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L If Ton Don’t Rend The Chronicle Yon Don’t Get UikNewn ®hp f ( i The Chronicle Strives To Be A Genn News paper, Complete, Newsy and Reliable Volume LVII Clinton, S. C, Thursday, March 8,1956 Number 10 Proposed Chapel-Auditorium at College bV Executive Committee Adopts Schedule Of ees For Candidates A new chapel-auditorium is one of to* objective* of Praabytraian collage's Diamond Jubilee program which seeks $750,00 from ils two controlling Synods of Georgia and South Carolina. Shown here is a sketch of the proposed chapel-audiiorulm. County Water District Bill Passes House; Calls for Million $ in Bonds Area Mews GreenvHle-Columbia Road Through County I A iLaurens-Ciinton water dis trict would be created by a bill introduced in the House at Rep resentatives last week by Bepre- sentative King Dixon. The bill pasted the House Friday and is now in the senate, where no action as yet has been taken. The biH delineates the territory to be included in the district Is the area two and one-half wide following highway 276 from the Greenville-(Laurens county line to Laurens, and such area following highway 71 from Laur ens to the Laurens-Newberry county line at Kmards. The area inchfded would extend one and one-quarter mills on each aide dt the Greenville-CatumMk highway the length of the county. The district’s' governing body would be i three-member com mission, initially IpbOiftted by the governor upofi retomsnendation of the Laurens county legislative del egation. One would come from Laurens, one from Clinton, and obb from that portion of die district lying outside the two towns. Aft er the first terms of two, four, and six years txplre, commissioners would be elected by voters within t’^istriet. ' The "commission would be em powered, to fetohlishi operate and maintain water plants and sys tems, along wfth related works, and to acquire existing systems if such action sHmsd desirable A bond issue of $1,000,000 would be authorised wider the Dixon bill, but only if thk voters residing the proposed vtatdf district vote favor ably on tNS proposal. The bonds would be retired either by selling water supplied by the district, or by levying a property tax within the district, or by a combination of the two. Representative Dixon said in Laurens Monday that water for the district would come front Ra bun creek, where Laurens has its water source. The supply is ample, he said, and, if necessary, a dam could be built to impound the water. Edward G. Campbell Named As Business Manager At College Securtfta Office Opens III Clinton Edward O. Campbell bustaaat IH college by board of trustees in Hamad aa bit Praabytorian of the Dr. Thayer Speaks To Four Groups Of Presbyterian Women CkmptMlL *ho is the college registrar; add a graduate of tea Us tew ■ dub detive in local affairs. thd Clinton Kl- a LeWAry AftMuilces For Reelectbtt As n Dr. Clarence R. Thayer, guid ance center councillor of Presbyte rian college, Clinton, is guest speaker at four district confer ences being held this 'week Sheriff William A. Lowery to day announces his candidacy for reelection. Lowery, who has held the office {or one tenh, was elected in 1952 and took up his duties in January, 1953. At one time he was with the state highway department as pa trolman. In announcing for reelection, Lowery made, the following state ment: I “After checking the records for the last few years, I have decided to offer my services for another term as sheriff of Laurens county “I came before you four years ago asking you to elect me to the office I now hold. This you did by a large majority and for that I am deeply grateful. After tak ing office on January 6, 1953, I Wolfe and Addison, investment dealers, have opened an office in the city to engage in a securities investment and Insurance busi ness under a general partnership Offices will be located in the ’Insurance' and Investment” building at 200 N. Broad street, it was stated. Partners in the firm are James E. Wolfe and T. E. Addison Wolfe has been engaged in the in sura nee business here for some years, and Addison own* Canada Dry Beverage Co., a bottling plant, is vice-president and di rector of the Bank of Clinton, dm has other business interests here Application has been made for membership in the National As sociation‘of Securities Dealers, Inc., under the Securities and Exchange commission. The company is registered as representatives for several of the larger mutual funds. Upon ap proval by the Securities and Ex change commission, orders for purchase ro sale of all types of se vwfit be Assistant County AgWt MMi F. WM TrdMfcMM To Cferason The Laurens County Democrat ic Executive committee has set a schedule of fees to be charged candidates for various offices in the forthcoming primary elec tions. The committee met in the court room