange smiles with him. One could not be in the home of Col. Armstrong without being impressed with the home life. Harmony and hospitality pre vailed to a degree that is net won complacency and idleness. They worked and they toiled and thev sweated as they plowed on un der the dynamics of a great de termination and they succeeded . .ill - " o - " ' m spue oi tne many-smect oo- found in every home Two of stacles placed m their path. jthe greatest factors which To read the record of this : brought about this situation man's material accomplish-! was the fact that he left his ments is to gain a fresh outlook ; business in the office when he upon the possibilities of any man. All of the boys of this country know that Andrew Car negie started off as a newsboy and there were many nights when he knew not where he was to sdeep. His youth was thorn picked, but gradually ascended went home to his wife and chil dren, and the influence which radiated from that personality known .as "Daddy" to every member of the family. Should we have been so for tunate as to have had him in thr- capacity of. a home visitor, tha the scale ot success until at I atmosnhere which Dermeatei. length, he came to be the secom ' his own home may have been richest man in this country and wafted to others. Never an un died, leaving a plethora of mil-; kind word nor a harsh tone was l'ons to his relatives even after j uttered to any member of his he had given, ?way $350S0Q0,000 ifartflly rror to; an employee. to charity. But here is arf in-! Hence, the keynote of the stance jut over the river from ; home was congeniality, which us, an instance of a poor boy could not help but inspire those starting life a half century ago who came in contact with it. with no assets, with an absence The massive throng of cor- of material out of which to rowing people who attended his weave the fabric of success save funeral, packing the church, fi.ll the material of a grim deter-; ing the yard and crowding the mination to get there and a 'street, with the wonderfully dauntless spirit of perseverance. ! sweet expressions of sympathy By degrees, he kept climbing; told with dowers, was a beauti- toward achievement until when ful tribute to his memory, one citath overtook him at the age he justly deserved and one he of 59, he had come to be known would have appreciated. as tne greatest promoter ot tne. ye extend to the members of textile industry in the South, a his familv our deepest sympa thy. vertitable Saul among his fel- kiv? m business. It is a record "Lpt ns hp nntirnt! Thep severe that ought I-- inspire any man j afflictions who thinks he is handicapped; Not from the ground arise; -md who is grumbling because 'But often times" celestial bene- he is having to move out into; dictions the uncertain sea of experience! Assume this dark diss-uise." without sailing facilities. ' W. B. OTEY. COL. ARMSTRONG Yorkvillc Enquirer. "Passing of Col. C. B. Arm strong in Gastonia early Mon day morning marks the going from earth of a real big man a man who had done much for this section and who had he liv ed his allotted three score and ten would have been a still greater power for industrial de velopment of this section of the Piedmont," said Tuesday a man who knew him well. "I had known Charlie Armstrong for many years and I never knew a finer man. My earliest recol lection of him was when as a young man he and I peddled clocks and other things for the late Joe Neil. He was a success as a salesman even as he was a success at everything else he went into. I hadn't seen a great deal of him in recent years: but I recall that whenever I did see him he was still the same, pleas ant, big hearted, smiling fellow that ho was as a young man. He had accumulated big holdings in the years that had followed since he peddled clocks. I have n't accumulated very much of this world's goods. But it was all the same to him. He was as much my friend as when we tramped together when neith er one of us had enough to buy food for the morrow. Peace to hi. -he." CCL. C. B. ARMSTRONG Uplift. Col. C. B. Armstrong, the master builder of Gaston Coun ty, and one of the most conspic uous industrial leaders of North Carolina, after a very short ill ness, died at his home in Gas tonia on the 26th. From a humble, honest birth, via a clock peddler, store keeper, sheriff, mayor he became the largest owner of cotton mill in dustries in his section. Becom ing rich, he never fell into the horrible habits of the "new rich" he loved and was loved by his people ; he pulled and worked for his town, never milking it. He contributed largely to every public cause he lead. never learning the mischief of throw ing monkey - wrenches. His greatest office was a trustee of the local Graded School he re garded it so. The whole state sustains a loss in Col. Armstrong's death. i In the death of Col. Armstrong North Carolina lost a loyal and nobis Citizen; Gastonia and Gaston County a favorite son; the industrial world a model captain of industry; merchants and bankers a worthy associate but just the poor folks suffered most of all in losing a friend. His was the hand, "Stretched forth to aid a brother in need;" Hi? the heart to feel the throb that made Him a friend indeed." I
The Community Survey (Gastonia, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 1, 1921, edition 1
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