Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1947], Part 1

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1947
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 834


USA > North Carolina > Gaston County > Gastonia > Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1947] > Part 1


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REPAIRS


and Supplies


, inc.


PHONES 621 and. 622


BRYANT ELECTRIC REPAIR CO. 605.7-9 E. FRANKLIN


J. Y. TODD AGENCY INSURANCE


101-02 National Bank of Commerce Bler


Phone 108


Furnish Your Home Completely at


RUSTIN FURNITURE COMPANY INC.


266-282 W. MAIN AVE. PHONE 1800 It's a Fact -"You Can Save Money at Rustin's"


SPENCER LUMBER CO.


INCORPORATED


Building Materials


Lumber, Millwork, Brick, Lime, Cement, Plaster, Sheetrock, Roofing, All Kinds. Builders' Hardware and Paints, Wall Paper, Insulation


CORNER S. MARIETTA and 7th AVE. TELEPHONES 606 - 607


GASTONIA NORTH CAROLINA


CONSULT US ABOUT YOUR


IN? DE ALL LINES WRITTEN SERVICE UNEXCELLED


Boyce Insurance Agency TEL. 225


DUNAWAY BATTERY & ELECTRIC CO. Complete Auto Electric Service - Johnson Outboard Motors 262 E. FRANKLIN AVE.


PHONES DAY 16 - NIGHT 1864


MAXWELL BROS. & MORRIS


Furniture Store Gastonia's Leading


The Library of the University of North Carolina


CAROL .


LW


WA


SRP


Collection of North Caroliniana


Endomed by


John Sprunt Till of the Class of 1889 C971.36 G25h


ATKINS-Hack Saw Blades BILLINGS & SPENCER-Wrenches BLACK & DECKER-Portable Power Tools


BOICE-CRANE-Production Power Tools BROWN & SHARPE-Cutters and Tools DAVID BROWN-Spools and Bobbins


CARBORUNDUM-Abrasives, Cloth and Wheels CLARK-Steam Traps COLUMBIAN-Rope CLIPPER-Belt Lacing DODGE-Transmission complete DRONSFIELD-Atlas Emery Fillet


EXCELSIOR-Warm Air Furnaces


FAFNIR-Ball Bearings FAIRBANKS-Scales


FAIRBANKS-MORSE-Water Systems, Pumps, Motors, Diesel Engines FAULTLESS-Rollers and Casters FERRY-Cap and Set Screws GALLUN-Roller Leather GAMISCO-Bobbin Enamel GAMISCO-Leather Belting GOODYEAR-Mechanical Rubber Goods


HASKELL-Bolts and Nuts HEIN-WERNER-Hydraulic Jacks HOPE-Spinning Tape HOTSTREAM-Water Heaters HYGRADE-Lamps HYGRADE-Fluorescent Lighting INGERSOLL-RAND-Air Compressors IRON FIREMAN-Oil Burners, Boilers and Furnaces


TONIA PLY CO.


Line of General plies


--


- Pumps ting Supplies


WN LINES


JOBS-Canvas Goods NKINS-Valves HANS-MANVILLE-Insulation and Packing


JONES & LAUGHLIN-Steel Shafting LOCHINVAR-Automatic Water Heaters LOWELL-Mill Crayon MORSE-Drills, Reamers, Taps, Cutters NICHOLSON-Arbor Presses


NICHOLSON-Files


NOONE-Slasher and Roller Cloths PAIGE-Slasher and Roller Cloths PENBERTHY- Lubricators, Cellar Drainers PRENTISS-Vises


' PYRENE-Fire Extinguishers


RELIABLE-Sprinkler Equipment RICHMOND-Oil Tanks RICHMOND RADIATOR-Plumbing Fixtures


ROCKWOOD-Bases and Pulleys SOUTHWESTERN-Brooms SPAULDING-Fibre Boxes and Trucks STANLEY-Tools


STEPHENSON-Belt Dressing STOCKHAM-Pipe Fittings SYKES-Stripper Fillets SYLVANIA-Lamps and Fixtures


TALCOTT-Belt Fasteners, Leather Belt- ing


THOMPSON-Milford Hack Saw Blades UNITED STATES-Ring Travelers


WALWORTH-Genuine Stilson Wrenches WHEELING-Pipe


WINSLOW-Sheep and Calf Skins WOLVERINE-Brass Pipe


WYANDOTTE-Cleaning Products YALE & TOWNE-Locks and Hoists YARNALL-Paints, Enamels, Strains, etc.


