Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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With ;■ i »! ill'! 1 < '!' ( i} ] , i ' St « • 11 f ♦' i 'il: 1L.. J .14 Li :• U1 till 1 iiaw ah\ !U'r: '•ra i ’ n .« \ : l -i :u-( > “() Lord VOLUlvit 26; NUMBER 44. NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1963 $2.00 Per f'edr By The Way - By DORIS A. SANDERS TOO ((TIKT? I have haci cunside! able admira tion for the IT member.- of the Volunteer hire Itepartment who have been loyal to the depart ment and to the city which it serves. They have refused to let themselves pet into a public biawl about the dissention in the de- 1 partment. As Melvin Attaway, tne Department president said, "we just plan to keep fiphtmp; fires when they occur.” Perhaps this silence on their part was the wrony thinpa how ever, because most information : media have focussed attention on the •‘bad” side of the situation. I will say The State newspaper presented the picture fairly a week or so a^ro. and The Sun has tried to reassure citizens that the De partment is by no means falling: apart, and that fire protection will . l>e forthcoming when needed. The Greenville News—once my favorite daily—seems bent and de termined to picture Newnerry in as bad lip:ht as possible. They j have blown the stories of out local squabbles all out of proportion j and have given them front page space where the stories didn’t de- ' serve more than inch or two bur-J ied inside somewhere. Many peo ple are disgusted with their hand ling of this so-called ‘news.” The truth is that Newberry will be just as well protected from fires AFTER March first as it is now. The department will be brought up to its minimum do by March first and the remaining vacancies 1 will be filled as qualified men are selected. There is a rural fire depart- | merit with its truck and firemen ! located in the heart of Newberry.) This is available to the city at any time. The New’berry Fire Department is as well—and probably better equipped, than a department in any city of comparable size. The rumor has been spread that after the 14 resign, there will be left “only the old broken -- dowm firemen.” Below is a list of the r emaining j firemen—and among them I can’t find a one who would be classed | as “old and broken down.” The combined service of these men far exceeds the combined service of those w r ho have resigned. It is about time for certain peo- ple involved with the news media to admit they have their owm personal grudges in this matter, and are presenting the situation in its worst possible light. A storm arose Tuesday morning after publication in The Green ville News of a story concerning the fire at Fennells Jewelry store. Mack Fennell, owner of the store, emphatically denied having made the statements attributed to him, with the exception of one. He did state “If it had to happen, thank God it happened before March 1.” Mr. Fennell told The Sun Tues day “if I had known yesterday whatl know today, I would never have made that statement. I did not know there was a rural fire truck in the center of town. I didn’t know there was such a large number of qualified fire men who are remaining in the Department. I had heard only one side, and not being familiar with the department, I believed it was falling to pieces. I am sure now that I would be just as well pro tected after March 1 as I was on Sunday night. “My tragedy” said Mr. Fennell, “is being used by someone to further stir up this controversy.” In partial defense of The Greenville News, I will say that I do not believe it is so irresponsi ble as to make up direct quota tions. Mr. Fennell denies having made the statements, so they must have come from some other source as quotes from Mr. Fennell. It is sickening to realize that anyone would stoop to such a low level to try to force city council to plead with the resigning firemen to re turn. Volunteer firemen are just what the word implies. They are volun teers—there because they want to be. Anyone who has had occasion to summon the fire department would have only praise for what they have done. Our thanks go to those who have served so long and so faithfully. But the fact that 14 resigned—and it was their right and privilege to do so—is no reas on to cast aspersions on those who remain—for they, too, are excel lent firemen. These men, as a group, have been subject more or less, to ridi cule, if not slander. Instead, they should be given a good pat on the back and a lot of encouragement. They are: Otis Whitaker, J. How- a i <1 ( 'lark , E. B. ' Si,ip] >e r » Hat - nil hi. D. I .. Dt iea> r.