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Greater Kin^s Mountain's Progressive ISewspaper
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Vol. II No, 11
Kings Mountain Mirror, Wednesday, November 15, 1972
10 Pages This Week
Conforms With Duke Power Hike
City To Raise
Electrical Rates
vs
By Jay Ashley
Mirror News Editor
In an effort to stay in the black on
electrical rates due to a Duke Power
rate hike, the city board of commission
ers in their Monday meeting voted to
raise the rates to citizens and industri
es in Kings Mountain. The city boost
in charges will conform to Duke Power
rates.
Ray Cohn and Garry Beckham, of
Southeastern, Consulting Engineers, who
studied Kings Mountain’s rates, told the
board that a hike must be implemented
to keep the city “at least on a break
even basis."
Cohn talked with the MIRROR about
the rate increases and he stated that the
rates, while conforming to those of Duke
Power, are not on a percentage basis as
such. “The percentage," he said, “will
vary as Kings Mountain adopts Duke’s
rates directly.” Cohn’s opinion was that
the trend for power companies is to work
for a flat rate in the future.
Below is a chart for the reader offer
ing a rough idea of the sort of increase
to expect in dollars and cents. In the
left column is the kilowatt hours used
(KWH) and then reading to the right is
costs at the old rate and then costs at
the new rate.
' Patrolman Roland Meadows (far right) and Lt. David Corn
(rear) escort the four Charlotte men arrested fur breaking and
entering Mountaineer Pharmacy from the city jail to be trans>
ported to Cleveland County Jail. The men were Kurils Guzman,
right; Allen Edwards, left and Jack Mabry, center. Wallace
Cartrette is behind Guzman hiding from the camera. The two
were handcuffed together. The men were arrested Tuesday
morning around Z a.m. by Police Chief Tom McDevitt and Lt.
J. D. Barrett. The foursome are also being charged for a va
riety of drug linked offenses. (Photo by Lem Lynch)
Men Charged With Breaking And Entering
The Kings Mountain Police, responding
to a burglary call at Mountaineer Phar
macy early Tuesday morning, netted four
youths on charges of breaking and enter
ing.
Lt. J. D. Barrett received the call a-
round 2:00 a.m. Tuesday morning that
the burglar alarm had been tripped at
Mountaineer Pharmacy. Barrett was in
the area and was on the scene in a mat
ter of minutes. He found the side window
had been broken but no one was inside.
Chief McDevitt heard the call in his
home and drove towards the pharmacy
when he spotted a car run a red light
turning east f)n King Street. He follow
ed the vehicle onto Tracy and then back
south on Mountain Street, up Railriiad
Avenue and back east on King Street, The
car stopped at Fall’s Service station and
the occupant jumped out and jumped un
der a nearby shed. He was identified as
Wallace Cartrette, 17, of 1375 Bhama
Road, Apt. #1, Charlotte. Chief McDev
itt arrested Cartrette on the scene.
Another one of the men was caught at
the foot of the hill at Watterson Street.
The other two were picked up by a
motorist who knew the pliarmaoy had be
en broken into and he took them to the
police station for identification. Capt.
William Roper, and Patrolmen Bynum
Cook and Robert Dodge assisted in the
search.
The men were arrested on the charge
of breaking and entering as well as char
ges of possession of narcotics and syrin
ges, possession of burglary ttx)ls and
operating a motor vehicle under the in
fluence of drugs. They were identified
as Alien T. Edwards, 19, of 3614 Glen-
wood Drive; Kurtis Lamar Guzman, 18,
of Route 8, Box 308, Charlotte; Jack
Sherrill Mabry, 19, of 1814 Landsdale
Drive, Charlotte; and Wallace Cartrette
also of Charlotte. The men were trans
ported to the Cleveland County jail Tues
day afternoon at 2:30.
According to Chief McDevitt prelimi
nary tests made on the pills and powder
in the men’s possession proved them to
be Quaalude, Nembutal (yellow jackets)
and heroin.
No Water Brings Citizens
To Board Meeting
Comparative Costs Chart
KWH
Old Rate
New Rate
1-10
90^
96?
125
$4.70
$4.64*
225
$6.72
$7.05
325
$8.18
$9.42
425
$9.52
$11.71
525
$10.86
$13.99
625
$12.21
$16.27
* Smaller bills will show
a
decrease. Rate affects
larger users.