613 East Franklin Ave.


Phones 285 - 286


(1947) HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


B


COCKER MACHINE & FOUNDRY COMPANY


Manufal


Linnea


GASTONIA


C971.36 Hill's Gastonia city A G25h directory


1947


HIGH SPEED WARPERS and Tubes.


DẠT


HIGH SPEED WARPERS


SLOW SPEED WARPERS


HIGH SPEED CREELS fo from Cones, Spools ar


SLOW SPEED CREELS f from Spools.


SIZING MACHINES (or of Synthetic yarns by DIRECT BEAMING WAR and Cones.


This book must not be taken from the Library building.


COMBINATION WARPI yarns from Cones an


WARP GASSING MACH Beam or Ball Warp.


WARP DYEING MACHII System of Warp Dye


WARP BEAMING MACI WARP HANDLING EQU Snaking, Warp Wrap Warp Coiling Machi WARPER SUPPLIES co CLOTH DYEING, BLEA Cans, Soapers, Wash chines, Single and I


INSPECTING MACHINI


COMPLETE


Library Bure


For Warp Preparati


Write us for cuts and any Machinery in


GASTONIA CITY DIRECTORY (1947)


C


PIEDMONT GAS Company, Inc.


Essotane GAS SERVICE


Essotane Bottled Gas for Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Consumption Gas Ranges Space Heaters and Water Heaters for Bottled Gas


TELEPHONE 263


717 W. Airline Av. P. O. Box 1281 Gastonia, N. C.


(1947) HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


HILL'S GASTONIA (GASTON COUNTY, N. C.) CITY DIRECTORY Vol. 1947 VII


Including Arkray Mills Village, Arlington Heights, Arlington Mills Village, Armstrong Development, Brookwood, Dixon Mills Village, Fairmont Park, Flint Mills Village No.'s 1 and 2, Forest Hill, Groves Mills Village, Hillcrest, Linwood Park, Mutual Mills Village, Myrtle Mills Village, Osceola Mills Village, Ruby Mills Village, Seminole Mills Village, Victory Mills Village, West View Heights and Winget Mills Village


Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Private Citizens, a Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide; also a


BUYERS' GUIDE


and a Complete


Classified Business Directory


FOR DETAILED CONTENTS SEE GENERAL INDEX


MORE GOODS


ARE BOUGHT. AND SOLD THROUGH THE


PRICE


CLASSIFIED BUSINESS LISTS


$16.50


OF THE


DIRECTORY THAN


ANY OTHER MEDIUM


ON EARTH


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers 207 Governor Street, Richmond 6, Va.


DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1947, by Hill Directory Co., Inc.


Section 28, Copyright Law In Force July 7, 1909


That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall knowingly or wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court.


ASSOCIATION OF


PRO BONO


PUBLICO


NORTH AMERICAN


1898


IZED


DIREDIRECDIREC


DIRECTORY


O DIRECDIRECDIREC


PUBLISHERS


PUBLISHERS NOTE


The information in this Directory is gathered by an actual canvass and is compiled in a way to insure maximum accuracy.


The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the cor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the complete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsibility for same can be or is assumed.


The publishers earnestly request the bringing to their attention of any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next edition of the directory.


