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Total Press Run
4000 Copies
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Greater Kings Mountain's Progressive Newspaper
Vol. 1 No. 37
Kings Mountain, N. C. Wednesday, May 10, 1972
lOe
12 Pages Today
To Hire 7 More Men
iJ
City Approves Two
Policemen Per Car
iti:
i6 Departments Battle Flames
16 fire departments battled the flames that raged through the
Pinecrest Apartment complex on YorkRoadearlySaturdaymor-
nlng.
Fire Sweeps New
Apartment Complex
Fire swept through a huge apartment
complex under construction here Sat
urday, causing damages close to $300,000.
The fire broke out about 3:30a.m. at the
Pinecrest Apartments located on York
Road. 26 apartments were destroyed by
the fire which is still under investigation.
The 3 units destroyed were all indifferent
stages of completion by Phillips Construc
tion Co. of Gaffney, S. C.
16 fire departments and 35 trucks ans
wered thecall. The buildings were alread-
y ablaze when the Kings Mountain Depart
ment arrived, and other departments were
called for help. They included Chapel
Grove, South Gastonia, Spencer Mountain,
Ranlo, Bessemer City, New Hope, Cataw
ba Heights. Licus-Rlver Bend, South Point,
Union Road, Cramerton McAdenvUle, Lo
well, Agriculture Center, and HighShoals,
also Bethlehem, Oak Grove, Gaston Res
cue, and Kings Mountain Rescue attended.
None of the apartments were occupied,
and the other eight buildings in the com
plex were not damaged.
Board Refuses Mirror
Equal Advertising Share
By a unanimous vote, the Kings Mountain
Commissioners refused Monday to grant
a request by the Kings Mountain Mirror lor
ly
m
CUT IN HALF -Robert Lee Strong of Rt. 6, Shelby, was the driver of this car that was
cut in half whenitwreckedSundayabout7 p.m. on U. S. 74 east of Shelby. Miraculously,
Strong received only minor injuries and was treated at Cleveland Memorial Hospital and
released. The car struck two trees before stopping. The engine of the car can be seen
in the front seat just under the steeringwheel. (Mirror Photo by Lem Lynch)
Francis Burton Fund Established
A fund has been established by interested
friends for the benefit of Mrs. Francis
Burton, life-long resident of the Kings
Mountain area. Mrs. Burton is at pre
sent time In the intensive care unit of
Charlotte Memorial Hospital where she
has remained, in critical condition, since
undergoing brain surgery some four weeks
age. Mrs. Burton was stricken with a rup
ture of a blood vessel of the brain two
months ago. Prior to her surgery in Char
lotte she was in the local hospiU for two
^^eeks.
Mrs. Burton is the widow of Marshall
Burton who died in August 1970. The
medical attention Mrs. Burton has had and
will continue to need is very expensive and
she is not able to bear the burden alone.
Individuals, organizations or groups who
wish to contribute to this worthy fund may
do so by mail or telephone. To mail any
contributions, the address is:
Francis Burton Fund
c/o Second Baptist Church
120 Linwood Drive
Kings Mountain, N. C, 28086
To have contributions picked up, contact
Rev. Eugene W. Land at 739-6028.
an equal share of the City’s legal adverti
sing.
The Mayor read to the board a letter wri
tten by the Mirror’s publishers to the City
in March requesting an answer by AprU
15th, and recognized Co-Publisher Lem
Lynch.
Two weeks ago at the regular meeting,
the request was put aside for further stu
dy.
Lynch cited examples of other cities with
two newspapers that publish the tax Hen
advertising alternately in the two papers,
and explained that the Mirror meets the
6 months requirement for publishing le-
gals.
Commissioner Norman King moved not
to grant the Mirror an equal share of the
advertising, stating “at the present time
we should advertise in another newspaper
until after another year or so.’’
Commissioner Dickey added, “Ifeel that
for 1971 the taxes should remain the
same.’’
Lynch thenaskedforan equal share of the
City’s routine advertising other than the
tax listings.
King said he wanted to include that in his
previous motion also, that “we can con
sider the Mirror after they’ve been here
1 year.”
“The State only requires that we be es
tablished for 6 months,” Lynch replied.
“I’m aware of that, Mr. Lynch,” King
answered.
Lynch then asked the board if they cared
to discuss price.
“I don’t care to”, quipped King.
Lynch then admonished the board that they
have had 6 weeks to talk over the matter,
and disapproval that the board had taken
little initiative regarding the matter.
Commissioner Dickey then said, “I do
think they could be considered for some
of this other”, and then suggested the Ma
yor appoint a committee to study it.
Parents To Take Part in
Dedication Service Sunday
Parents with children born during the past
year will take part in a Dedication Service
Sunday morning. May 14, at First Baptist
Church, Kings Mountain.
Began several years ago as a part of
Christian Home Week, this Dedication
Service has been continued each year for
it focuses attention on the importance of
the Christian home.
Near the end of the morning worship per
iod, the children are brought by their pa
rents to the front of the sanctuary for a
brief ceremony, and a New Testament is
given to each child. Words by the pastor
describe the challenge of raising children
in a Christian way, and a prayer asking
God’s blessing on the children and the
homes represented closes the services.
By RODNEY DODSON
Editor, The Mirror
The city board of commissioners has au
thorized Police Chief Thomas McDevitt to
hire an additional 7 men, enabling the offi
cers to patrol two to a car at all times.