The possibility of fire and the incon
venience of no water was the major
gripe of a delegation of citizens in atten
dance at the city board meeting Monday.
Hugh Logan, one of the group's spoke
smen, told the board that his home on
North Piedmont could be in danger of a
fire and that he feared such a disaster
because of the water shortage in the
area.
Most of the people present were from
Piedmont, North Gaston Street and East
Ridge Street.
Logan said that he feared his hot water
heater would explode because of lack of
water and that he has to unplug it when
away from home. He stated that he had
turned on his hot water faucet before and
gotten a flow of steam rather than hot
water.
George Houser of East Ridge Street
said tliat his water pressure was very
low and often he had “none at all.” “It
sounds funny to say it,” he related,
“but many of the residents in the area
will be soaped up in the shower and the
water will go off. It’s disgusting.”
Another citizen in attendance, Helen
Hay, told commissioners that she had
called city hall several times about the
situation but was told that sometimes
the water had to be cut off. “Sometimes
is fine, but three times a day?” she
said.
Mayor Moss recorded times from the
citizens on when the water was most apt
to be off in the homes. A variety of
times were given which made the time
element not much help. Moss told the
group that he had been working on the
problem but “obviously the efforts were
not enough.” He promised to work fur
ther with the water pressures and sear
ch for the causes of the shortage. An
engineering company will be in Kings
Mountain Thursday to assist with find
ing a remedy to the problem.
Several of the residents cited the sell-
ing of water to Bessemer City and in
dustries in the area as a cause of the
shortage but Moss seemed to think that
something was blocking the lines rather
than selling water being the cause.
Commissioner Ray Cline chaired the
rate study committee along with Comm
issioners Norman King, Jonas Bridges
and city clerk Joe McDaniel. Cline
praised the efforts of Southeastern
Consulting Engineers and told the other
board members, “We need this rate
hike in Kings Mountain.”
Cline’s motion for the increase came
from Southeastern’s recommendations
which were to adopt Duke’s rates for (1)
residential usage, (2) all-electric usage
and (3) commercial and industrial us
age. The motion carried unanimously.
The Monday night decision will be
Kings Mountain’s first rate increase in
some years, although the city did adopt
a I27c surcharge In December 1970 to
cover the rising costs of Duke Power
service,
Cline stressed the fact that the raise
“Is an adoption of Duke Power rates
straight across the board.” He went on
further to say that he hoped the new
rates will be effective in the next bill
ing to customers.
Another major item of business before
the board concerned the findings of the
study on downtown parking and traffic
conditions as proffered by Ray Cline.
The committee composed of merch
ant’s, commissioners and members of
the chamber of commerce proposed that
the city remove parking meters for a
90 day trial period, that a two hour lim
it be imposed, that garbage in the cen
tral business district be picked up three
times a week and that business make an
effort to keep their back lots clean. All
proposals passed the board with the ex
ception of a penalty to be imposed on
merchants who do not comply with the
spirit of *lie rules. City attorney Jack
White told the board that he would have
to check on the legality of such a fine.
The board also voted unanimously to
become a member of the Region C Iso
thermal Planning and Development
Commission. This Commission is the
clearing house for federal business be
tween municipalities. Mayor John Moss
was voted to be Kings Mountain’s repre
sentative on the Commission,
Other business on the agenda included:
Rezoning of the “Old Gold Mine Pro
perty” on 161 south from R-20 to Light
Industry. The request was made by the
owner, Charles F. Mauney. The land
site will be for an industrial building for
Alcan Aluminum.
Passing of a request for the annexa
tion of property located on the western
edge of the City limits byJ, Wilson
Crawford. This area is part of the pro
perty to be used for the new shopping
center behind the armory.
A proclamation declaring November
“One Nation Under God Month” by Ma
yor Moss and the commissioners.
The consideration of a petition for
paving Wilson Street, lots number 50-
58 and lots l-IO.
Consideration of bids on a rear load
ing compaction unit and truck chassis
and cab for the compaction unit. Only
two bids were entered on the compac
tion unit so by law the bidding will have
to be re-advertised for the unit alone.
