ft. V
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TKofotUUM'
What Is A
Centennial
Celebration?
(^) if Iff ^ Time Oj Keineinheriiifr Festivities Planned At Central
'TKOwn
VOL. 3 NO. 22
KINOS MOI NTAIN, .NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THL RSDAV, FEBRU ARY 7, 1974
JO'
The citizens - all of them - pause to recall life in the area
when they were first aware of their surroundings. They
reminisce concerning the descriptions of life and events
told them by grandparents andother older relatives. They
thrill with pride over the recounted success of their
courageous forebearers in the face of seemingly im
possible difficulties and marvel at the steadfast faith, the
ingenuity, the fortitude, the determination, the patience,
the physical strength and the undaunted courage of those
who converted land into homes, farms, businesses, the
town we love.
(B) It h A Time Of Evalualbiff
Is this a good place to live? Is there co-operation among
the citizens, concern for each other, a willingness on the
part of individuals to take an active part in making Kings
Mountain the kind of hometown that pei^le are loathe to
leave and eager to return to for retirement years?
Is this a good business community? Is it adequate for
the needs of the peo|de? Does it offer intellectual and
cultural training, sources to meet physical needs, health
care, amusement for all ages, spiritual inspiration and
guidance for ail faiths dwelling within the border?
((^) It Is A Time Of Ap/treeiatinfi
Kings Mountain is our town, exactly what our
predecessors and we have made her. She offers us much,
but she is not perfect. We count and give thanks for all the
opportunities and luxuries, as well as for the meeting of
everyday needs by the current set-ig), yet we realize each
must bear his individual share of responsibility for
keeping her thus and for making her better.
(U) It Is A Time Of Looking Ahead
There has been no standing still among the citizenery
since the first people settled in this area. What of the next
century? Let us make a commitment to preserve the best
of our past and present and to plan wisely for our future
Whatever the decision, may it include the spiritual faith,
the honesty, the integrity, the farsightedness of the
foremost leaders of the first hundred years.
By ii vi McIntyre
Editor. The Mirror
The Kings Mountain
Chamber ot Commerce plans
to pose the question of local
election procedure changes to
the city board of com
missioners.
In a special meeting
Tuesday chamber directors
approved the action and in
structed acting President Dr.
(Frank Sincox to notify, by
letter, the commissioners of
the need for some action in
this area.
Without indicating the exact
course of action to be taken,
the chamber will suggest
several possibilities such as
changing ward lines to give
each ward near equality in the
number of registered voters;
elimination of all wards to set
up only two wards, east and
west; or abolition of the ward
system entirely for candidates
to run at large.
These suggestions were
outlined in a presentation by
Bob Maner, a local real estate
and insurance agent and
Currently chairman of the
Kings Mountain Planning
Board, during a prior
chamber director’s meeting.
Tuesday’s decision came
after Attorney Bob Bradley
reported on his conversations
with chamber members. “I
found an equal number, ap
proximately, that were in
favor, not in favor or thought
the matter should be studied
further. My estimation is
there is no discembile trend,”
he said
Sincox told the directors, "I
see this as a legitimate use of
the chamber. From the
figures Bob (Maner) gave us
^t is clear the wards are not
equal in voter numbers.”
Maner’s figures indicated
registered voter numbers are
ward one-195; ward two- 363;
ward three - 435; ward four -
425; ward five - 1,172; and
ward six - 229.
Bradley said the city
commissioners could change
ward lines with a motion and
vote, but abolishing the ward
system for at large elections
would require General
Assembly legislation.
In other action the directors
decided to change several by
laws. The present by-laws
..>fails to stipulate dates as to
annual officer elections. At-
KM Is 100 Next Monday
On Mon., Feb. 11 the City of Kings Mountain
celebrates its 100th birthday.
To note the first century mark a special bir
thday program has been planed for 11 a.m.
Monday in the Central Junior High auditorium.
Cong. James T. Broyhill will keynote the
program.
On the dias with the veteran representative
from Lenoir will be NC Senators W.K. (Billy)
Mauney Jr. of Kings Mountain and Marshall
Rauch of Gastonia.