at Laurens Monday fol- owing adjournment of the coun ty convention. Included in business transact ed was the election of Miss Le- Ellen Williams, of Laurens, as secretary-treasurer of the Demo cratic party in the county. Miss Williams succeeded Ryamond C Hill, Laurens attorney, who re signed. A budget of $3,600 was adopted t>y the committee to finance two primaries. The amount was pro rated among the various offices which will be filled by election this year. Fees allotted for each office will be divided among the various candidates for a particu lar office, with a minimum charge asssesed each entrant. Following is the fee schedule: State Senate — $750, minimum $200. House of Representatives — $T50, minimum $100. Clerk of Court—$600, minimum $200. Sheriff—$600, minimum $200. County Commissioner — $400, minimum $75. County Democratic Convention Hears Calls for Support of Party Committeeman Convention President Calls For Continued Supoort Of Party O. L. LONG Mr. Lent was named state ex ecutive committeeman by the Laurens County Democratic con vention Monday. Presbyterian College To Award Five Divinity Degrees Coroner—$100, minimum $25. Magistrates—-Laurens and Clin- pjve ministers will be awarded ton, $100, minimum $25; all oth-; honorary doctor of divinity de ers $30, minimu m$10. * grees by five Presbyterian college Entrance books for candidates at the regular commencement ex- opened Monday and will close at ercises on June 3-4, President noon March 19, the final day and Msrshall W. Brown announced to- hour for official announcement of day. candidates for any county office. The college board of trustees, in Races for treasurer, supervisor, its annual winter meeting Tues- superintendent of education and day, named these men to receive probate judge are not scheduled honorary degrees: for this year. Present occupants. The Reverends Isaac M. Bagnal, of those offices have two more 1 of Bennettsville; William J. Harie- Porty Chairman years to serve on their four-year terms. Presbyterians To Receive Bids On The building committee of the First Presbyterian church will re ceive bids on their proposed new wood, of Decatur, Ga.; Bonneau H. Dickson, of Atlanta; Jsmes Mc Dowell Dick, at Raleigh, N. C., and Ted Jones, of Coiurribia. All are Presbyterian college alumni except Jones. Four of the five men selected . are Presbyteriaq ministers. Bag nal is pastor of the (First Presby terian church of Bennettsville; Hazlewood, the Columbia Pres- son, the Rocky Springs Presbyte rian church of Atlanta; and Jones serves as director of religious edu- Johq Wise, one of two assist ants td’ County Agent C. B. Can non, has been promoted to a head quarters position of the Clemson Extension Service with headquar ters rff Clemson college, George B. Nutt, director of the extension rervicC Announced. County Agent Cannon said Mr. WisA expects to assume his new duties March 15. His successor has not been named. Mr. Wise’s new assignment will be in the marketing field, Mr. Cannon sa.di educational plant addition on cation for the Synod of South Thursday, March 15, T. E. Addi son, chairman, has announced. Plans and specifications have been in the hands of contractors for several weeks* Plans call for a new building on the. west side of the present struc ture to cost approximately $175,- 000. RETURN FROM CHARLESTON Dr. and Mrs. John McSween have returned home following an extended.stay in Charleston. Carolina. Dick, pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd of Raleigh for the past 20 years, was chosen because of his outstanding service as an alumnus in this work. The Rev. Harry K Holland, pas tor of the First Presbyterian church of Marietta, Ga., was re elected chairman of the board of trustees to serve another year Robert M. Vance and J. Ferdinand (continued on page 8) _ W T. Bolt, Laurens attorney, upon assuming the presidency of the Laurens County Democratic convention ^tonday morning at the court house in Laurens, ap pealed to the voters of the county to continue their support of the party and work within the fabric of the party. Further, he appealed for a con tinuance of peaceful and friendly relations With Negroes of the county, setting an example of hon esty, straightforward cooperation and sympathetic understanding. “1 cannot bring myself to be lievejtffSt we of this county are not able and willing to face and handle honorably the question ofj race and class that may arise in our midst. For more than 90 years, we have lived at peace with our colored friends, and though their progress may have been slow, I challenge anyone to show wherein we here in. Laurens county have obstructed or handicapped their advancement. “To assert that do problem exists in an ostrich attitude, for we must recognise that our relations here will be greatly influenced by events in other states. Therefore, my