Truck bids were from Dalton Truck
Sales, Inc. ($7,149); Dixon Chevrolet
($7,440); and Wade Ford ($8,395). The
two bids on the compaction unit came
from Worth Keeter, Inc. and Quality
Equipment Supply Company,
Consideration of bids on an electric
ledger accounting machine. Here also,
only two companies placed bids. Those
taken were returned to the representa-
ry A. ^ ^ ♦ i
81 Donors
Give Blood
Monday
w-
Nurses attend blood donors during the blood mobile’s community visit here Monday,
A total of 81 people donated blood, seven of which were first time donors. (Mirror
Photo by Lem Lynch)
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile
made a community visit to Kings Moun
tain Monday, and between the hours of
11-4:30 accepted 81 donors. Four volun
teers were rejected for medical reasons.
7 of the volunteers were first-time don
ors. 52 donors served as replacements
for 7 persons who have received blood
recently.
40 local volunteers including 5 doctors
and 2 nurses assisted in the bloodmobile
visit.
Those donors reaching the 1 gallon
mark Monday were J. T. Jackson, Wll-
liam Major Loftin, and Marvin Teer.
Reaching the 2 gallon mark were Ben
Connor, H. P, Hayes, and Mrs. D. M.
(Ann) Pouchak. Jim Downey reached the
3 gallon donation milestone Monday.
Blood Program Chairman for Kings
Mountain, Bill Grlsson, expressed gra
titude to the donors, pointin g out that It
came at a time when blood was badly
needed. Larry Hamrick served as pub
licity chairman for the drive.
tives of the companies and the bidding
will be re-advertised.
Consideration of bias on a iront end
loader. Bids were entered by Allison
International ($7,775.75); Case Power
and Equipment Company ($8,010.55); R
NA Tractor Company ($8,535) and Queen
City Equipment Company ($9,146.61).
Queen City, although the highest bidder,
met all the specifications required for
the front end loader so was awarded the
contract.
Consideration of bids for pole hardware
and distribution transformers. Bids from
Bryant Supply Company ($17,609.56); Rig-
bee Electric ($17,900); Westlnghouse Su
pply ($17,908) and MUls Supply ($18,646).
Bryant Supply was given the contract.
A refund to D. H, Huffstetler in the a-
mount of $14.24 under the Homestead
Exemption Act.
An amendment to the Voluntary Com
pliance Agreement between the . ity and
the N.C. Board of Water and Air Resour
ces.
The passing of a Land Fill Agreement
with the county. Under this agreement
the city will provide some equipment to
aid the county in caring for the land fill
for towns in the county. This will be for
a five year period.
The Resolution of commendation of Of
ficers and Directors of the Kings Moun
tain Convalescent Center,
An amendment to the water use ordi
nance prohibiting the sudden opening of
large water valves. Such action tends
to waste water and will hereafter be
considered prohibited.
The consideration of dedication of the
roadway to the general public. This
roadway is located from RP 20*^ to the
boundary of property at the water pro
ject.
The commissioners voted to allow the
Mayor to appoint members to expiring
posts on the Library board.
“Happiness Is..
Christmas Parade
“Happiness Is...” the theme for this
year’s Christinas parade, sponsored by
the Kings Mountain Merchants Associa
tion, will start at 4 p.m. on Friday De
cember 1. According to Jim Downey,
parade officials are looking forward this
year to a nice parade with approximate
ly 60 units including 12-15 floats, 4 bands,
beauty queens, baton schools, d^ce sch
ools, scout troops, and many others.
The parade route will be the same as
last year, starting on West Gold to Rail
road Ave, then to King and from there to
Piedmont, then to Mountain. Battleground,
and brealdng up on Cherokee Street be
hind First Citizens Bank.
More details of the parade will be an
nounced within the next few weeks.
Rescuers from Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Department and
Shelby Rescue Squad are shown above helping one of two truck
drivers involved In an accident Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock
on the Barrett Road east of Shelby. Both men involved were
drivers for Asphalt Paving of Shelby. Trooper M. E, Reynolds
investigated the mishap and reported that the two tracks sids-
swiped one another on the road. The men, Bob Haskins and
Matthew Petty were both listed in satisfactory condition at Cle
veland Memorial Tuesday afternoon. The man pictured on the
stretcher suffered a broken arm, (Photo by Lem Lynch)