Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Most folks don r t know it but Ez worked as a salesman once—got two orders—“get out and stay out.” Before they're married women want to know if there’s a man in their future—^-afterward they want to know if there’s a future in their man. VOLUME 21; NUMBER 11. NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1958 O $2.00 PER YEAR By The Way By Doris A. CONCERNED Citizens of Newberry who have any thought for the future are vitally concerned about the pres ent status of Newberry Mills, Inc. With cut-backs and close downs in so many places in the textile industry, we in Newberry have been fortunate thus far; not too many of us have been affect ed, although I believe there have been some lay-offs at the two plants of the Kendall company be cause of the installation of more modern equipment. There is a vast difference, how ever, between a few lay-offs and the permanent closing of a plant, employing 750 persons. That would mean a payroll of about two and one half million dollars a year, lost to Newberry; and thus far, no one has been able to at tract any new industry here. It would seem that the main group which should be concerned is the Newberry County Develop ment Board. This organization got off to a fine start as far as memberships were concerned; the people of the county felt that it could be of some benefit to them in trying to get new payrolls. It would take a very large plant to replace the payroll of Newberry Mills, Inc. and one would think that the Development Board would be vitally interested. The first word that the plant might close came on June 26. It is my information that Jimmy Britt, vice president and mana ger of the plant, was not contact ed by the Board as a whole or by any director until Tuesday^ morning, July 8. There is much that could be done by the Devel opment Board in this situation. Will it be done? MEANS JUST "HAT My thanks to the S. C. State Chamber of Commerce for com- posing the following article for use exclusively in The Sun in Newberry: Those of our readers who saw a wire service survey last week on South Carolina’s right-to-work law may have wound up a little confused about the over-all effect of this legislation. As in most public issues, your opinion is determined by where you sit. One labor union official says the right-to-work law r is bad, that is has deterred efforts to sign up South Carolinians. This conclusion no doubt is cor rect to a degree. But what this labor official is trying to do is put horns on something that isn’t a devil at all. What does the South Carolina right-to-work law say ? Simply that a worker may join or not join a union, as he sees fit—but he cannot be forced to join a union in order to get or hold a job in this state. In other words, he can not be dealt into the union game if he does not choose to play. If the law has hurt union or ganizing efforts in South Caro lina, it is only because workers are guaranteed the privilege of making up their own minds about being members—and apparently the unions have not been able to sell a bill of goods on any large scale. II No Expansion Is Planned” Says Plant Vice President Straight Talk (By TOM ANDERSON, in Farm and Ranch Magazine) Clyde Ellis is head of the Na tional Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Ellis’ lobby, which is a leech on the back of a federally- financed program, campaigns to elect and defeat Congressmen on many political issues which have no relation to bringing electricity to farmers. He has claimed he “represents” 2.5 million farmers, most of whom would be shocked to know that they’re supporting in marbled splendor one of the na tion’s biggest political pressure groups. Clyde Ellis no more represents 2.5 million farmers than Jimmy Hofa represents 1,500,000 Team sters. There is no “the” farmer. There are rich farmers, poor farm ers, soil bank farmers, weekend farmers, suitcase farmers. Not even farm organizations can “speak for” the farmer. Practically all of Mr. Ellis’ farmers just want electricity, not Ellis. The vast majority don’t even know the 12 1-2 cent meter “membership fee” is being added to their power bills. NRECA takes —and I mean takes—12 1-2 cents from each of the million-plus met ers. The individual co-ops take another chunk out for their pro paganda-filled papers so they’ll be “paid circulation” and get the cheapest mailing rate, even cheap er