belief is that we in our area should continue our peaceful and friendly relations with the Ne groes. Certainly we should not set an example of honesty, straight forward cooperation and sympa thetic understanding. Then if the spokesmen and leaders of the col ored people do likewise, there can be no conflict that will not be solved. Talk of threats, violence, defiance and boycott are the most dangerous and intemperate things that can occur. "We as Democrats and leading citizens have, a duty and responsi bility to conduct ourselves and our actions on a dignified, but firm level. No amount at legislation or court decisions can over n»t change the customs, habits arid truths that have heen so long es tablished. We are not going to be outlaws or agitators, but neither do we propose to yield quietly to unreasonable demands, to unprec edented pressures generally brought by self-interested groups of non-citizens of our state. “We agree with the doctrine that we should let every man have the opportunity to make achievements within his capabilities and there fore let each element of our pop ulation seek its level But by a fair coroUary. we insist that our white citizens are therefore entitled to the habits, customs and associa tions that have been their way of life without the harrassment of (continued on page 8) Long Wins Over SuHivan for State Post R. L. PLAXICO Mr. PUxic* was reelected chairman of the Lanrena Coun ty Democratic party at-the con vention Monday. Plaxico Says Voters Disillusioned By Republican Regime VeranculHe Plant In County Rearing Completion Broken promises to farmers, no great believers in states rights, an(i a damaging attitude toward the textile industry, were termed as “attributes” of the present Re publican administration by R. L. Plaxcio, county Democratic chair man, as he opened proceedings ol the county convention in Laurens Monday morning. Following is the address, in which he called on Democrats to put up a united front in elections this year: My Fellow Democrats: First I want to express to you my sincere thanks and apprecia tion for the honor and privilege of serving you as your county chairman for the past two years. It has been a genuine pleasure to serve with the fine men and wom en of the Democratic party of Laurens county. My special thanks and appreciation go to the fine group which made up the county executive committee. They accepted the responsibilities and duties that were theirs and they with the box managers, whom they selected carried on the Dem ocratic primary in June. 1954. Special mention must also be made of the fine service render ed the party by our very efficient secretary, Mr. Raymond Hill, and the other officers who have serv ed us so well. Aod as we ap proach another campaign and pri mary election this coming June 1 trust, and I am sure it will be con ducted on the same high plane This fall we go into another general election, both national 1 The Laurens County Democrat - ic convention at its meeting at the court house in Laurens Mon day morning re-elected R. L. Plaxico, of Clinton, as county (hairman; named O L. Long, of Laurens, state executive commit teeman, Mrs. Nene D. Workman, of Clinton, as vice-president; and selected 16 delegates to the sta»<* convention in Columbia. W. T. Bolt. Laurens attorney, was named president of the con vention and presided over the business of the meeting. Miss LeEllen Williams of Lau rens, who was temporary secre tary of the convention, later was framed by the executive commit tee as secretary-treasurer of the county organization. Discussion on a resolution pre sented by the Watts Mill delega tion calling for the election of school trustees threatened to pro long the meeting. After a num ber of speakers, both pro and con, had had their say, the convention adopted a motion by O. L Long to continue the resolution. Long was named state excu- tive committeeman from the county to succeed James H. Sulli van, /low a member, of the state tax commission, but who main tains his legal residence in Lau rens, where he was formerly an attorney. Miss Williams, the new secre tary-treasurer, succeeds Raymond C. Hill Laurens attorney, who re signed because of press of other business. Miss Williams has long been chief clerk in the office of the clerk of court. Mrs. Workman succeeds her self as vice-chairman of the county Democratic party organi zation. The sixteen delegates to the state convention, each with a half vote, are: J. C. Rice, of Poplar Springs; Robert C Wasson, of Hickory Tavern; Archie Cook at Owings; John M. Ross and W. W. Niver, Jr., of Joanna; James P. Sloan and H. L. Eichelberger, of Clinton; T David Sloan. A. B. Culbertson, Justin Bridges, Paul Culbertson. Joe B Medlock, C. W. Wier, Marshall Abercrombie, James Brownlee, and Thoenai A The delegates were empowered Babb, of Laurens, to name their