May 05, 2008
Out of our Past
Compiled by Bill Moose
Twenty-five years ago: Record & Landmark, May 5-11, 1983.
“Lowrance Hospital is operating today under an interim agreement with Hospital Corporation of America following a vote Wednesday night by the hospital’s board of directors to negotiate a formal contract with the company. The agreement provides for HCA to begin supplying management services while a final contract is negotiated.” (5/5/83)
“Patient charges at Iredell Memorial Hospital remain well below the state and national averages. For the three-month period ending in February, the median average patient charges per stay totaled $1,862.72, compared to $1,974.78 across the state, $2,434.67 in the two Carolinas, and $2,540.67nationwide.” (5/6/83)
“Angie Miller posted a 213-580 to lead the women bowlers this week. The men were lead by Ronny Bass with a 234-592.” (5/7/83)
“The 15th annual Tar Heel Classic Horse Show concluded Saturday with an extensive round of championship competition. Horse show officials reported that the attendance for the morning, afternoon and evening rounds on Saturday was very good. A total of 587 entries were listed for the four days of the show this year, officials reported. The Kiwanis Club sponsors the event. Proceeds are used for Kiwanis projects.” (5/9/83)
“Rep. J.P. Huskins announced today that he had been able to have Ft. Dobbs restored to the state budget from which a subcommittee had proposed that it be removed. ‘The old fort has protected us for almost 250 years against attack from the west. What we never expected was that the settlers would turn against us and attack from the east. With all our breastworks facing west, we were almost defenseless against attack from Raleigh. If the money had not been restored, I was prepared to move that we give Ft. Dobbs back to the Indians.’” (5/10/83)
“Iredell County School Superintendent Don Williams is shown with Lori Blackwelder, a North Iredell High School student, and her art teacher Kathy Garris, after Miss Blackwelder was named the overall winner in the Superintendent’s Choice art competition.” (5/11/83)
Fifty years ago: Record & Landmark, May 5-10, 1958.
“H. Shelton Miller today announced plans for a 25-unit motel to be constructed at the intersection of highway 64A and the 64 bypass. The new motel will adjoin Jones Fish and Steak House, and will be connected with the restaurant by a covered walk.” (5/5/58)
“Directors of Statesville Chamber of Commerce yesterday endorsed a helicopter shuttle service out of Charlotte. R.D. Warwick, manager of the chamber, reported that such a service is in the process of being organized. He expressed doubt that Statesville will be able, within the foreseeable future, to qualify for regular airline schedule; and added that perhaps this helicopter service would be the next best thing.” (5/6/58)
WBTV 3 afternoon schedule: “12:00 Love of Life 12:30 Search For Tomorrow 12:45 Guiding Light 1:00 Betty Feezor Show 1:30 As The World Turns 2:00 Susie 2:30 Art Linkletter 3:00 Southern Hospitality 3:30 Verdict Is Yours 4:00 Brighter Day 4:15 Secret Storm 4:30 Edge of Night 5:00 My Little Margie 5:30 Rascals Club” (5/7/58)
“Iredell County’s 115 school buses made a perfect score on the regular monthly check-out. Mechanics at the county garage, who are responsible for the condition of the buses, are J.B. Lundy, Walter B. Clendenin, R.E. Davis, Floyd Wike, Jack Elledge, Dewey Jones, and Clyde Galliher.” (5/8/58)
Charlotte: “A veteran pilot landed a crippled airliner with 65 persons aboard on a foamy runway here Thursday. Mrs. C.E. Graybill, Jr., and her daughter, Suzonne, Statesville, were among the passengers who shared the frightening experience. It was Suzonne’s first airplane ride.” (5/9/58)
“Earlier this week, Celeste Henkel’s Hornets had a dismal 1-3 record in the Iredell District Athletic Association. Today it is a respectable 3-3 mark. Jeff Arey and Joe Sharpe pulled it to the even keel yesterday. Arey slammed a pair of home runs and Sharpe pitched both victories in a doubleheader over Central yesterday.” (5/10/58)
Seventy-five years ago: Statesville Record, May 5 and 9, 1933.