than we paid-circulation profit- makers do. Co-op “check-off circulation” publications not only shouldn’t have a cheaper second-class mail rate—they ought not to h^ve any. Second-class rates are supposed to go only to publications which have voluntarily - paid circulation. Co-op papers get around that by saying the price of the publica tion is included in the dues. Doubt^ less the cost of power company publications is included in their electric bills, too, but they have to pay a postage rate which is six to 16 times higher. Government Subsidized Snow Job The public power pinks made a big to-do., about private companies charging off advertising as a cost of doing business and the govern ment has now ruled that a private company can’t criticise public power without paying a penalty. The cost of the anti-public power advertising that the private pow er companies have charged off be fore taxes is just spitting in the ocean compared with “charge- offs” that TVA and the REA co ops get. At a congressional hearing, Clyde Ellis stated that “TVA does not engage in propaganda” and Ellis’ Legislation, Research and Management Director, Dr. Clay Cochran, stated that “REA and NRECA don’t do any propa ganda advertising.” Both are obvious untruths. Their government - subsidized newspapers are just propaganda sheets. TVA and REA frank mil lions of pieces of mail which des cribe TVA and REA as a combin ation Heaven and Eighth Wonder of the World. Road signs, within the right of way, dot the high ways. In Washington recently, I ask ed REA Director Hamil why the federal government pays 3 per cent interest for money, turns around and lends it to REA for 2 percent with taxpayers paying the difference: $9,629,000 yearly. That’s shooting fish in a well (with government shells)—and the taxpayer is the fish. He told me he didn’t know how many co-ops have borrowed how much money, and how much mon ey they have reinvested in gov ernment bonds. I inquired, “Mr. Hamil, don’t you think it is an outrage that co-ops are allowed to borrow 2 percent government money and turn around and invest it in government bonds and make a cinch profit off the taxpayers?” He didn’t think many would do it, he said. He also said that 2 per cent government money was available to private companies too. Checking on this later I learned that it'was a half-truth. What Di rector Hamil did not tell me was that the restrictions involved make it unprofitable, if not im possible, for most private com panies to get the 2 percent gov ernment money. The company would have to open up a new ter ritory and set up a new company with separate bookkeeping. Such is not practical, and few private companies have ever been able to take advantage of it. Time To Leave Government Trough Furthermore, such a give-away should be available neither to pri vate companies nor to co-ops. Why should industry on an REA line get a cheaper rate? Why should anybody on an REA line get a cheaper rate ? And why should city folks go on endlessly paying part of all rural light bills? REA should hereafter stay in its own backyard, get its money from pri vate sources just like its com petitors do, and pay the same taxes. Rightly or wrongly, REA advo cates in the beginning said tax exemptions and government sub sidies were justified because REA co-ops would bring light to dark farms which could get electricity from no other source. Now the co ops are moving in on farm and suburban areas already served by private companies. The nation’s farms are now about 95 percent electrified and so REA leaders are hunting for new worlds to con quer—with taxpayer’s money. Recently Charles B. Shuman, president of the American Farm (Continued on page 3) This is a view of the newly- remodeled Carolina Remnant \0hop on Main Street. The inter ior has been freshly painted, with new shelves, cabinets and other fixtures installed for bet ter display of merchandise. Ac cording to W. H. Lewis of Rock Hill, manager of the shop, “we are trying to make this the most complete fabric and notion cen ter possible. It will be a one stop shopping center for the home seamstress.” The Shop features material and fabris of all kinds, including drapery fabrics and supplies; a large selection of but tons, zippers, threads and other sewing needs. Shown in the Sunphoto are Mr. Lewis and customers and employees. Mrs. R. G. Carroll, Mrs. B. P. Ringer and Mrs. Marie Farr are always on hand to help customers in selecting sewing materials. (From New York Daily News- Record, Monday, July 7, 1958) NEWBERRY, S. C., July 6.