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VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 64 - THURSDA Y, SEPTEMBER 25,1980 - KINGS MOUNTAIN, NOR TH CAROLINA
Governor Hunt Breaks
Ground For Sulzer Plant
BY ELIZABETH STEWART
Co-Editor
GROVER-North Carolina
Governor Jim Hunt broke
ground for Sulzer Brothers, Inc.
(?) S20 million plant Tuesday after
noon as a large crowd looked on
and attempted to take cover
from the brilliant sunshine under
the oaks on what the Governor
called “a beautiful site on rolling
hillside in Western Piedmont.”
Sulzer corporate executive
Walter Schneider and County
Commissioner Jack Palmer join-
ed the Governor in taking a
shovel and donning “hard hats”
to officially break the ground for
the new industry on N.C. 29
near the Grover city limits.
Prior to the groundbreaking,
Governor Hunt used the occa
sion to reflect on the 2(X)th an
niversary of the Battle of Kings
Mountain and praised the moun-
tainmen who came forward in
1780 to soundly defeat the
British and turned the tide for
victory in the Revolutionary
War. He also praised local
government leaders. Mayor
John Moss, Commissioner
Palmer, for their efforts in bring
ing new industry to Qeveland
County, noting that during a 60
day period this summer three
major corporations announced
plans to locate in Cleveland
County with a $50 million in
vestment and 1130 new jobs for
citizens, Copeland, Union Car
bide and Sulzer Corporations.
I Board Approves
• i • Fix-Up Campaign
O
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Co-Editor
City commissioners approved
Monday night a Clean-Up,
Paint-Up, Fix-Up campaign to
begin immediately and run
through Oct. 3, kickoff date for
^ Celebration activities com
memorating the 200th celebra
tion of the Battle of Kings
Mountain.
Comm. Norman King, chair
man of the campaign, told the
bMHd #ai-'gincc many promi
nent visitors will be present for
the Celebration that the impres
sion “we make on visitors at this
time will have a lasting effect”
A and asked all citizens to par-
" ticipate in the effort to “make
our community one of outstan
ding neatness and cleanliness”.
The board passed a resolution
declaring the period Sept. 22 to
Oct. 3 as Clean Up Week.
In a related action, the board
approved a resolution declaring
Oct. 7th, date of the 200th an
niversary, as a holiday for all city
^ personnel and urged “all citizens
of this region to join us in honor
and memory of the hardy
pioneers who gave so unstinting-
ly of themselves for our benefit.”
Mayor John Henry Moss told
the b^d that plans are well
underway for the mammoth
celebration and thanked the
commissioners and committees
(B
O
of 1,500 citizens for their
“tremendous help in this major
undertaking which historians tell
me will be the most important
and largest historical celebra
tions in the history of western
North Carolina. 1 sincerely hope
that it will go down as the most
meaningful one.”
Moss, as chairman of the
event, heads a five-state commit
tee for the Celebration which
begins Oct. 3 and culminates
with a parade and possible ad
dress by President Carter on
Tues., Oct. 7.
Mayor Moss said he “looks
forward to the Celebration, and
city commissioners concurred.
“People will be coming from
faraway places to Kings Moun
tain”, said Comm. Jim Dickey
Mr. Dickey said that a large
delegation of DAR members
from Georgia and a Sons of
Revolution unit from Indiana
are among a large group of out
of state people expected to at
tend who have already made
motel reservations in the area.
“I see our signs in other cities
and 1 hope that’s a good indica
tion that people will be coming
to Kings Mountain", said
Comm. Bill Grissom.
In other actions, the board ap
proved during a short meeting;
Turn to page 10
The Governor told Mr.
Schneider that “nothing will
please me more than to hear that
Sulzer will become completely
wrapped up in Cleveland Coun
ty and the Kings Mountain area
will become its most productive
and iM-ofitable plant.”
Schneider, in accepting a gift
from the Governor, and subse
quently presenting a gift from
his country to Governor Hunt,
noted that Sulzer employs
34,000 people worldwide and its
main product is the Sulzer weav
ing machine which it will
manufacture here. He said that
99 percent of the Swiss produa
is exported, 20 percent to the
U.S. “1 am confident”, he said,
“that this new plant will keep us
in closer contact with our U.S.
customers and will build addi
tional friendships between our
two countries. Good jobs and
friendships are the basis of our
business.”
Governor Hunt said that one
third of the manufacturing work
force in North Carolina is in tex
tiles and “it just makes sense for
us to get in the business of
manufacturing textile
machinery. Today is the first ex
ample in the state of this effort. ”
The Governor said that North
Carolina has 163 foreign-owned
manufacturers and Sulzer is a
great example of diversification
to the North C.'arolina industry
and economy.
“Y ou’re on the move in
Cleveland Coun»^7vhe told the
crowd present.
The Governor said Sulzer will
employ 230 people and offer
hi^er wages than the state
average paid in textile plants.
Local employes will be trained
through Cleveland Technical
Ctrilege who will work with
trained personnel from
Switzerland.
‘Today is a special day in the
advancement of this area”, said
the Governor,” and 1 am proud
to be a part of it.”
Rev. Bobby Gantt, pastor of
Grover First Baptist Church,
gave the invocation and County
Commission Chairman Jack
Palmer presented Governor
Hunt.
After the groundbreaking
ceremonies, the Governor was
honored by the Cleveland Coun
ty Democratic Party at a recep
tion at the Historical Museum in
Shelby.
Photo by Vic Crowloy
DRAMA OPENS FRIDAY - Rob Bigolko, of
Goffnoy. S.C., os Major Patrick Forguson, and
SuiasuM Amoa-Grobua of Kings Mountain, os
Virginia Saltw, portray tho loading roloo in
tho blstorlcal outdoor drama. "Thon Conquor
Wo Must." which opons Frldoy for sight por-
formancos.
