Total Press Run
4000 Copies
Vol. 1 No. 48
Greater Kings Mountain's Progressive Newspaper
Kings Mountain Mirror, Wednesday, July 26, 1972
lOc
10 Pages Plus 8 Page Insert
Kings Mountain Police were kept busy
this past week investigating 6 wrecks.
Two wrecks occured on Wednesday ol
last week, fortunately there were no fa
talities.
Forest Clegg Weaver, 60, of 410 Tate
Terrace in Kings Mountain was charged
with failure to yield to the 1971 Ford dri
ven by Kenneth Wayne Carroll. Carroll,
19, of 707 N. Piedmont Avenue in Kings
Mountain was hit by Weaver at the inter
section of Cansler and Walker at lOtSOa.m.
D. E. Howell investigated the accident.
A total of over $2300 damage was done
in a three car accident Wednesday at
6:22 p.m. at the Intersection ol West King
and Railroad Avenue. Involved in the
wreck was, Oebora Janice Crouch, 20, of
4849 Randolph Road in Charlotte, James
Patrol Car Scares
School Burglars
Police in Kings Mountain reported that
the City Schools Administrative Office on
Parker Street was broken into sometime
Monday night.
Patrolman Cook said that Monday night
I I report came in that someone was break
ing into the building. Officers were dis
patched and they found that someone had
broken a window on the north side of the
building. Further investigation later re
vealed that someone had broke out a 9”
X 9” hole in the window and that someone,
apparently very small, had climbed thro
ugh the hole and opened another window. A
search of the building found a new calcu
lator at the rear of the building and a tele
vision set, unbolted from its stand in the
hall. Cook surmised that the patrol car
had scared the burglars off and in their
haste had left everything inside. Nothing
was reported missing.
Derek Roper, 35, of 514 Rhodes Avenue in
Kings Mountain and Carleton Brown Har
ris, 63, of 313 East King Street in Kings
Mountain.
According to the report filed by Patrol
man L. D. Beatti ^ the Crouch car was
going north on Railroad Avenue. The im
pact sent the Roper vehicle into the Har
ris car. Debora Crouch was charged with
disregarding a stoplight. Both Crouch and
Roper were taken to Kings Mountain hos
pital, treated and released.
Damage to the Crouch car was figured
at $1U0, Roper’s car sustained$1200wor-
th and the Harris car at $150.
Thursday at 10:30 p.m. an accident on
york Road, about 50 feet from GoldStreet,
saw Leroy Watkins, 27, ofRoutel,Grover,
charged with improper overtaking. Acco
rding to reports ol Patrolman Robert
Dodge, George Washington Ramsey, 32, ol
622 East Gold Street was attempting a
right hand turn. Watkins stated he thought
Ramsey was turning left and started arou
nd him on the right. Ramsey’s car was
damageil $200 worth and Watkin’s vehicle
was damaged $150 worth.
A 1963 Chevrolet owned by Orr Cab Com
pany was damaged $250 worth when the
driver, Thomas James Smith of Route 1,
Grover hit a car driven by Amanda Chr
istine Blanton. Amanda Blanton of 207
Brice Street told investigating officer By
num Cook that she was turning onto Brice
Street from Cansler as Smith was pulling
out to Cansler. The Blanton car damage
was estimated at $150. Smith was charg
ed with failure to yield. The wreck occ
ured at 1:28 a.m. Saturday.
Two carsanda utilitypolewere damaged
in a wreck Sunday at 8:05 p.m. Sgt. John
ny Belt reported that Paul MauneyNeisler
Sr. ol Box 72 Kings Mountain pulled out
into the path of Rayfus Mansfield Wilson
of 511 Piedmont, in Shelby. Nelsler’s car
Cont. on Page 3
While Strikers Wait, New Men Hired
Strike Situation Clouded
By Conflicting Stories
Someofthecity’sstrikingSanitatlonworkers group on steps of City Hall Monday where
they waited for about 4 hours for an answer to their demands. Here they talk with news
Reporters. Others were across the street when photo was made. (Mirror Photo)
6 Wrecks Occur Within City
By Jay Ashley
Mirror News Editor
The strike by the Kings Mountain Sani
tation Department is almost a week old
and no action has been made by the city
to the satisfaction of the workers.
The strike started Thursday of last week
when the sanitation workers walked off de
manding better working conditions and a
salary hike. Since Thursday a “skeleton
crew" has been at work picking up the gar
bage.
