Hatteras Light Is
Symbol Of Banks
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
ion
OF
EAUF
SECOND
SECTION
The Most Widely Read Newspaper Along The Central Carolina Coast
1
VOLUME XXIX NO. 34
BEAUFORT, N. C, THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1941.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
1 V',
Outer Banks-Carolina's Perennial Frontier
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CAPE HATTERAS Light
house, built in 1870, is the
tallest brick lighthouse in the
wcrld. But this particular
Hatteras Light which for
many years acted as a guard
ian of Diamond Shoals, the
"graveyard of the Atlantic"
is no longer in commission.
A skeleton steel structure on
higher ground about one mile
from this tower is now Cape
Hatteras Light.
The famous old tower which has
become a symbol of the Outer
Banks and the new National Sea
shore Park, is included in a State
Park. Eventually it will be in
cluded, perhaps, in the 'National
Seashore.
Almost within the shadows of
this historic old structure on next
Monday some 2,000 Oater Bankers
will gather to hear their State's
Governor J. M. Broughton bring a
message which they hope will be
the promise and the assurance that
a road will be constructed down
the Banks to replace the non-Stats
maintained sand trails that now
provide a means for autos and
trucks to travel up and down the
island of Hatteras.
Also present at the big reception
honoring Governor Broughton will
be many citizens of Ocracoke who
will ask him and his Highway Com
mission to build a road on down to
their village on the nearby island
with a ferry thrown in for good
measure.
(Editors Note: Over Hatteras
Light in the above picture is the
plane of Chief. Pilot Dave Dritkill
of the Ocracoke Transportation
Company's Aviation Division.
Driskill's plane has also become a
symbol one of fast transportation
by air over the Outer Banks.)
(Photo by Ben Dixon McNeill.)
How To Get
To Hatteras
Hatteras is a thriving fish
ing village three miles from
Hatteras Inlet. It has one
hotel, the management of
which entertains annually a
host of fishermen who return
each season to fish for the
big game varieties such as
Blue Marlin, Amberjack and
Dolphin in deep water oil
shore in the Gulf Stream or
others who come for the clos
er to shore trolling for blues,
Spanish Mackerel and Cero.
In addition to the hotel there are
a number of homes in which guests
will find comfort supplemented by
good meals. The rates are about
$3 per day or $20 per week.
There are a variety of ways to
reach Hatteras. Via Manteo, the
autoist leaves Highway 34 at
Whale Bone Filling Station. Here
if the motorist is attempting to
make the drive down the beach in
their own cars, the tires should be
deflated. At the filling station
the driver must choose what is
termed as the "inside road" or
drive down the beach to Oregon
Inlet. Unless tides are favorable
and they can tell you this at Whale
Bone Station it is best not to at
tempt the route along the beach or
surf which is by far smoother but
can be driven only at low tides.
At Oregon Inlet there is a ferry
operated on a very convenient
schedule toll for car and driver
50 cents. From the south side of
Oregon Inlet the autoist proceeds
either on the inside road or adja
cent to the beach to their destina
tion. This route is not recomen
ded to persons who have had no
experience in driving along the
beach or in quicksand. Experienc
ed drivers often drive from Ore
gon Inlet to Hatteras in two hours
or visa versa, according to Tom
Eaton of the latter community.
But they are EXPERIENCED.
The surest way to reacH Hatter
as from the mainland is by boat
from Engelhard which makes a
round trip to and fro each day
from May until October. This
boat operated by the Hatteras De
velopment Company leaves Hat
teras in the morning and Engel
hard on the mainland about 2:00
o'clock in the afternoon. The
See HATTERAS Page 8
Governor Broughton To Make Party Call At Hatteras Next Monday
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PICTURED ABOVE are residents of Hatteras Island who visited Governor J. M. Broughton in Raleigh last Winter.