“The Grace Hotel has been leased to Mr. and Mrs. George R. Eaton, who come here from Charlotte. They will succeed Mr. Thomas B. Suiter, whose health forced him to give up the management. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton are experienced hotel folks, having formerly had charge of the Youree Hotel, at Shreveport, and the Hotel Jamestown, New York, both large hotels.” (5/5/33)
News of Statesville Colored People: “We are glad to welcome in our city The Central Funeral Home Company, our new mortician. They are located on Garfield street. Mr. Clarence Green is president and manager. The H.S. Byers Cut-Rate Drug Store has moved to their new location on Garfield street. Mr. H.S. Byers is owner and manager.” (5/5/33)
“Mr. C. Robert Johnston (Bob Johnston), the new mayor is a native of Mooresville. He is the retiring chairman of the Mooresville school board, secretary of the Mooresville Cotton Mills, an officer and leader in the First Presbyterian church here, and much interested in every movement for the betterment of the town, the schools and the community.” (5/5/33)
“Joyner School house, in Eagle Mills township, was totally destroyed by fire of undetermined origin about 9 o’clock Sunday night. The building was a one-story frame structure, with three rooms. It is a two-teacher school. The building had been unoccupied for several weeks, school work having been terminated recently until fall.” (5/9/33)
“It appears that our war cry ‘we want beer’ was a little overestimated. In spite of the boycott threat a goodly number applied for the privilege of selling the stuff, and prepared for a land-office business. One fellow added a couple of barrels and procured the service two young men to hand it across the counter and rake in the change. When it came time to knock off for the day, it was found that only seven bottles had been sold.” (5/9/33)
“The Statesville-East Monbo game went for twelve innings, and was finally won in the twelfth by East Monbo, 2-0. Rowe pitched for East Monbo. McCabe for Statesville. Even the Statesville fans were enthusiastic, in spite of the fact that they were the losers.” (5/9/33)
One hundred years ago: Landmark, May 5 and 8, 1908.
“About 40 men with teams and the necessary machinery began the work of grading the Taylorsville road yesterday for the Ordway Company, of Wilson, which has the contract to grade and macadamize the road for a distance of two and a half miles, beginning at the city limits. Mr. Morgan, overseer, proposes to secure all his help from this county, including stock as well as men, and thus help the unemployed people about town.” (5/5/1908)
“An interesting ball game at Charlotte Friday between the Charlotte and Spartanburg teams resulted in a victory for Charlotte. Mr. Everett Sherrill, of Statesville, a student at Davidson College, played on the Charlotte team and the Observer had the following in its account of the game: ‘The catching of Sherrill, who had been brought down from Davidson was a feature. There are few better receivers in the State than “Old Trusty.” His drive to the right field fence brought the grandstand to its feet and the little one won a place in the heart of local fandom.’” (5/5/1908)
“Fire was discovered in the seed house of the Statesville Oil & Fertilizer Co. Wednesday morning just in time to avert serious damage. Mr. Crimes, who operates the seed-cleaning machine, stepped inside the seed house and found the machine in flames. He called for help and a bucket brigade composed of the mill hands extinguished the flames in a few minutes. It is supposed that a match in the seed ignited the oil and lint about the machine.” (5/8/1908)
“Revs. C.A. Monroe of Hickory, W.S. Wilson of Mooresville, and John Wakefield and R.W. Boyd of Barium, will organize a Presbyterian church at Little Jo.’s church at Barium
Sunday morning at 11 o’clock. The church will be organized with a membership of 112, 101 of these being inmates of the Barium Orphans’ Home.” (5/8/1908)
“Mrs. Geo. B. Nicholson, Statesville, has carried off the first and fourth prizes in the contest for entertainment suggestions for the month of May, offered by ‘What to Eat,’ the national food magazine.” (5/8/1908)
One hundred twenty-five years ago: Landmark, May 11, 1883.
“In the municipal election held in this place last Monday 293 votes were cast. The vote footed up: J.F. VanPelt 161 and A.M. Walker 115. Nine votes were cast for C.L. Stimson and J.C. Anderson. Messrs. L. Pinkus, H.C. Cowles, D.C. Rufty and W.W. Mott were elected town commissioners. The new board elected E.B. Stimson clerk and treasurer, P. Tomlinson town constable and J.W. Thompson chief of police. The mayor was authorized to employ two lamp lighters, to light and extinguish the town lamps. He has appointed to these positions Hugh Linster and Charley Jenkins. The board voted the mayor a salary of $300 per annum. He declined to receive it. He was warmly urged to do so, being represented that this amount was little enough and that the citizens did not expect a mayor to give the town his time and labor for nothing. Mr. VanPelt finally and very properly consented to draw the salary allowed him.”
Troutman news: “Mr. Wooten, the velocipede man of the Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio Railroad, has rented a house in the village and will live here during the summer.”