JohnnyShort, leader of the striking work
ers said that all the men wanted was "bet
ter conditions in working and an increase
in our salary. Many of these men mike
barely enough to live and feed their fam
ilies." Median income seemed to be a-
round $65 per week alter taxes.
The ^rikers were asking for three basic
items as listed in their demands. Miles
"Smiley” Myers, another spokesman for
the group drew up the demands which read:
(1) Better working conditions which con
sists of three pickup men to each truck un
til new equipment arrives.
(2) When they (workers or city) have a
complaint let both sides be heard out be
fore anyone gets chewed out.
(3) Salary is insufficient to meet the high
cost of living. The pickup men want $2.10
per hour and the drivers want $2.25."
The pickup men were making $1.93 and
the drivers $1.98. Although the city board
had voted to Increase the salaries by 5%,
this would have made the wages be $2.03
and $2.08 respectively.
"This is not enough,” said Short, “With
the personnel we have and the present
equipment, it is impossible to do the Job."
Most of the controversy seems to have
arisen over Roscoe Wooten, new Director
of Public Utilities. Short said, "Wooten
has come In and tried to push us around.
He has Insisted we step up work‘or else.’
We have close to 2,000 pickups in the town
and with what we have to work with, get
ting over the route twice a week is im
possible." The men also said that pres
ently one truck and three men cover the
entire east side of town.
Mayor Moss had told the men that every
effort to resolve the conflict was being
made. He told them that the situation was
being studied and a result to benefit both
the men and the citizens would be forth
coming.
Man Arrested
For Assault
Three area residents were arrested last
week by the Cleveland County Sheriff’s
Office.
James Donald Biddix, 33, of Foote Min
eral Road in Kings Mountain was picked
up for assault on a female.
A capias Instanter for worthless checks
was issued for Gene Holmes, 34, of 803
Second Street in Kings Mountin.
Driving alter license had been revoked
was the charge against Roscoe Petty, 44, of
Route 1, Kings Mountain.
Williard Whltted, 24, of 703 Lee Street
in Kings Mountain was charged with Non
support.
Other area residents include;
Carl Mason Wray, 36, olRoute 1, Grover
lor Non-support.
Kelly Joe Camp, 29, of Route 1, Grover
for assault on a female.
Dennis A. Lowery, 27, Route 1, Grover
for driving under the Influence.
Paul Pettigrew, 30, of Route 1, Grover
a capias for public drunkeness.
Also reported from the Sheriff’s office
was a breaking and entering of the home
of Walter Hopler near Superior Feed. The
breaking occurred after 11 p.m. Saturday
night and a 16" Television was reported
missing.
New Voltage Regulators
KM Takes Precautions
Against Future Blackouts
Preventative measures to insure against
"blacLuuts” and “brownouts” have been
taken by the city of Kings Mountain. Ac
cording to Mayor Moss "This is one of
I the biggest steps Kings Mountain has taken
' in a longtime."
These measures include five voltage
regulators and a new substation.
Duke Power has increased the supply of
electrical energy to Kings Mountain from
10,000 to 12,000 KVA. To take care of this
Increase, the new substation will be erect
ed. The new structure will be located off
York Road on land leased by the city from
Martin Marietta (Superior Stone Comp
any). The power supply will then be
equally distributed between the old sub
station on Gaston Street and the new
station. They will carry 6,000 KVA a-
piece.
Earl TurbyfUl, Head of Electrical Di
vision said that voltage regulators are also
planned for five sectors of the city. Those
already in operation are one on Sipes
Street, behind Kings Mountain Hospital,
one on York Road and the new one just
finished on Phifer Road. This latter reg
ulator will serve the whole southwest
section of the city. Including Southwood
subdivision and the HlghSchoolarea. Two
planned for the immediate future will be
located in the Crescent Hill section and
The strikers then met Monday morning
at the city garage with Roscoe Wooten.
They read to him their demands and af
terwards he issued them a statement of
the Kings Mountain Board of Commissi
oners written at a special Sunday meeting.
It read:
"Sanitation Department employees of the
city of Kings Mountain walked off their jobs
Thursday a.m., July 20. These men were
performing a sanitary service tor the city
of Kings Mountain, therefore when they
walked oft, they in effect quit their jobs.
It is up to the city ofPcials to replace these
men in order that the necessary services
of garbage pickup for the taxpaying citi
zens be continued. ThisJ,s the position
of the Board of Commissioners of the City
of Kings Mountain."
Short told newsmen, “We haven’t quit.
That’s the way the city treats you though.”
After issuing the statement, Wooten told
the men to either leave the city garage area
or else be indicted for ^esspassing.