Next Monday Governor Broughton and members of his St ate Highway and Public Works Commission will make a
party call to these people and the other residents of Hatteras Island. In the picture, if you know your Outer Bank
ers, you will see the Odens, the Midgettes, the Meekins, and others. Sixth from left in background (next to Gover
nor Broughton) Maurice (Dick) Burrus, one-time Boston Braves outstanding first baseman, now Texaco Oil dealer
on Hatteras Island. Nearby, too, is Sheriff D. Victor Meek ins, who may not admit it, but who is responsible for the
islanders' visit to Raleigh, as well as the Governor's proposed visit to Haiteras. High spot of next Monday on Hat
teras Island will be the big picnic and speaking by the Governor at Buxton, the postoffice address of Cape Hatteras.
(Photo and cut courtesy News and Observer)..
BUXTON IS THE
POSTOFFICE AT
CAPE HATTERAS
Governor Broughton
To Speak There
Next Monday
Buxton is the postoffice
address of Cape Hatteras
which is known around the
world to mariners sailing the
seven seas as the "graveyard
of the Atlantic." That is be
cause from Cape Hatteras
extends dangerous Diamond
Shoals, to a distance of 12 to
15 miles off shore where
many ships, especially dur
ing the days of sail founder
ed and were quickly swal
lowed up by the treacherous
quicksands.
At Buxton was located the Na
tional Park Service's CCC Camp
which recently has been tiansf err
ed to Fort Bragg. The CCC boys
while stationed on Hatteras Island
built miles of sand fences, planted
grasses and solved the problem of
beach erosion. The now deserted
CCC camp will become a concen
tration point for conscientious ob
jectors in the present national
emergency according to recent
news dispatches. In addition to
the National Seashore which will
take in much of Hatteras Island
eventually, the famous old light
house there, tallest on the Ameri
can Coast, and surrounding
grounds have been made into a
State Park.
Located less than a mile from
the village of Buxton ia the old
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, built in
1870 and the tallest on the Atlan
tic Coast. From the top of the
lighthouse may be seen giant
ocean liners and ocean-going
freighters. Also may be seen
miles of the beach, and on clear
days the Diamond Lightship. The
ship is anchored off Diamond
Shoals to warn ships of the ever
present dangers which lurk there.
Good Fishing
Cape Hatteras Light is just east
of Buxton. The cape is a favored
place among the many surfcasters
who have taken thousands of chan
nel bass from the beach which ex
tends from Hatteras Inlet to this
point.
There is no hotel at Buxton, but
visitors will find several homes
where accommodations are excel
lent. Those who contemplate a
visit to Buxton are advised to ad
dress inquiries to Mrs. Maude M.
White; Mrs. Carrie Midgett and
Capt. Bernice Ballance.
Rates by the day or week are
very moderate, not exceeding
$2.50 per day.
Many are interested in cabin
accommodations within the State
Park, which surrounds the Old Hat
teras Lighthouse. While five
splendid cottages have been erect
ed here, they are not furnished.
This is due to the contemplation by
the State Park Board that this area
is to become a National Park.
There are, however, a limited
number of furnished apartments
in the former quarters of thte
lighthouse keeper. These are un
der the supervision of Mr. Horace
Doe, Kitty Hawk, N. C.