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers


GENERAL INDEX


Page


Abbreviations


28


Alphabetical List of Names


29


Apartment Buildings 701


Banks 706


Board of Education 224


Buildings-Office and Public


711


Bus and Coach Lines-Motor


711


Buyers' Guide opp


620


Cemeteries


712


Churches


713


City Offices


224


Classified Business Directory


701


Clergymen


715


Clubs 717


County Offices 222


Courts


222


Fire Department


224


Government


15


Halls


731


Hospitals and Dispensaries


732


Hotels


732


Libraries


738


Miscellaneous Information


15


Newspapers


742


Parks and Playgrounds


744


Police Department 225


Post Office 568


Railroads


747


Schools-Parochial 751


Schools-Public 751


Schools, Colleges and Academies 751


Societies 753


Street and Avenue Guide 761


U. S. Government 567


401705


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


PAGE NUMBERS BELOW REFER TO THE BUYERS' GUIDE SECTION


Acme Petroleum & Fuel Co Inc


Page


Adams Ice & Coal Co Inc . ribbon book mark, right top lines and 23


Armington Hotel right top lines and 22


Bess J F & Co


Z


Boyce Insurance Agency


front cover and 47


Bryant Electric Repair Co Inc


Carolina Florist front and back cover, left side lines and


32


Carothers Funeral Home


left top lines and


37


Carter A B Inc


Citizens National Bank The


front stencil, left bottom lines and 16


City Coach Co


right side lines and 21


City Lumber Co back cover, right side lines and 55 City Paint Store Inc . left side lines and 61 B Cocker Machine & Foundry Co Colonial Ice Co right top lines and Costner Funeral Home 46 38 2 Craig Motor Co Dawsey Veterinary Hospital left center lines and Duck Bowling Alley 78 20 Y Duke Power Co 3 Dunaway Battery & Electric Co . front cover and 27


Efird's Department Store left top lines and


Elliott and Little Furniture Co


42


Firestone Florist


Firestone Stores


First Federal Savings & Loan Assn


right bottom lines and 66 23 x 12 31 7


Fox Coal Co


Gary's Auto Electric Shop


Gaston Body Shop


Gaston Electric Co Inc left bottom lines and


Gaston Service Co


Gastonia Brush Co left side lines and 21


Gastonia Coca-Cola Bottling Co .back cover and 18


Gastonia Combed Yarn Corp


Gastonia Insurance Agency Inc back cover and


74 48 Gastonia Lumber Co left top lines and 56 Gastonia Mill Supply Co


and 72


Gastonia Mutual Building & Loan Assn


.left top lines and 66


Gastonia Roller Flyer & Spindle Co Inc


right top lines and 69


Gastonia Sheet Metal Works . left center lines and 68


Gastonia Textile Sheet Metal Works Inc


68 69


Gene's Soda Shop


Gettys Hardware Co . left side lines and 44


Goodrich B F Stores right bottom lines and 7


Gossett Machine Works right side lines and 71


46


Carolina Hardware & Supply Co left center lines and 35


43


58


Evans College of Commerce 22


36 4


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Griffin Supply Co


Page 73


Grocers Baking Co right side lines and 15


Guion Motor Co


8 12


Home Finance Co


Home Security Life Insurance Co


Horne's Home & Auto Supplies .. right bottom lines and


Howe Distributing Co


Howe's T Q Garage . left top lines and 9 69 Jackson & Smith Jean Construction Co .right center lines and Jefferson Standard Life Onsurance Co of Greensboro N C 24 50 Jenkins Cleaners right center lines and Jenkins George A 29 52 Jenkins Metal Shop left top lines and Johnson H V & Son right top lines and 67 23 Johnston's Furniture Co 38 Jones L G Cotton Co Inc Kennedy's Rexall Drug Store . right top lines and 76 27 52 Kincaid Insurance Agency 66 Ladd Sea Food right side lines and 76 63 Lawson W D & Co Inc Leventis P P & Co 65 Leventis Restaurant Lewis Florist Lineberger Realty Co 36 64 68 Long Bros 9 Loughridge Motor Co Inc right bottom lines and Matthews-Belk Co right top lines and 26 Maxwell Bros & Morris front cover and 39 McLean & Son Funeral Home 36 McLurd & Babington . left bottom lines and 52 34 Mill & Marine Electric Inc right bottom lines and Mitcham & Co 71 Moore & Stewart Inc 64 52 Morris Jewelry Co Inc 13 Morris Glass Co Morris Motor Co 13