The additional men were authorized during
a personnel meeting with the chief and city
board late Monday night which was closed to
the press. At Monday’s meeting of the
board, two men made speeches urging the
board to hire additional men, eliminating
the policy of one officer to a car.
According to one source, a group of the
city’s policemen were ready to resign if the
new policy was not enacted.
The extra police officers will be sought im
mediately, and will cost the city $47,191.20
at the end of the first year.
This will bring the department toa 24 man
force, including the chief.
The chief said Tuesday that the action is
sure to increase the morale of the police
officers. When the increased force is in
effect, there will be two officers to a car,
day and night, and a 24 hour patrol, north
and south in the city.
Speaking at the board of commissioners
meeting Monday night, Mr. J. C. Clary ad
monished the board to increase taxes if
necessary to pay and equip a tep notch force.
Clary said he could easily get a petition of
citizens who favor the city hiring additional
policemen. “I’d hate to go to the funeral of
one of these boys who protect me while I
sleep,” said Clary.
Dick Shaney, a former Highway Patrol
man charged that the police department has
not expanded to meet the needs of our chan
ging community. "The silent majority be
lieves in good iaw enforcement,” saidSha-
ney, “they could be aroused.”
Race For County Commissioner
Over a quarter-mllliondollarsdamagewasdone to the 11 units
under construction. See other photos inside. (Mirror Photo
by Lem Lynch)
Error In Figures Puts
Hinnant In Fourth Place
After the unofficial count from Saturday’s
primary had put Josh Hinnant in second
place in the county commissioner race,
the board of elections reported Tuesday
a 100 vote error in figures which puts the
Kings Mountain banker down to fourth
place, and places upon him the burden of
calling for a runoff vote.
Ralph Gilbert, board of elections chair
man, reported Tuesday afternoon that the
Inquest Set
Into Accident
A coroner’s inquest is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Friday in the traffic accident last weekend
which claimed the life of Senora Hughes Wil
liams of 313 Ellis Street, Kings Mountain.
The 44-year-old woman was struck and
killed about 10:43 p.m. last Friday byapa-
trol car driven by Police Chief Tom McDe
vitt. The accident occurred at the intersec
tion of Hwy. 74 (W. King) and Cansler St.,
and was ruled unavoidable by investigating
Highway Patrolman R, B. Burnette.
Chief McDevitt gave a detailed account of
the accident to the Mirror this week. Ac
cording to the chief, he was on his way to
the high school where a skirmish had been
reported at the Junior-Senior Prom. The
chief was waiting behind several cars for
the traffic light in front of Murray’s Store
on Hwy. 74. The chief said he heard tires
squeal and a motor roar, and spotted a 1964
Fairlane with S. C. plates coming east a-
round the line of cars through the middle.
“I backed into Murray’s Store, and turned
on my light and siren, and turned around
and started after the car. When I saw the
lady she was in the middle of the east bound
lane. .1 just couldn’t believe it happened..
she wasn’t there, then she was!” the chief
related. McDevitt said the car he was in
pursuit of turned north on City Street. The
speeding car just passed where the woman
was struck, McDevitt said.
Witnesses to the accident reportedly gave
the same account as McDevitt.
West Kings Mountain precinct count had
been listed at 646 votes, when in actuality
it was 546 votes--not, as Gilbert put it, a
J
,r
/-I
JOSH HINNANT
Inside
The Mirror!
Scouts Have
Bang-Up Clean-Up Day!
See Page 11
Candid View Of
Junior-Senior Prom...
Page 3
More Fire Photos
On Page 2
IN’'?®-"
Light Voter Turnout...
counting error, but simply a case of the
wrong number being written down.
Hin^t’s official total in the county was
3,529 votes.
When the unofficial count was in, it ap
peared that Hinnant had taken a second
place position in the field of candidates.
Leading, and assured of a seat on the
board is Jack Palmer, Jr., ofShelby. Pal
mer took an unofficial total of 6,842 votes.
There nowexlststhepossibill^ofa run
off between Coleman Goforth, who had a
narrow lead over incumbent Fritz More-
bead for second place, Morehead, Hinnant,
and Dwight Tessneer who placed fifth in
the unofficial count.
Vote canvassing began Tuesday at 11 a. m.
by the Cleveland County Board of Elect
ions , during which time the dlscrepency
in the count was discovered. Gilbert now
has to notify the proper candidates by let
ter of their right to request a second pri
mary. The candidates must make their
request within five days.
Kings Mountain had a relatively light
turnout of voters Saturday, an estimated
1500.
North Woods
Open-House
This Weekend
North Woods Sub-Dlvlslon, a project of
Phillips Development Corporation ofGaf-
fney, S. C,, is getting ready lor open-house
this weekend.
There are 30 houses ready for immediate
occupancy in North Woods, located on
Groves Street Extension off the Bessemer
City Highway.
Open-house ceremonies will be held Sun
day afternoon at 2:30, wltha ribbon cutting
and free refreshments. Houses will be o-
pen to the public Saturday and Sunday.
A relatively light voter turnout was recorded in Kings Mount
ain in Saturday’s Primary elections. This scene at the Armory,
West Kings Mountain s polling place is an indication. An approx
imately 1500 votes were recorded in the city. (Mirror Photo)