Subscribe to I ne Beaufort
News $1.50 per year
Silver Lake Harbor At
Project Which
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Colonel Gillette Is Man
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Many Men Along Outer Banks
.Choose Coast Guarding And
Dredge Boating As A Career
They Would Prefer
Staying At Home
With Families
MANY ADVANCE TO
HIGHER POSITIONS
Many men along the Outer
Banks choose Coast Guard
ing and dredge boating as a
career. It is not because
they want to leave their is
Ocracoke Is An Essential Defense
Will Soon Be Dredged
4 ,
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Who Made It Possible
land homes, but because they
have to go away to make a
living. There was a time
wlipn the price of seafood
was good and fish were plen
tiful. In those days the is
landers remained at home
with their families and made
a fair living. But in late
years it has become necessa
rv for all the young men to
seek work elsewhere. Those
See MANY MEN Page 8
t x ft tit
To Depth Of 12 Feet
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OCRACOKE HARBOR
This aerial view made last
week from aboard Dick Rey
nold's 3-motored Stinson by
Aycock Brown, editor of The
Beaufort News, shows Silver
Lake Harbor at Ocracoke, which
will be dredged to a depth of 12
feet with a channel of the same
depth connecting it with deep
water in Pamlico Sound. Bids for
dredging Silver Lake Harbor were
let on August 1, and according to
Congressman Herbert Bonner of
the First District, work will pro
ceed according to the provisions of
the Act of Congress which made it
a defense project. Do not be sur
prised if shortly after dredging the
U. S. Navy does not establish an
Inner Inshore Patrol base at Oc
racoke Island. Largely responsible
for making it possible to obtain a
greater depth in Silver Lake Har
bor is Colonel George W. Gillette,
pictured at left, a North Carolin
ian with the U. S. Army Engineer
ing Corps who developed State
Coast waterways to a greater ex.
tent when he was District Engi
neer, than any other of his pre
decessors. If it had not been for
Gillette and Bonner Silver Lake
project and also the proposed Or
egon Inlet improvements would
have been shelved when the Na
tional Emergency began instead of
being included in the Defense pro
gram. (Beaufort News Photos).
Ocracokers Want
Old Mullet Line
Locomotive Bell
When Editor Brown vaca
tioned on Ocracoke recently
one of his close friends on
the island who is a leader in
one of the two church biuld-
ing projects there at present
asked nis help in getting a
bell for the tiny steeple of the
church. Previouslysomeone
on the mainland had offered
to help but the bell this per
son had spotted weighed 950
pounds and wrould cost $40.
In the first place the church is
too small for a 950 pound bell.
Such a size bell would be larger
See OCRACOKERS Page 5
- i I . . ' : !
Speaki
Founded
FISHING AT
HATTERAS AND
OCRACOKE ISL.
Hatteras and Ocracoke waters
offer the sports fishermen unrival
ed sport. Varieties are many,
ranging from the mighty blue mar
lin to the lowly croaker.
Marlin: The western edge of
the Gulf Stream is only 14 and a
half miles from Hatteras Inlet
which divides Ocracoke and Hat
teras Island. Here in 1939 was
taken the blue marlin which holds
the Atlantic Coast record 593 1-2
pounds. It was landed by Dana
Marshall of Ohio. Previously Hugo
Rutherford had landed the first
blue marlin with rod and reel. It
weighed between 450 and 500
pounds and was taken while he
fished from aboard the Mako II
with Guide Stowe of Hatteras.
Sailfish and White Marlin: Both
of these finny warriors swim in the
waters of the Gulf Stream off Cape
Hatteras and Ocracoke Island.
They are waiting for the angler
who goes properly rigged after
them. Already to the southward
at Cape Lookout large numbers of
sails have been taken with rod and
reel.
Dolphin: This gorgeous multi
colored beauty, a fighting maraud
er which is a thrill once it hits your
lure is plentiful off the coast at
Hatteras and Ocracoke. He is
a fighter to the last and has more
thrills per second than any other
fish that sails.
Marlin, Sailfish and Dolphin are
taken in the Gulf Stream from
mid-June until October.
Amberjack: Schooled around
the numerous wrecks on Diamond
Shoals in the "graviyard of the
Atlantic" are the strong hard
fighting amberjack. They are a
terror to small tackle and a delight
See FISHING Page 5
OCRACOKERS
REQUIRED TO
PAY GAS TAX
Car Owners Call It
Taxation Without
Representation
NO LICENSE PLATES
REQUIRED ON AUTOS
Just as long as the truck or
auto they own remains on the
island, citizens of Ocracoke
Island do not have to pur
chase State license tags. It
is probably the only section
of the United States today
where no auto licenses are
required. But with gasoline
taxes, the same as we pay on
the mainland which presum
ably gdes for the upkeep of
roads it is a different storv
The six cents per gallon (if
that is the right figure) which
we pay elsewhere in North
Carolina is added to the
price of gasoline on Ocra
coke. Richard Daily, veteran observer
at the U. S. Weather Station in
Hatteras, talking to a Beaufort
News reporter recently who was
visiting there, spoke of the gaso
line taxes and said : "Its taxation
without representation." Up in
Boston years ago they started a
war about a similar situation.