own alternates in case they did not attend the state convention. . *• Senator Ralph T. Wilson moved the election of the 16 delegates bv acclamation, after he withdrew his own name (which made 17) from nomination. / The credentials \ committee. Machinery Now Being Installed Construction of Zonolite com pany’s new vermiculite process ing mill near Lanford in Laurens county is rapidly nearing com pletion. Construction of the plant immediately began the task of, buildings has been completed and fulfilling the promises that I had instal , ation o£ machin ery and made, namely: DR. CLARENCE R. THAYER throughout the Congaree (Column- f txia area) Preabyterial this week. Dr. Thayer is a - Presbyterian minister, and a highly trained psy chologist. He maintains a voca tional guidance library at the col lege for persons seeking occupa tional or educational information. The meetings 'began Tuesday, with a meeting at AAmwell Pres byterian church, Ridgeway. Wed nesday he will be at the Grace church, Aiken; Thursday, at the Bethesda church, Camden, and Friday, the last 'of the aeries, at Eastover. HOSPITAL PATIENT . Friends of P. B. Mitchell will be glad to know he is improving at Joanna Memorial hospital where he has bean ill and a pa tient the past ten day* “1. If elected, to investigate all unsolved crimes. “2. That I would conduct the office of sheriff in a sober and business-like manner. “3. That I would not put on the payroll of this county any relative of mine by blood or mar riage. “4. That I would give my en tire time to the office of sheriff. “All the above I have fulfilled and, in addition, the jailor lives in the jail, the prisoners have been deputies have not sat around the office and every section of the county has been patrolled daily. The radio system has been used to its fullest extent. “I have cooprtated with and have had the cooperation of all law enforcement agencies, civic and church groups, the county delegation and all other county officials in the many matters that have come before me. “The office of sheriff belongs to the people of Laurens county and while 1 am your sheriff the office and its records are always open to the public. “I have not and will not be come involved in any other politi cal races. It is my firm convic tion that politics and law enforce* ment cannot be mixed and at the same time serve the best intents of all th people.” equipment will be finished within the next few weeks. J. A. Kelly, vice-president of Xonolite company’s southern di vision, stated that the cost of the new mill will run in excess of $375,000. “No effort or expense is being spared to make it the most mod ern and efficient vermiculite preparation mill in the nation,” Mr. Kelley explained. The new mill is located on a 300-acre tract one mile south of Lanford on U. S. Highway 221. and state and as we go into that thcpugh i ts chairman, IfUymond C. camplign and election it is my , election asjoffieul del- earnest hope that we as Demo COU ny< convention crats will present a solid united al , those Vmed qfficial lists front. Now I know that on the national level in 1952 many of the voters of this county and of this (contmi page 8) state saw fit to cast their votes for others in preference to the Demo cratic nominee and I say this in on criticism. They were exercising their God-given right of partici pating in a free election where they could vote according to the dictates of their own consciences Farmers 01 Bush River Area Neel To Plan Watershed fed three good meals a day, the an< * is served b - v the Ch*rt*ston and Western Carolina Raillroad It has been named by the com pany as the Kearney plant. Construction of the plant was started last April by Fiske-Carter Construrtion company of Spar tanburg, qs buildnig contractors and Roebuck Building company of Roebuck. All buildings are of steel construction and firperoof throughout. According to Mr. Kelley, the plant is scheduled to begin full scale operations in March. Zonolite company has been ne- gaged in mining vermiculite iif the LaurenftEhoree area since 1946, the raw ore being shipped by rail to a plant ai Rest for processing. The will process raw ore mined in area, removing clay, sand, rock, and other waste products to pro duce vermiculite concentrates for shipment to manufacturing plants and for so doing no man is to be a farmers meeting was held on censured Let us all hope that the March 6 in the Newbrery county time will never come when we do court house to make a progress not have that right. : report on preliminary findings in But in this connection I am con- the Bush River watershed. strained to believe that many have been disillusioned in the man for whom they voted and ter rrbly disappointed in the Admin istration which he heads. That elaborated upon at great length. The watershed lies in Laurens and Newberry counties