NC Attorney General Robert Morgan, US Rep.
Wilmer MizeU, and candidate for the US Senate.
Henry Hall Wilson round out the rostrum of
Visiting dignitaries.
Mayor Jon Henry Moss will offer appropriate
comments on the event and introduce the guests
and speaker.
To properly celebrate this centennial year the
mayor, through instruction of the board of
commissioners, formed a centennial commission
last year. Charles F. Mauney and Mrs. W.T. Weir
are co-chairmen of the commission and both will
participate in Monday’s public program. Mauney
will welcome all visitors and Mrs. Weir will offer
commentary on the proposed festivities during
the rest of the year.
Also participating in the program are the Rev.
M.L. Campbdl, pastor of Adams Chapel AME
Zion Church delivering the invocation; B.S.
Peeler singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and
American Legion Chaplain John Gladden will lead
in the Pledge of Alligence.
During the program Mrs. J.N. McClure will
conduct the Kings Mountain Senior High Choir in
special music. Beginning at 10:45 a.m. the Kings
Mountain High Senior Band, under the direction of
Donald Deal, will play a medley until the program
begins.
To finish the program the speakers and the
audience will sing “My Counti^ T’is of Thee”
including special verses on the state and Kings
Mountain written by Mrs. Robert Goforth and
Mrs. Aubrey Mauney. Mrs. Mauney is the cen
tennial commission chairman for Monday’s birth
day celebration.
'The birthday celebration actually begins
Sunday with special services of thanksgiving
promoted by the ministerial committe of the
commission. These services, opposed to one large
outdoor gathering, are being handled in
inidividual churches in the Kings Mountain area.
Harris Candidate
For State Senate
Cof C To Urge
■S,
Election C,hange.
toriiey Bradley recu.iimended
the annual chamber mem
bership meeting in April as
tlie date.
Letters asking for
mminations will l)e sent the
general membership in
January. The nominations will
return to the nominating
committe, which will have the
right to delete the names of
non-members or those who
cannot or will not serve and to
add nominations. A second
letter will be sent in February
with no less than two
nominations for each office.
The officers will be elected in
March and in turn will elect
directorsand installations will
be made in April.
Annual chamber dues will
be set by the directors.
The chamber directors will
meet again Tues., Mar. 19 at 3
p.m. in the conference room at
Kings Mountain Savings and
Loan Association, W.
Mountain St.
CORRECTION
In last week's edition we
listed Dee Dee Stroupe in a
photograph as the daughter of
the Walter Thompsons. Dee
Dee is the daughter of the
Walter Stroupes and she is a
member of Girl Scout Troop
96. We regret the error and are
glad to make the correction.
f
, I '' jr? -
*. «
J. Ollie Harris, Kings
Mountain funeral director and
former State Senator, an
nounced Tuesdav his intention
of filing for a seat in the NC
Senate serving the 25th
senatorial district.
The 25th district is com-
^ posed of Cleveland, Gaston,
Lincoln and Rutherford
counties.
Harris served in the State
Senate during the 1971
General Assembly but did not
run for re-election due to a
series of cataract operations
he was forced to undergo.
In announcing his can
didacy. Harris said, “I have
served the public since 1928
and I believe that I know the
needs and desires of the
people in our state as well as
anyone.
“I shall be glad to meet with
any group or individual as to
how I feel on any issue. I know
I will not be able to see many
people in the four counties, but
I will do my best to make
known how I stand on the
issues of the day.”
J. OLLIE HARRIS
The Democratic primary
for this senate district will be
held in May and will be
comprised of three senators
who will run at large. The
incumbents now serving are
3m. 1
\
RC Forms Committe
With KM Merchants
Marshall Rauch. Jack Rhyne
and W.K. Mauney. Jr.
Harris is the son of the late
J. Frank and Jessie Ham-
bright Harris and is a native of
Anderson, S.C. He is a
graduate of Shelby High
School and the Gupton-Jones
College of Embalming in
Nashville, Tcnn.