— “There is no contemplation of ex pansion at\ Newberry Mills,” James / E. Britt, vice-president and general manager, said here. (A DAILY NEWS - RECORP story of June 30 quoted Sarkis Diarbekirian, president as saying Newberry Mills had increased its capitalization from $1 million to $2 million and was planning ex pansion.) Acknowledging the capitaliza tion increase, Mr. Britt said Mr. Diarbekirian had “taken the $1 million out of his own pocket to see the mill here through its cur rent depression period.” “We operated at a half million dollar loss here at Newberry dur ing the fiscal year ending June 1, 1958,” he said. The lions share of the increased capitalization, Mr. Britt continued, has gone to pay for losses incur red during the fiscal year. “The only ‘expansion’ we’re go ing to make,” Mr. Britt said, “isn’t really expansion. What we’re doing is to add suction cleaning to some of our spinning frames. No new equipment has been purchased or will be added to the plant.” POSTS NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES On June 26 Mr. Britt posted a notice at the local plant, saying that unless employes “change their attitude” noticeably between now and September, the plaut might be closed permanently. All equipment and machinery would be moved, the notice said, to the firm’s South American opera- itons. . “We can’t continue to operate the way we have been,” Mr. Britt said. “There has been a definite slow-down at Newberry Mills. The week before I went'on my va cation we operated at 89 percent efficiency. We should be operating at between 94 and 95 percent ef ficiency.” Mr. Britt’s notice said that much of the firm’s fiscal year loss could be attributed to employe lasistude, citing a “lack of loy alty and cooperation with man agement” and “I can’t attitude” on the part of employes. He ask ed employes to “work hard, very hard to keep the plant open.-” UNION MEMBERS PROTEST Union members then protested that poor quality cotton and the stretch-out were to blame for the low morale and efficiency at the plant. The executive board of Local 129, TWUA, and AFL-CIO affiliate, said that “we are being asked to keep up the same level of production, the same efficien cy using a poorer grade of cotton than we did using a better grade.” Agreeing with Mr. Britt that plant morale wqs low, the union board said, “We don’t agree that employes are to blame. We are working harder than ever trying to keep up production using infer ior cotton. We are getting less pay, again because of the lower efficiency caused by the cotton we are using.” Mr. Britt said, “that’s balder dash. The cotton we are using now is of better spinning quality than much we’ve had before. Cot ton changes in quality from yesy to year, but the cotton we’re us ing is of a very good quality. It is not poor cotton now.” ' As to the union charges of a stretch-out effecting efficiency at the plant, he said “There is no stretch-out. None at all. We have changed no work loads here.” Following the Britt announce ment and the union retort, New berry’s City Council held a “spec ial conference,” subject of which was not divulged. Newberry Mills employs 750. In further discussing the cotton used at the mill, Mr. Britt said Tuesday that the cotton is “hand picked for spinning quality, and laboratory reports both from out side sources and at the mill show this cotton has better breaking strength, more evenness of yarn and better spinning quality than the cotton that was being used six months ago.” “This mill is open now purely because of grit and determination to keep it open,” Mr. Britt said. “I will do all in my power to keep it open, but there must be interest and cooperation from the people of Newberry and the employees. I hope that some day we will have a finishing plant here. We need it, but that will depend on the co operation of the people of New berry and our employees.” Firm Begins Work on Super Highway 26 LENOIR, N. C., July 7.