The men then went to city hall and wait
ed outside for an audience with the May
or. Mayor Moss met with the strike
leader Short about noon and told him that
he (th e Mayor) would talk with each man
Individually to hear any complaints. The
Mayor then talked with one of the drivers,
Smiley Myers and told Myers thata meet
ing of the board would take place that
afternoon (Monday) and for the men to
comeback. Myers said "The Mayor said
he didn’t think our demands were unrea
sonable and that he hadn’t seen our de
mands before today.” They returned Mon
day afternoon and were told that the Mayor
had contacted five of the commissioners
and after talking with them all would give
them the decision. No more action was
taken Monday.
The strikers became irritated at the
slowness of action and said "if the trucks
go out, we will ask them to come back or
else carry them back.”
Grievances were many as wetalkedwlth
the men. They complained that no work
clothes (raincoats, etc.) were issued and
that “you can’t even get a pair of gloves
that match.” Behind many of the stores.
they said, garbage has to be picked up by
hand, “We don’t have the equipment. This
work by hand slows up the men and thus
the garbage pickup.”
"The city is wasting money,"according
to Short. "Instead of buying new and bet
ter equipment for garbage pickup, the city
JOHNNY SHORT
...Leader of Strikers
buys pickup trucks and maintains them for
the head men to ride around in.”
Another source of concern for the strik
ers was over actions of contractors.
“These contractors come in, say, to pour
a driveway. They will break up the old
concrete and throw it out on the curb. Al
though their contract says they are sup
posed to dispose of this debris, they in
stead call up the city and we have to do it.
They do the same thing with tree limbs.
Often this work includes lifting heavy a-
mounts and it strains two men to do it.”
“The city just don’t treat us right,”
Short continued, “Ihavetalkedwithpeople
around town and they all tell us (the strik
ers) to keep the wheels rolling. They sym
pathize with us.”
As of Tuesday the "skeleton crew” had
been Increased to 17, the number of men
before the strike. Short had received va
cation checks for six of the strikers and
planned a meeting at his home Tuesday
afternoon. Although the men are consid
ered “fired” because of their actions
Short says they aren’t. “We just wanted
better conditionsandyouseewtatwegot.”
Short had talked of keeping the sanita
tion trucks from making their rounds as
a means of protest. He had stated Mon
day that "if they don’t do us right we will
go out on the route and ask the trucks to
come in. If they don’t then they will be
carried in. It don’t really matter to us.”
No violence had taken place as ol Tuesday.
Short pointed out a few workers that had
been with the city for 18-25 years. “These
men have worked hard for the city. I have
seen them go out and dig out frozen gar
bage with a pick. It was hard but they did
it. Now we want something and you see
how we get treated...Like dirt.”
Tuesday night the situation of the strike
was unsure. Roscoe Wooten had told new
smen that the new crew was on the job and
that the strike was over and everything was
back to normal.
The MIRROR then got in touch with Ros-
Johnny Short but did get in touch with
"Smiley” Myer one of the spokesmen.
Myer told the Mirror that the striking wor
kers had heard nothing from Wooten and
that they “are still waiting to hear some
thing from the Mayor and the Board of
Commissioners.”
Indications that things are still not quite
"normal” came from the manager of one
of the local stores in Kings Hountidn. This
man reported that the garbage behind his
store h^ become a fire hazard and desir
ed action. He was told by Wooten that the
new crew would be working overtime to
pick up the excess garbage that has col
lected over the period of the strike.
The MIRROR then got in touch with Ros
coe Wooten. Mr. Wooten told us that “as
far as I’m concerned the strike is over.
The Board Issued their statement and so
our new personnel is working. They are
getting the same wages as the men did who
quit."
one serving the Linwood and Northwood
area. As soonas personnel and equipment
are available, these two final regulators
will be installed. As for the substation,
there is still paper work to be cleared away
but TurbyfUl said, “It wUl be in the near
future.”
TurbyfUl also stated that the regulators
run somewhere in the neighborhood of
$6,000 a piece. He further reported that
in the near future, his department plans
to replace some of the smaller wire, such
as feeder lines, in the city with a heavier,
more durable wire. “Right now the lines
are carrying the load allright but a heavier
wire wUl be better."
Workmen balance on the framework of the new voltage regu
lator being installed on Phifer Road. This is the third regula
tor to be installed in Kings Mountain for purposes of “pushing"
more electrical energy to citizens in the outlying areas. This
program of increased electrical power is also part of a project
to prevent future blackouts.