-, < e i'ii F . K: aani. T. II. C. -ok-. ('!■ u a i' - Bar- tain, Paul : Win tako:, F . J. Ha:- nmn. Me : v i I: A11 a \v a v. Wi lliani n:;!. Jr . Jan >e.~ i Iet;l •> D 'avi -, ('hark .•s I eopat d. J. g. Sea.- e, J. E. Ihi [ Z e 1 ; uni T . I.. M il- Toad. Mrs. Williams Died Monday j At Age 100 Mrs. Leila Rlea-e Williams, ion, widow of Thomas Griffin Williams died early Monday afternoon at i the home of her daughter, Mr-. Vanessa W. Holt, at 1 *) 1 d Bound ary st met after several years of; illness. Mrs. Williams \va- the daughter of the late Henry Horotio a n d Mary Livingstone Blease. She wa- a member of Ventral Methodist cdnireh and woud have celebrated her 101st birthday in May. Surviving in addition to her daughter are a brother. Judge Eugene S. Blease of Newberry, ■ fotmer Thief Justire of the S. G. Supreme Gourt, a number of grand children and a number of mot-r and nephews. Funeral service.- were conduct ed at J I’. M. Wednesday at a ed at M I’. M. Wednesday a’ tne Whitaker Funeral Home by Rt-v. 1’. H. Yickt ry Burial wa- in Ibor- mont cemetery. Pallbearer- were Richard E. Baker, J. J. Ghappei!, Herman Langford, Emile Saint-Amand. S. ('. Griffith. Jr., and Jack Work man. Tiu Epidemic Is Mild Here Dr. Von A. Long, county health officer, stated Wednesday morn ing that there is no more than a “mild ’flu epidemic” in Newberry County at this time. “We don’t know what type influenza it is,” Dr. Long said, but no ease had been identified as the Asian va riety. Dr. Long stated that absences in the schools and in industry wer - “about normal for this time of year” and not any higher than erne, two or three years ago at this time. There were less absences in the schools on Wednesday than on Tuesday. Dr. Long felt there was no cause for undue concern about the ’flu epidemic at this time. IS RECOVERING AFTER SURGERY Mrs. C. D. Weeks, who under went surgery at Newberry Memor ial Hospital last week, is recup erating nicely, her many friends will be glad to learn. Fennel! Seeks Retraction Of Story In Daily Newspaper Fire Protection Is Not Hampered City Manager Assures Residents COLUMBIA.—Three young po licemen from Newberry are grad uate- i;f the Recruit Training pro gram of the S. C. Law Enforce- meht Training School in the Div- : h-ion of General Studies and Ex tension at the University of S. C. Under the direction of Allen B. , Harman, .It., of the USG Division of General Studies-Uxtension and ( apt. W. R. Gaul hen of t he (Ml- umbin Police department, the eeut-e wa- pre.-onted with the cooperation of the Golumhia Pol- i'-c i to pa rt.men!, the Federal Bu na.! "f Investigation, officials of the Gity of Golumhia, the- I’niver- -i' y, and the S. ('. Law Enforce ment Training School. l.n.Juded in the Mo subjects Cov ered he the course tire note taking. laws of arrest, report writing, col lection of evidence, court room procedure, search and seizure, traffic control and standard first aid. Guest lecturers were Arthur Fusco of Columbia; Prof. Robert IF Stoudemire of the University’s Lureau of Public Administration; F. Fleming Mason of the Savan nah. Ga., office of the FBI; Chas. Sanders, managing Editor of the Golumhia Record; Chief Harry Golden of the Columbia Fire Dep- sitment; and David Cox of the Domestic Relations court. Those from Newberry who com pleted the 128 hour program are Chevis Franklin, Andrew Shealy, and Johnny Stribble. (Sunphoto.) The controversy over the resig nation of 14 members of the Vol unteer Fire Department reared its ugly head again when a story was published Tuesday on the front page of The Greenville News con cerning a fire at W. M. Fennell’s Jewelry Store. The story ,which was by-lined “News Staff Writer” quoted Mack Fennell as making a number of statements which he emphatically denies having made. Mr. Fennell stated that he was called Monday from Greenville but did not know the identify of the person to whom he talked. He ad mitted making the statement “Thank God it happened before March 1st” but denied all other statements attributed to him in the News story. He also told The Sun Tuesday that “I would not even have made that statement if T had known vesterdav what I Nursing Home Committee Has Meeting On Thursday evening at P. M. February 14, 1003 the first meet ing of the newly appointed com mittee of the Newbery County Nursing Home met in Newberry. H. M. Bedenbaugh of Prosperity was elected chairman of the com mittee; Dr. P. II. Semi of Silver- street was elected vice chairman and R. C. Lake, Jr., of Whitmire was elected secretary. The com mittee is composed