—C. E. Clement, president of Clement Brothers Co., Inc., said here to day construction will begin July 15 on a new four-lane super highway in Laurens and Newber ry Counties. Clement said the $2,310,322 project consists of 11.027 miles of bituminous surfacing of a four- lane divided highway on Inter state Rt. 26 from Rt. 19 to Rt. 66. “The four-lane highway will begin about three miles east of Newberry and run northwest. When the entire project is com pleted, it will provide a route to Greenville and Spartanburg from Columbia and points south,” Cle ment stated. The project also consists of 2,- 053,942 cubic yards of excavation, 41,527 tons of asphalt concrete binder, 24,716 tons of asphalt concrete surface, 556,457 pounds of reinforced steel for structures and 17,512 lineal feet of reinforc ed concrete culvert pipe, Clement said. The first phase of the work to get underway will be clearing and grading, to be followed by the erection of bridges and culverts. The project is expected to be completed by September 1959, and will employ approximately 70 to ’100 men at the peak of construc tion. Jobs will be open for ap proximately 25 new workmen in cluding equipment operators. C. B. Durham of Newberry wi 1 ! be the superintendent in charge of construction. Clement Brothers Co., Inc., was awarded the contract for the Lau- rens-Newberry Counties project May 22 by the S. C. State High way Department. Council Offers Management And Employees * Assistance* Columbia Man Drowns; Brother Of Mrs. Mayer Friday Rites For Mrs. Dominick Mrs. Maggie Lenora Fulmer Dominick, 72, died early Thurs day morning at Mills Clinic in Prosperity. She had been ill for the past 10 days. Mrs. Dominick was 6orn and reared near Little Mountain in Newberry County and was the daughter of the late David J. and Frances Hamm Fulmer. For a number of years she had made her home near Prosperity and was a member of St. Luke’s Luth eran Church and the Women’s Bible Class. Surviving are her husband, J. Dudley Dominick of Prosperity; five sons, Rufus E. Dominick of Little Mountain, Gary L. Domi nick and • J. Monroe Dominick, both of Prosperity, Royce F. Dominick of Columbia, D. Floyd Dominick of Newberry; four daughters, Mrs. Clarice Whit man of Prosperity, Mrs. Olive D. Larson of Columbia, Mrs. Frances D. Brashier of Green ville, Mrs. Julia D. Senn of New berry; 22 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Friday morning at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church by Dr. Thomas F. Suber. Burial was in the church cemetery. E. M. Metts of Columbia, brother of Mrs. W. T. (Fannie) Mayer of Newberry, died in a fishing accident on Lake Muclray Wednesday of last week. His body was recovered Friday afternoon from the waters of the lake at Putnam’s Landing near Chapin. Lexington County Deputy Cor oner Raymond Caughman said an old model DeSoto Metts was driving was found abandoned at Putnam’s Landing Wednesday af ter Metts had gone fishing alone in a boat. \ He said Metts last was seen about 7 o’clock Wednesday after noon and that whep the body was recovered Metts’ watch had stop ped at 7:20l Investigating officers said an oil can and a boat paddle were found in the water Friday after noon and the body later wa# dis covered floating. Lexington County Coroner Caughman said the death was be ing termed accidental drowning and no inquest was planned. Metts, who had owned and op erated for the past 12 years E. W. Metts and Son Welding Works, 1209 Franklin St., Columbia, was born in Greenwood, a son of the late Nettie Penson Metts and Jos eph Metts. Funeral services were held Sun day afternoon at Dunbaj- Funeral Home in Columbia. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery there. Rites Today For Mrs. R. L. Lewis Mrt Rebecca, Elizabeth Boo zer Lewie, 81, died < suddenly Tuesday at noon after several years of declining health. Mrs. Lewie was born and rear ed in Newberry County and was the daughter of the late Lawson Jefferson and Laura Frances Bedenbaugh Boozer. She was the widow of R. L. (Bob) Lewie and a member of Central Methodist Church. Surviving are several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be con ducted at 4 P. M. today (Thurs day) at McSwain Funeral Home by the Rev. Melvin E. Derrick. Burial will be in Rosemont Cem etery. The body will be at the fun eral home. J. H. Cousins, 82, Died Wednesday John Henry Cousins, 82, died Wednesday night at his home near Newberry after a long ill ness. A native of Newberry County, he was a son of the late John and Rebecca Buzhardt Cousins. He Realizing the seriousness of the situation existing at the New berry Milk, Inc., and the impact that the closing of the plant would have on the economic struc ture of Newberry, city council at its regular