They had another party like the
Boston affair over in Edenton a
long about the same time.
There will be no war about the
taxation of six cents per gallon on
gasoline which auto and truck
owners are required to pay at
Ocracoke and Hatteras. The na
tives down there are ready and
have been ready and as a matter
of fact have been fighting for bet
ter roads for a long time. Their
attitude is that: "After all we are
in North Carolina, and after all
they have been mrging us road
tax on gasoline since the first
Model T started struggling throu
gh the sands of our community
See GAS TAX Page 5
English
America
ng Civilization In
On N. C. Banks
Noted Writer Tells
Of Its History
And People
By BEN DIXON MacNEILL
In The News & Observer
Either extreme will do,
but you must have one or the
other if you get anywhere
with lifting the enchantment
that broods above this first
and this last frontier of
America, this slender reach
of yellow sand to which men
came with dream-born seeds
of a new earth avery long
time ago and to which they
return, even now, with the
dreaming, and their seed
planting. This land where yesterday is to
morrow, and tomorrow is yester
day, and today is compounded of
them both, this land where Time
stands placidly still and is not vex
ed by anything that can ever hap
pen because it has already happen
ed, and though it may, as it has,
turn the rest of the world into new
and strange ways it cannot matter
hei'e because this is a land that is
enchanted, the first and unchang
ing and the last frontier of Amer
ica. As paragraphs that is probably
an entirely too fanciful a para
graph, but there is actually noth
ing fanciful about it, unless you
have no faith at all in enchant
ments, and that cannot be if you
know anything about well, may
be it would be as well not to go
into that for the present, but get
back to the measurable and neces
sary extremes that you would find
very helpful indeed, granted any
belief at all in enchantments.
Extremes, of weather, that will
be, since weather is the mother of
this enchanted land yellow sand,
and weather here, where the
Northern Ocean and the Southern
Ocean meet and interminably ar
gue an immemorial matter, is rath
er more than likely to be extreme
one way or another, for as much
as two hundred miles northward
and southward, and that will take
in the outer lines of this land of
enchantment.
But put it this way. For conven
ience let's say that you would like
See OUTER BANKS Page 4
How To Get
To Ocracoke
If you are an aviator the
best way to reach Ocracoke
Island is to fly your own
plane. Regardless of which
air route you take, from the
northward via Manteo or
from the southward via
Beaufort and Core Banks,
you are always within glid
ing distance of the best natu
ral landing fields (for emer
gency landing in America.
Perhaps you do not own a
plane and still want to fly to
the island. Dave Driskill, chief
pilot of the Ocracoke Transporta
tion Company's Aviation Division
can take care of you, if that is the
case. He bases in Manteo and his
rates in a brand new Stinson 3
passenger cabin plane are 30 cents
per mile, which if he has a load is
only 10 cents per person. That is
lower than land taxi rates and
faster by far.
The best established regular
schedule for going to Ocracoke is
via the U. S. Mailboat "Aleta" op
erated daily between the island
(!and Atlantic by Capt. Wilbur Nel
son and his first mate Elmo Ful
cher. This boat can carry up to
40 passengers (and often does just
that) safely to Ocracoke Island
which is 28 miles by water from
Atlantic. The mailboat leaves for
Ocracoke daily at 1 o'clock (Eas
tern Standard Time) and leaves
the island at 7 o'clock (Eastern
Standard Time). The running
time between Ocracoke and Atlan
tic is about three and a half hours
for the Aleta a slow but sure way
of reaching the island. Both
Capt. Nelson and his First Mate are
See OCRACOKE Page 8