of seven mem bers who are appointed by the ! Governor, upon recommendation of the county delegation. The other members of the committee present were J. W. Wood, J. N. Beard, J. Cecil Berley and Clyde R. Mer rick. Senator Hawkins and Represen tative Folk met with the comm ittee members and discussed the purpose of the committee, the duties of the committee, all of which are very ably expressed in County Native Died Tuesday SPARTANBURG. — Allen M. Sondley, 89, died Tuesday in a Paeolet nursing home. He was born and reared in Newberry county, a son of the late John R. and Carrie Smith Sondley. He was a member and honorary deacon of Ben Avon Baptist church, a Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Nell L. Sondley; a son, William A. Sondley of Greenville; a daugh ter, Mrs. H. C. Laurel of Wash ington, N. « the Bill which created the com mittee. A sub-committee was appointed, Clyde R. Merrick, chairman, J. W. Wood and P. H. Senn, to investi gate the need for a nursing home :n Newberry county. It was re quested that everyone having any pertinent information concerning the need for a nursing home com municate with one of the mem bers of this committee. w* mm His 11 m s - m Im mm mm m W.vivi m * J * is**: ^ : This is a scene which will be repeated more realistically next Tuesday nght, as the ladies of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church prepare for their annual barbecue supper. Practicing up are, from left, Mrs. Robert Brown, Mrs. J. E. Hunter, Mrs. Butler Holmes and Mrs. Tom Pope. (Sunphoto) The women of St. Luke’s Epis copal church are busy preparing for their annual Pancake Supper. The supper will be served to the public on Shrove Tuesday, Febru ary 26 from 5:30 until 8:30 P.M. at the Parish House, adjacent to the church on Main street. The Pancakes will be made, cooked, and served b' the Woman’s Guild of St. Luke’s Episcopal church. In addition they will prepare and serve a delicious Dreher bacon and sausage, hot coffee, melted buttci. and smooth syrup. On the church calendar the day is known as Shrove Tuesday, pre ceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It was the ancient custom to go to the priest, con fess one’s sins, and be shriven. Pardon or absolution of sins was received before the beginning of Lent. The day is also known as Pan cake Tuesday because the people cooked pancakes to use all the grease in the house, as no meat was to be eaten during the 40 days of Lent. In the early church, there was an arduous period of fasting and penitence in prepara tion for Easter. It is the wish of the congrega tion of St. Luke’s to make this Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper an annual event, to which the en tire community will look forward. Tickets, to be sold at the door, will be $1 for adults and 50c for children under 12. Following is a cony of the letter sent by W. M. Fennell Jr. to the editor of The Greenville News, concerning a story which appear ed in the News on Tuesday, Feb ruary 19. Newberry, S. C. February 20. 1963 Mr. Wayne W. Freeman, Editor, The Greenville News. Greenville, S. C. Dear sir: In your issue of The Greenville News dated February 19, 1963, an article appeared on the front page by a staff writer for your newspaper concerning a severe fire which occurred at my jew- ejry store on Sunday night. The article throughout purports to quote statements which I made to the staff writer. With two minor exceptions, the quotations were not made by me nor could there be any misunderstanding since no discussion was had v. ith the staff writer on these so-call ed quotations. In the excitement of seeing one’s business destroyed, I did say to your writer that I was glad that it occurred now rather than after March 1. I also did advise him that I thought the fire would cause many merch ants in Newberry to increase their insurance coverage. I did not indicate that the reason for such increased coverage was be cause fourteen members of our fire department have resigned effective as of February 28. My thought was simply that any time other merchants see a bu siness man completely wiped out, they have a tendency to want to purchase for themselves more complete protection. I have every confidence in the world in the seventeen members of the Newberry Volunteer Fire department, who have not seen fit to resign, as well as in the fourteen members who have re signed. It was not my intention to involve myself in any way in this departmental dispute al though through the carelessness of your staff writer I have be come embroiled. These completely erroneous