Mott Motor Co Inc


10


National Bank of Commerce


backbone, left side lines and 17 53


Nelson Iron & Metal Co


New-Way Laundry and Cleaners


New York Life Insurance Co


Norris Supply & Machine Co


left side lines and


Orange Crush-Double Cola Bottling Co


Page & Joe


Parkdale Mills Inc


Penegar O G Co back cover, right side lines and


Petroleum Transportation Inc . back cover and


Piedmont Electric Co left side lines and


Piedmont Gas Co Inc


Public Service Co of N C Inc . left top lines and


Rankin-Armstrong Co Inc .right top lines and


Rawlings-Todd Co The


Recreation Bowl


Red Front Cleaners


Riddle Geo M Funeral Home .. left bottom lines and


Roberts' Service ribbon book mark and


Roper Used Car Co


10


Roy's Inc 53


54 50 58 19 13 75 59 62 33 C 43 40 33 20 28


37 5


9


Heffner & Webb Body and Paint Shop


14


46 8 45


10


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Rustin Furniture Co Inc


. front cover, left bottom lines and 41


Saunders Dry Cleaning Co


31


Schneider Leon I Department Store 26


Simmons Auto-Electric left center lines and 11


Smith Chevrolet Co Inc


top stencil and 6


Smith's Cut Rate Drug Store Inc


Smith's Farm Supply & Hatchery Co


Southern Furniture Co .right bottom lines and 35


Southern Supply Co right side lines and 42


right center lines and 44


Spencer Lumber Co Inc


front cover and


57


Spencer Machinery & Supply Co .left top lines and 73


Spencer-Rhyne Co .right bottom lines and 60


Spindle City Bottling Co Inc The


Standard Hardware Co Inc right center lines and


right bottom lines and 45


Sterchi Bros Stores Inc


.right top lines and


42


Sunrise Dairy


. bottom stencil and


25 11


Todd F C Inc


left side lines and


70


Todd J Y Agency


. front cover and


49


United Dry Cleaners


left side lines and


30


W G N C Radio Station


left side lines


Walker G G Motor Co Inc


13


Ware J White


63


Watson Insurance Agency Inc right side lines and


51


Western Auto Associate Store right side lines and


12


Whisnant-Williams Furniture Co


43


Whitesides & Co


51


Wilson Jim Willys Dealer


14


Wilson Transfer Co Inc


back cover, left bottom lines and 77


Winget's Inc


left bottom lines and


53


Withers P T


24


Wray W H


14


Wright-Fair Real Estate Co


64


19


Thomas Motor Sales


left bottom lines and


28


INTRODUCTION


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., publishers of Southeastern Directories, present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1947 edition of the Gastonia City Directory, which also includes Arkray Mills Village, Arlington Heights, Ar- lington Mills Village, Armstrong Deveopment, Brookwood, Dixon Mills Village, Fairmont Park, Flint Mills Village Nos. 1 and 2, Forest Hill, Groves Mills Village, Hillcrest, Linwood Park, Mutual Mills Village, Myrtle Mills Village, Osceola Mills Village, Ruby Mills Village, Seminole Mills Village, Vic- tory Mills Village, West View Heights and Winget Mills Village.


Confidence in the growth of Gastonia's industry, popu- lation and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be maintained as sections of this Di- rectory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly reflecting Gastonia to the world.


The enviable position occupied by HILL'S Directories in the estimation of the public, has been established by ren- dering the best in Directory service. With an unrivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty cooperation of the business and professional men and resi- dents, the publishers feel that the result of their labors will meet with the approval of every user, and that the Gastonia Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the community.


Four Major Departments


The four major departments are arranged in the fol- lowing order :-


THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is included in pages 29 to 617, on white paper. This is the only record in exis- tence that aims to show the name, marital status, occupa- tion and address of each adult resident of Gastonia and vicinity, and the name, official personnel, nature and ad- dress of each firm and corporation.


THE BUYERS' GUIDE, preceding the Classified and separately paged from 1 to 80, on goldenrod paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, business and professional interests of Gastonia and vicinity. The adver- tisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the business represented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of supply. In a progressive com- munity like Gastonia, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General ap- preciation of this fact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.


THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is included in pages 701 to 760, on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns of the whole community in alphabetical order under appropriate headings. This feature constitutes an invaluable and indis- pensable catalog of the numerous interests of the commun- ity. The Directory is the common intermediary between buyer and seller. As such it plays an important part in the


12


INTRODUCTION


daily activities of the commercial and professional world. More buyers and sellers meet through the Classified Busi- ness Directory than through any other medium.


THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, covers pages 761 to 827. In this section the named streets are arranged in alphabetical order, followed by the numbered streets in numerical order, the numbers of the residences and busi- ness concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the numbers. The names of the intersecting streets appear at their respective crossing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the designation of homes and places of business having telephones.


Community Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the community, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a business location, as a manufacturing site and as an educational center. To broad- cast this information, the publishers have placed copies of this issue of the Directory in Directory Libraries, where they are readily available for free public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Gastonia and vicinity.


The Gastonia Directory Library


Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Gastonia City Directory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Gastonia Chamber of Commerce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of more than 500 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.


The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recogni- tion by those progressive business and professional men who have demonstrated their confidence in the City Direc- tory as an advertising medium, with assurance that it will brin ga commensurate return.


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers.


GASTONIA


"THE COMBED COTTON YARN MANUFACTURING CENTER OF AMERICA"


(Courtesy Gastonia Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government-City manager-council (Plan D).


Population-1940 U. S. Census for city proper, 21,313; Greater Gastonia, 33,487. Present estimated population, Gastonia, 24,000; Greater Gastonia, 39,000. American-born, 99.3%. Predominating nationality of foreign-born residents, Greek.


Area-4.3 square miles.


Altitude-825 feet above sea level.


Climate-Mean annual temperature, 60.2 degrees F .; average annual rainfall, 46.05 inches.


Parks-4, with total of 61 acres, valued at $85,000.


Assessed Valuation-$22,835,290, with $1.15 per $100 tax rate.


Bonded Debt-$2,103,000 gross; $1,264,500 net.


Financial Data-2 banks, with total assets of $26,978,- 513.35 (June 30, 1946). 2 building and loan associations, with total assets of $2,494,928.40 (Aug. 31, 1946).


Postal Receipts-1930, $65,841.25; 1940, $102,002.45; 1945, $224,070.95.


Telephones in Service-4,671.


Churches-29, representing 12 denominations.


Industry-Chief industry of city and surrounding ter- ritory is textile manufacturing. Total of 142 manufacturing plants of all classifications, with annual payroll of $25,000,- 00. Principal manufactured products: Cotton yarn, textile machinery, sewing thread, tire fabric, bedspreads, and nu- merous other textile and miscellaneous products.


Trade Area-Retail area has radius of 25 miles, with over 250,000 population.


Newspapers-1 daily.


Radio Stations-WGNC, 250-watt, dial 1450.


Hotels-4, with total of 240 rooms.


Railroads-3: Southern, Carolina & Northwestern, and Piedmont & Northern (electric).


Highways-U. S. 29, 74 and 321.


Airports-1 landing field on outskirts of city, 1 airport, and 2 airports near Charlotte, about 15 miles distant.


Amusements-Largest auditorium in city seats, 1,654 persons. 5 motion-picture theatres, with total seating ca- pacity of 3,200 persons. 2 golf courses.


Hospitals-4, with total of 294 beds.


Education - 10 public schools, with 5,844 pupils en- rolled, and 184 teachers. Value of public school property, $1,750,000.


Public Libraries-1, with 41,000 volumes and 363,000 circulation.


14


INTRODUCTION


City Statistics-Total street mileage, 56, with 33 miles paved and several miles under construction. Miles of gas mains, 87; sewers, 72.33; electric street railway, 4. Number of water meters, 5,017; light meters, 5,221; gas meters, 1,205. Capacity of water works, 4,500,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 3,600,000 gallons; miles of mains, 75; value of plant, $1,142,999.38. Number of fire hydrants, 404; street lights, 726. Fire department has 32 men, with 2 stations and 6 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department property, $72,000. Police department has 36 men, with 1 station and 6 pieces of motor equipment.