and in cludes. about 83,000 acres. It ex tends from Clinton to Lake Mur ray and is approximately 35 miles long Six hundred and fifty farms Zonolite Company’s new $375,000 Vermiculite Proceming Plant near Lanford Or located in the principal cities ol the Suoth and East. No manufac- turing of finished products at the a 60-foot rotary dryer before it is placed in storage bins. Kearney plant is planned. A completely new method of removing waste material from the raw ore will be used. The engin eering and research division oi Zonolite company has been work ing for the past five years on a wet separation process which will efficiently separate the individ ual vermiculite flakes from the dirt and rock waste. O. F. Stew art, who has been in charge of this development wdrk will be general superintendent of the plant. According to Mr. Stewart the process involves moving the ore through the mill in a stream oi water and bleeding off both fine and coarse waste materials at va rious points. Water carrying th< “tails” or waste will be sluicea to a reservoir tor settling and tht water re-circulated. 1 The cleaned vermiculite will be de-watered in a centrifuge and then run through Six steel silo-type bins, each with a capacity of 100 tons, will be used for storage of the various product sizes of vermiculite in ud<f)tion to a 2,500-ton capacity storage building. Raw ore for processing will be delivered to the plan by both truck and rail. Initially, only truck transprotation will be used pending construction of an ad ditional railroad siding. r Mr. Stewart stated that due to the installation of machinery and equipment which is now in prog ress. visitors cannot be permitted in the building, except on Wed nesday afternoon when ' guided tours are conducted at 4:00 p m. “We will be glad to hive inter ested presons take advantage of this opportunity to go through'the mUl A company representative will be on hand to" explain the plant layout and answer ques tions,” Mr. Stewart added. We have looked forward for a number of years to the day when we could build a modern prepara tion plant in Laurens county The Kearney plant, named for A. T. Kearney, president and board chairman of Zonolite company, is the culmination of our plans. Zonolite company has made many friends in Laurens and Spartan^ burg counties and we hope that our new mill will be an asset to the community and will contrib ute to the industrial develpoment. of this area,” Mr Kelley added. Vermiculite is a mineral of the high temperatures it expands to mica family. When heated to make light weight products with remarkable insulating and fire proof qualities. Its chief uses in clude light weight plaster and concrete aggregates, house fill in sulation, fertilizer and soil con ditioner. and a host of other prod ucts in which the particular char acteristics of vermiculite prove to be most applicable statement could be discussed and are included in the area and the but I do not believe it is necessarv greater part of the towns of Clin- at this time. , ton, Joanna and Newberry T ’owever,- I will say this 1 am T Thad McCracken, chairman certain that the people of the; of the Newberry Soil Conserva-* South have long since learned tion District, presided. The Lau- tlaat he is not the great believer | rens Soil Conservation District in the doctrine of States Rights, supervisors, headed by Ryan which he tried to lead us to be- Lawson, chairman, assisted with lieve he was when he spoke from i the meeting the steps of the Capitol of this E. L Shull, of the Soil Conser- state during the campaign of 1952 vation Service and the watershed And I will say this. too. I am planning party, gave a report on certain that the farmers of this i preliminary findings TTiese in- country have long since learned that he is not the great benevo- >ent friend of theirs that he tried eluded vegetative and structural recommendations for the treat- ! ment of the watershed. The work to lead them to believe that he plain is being based on how the was when he flew out to a mid- i farmers plan to use their land, es- western state in that same cam-1 pecially in the flood plains of paign and in a speech there he, Bush River and its primcipal stated in no uncertain terms tha<) tributaries^ he was in favor of 100 per cent of Vegetation and structural meas- parity for the farmers. The ad- ures will be planned to give the ministration which he heads has necessary protection against eros- not followed that policy. | ion and flood damage to crops and And I will say thia one other j the land. thing, too. Thousands of our fel low Democrats who earn their living in the textile mills of South Carolina have been bitterly disap- (continued on page 8) Any recommended measure would have to be economically sound and the cost shared by the local people and the federal gov ernment, it was stated.