statements attributed to me have severely damaged me since a number of my close friends and customers are involved in this dispute. I am herewith de manding of you that the state ments attributed to me in this issue, except as outlined herein, be properly withdrawn by a statement in your newspaper. I do not want such a retraction buried in the middle of your pa per where it will have no effect. I shall appreciate your taking care of this matter at once. Yours very truly, W. M. Fennell, Jr. know today.” He referred to pub licity given the resignations in the volunteer fire department and said “I saw only one side. Now I know that fire protection will be just as good after March 1st as it is now.” With reference to the News story quoting him as saying it was the 14 resigning firemen who put out the fire at Fennell’s Store, Fennell said “I couldn’t possibly have said that. I actually know the names of only four who are resigning. I understand that all volunteers were there except two, who had legitimate reasons for not being there.” Mr. Fennell said he told the re porter that he had heard of some businessmen increasing their in surance. However, he said, he meant no reflection on the fire de partment although the story was written to give that impression. “I only meant” said Mr. Fennell, “That my fire made some people realize they might not have enough insurance to cover losses in case of a fire.” Mr. Fennell stated that he had demanded a retraction from The Greenville News, but none appeared in the Wednesday issue o^ that paper. The News described the 14 re signing firemen as “comprising most uf ^he city’s main fire force for yeais.” Tlic truth is, the men who re main in the volunteer fire depart ment have an average of over 16 ’g years experience, not including the Chaplain, who has been a member of the department for 13 years. The firemen who have re signed have an average of over LdH years experience fighting fires. Those who have resigned have a total of a little over 190 years service: those who remain have a total cT 281 years with the depart ment, again not counting the Chaplain, Dr. Neil Truesdell, al though he is a member of the de partment and of the S. C. Five- man’s Association. The present chief, Dave Laird, has 20 years service. On March 1st, the 2nd assistant chief, Otis Whitaker, will he acting chief. He has 33 years service with the de partment. Of those who are remaining, 11 have over 15 years service, as fol lows: Otis Whitaker. 33 years; Ralph Whitaker, 29; J. Howard Clark, 24; E. B. Harmon, 22; D. L. Driggers, 22; Cecil E. Kinard, 21; T. H. Crooks, 21; Claude Partain, 16; Paul Whitaker, 16; J. G. Sease. 29; Ed Hazel, 19. Others are: F. J. Harmon, 10; Melvin Attaway, 6; William Smith Jr., 6; James Henry Davis, 6; Charles Leopard, 2. T. L. Milstead, a new employee, has firefighting service *n the Navy. Rev. Neil Truesdell, Chap lain, has been a membev of the Department 13 years. Of those who have resigned, eight have 10 years or less in the Department. They are: David Laird Jr., two years; W. A. Mason, three years; Dan Hembree, 3 years; Wm. Kitchens, four years; David Bowers and Ollie Moye, seven years; Eddie Rodelsperger, 9 years and C. W. Jones, 10 years. Others are D. L. Laird Sr., 20 years; Fred Rodelsperger, 14 years, plus time spent in the de partment prior to World War II; George Rodelsperger, 40; J. G. Purkerson, 25; H. H. Connelly, 17 and Bill Turner, 16. In addition to experienced fire men which the department will continue to have after March 1st, Newberry’s fire equipment is sec ond to none for a city of this size. There are three 750 gallon pumping engines in first class condition, and a 4th engine which is perfectly good but because of its age is not considered in estab lishing insurance rates. The Department has about 5500 feet of hose and 250 feet of lad ders. There is a fire hydrant within 1000 feet of every house with possibly one or two excep tions throughout the city. There are two Scott Airpacs — a self-contained breathing device which allows firemen to go where there are smoke and fumes. There is an Emerson Resuscitator-Inhal- ator which can be used on two persons simultaneously, and a mouth-to-mask resuscitator. Each fire engine is fully equipp ed with all types of extinguishers and carry enough water to put out most small fires. The fire engines and all equipment are checked daily. Where water is needed from hy drants, the city has a million gal lons of raw water in storage, a million gallons of finished, filter ed water and 550,000 gallons in elevated tanks. The fire