He is married to the former
Abbie Jane Wall and they
have two children, Ollie
Harris. Jr., of Houston, Texas
and Mrs. Becky Hambright of
Carrollton, Ga.
Harris has been president
and treasurer of Harris
Funeral Home, Inc. since 1917
and is past president of the
N.C. Funeral Director’s Assn,
and the N.C. State Board of
Embalmers and Funeral
Directors.
He is a member of the Kings
Mountain Baptist Church, a
trustee of the Christian Action
League and a former trustee
of Gardner-Webb College.
Harris also served six terms
as Cleveland County coroner
from 1947 to 1970.
I'N -C
HEAVY LOSS - A Tuesday afternoon fire
destroyed two-thirds of a local textile operation
owned by Lawrence Patrick of Kings Moun
tain. According to city fire chief, Gene Tignor,
the firebroke out in theold Kings Mountain ice
plant at 5:30 p.m. and firemen from Kings
Photo by Jay Ashley
Mountain, Oak Grove and Bethlehem battled
the blaze until 10 p.m. Tignor said one-third of
the building, which contained yam machinery,
was saved but it even suffered water damage.
.Monetary loss has not yet been determined.
By JAY ASHLEY
Mirror Staf f W riter
In an effort “to take positive
steps toward downtown
renewal”, a merchant’s
committe was formed Monday
night to work with the
Redevelopment Commission,
the city and the downtown
merchants.
Members of that committe
are Bill Fulton. John
McGinnis. Wilson Griffin,
Charles Blanton, Bill Brown,
Hippy’s Ripped-Off Tuesday
Larry Hamrick, Odus Smith
and Mrs. Sue Young.
The meeting Monday, called
by Gene White and John Hall
of the KM Redevelopment
Commission, was designed to
discuss progress of that
commission and outline im
mediate plans for the down
town area.
Gene White said the project
with "top priority is the area
behind the Battleground Ave.
businesses.” According to
plans set now, the area from
the Kings Mountain Office
Supply to Mountain St. will
become a parking area for
(See RC p.l2A)
CRAWFORD MURPHY
... K M RC A re hitect
FRANK RIPPY
...handcuffed
By JAY ASHLEY
Mirror Staff Writer
A lone, pistol-wielding
bandit robbed Rippy’s
Jewelers of nearly $5,804 in
rings, watches and bracelets
Wednesday morning.
According to Frank M.
Rippy, owner and operator of
the 211 N. Piedmont Ave,
jewel shop, a white male “in
his early 20’s” entered the
store around 9:45 Tuesday
moniing and asked Rippy if he
had any wedding bantls.
Rippy told the man he did
and proceeded to a display
case when the man pulled a
pistol on him.
“He was wearing a long
army jacket", Rippy said,
“and when he walked in he
had his hands in his pockets.
“He pulled the gun out and it
appeared to be a .38 caliber
pistol.”
The gunman told Rippy to
“get in the back room or I’ll
kill you” and cursed Rippy at
length. He then told the
jeweler to “lay down on”
his stomach on the floor and
he handcuffed Rippy’s hands
behind his back.
The robber came back to the
front section of the store and
began gathering up large
quantities of rings, bracelets,
watches and other items, and
also took approximately $75 in
cash from a cash drawer.
Rippy said the man came
back into the rear room and
(See RIP-OFF p.l2A)
Public Urffcd To Attend
Centennial Meet Tuesday
The Kings Mountain Centennial Commission will meet
with Bob Howett, field representative of the Rogers Co.,
professional civic celebration planners. Tues., Feb. 12 at
7:30 p ni.
The public is urged to attend this meeting in the Kings
Mountain Community Center Mountaineer Room, ac
cording lo Charles F. Mauney, commission co-chairman.
“At this meeting Howett will explain the services his
company renders in such celebrations,” Mauney said,
“then will make a proposal. The Rogers Co. prefers
working with a vote of the public. Tuesday’s meeting will
determine whether we go with a planning firm or handle
the centennial celebration ourselves”
Next Monday, on the city’s 100th birthday, citizens are
(aged to fly their flags.
CAPT. ROPER DUSTS HANDCUFFS