4-
Photo by Lib Stowort
GROUNDBREAKING - Sulsor oxocutivo Palmor. right, participato in groundbrMUng
Waltor Schnoidor. North Carolina Govornor coromonios for tho now plant of Sulsor
Jim Hunt, and County Commissionor Jack Brothors at tho sits noor Grooor.
Then Concpier W e Must
Opens Friday At Park
Then Conquer We Must”,
the historical drama com
memorating the Battle of Kings
Mountain, opens Friday evening
for the first of eight perfor
mances at the Amphitheatre of
Kings Mountain National
Military Park.
Officials of the Battle Celebra
tion Committee are expecting
record crowds and encourage
citizens to purchase their tickets
early since the Park Am
phitheatre will accommodate on
ly 500 persons for each show.
Jerry King, Company
Manager, said that good seats
are still available for all perfor
mances and that tickets can be
obtained at the Kings Mountain
Chamber of Commerce, in the
old City Hall on Piedmont
Avenue, in his office, the city’s
Economic Development Office,
upstairs in the new City Hall or
may be ordered by mail to his of
fice at PO Box 792. Ticket prices
are $2.50, general admission,
and $3.50 reserved seats, for
Sept. 26, 27, 28 (this Friday,
Saturday and Sunday) and the
same rates apply on Oct. 3,4,5,
and 6, Friday, &turday, Sunday
and Monday, while tickets for
the Oct. 7th closing perfor
mance, at 9 p.m., are $4 for
general admission and $5 for
reserved seats.
Drama Producer Bill Briggs
points out that parking facilities
will be available in the parking
area near the new museum, near
the amphitheatre, at the visitor
center, and along the roadway
and that four policemen will
patrol the area and assist with
parking. Briggs said that special
facilities are provided for the ag
ed and handicapped and they
will have reserved parking
facilities.
Members of the cast have
been hard at work for several
weeks completing work for Fri
day’s opening and several dress
rehearsals were held this week.
A special performance for
students will be held this evening
during the final dress rehearsal
for the drama.
The late Robert Osborne
wrote the original scrijM and it
was produced successfully by the
Kings Mountain Little Theatre
29 years ago this October.
Thomas McIntyre, of Gastonia,
former editor of the Kings
Mountain Herald, revised the
script. Dr. Charles Hannum of
Limestone College is directing a
large cast in re-enacting the bat
tle story of 1780.
Playing the lead roles of
Virginia Salter and Col. Patrick
Ferguson are Suzanne Amos
Grabus of Kings Mountain and
Rob Bigalke of Gaffney, S.C.
Three of the original cast of
the drama return in different
roles for the 1980 production.
Joe Ann (Boots) McDaniel,
Judge Sam Mendenhall and Pro
ducer Briggs were all members of
the original cast. Briggs, presi
dent of Limestone College,
which is co-sponsoring the pro
duction, is a Kings Mountain
native and played the role of
Col. Campbell in the first pro
duction. Mrs. McDaniel and
Judge Mendenhall, who ap
peared as a young boy and girl in
the first play, are husband and
wife in this year’s drama as Mr.
and Mrs. Archibald Storey.
A large number of Kings
Mountain area citizens are in
volved in non speaking roles,
working behind scenes to help
create the setting, costuming,
and crew for the |>ageant.
Dr. Charles Hannum, the
director, is beginning his second
year as Director of Theatre at
Limestone College. He began his
career in outdoor theatre by
playing the lead role in The
Legend of Daniel Boone.”
Vicki Pennington, assistant
director, has recently been nam
ed Fine Arts Coordinator at
Limestone College in Gaffney.
Mrs. Grabus, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Jim Amos of Kings
Mountain, has appeared in
“Horn In The West” and
“Wilderness Road” and also
choreographed the dancing for
the drama. She is an
Administrator-in-Training at
KM Convalescent Center.
A veteran of the stage in such
roles as “Our Town”, “Life With
Father” and ‘The Odd Couple”,
Robert Stratton (Alexander An
drews) is president of the Board
of Governors of Gaffney Little
Little Theatre.
Greg Maidera (Clayborn An
drews) is a native of Marion,
S.C. and a senior theatre major
at Limestone College. He has ap
peared in “Ghosts”, “Arsenic
and Old Lace” and “Man of
LaMancha.”
Rob Bigalke (Major Ferguson)
is a newcomer to Gaffney who is
associated with WFGN Radio
and has appeared in Twelfth
Night”, and “Bom Yesterday.”
John Brock of Shelby (Corn
wallis) is a former newspaper
man and has appeared in produc
tions with the Shelby Little
Theatre and Charlotte Little
Theatre.
Mary (Mrs. Charles) Neisler of
Kings Mountain serves as pro
perty mistress, Tommie Storms
of Gaffney as chief lighting
technician and Jane Dixon of
Kings Mountain as costume
mistress. Makeup coordinator is
Nan Jean Grant of Kings Moun
tain and house managers are
Mrs. Frank Sincox and Mrs.
John Plonk. Mrs. Emma Blalock
is boxoffice manager, all of
whom are ably assisted by large
crews of local citizens.
Director Hannum states that
‘Then Conquer We Must” is not
a reenactment of the actual bat
tle. “Our goal is to illustrate the
events leading to the Battle of
Kings Mountain, to suggest the
battle itself and to recreate the
atmosphere of pride and hope
which was bom on Oct. 7”, said
Hannum.
The outdoor drama is being
presented to commemorate the
200th anniversary of the
Revolutionary War Battle of
Kings Mountain and is only part
of a week long celebration that
will take place Oct. 3-7.