meeting Tuesday night adopted 1 a resolution expressing its “willingness to consult with and assist, both the management and employees” of the plant in its present period of unrest. The resolution is as follows: State of South Carolina, County of Newberry, City of Newberry. Whereas, we the members of the City Council of Newberry are cognizant of the burdensome problems facing stockholders, 'management and employees of the textile i industry generally and more especially, those current problems which press upon our good friends and citizens who comprise the management and em ployees at our Newbeiry Mills; and, v , Whereas, we realize that the welfare and progress of the City of Newberry, and all segments of ijs economy are closely related and dependent upon, the continued profitable operation of Newberry Mills; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that we the members of City Council of Newberry and the May or of Newberry express our wil lingness to consult with and as sist, both the management and employees of our Newberry Mills, in any legal and practical method toward a solution of any problems upon our receiving a request for such assistance; it being our main resolve to Recognize the present situation as £ problem the* solu tion of which would be greatly advantageous to us all. Let copies of this resolution be sent by the Clerk to The New berry Observer, The Newberry Sun, and Radio Station WKDK. ERNEST H. LAYTON, Mayor. Other than discussion of the resolution, council’s session was a Subject Of Conversation: Newberry’s Billy O’Dell Musial, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and other sluggers. The American Leaguers won, 4—3. The young man, who has brought so much publicity to his home town of Newberry, arrived by plane in Columbia Tuesday night. He was entertained Wed nesday when his immediate fam ily met at Ross Wilson’s boat landing on Lake Murray for ski ing, boating and fishing, and an old-fashioned family picnic din ner. Those attending the affair besides his mother and stepfather Mr. and Mrs. John Ferguson, were tw'o sisters and their families, Mr. and Mrs. George Sligh, Jr. and three children, Mr. and Mrs. Mid Bannister and three children of Newberry; a brother, Buck O’Dell and family of Columbia; a step-sister, Mrs. Tommie Pra ther and family of Clinton, and a step-brother, Rudolph Ferguson and family of Newberry. Billy’s wife, the former Joan Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson Dennis, is at their home in Baltimore. She ‘ had recently visited her narents here. For baseball-loving Newber- rians, and most of them are, the big subject of conversation this week was the fine job done by Billy O’Dell in the All-Star game in Baltimore Tuesday. Wednesday morning’s daily sports pages were filled with words of his acomplishments, along with words <5f praise by “everybody from Stengel to the batboy.” , Acording to a by-lined story in the Greenville News by Mrs. A. H. Counts,“Business here was practically at a standstill as his admirers gathered around their television sets to get a look at a fine young man making good in his chosen profession. “His career began when Coach Harry Hedgepath saw him throw ing balls while in knee trousers. “It was not long before he was pitching for the American Legion and high school and for the Clemson College teams.” Billy, pitching for the Ameri can League in the All-Star game, retired nine National Lea guers in a row, including Stan was a retired farmer and was a member of Colony Lutheran Church. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ha Drucilla Cromer Cousins; seven sons, Olin L., Ira T., and Frank N. Cousins, all of Newberry, Jack- son R. and Henry B. Cousins, both of Columbia, James C. Cousins of Simpsonville and Walter M. Cousins of U. S. Merchants’ Serv ice; two daughters. Miss Narvice Cousins of Sumter and Mrs. George Brehmer of Newberry; two sisters, Mrs., W. T. Paysinger and Mrs. F. T. Merchant, both of Newberry; 19 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at Whitaker Funeral Home by Rev. Francis I. Fesperman. Burial was in Colony Lutheran Church Cemetery. Active pall bears were Tom Cromer, Gilder Cromer, Fred Cro mer, Horace Cromer, Charlie Cro- mber and Luther Cousins. Serving as honorary pallbear ers were Arthur Boozer, J. L. Long, Joe Brehmer, L. C. Fjul- mer, Jesse Frank Hawkins, Ben Waters, Edward Hawkins and deacons of „ Colony Lutheran Church. Mrs. Sease Dies At Hospital Mrs. Rosalie Reagin Sease, 72, wife of D. B. Sease died early Friday night at Newberry County Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She wa? born in Newberry County, daughter of the late James Burton and Ursula Tran- qUilla Long Reagin. She had made her home in the Tranwood section of the county for many years. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Re deemer and a member of the Morning Circle of the United Lutheran Church Women. She was also a member of Tranwood Home Demonstration Club. Surviving besides her husband are two sons, Elisha C. Sease of Jackson, Tenn., and Burton R. Sease of Newberry; one daughter, Miss Elizabeth Sease of Newber ry; two sisters, Mrs. W. W. Beaty of Iva and Mrs. O. H. Abrams of Newberry and three grandchil dren. Funeral services were held Sun day afternoon at Whitaker Fun- (Continued on page 3) brief one. . Mayo/ Layton stated that the city’s engineers had been instruct ed to meet with an engineer em ployed by Hal Kohn to appraise the water line in Suburbia. No action had been taken on the ap praisal. Another item of interest which has been discussed at council meetings on several occasions was brought up again at Tuesday’s meeting. With no preliminary discussion, council voted to “post pone indefinitely” any further interest in a public, housing pto- gram in Newberry. A letter from Mrs. Gertruds Copeland was read, advising council that the parking lot oppo site the post office was for sals at a price of $22,000, and that she would consider \ leasing the lot for /$80 per month. Council re ceived the letter as information. A meeting of the budget and planning committee was set for Friday night by the committee chairman, S. D. Paysinger, and Mayor Layton notified council that a special meeting would be held before the next regular meeting in order to adopt a bud get and set a levy for the next fis cal year. ~ Mayor Layton read a lengthy letter from Dewey Kinard,, re questing a nickel plated water fountain for West End play ground, that \ playground equip ment be moved from the locatiqn of the scout cabin, and that “card playing” be stopped at the park.” The mayor stated that a meeting of the park commission would be held‘Thursday, with the city man ager and recreation director in at tendance to see whether ary changes in the location of the playground equipment needed to be made. City Manager Blackwell stated that he had had no com plaints from the park committee concerning any of the items men tioned in Mr. Kinard’s letter. Council was notified that the S. C. Highway Department baa agreed to take over the following streets, effective at beginning of construction: Osborne Avenue from Pope to Reid; McDowell from Evans to Bachman; Forrest from Bachman to Wheeler; Wheeler from Lind say to Mower; Circle Drive from Forrest to Wheeler; Coates from south side of Boundary to Cald well; Vincent from Rt. 19 to Sou. Ry.; Werts Avenue from Pauline to Boundary; Cline from Vincent to Southern Railway; James St. from Brantley to McSwain; Rosa- lyn Drive from Pope to north end of street. ' BIRTHDAY GREETINGS July 13: Marcia Todd, Emory Bedenbaugh, Mrs. Bennie Liv ingston, Mrs. C. H. Cannon, Aubrey Wicker, Tabor L. Hill, Ronald Shealy, G. R. Page, For rest Shealy Sr., Walt Mills, Paula Cousins, Patsy Oxner, Mable Wicker. July 14: Holland Sligh, Tom Summer, Mrs. Ralph Black, Norman Martin, Juanita Felk- er, H. E. Thomas, Martha Lominack, Mrs. C. L. Holloway, Mrs. W. R. Bouknight, Max B. McKittrick, Dr. S. L. Hunter, Larry Harmon, Larry James Wicker. July 15: R. C. Floyd, Jim Todd, Carolyn Murray, Mrs. John H. Ruff, Jackson W. Tay lor Jr., Wally Lewis, Carrie Wightman, Mrs. W. H. Ted- ford, Louise Heyward Dodkin, Sue Senn, Kit Regnery, Wood- row D. Smith. July 16: Mrs. Pat Dawkins, Mrs. M. W. Todd, Mrs. T. S. Harmon, Frank Partridge, J. G. Long, H. C. Timmerman, Gordon Johnson, G. B. Fuller, Mrs. Nat Gist Jr., Dorothy Jean Hutchinson. July 17: Mrs. G. R. Price, Mrs. D. T. Wicker, Mrs. A. E. Bedenbaugh, Mrs. Murray Shep pard, Mrs. Catherine Graham, Lavinia Brown, Lera Duncan, Innis M. Clarkson, Marshall L. Motes, I. M. Smith. July 18: Clayton Smith, Mrs. F. M. Schumpert, Mrs. Ruby Trice, Betty Shealy, Kenneth Fuller, Kathy Senn. July 19: Gladys Young, Colie B. Pitts, Judy Boland, Walter- Sheppard, Linda Faye, Fuller, Michael Kinard, Jane Beden baugh, Paul Whitaker.