alarm system with 85 boxes located strategically thru- out the city, and an alarm bell in iiliil Plans are being made for the 1963 Red Cross Fund Drive which will begin March 4. At a recent meeting to plan the drive were, from left seated, I. Kaplan, chairman of the drive; Mrs. Hannah Pool, executive secretary of the county Red Cross Chapter; Mrs. Otis Whitaker, who will assist with the residential drive. Standing, from left, Mack Fraser, chair man of the industrial section; Bobby Phillips, Red Cross Field Representative, and Lawrence Richardson, chairman of the Newberry County Red Cross Chapter. (Sunphoto.) Paul Hockett Dies Suddenly Paul Branson Hockett, 46, died suddenly Monday morning at his home on Amelia street. He was born in Pleasant Gar den, N. C., a son of the late W. W. and Leticia Hockett. He was gen eral overseer of weaving at the Oakland plant, Kendall Co. Before moving to Newberry, he was as sistant plant manager of Burling ton Mills in Fayetteville, N. C. He was a member of Central Meth odist church in Newberry, a mem ber of the Lions club and Kiwanis club of Greensboro, N. C. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary Waters Hockett; two sons, Paul Branson Hockett Jr. of Alex andria, La., and Jim Hockett of Newberry; a daughter, Miss Mary Nell Hockett of Newberry; three sisters, Mrs. Carrie Cox of Pleas ant Garden, Mrs. Ruth Fries of Greensboro and Mrs. Ethel Busick of Brown Summit, N. C. each fireman’s home, is valued at $20,000. There a. n five full-time, paid employees Oj. the city in the de partment under the capable, effi cient supervision of Ed Hizel, as sistant director of safety. There are almost always three paid fire men on duty in daytime, always two at night. When paid person nel are off duty, they report as soon as the alarm sounds, just as 1 any other volunteer fireman. They are classified as engineers or dri vers. Four of these men have a total of 76 years experience. The fifth, a new enjployee of the fire department, had fire fighting ex perience in the navy. City Manager K. W. Riebe, in a statement Wednesday morning, again assured the citizzens of the city that there would be no lack of fire protection after March 1. “In addition to the excellent equip ment and experienced, efficient personnel we have,” he said, “we may also call on the rural fire department if necessary. How ever, we do not anticipate that that will be necessary unless we should have the misfortune of having a fire which involved a large section of the business dis r trict, or something similar. “We regret that 14 of the vol unteer firemen felt that they must resign, because they have been good firemen, but their resignat ions will not mean an end to the efficient firefighting rendered by the Newberry Volunteer Fire Department for so many years.” Tom B. Berry Rites Tuesday Tom B. Berry, 82, died sudden ly at his home Monday morning in the Higgins section of Saluda County. He was a retired farmer and a lifelong res ; lent of Saluda County. He was a son of the late Wilson and Belle Jennings Berry. Among his survivors is a step daughter, Mrs. Estelle Martin of Newberry. Funeral services were conduct ed Tuesday at Bethany Methodist Church by Rev. W. T. Waters. Burial was in the church cemetery. BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Feb. 24: R. A. Feagle, Dorothy Koon, Mrs. W. L. Shipman, Rey Lominack, Essie Cook, Mrs. Thompsie Summers, Mrs. Kirk- sey Koon, W. R. Lominick, Wil liam Grady Bedenbaugh, Larry Swygert, Natalie Setzler A. L. Goff, Julia Mae Koon, Margaret H. Lovell, Jimmy Underwood. Feb. 25: John C. Adams, Rob ert Davenport, Mrs. Ruth Wood, Willie Ann Berley, Carol E. Ept- ing, Peggy Berley, Marion Long, Mrs. S. L. Waldhour, S. L. Wald- hour, J. J. Hughes, Willie Lee Ringer, Sandra Petty. Feb. 26: Mrs. G. W. Senn, Peg gie Andrews, Mrs. Mildred Har per, Mrs. Hal Kohn Jr., Carol Senn, Charles Senn, Lowell Boozer, Elizabeth Langford, Ed Cannon. Feb. 27: H. D. Whitaker, Fran ces Hayes, Anne Wheeler, Mrs. Clara Ward, Elizabeth Setzler, Mrs. Jesse W. Senn, Mrs. Julia Faye McSwain, Willie Jones, Ranee Miller, Sarah Franklin. Feb. 28: Walter Wallace, Dr. Drayton Nance Jr., Mrs. Mary Amick, Tochie Long, Charlie Crowell Jr., Ray Doolittle, Har- rietta Ann Hendrix, Jack Brock, Mrs. D. W. Long, Mrs. T. B. Amis. Feb. 29: P. Metts Fant Jr. March 1: M. E. Abrams, Mrs. J. R. Swygert, Billy Walton, W. C. Huffman, Mrs. Homer Epting, Cookie Johnson, Charles Phibbs, Forrest W. Dicker!, Mrs. W. D. Jones. March 2: David Stone, Margie Ingram, Grady Force, Ralph Higgins, J. R. Nobles Jr., Jan Bennett.