T


DRUGS


The Heart of Growing Gastonia's Business District


History and Location


The area of which Gastonia is the trade center began to be settled about the year 1735 by Scotch-Irish and Ger- mans who had previously settled temporarily in Pennsyl- vania. These sturdy pioneers were attracted by the genial climate, the numerous springs and streams, and the fertile, virgin soil. It should be said in testimony of their fairness and right living that the powerful tribe of Catawba Indians, into whose midst the settler came, assumed a friendly at- titude toward their white brothers and often fought with them against other Indian tribes and also in their con- quests for freedom during the Revolutionary War. It is not surprising to find from the pages of history, therefore, that the battle of Kings Mountain, the turning point of the Revolutionary War, should have been fought twenty miles


Not


WHITE, STREETER & CHAMBERLAIN ARCHITECTS - GASTONIA . N. C.


Gastonia City Hall


Scene on the Famous Wilkinson Boulevard (U. S. No. 29) Leading East from Gastonia, Sixty Feet Wide, Four Traffic Lanes, Carrying the Heaviest Traffic of Any Highway in the State of North Carolina


16


INTRODUCTION


from Gastonia by those early pioneers who prized their religious and political freedom so highly.


Romantic Growth


The manufacturing industry began to develop in this community in 1848 when the Mountain Island and Wood- lawn cotton mills were built. During the next 24 years only one other industry came into being, and it was not until 1872, after the War between the States, that real industrial development began. In 1888 there were eight manufacturing plants in the county.


It was in 1872 that the first railroad was built through Gaston County, making available to the manufacturers of the area raw material supplies and the consuming markets of the world.


Gastonia was a cross-roads village 65 years ago, with a population of 236. It was incorporated as a town in 1877, and the charter was amended in 1910, changing the name from the Town of Gastonia to the City of Gastonia.


Each decennial census has recorded a marvelous growth in population. Population figures since 1880 have been as follows: 1880, 236; 1890, 1,033; 1900, 4,610; 1910, 5,759; 1920, 12,871; 1930, 17,093; 1940, 21,313; 1946, estimated, 24,000.


Industrial Supremacy


Today Gastonia has 56 textile manufacturing plants, with 600,000 spindles, and an average daily payroll of ap- proximately $71,000.


One of the Largest Tire Fabric Plants Under One Roof in the World, Located in Gastonia


Gaston County at the present time has over 150 textile plants, not to mention the various other smaller and allied manufacturing establishments.


Today the sons of the early pioneers are still carrying on with native-born Americans as employees, with complete understanding of each other and an absence of friction in industrial relationship. According to the 1940 U. S. Census, only .7% of Gastonia's population was foreign-born. This enviable position, together with other favorable factors of climate, location, etc., induced the Firestone Cotton Mills to locate their Southern tire fabric manufacturing plant in Gastonia in 1935.


Industrial products of the county include: Cotton yarns, tire fabric, textile machinery, sewing thread, bedspreads, crocheting and knitting yarns, labels, gears, weavers' knot- ters, roller covering, dress goods, sheeting, leather belting,


Home q una. Leurge à Regan (318 5. York Sb.)


Gastonia-A City of Beautiful Homes


18


INTRODUCTION


silk, rayon, mattresses, furniture, textile supplies, hosiery, shoe laces, Army uniform cloth, miscellaneous ordnance materials, oil filter refills, damask, novelties, and other articles.


Transportation and Utilities


Gastonia is on the main double-track line of the Sou- thern Railway from New York to New Orleans and is also served by the Carolina & Northwestern and Piedmont & Northern railways. Also serving Gastonia are several high- ways, including U. S. Highway No. 29, the "Main Street of the South," and U. S. No. 321. Three bus lines and numerous motor-freight and express companies operate in all direc- tions from Gastonia. Gastonia is only twenty minutes from the Charlotte airport, which is served by the Eastern Air Lines from New York to New Orleans. These facilities pro- vide convenient and rapid transportation of passengers, freight and express in a few hours to the great centers of the U. S. Gastonia has one landing field on the outskirts of the city and one airport, and there are two airports near Charlotte, about 15 miles distant from Gastonia.


Industry cannot thrive without adequate power, and in this respect Gastonia is particularly fortunate. In close proximity to the Duke Power Co., with several of its mam- mouth hydro-electric steam auxiliary plants located in Gaston County, ample electric power is available at low rates. The quality of service available and the economical rates for users of electricity are highly important factors in considering Gastonia as a place of residence, or for the location of a business or industry.




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