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VOL. 37—NO. 36
SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY. JULY 26. 1956
SIXTEEN PAGES
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FLOODING BEAR CREEK, which passes under Highway 705
near Robbins, pictured about 11 a.m. last Friday morning, rose
some 25 feet in the area at the bridge, according to estimates of
several residents of the community. About 6:30 the water was
oyer the bridge, and at one time, according to one person, th^
sign at right could not be seen at all. (Pilot photo).
R. L. LINK, shown at center left, points out the spot to news
men where his automobile, which contained his wife’s body when
pulled out a few minutes later, was located by a volunteer search
crew last Friday morning. There were( several hundred people
crowding the roadside at the time the picture was taken, about
10:30 a. m.
Flash Flood Takes 3 Lives Friday
Three persons lost their lives merged in almost 20 feet of
near Robbins last Friday in what
observers said was the worst
flood to ever hit the upper end of
Moore County.
Dead were Mrs. R. L. Link, 46,
of Route 3, Lexington, her daugh
ter, Scarlet Lynn, 10, and John
Hubert Black, 36, of West End.
Mrs. Link’s body was the first
to be recovered from swollen
waters around Bear Creek, nor
mally a slow meandering stream
that was reported to have risen
more than 23 feet at the bridge
on Np Highway 705.
She was found shortly before
noon Friday, almost eight hours
after the car in which she was
riding with her husband, a farm
er and general store manager,
and three children was swept off
the road by a rushing current.
Mr. Link, 52, who was driving
the car, and two sons, Monty
Gene, 14, and Wayne, 12, man
aged to get out of the open back
windows befdre the car was sub-
Johnnie Hall And
Joe Carter Named
Carousel Leaders
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Preliminary plans for the hold
ing of the third annual Southern
Pines Golf Carousel will be dis
cussed at a joint meeting of sev
eral committees at the high school
library Tuesday night at 8 p.m.
The Carousel, being sponsored
this year by the Junior Chamber
of Commerce, will probably be
held during the latter part of Oc
tober or the first part of Novem-
m ber, committee officials pointed
out. They said, however, that no
definite date had been set and that
many things had to be considered
before any definite commitments
could be made.
Heading up the Carousel will be
Johnnie Hall and Joe Carter, co-
chairmen of the Jaycee committee
ih charge.
An advisory committee of the
Chamber of Commerce, sponsors
O of the event for the first two
years, is composed of John Os-
trom, chairman, Warren Bell, Val
erie Nicholson and Roy Grinnell.
An advisory committee appoint
ed by the Jaycees is composed of
Jerry Healy and W. B. “Chick”
Holliday.
The Jaycee co-chairmen said to
day they would announce full
committees after next week’s
meeting. They also said they
'fe' would request the three partici
pating golf courses. Mid Pines,
Pine Needles and the Southern
Pines Coimtry Club (Elks Club),
to name committees to assist in
the over-aU planning.
Indications are that the first
week in November, the date many
people thought would be the best
for the tournament \<muld have to
be eliminated. It was the private
, feeling of many people that the
■* national elections, which will be
held during the first week of No
vember, would cause many poten
tial players to miss the tourna
ment.
Hall and Carter said they would
use the facilities of every Jaycee
Club in the state to help boost the
entry list.
They have done considerable
groundwork in laying the plans
for advance promotion and pub-
• licity.
water. He told newsmen that he
was unable to get Mrs. Link out
of the car, “although I felt her
arm through the window just be
fore it started going down pretty
fast.”
Link and his two sons managed
to climb some nearby trees to es
cape the swirling waters. They
were removed by boat in about 30
minutes.
The body of Scarlet Lynn was
discovered about 1 p. m. not far
from the location of the submerg
ed car. She apparently had been
swept out.
The body of the third victim in
the disastrous flash flood, that of
John Hubert Black, was discov
ered by a searching party about
12:30 a. m. Sunday morning.
Black had been in a car swept
off the road a few minutes be
fore the car carrying the Link
family plunged into the
Joe Richardson, of Pinehurst,
was identified as the driver of the
car. He had also been rescued
from trees by a volunteer group
in a boat shortly before Link and
his two sons were removed. At
tlie time he was taken from the
tree, Richardson mumbled “my
buddy, my buddy, I guess he’s
gone.”
No significance was attached to
the statement at the time, though
during the rescue operations the
rumor was rife that another body
was in the water.
Mayor W. R. Kennedy of Rob
bins, who also operates a funeral
parlor, said he had learned that
Richardson and Black were to
gether after 3 a. m, on the fateful
morning. He said he informed
Deputy Sheriff D. Bi. Cranford,
who tried to track down Rich
ardson, but Cranford was unsuc
cessful.
Ralph Steed, county coroner,
said that Fred McDuffy, a farm
er of near Robbins, had reported
to town officials that Richardson
and Black had left his farm about
3 a. m. heading towards Robbins.
After Cranford was unsuccess
ful in finding Richardson at his
home in Pinehurst, officials tried
to locate him and discovered he
had gone to Dunn to visit his
wife’s relatives.
Black’s two brothers came to
Robbins Saturday night and said
Black had not been seen for quite
water ® while. Black, they reported, was
■ married and worked in Laurin-,
burg.
Black, it was reported, had
hired a taxi driver to be at his
home in West End at 5 a. m. Fri
day morning to pick him up to
take him) to Laurinburg.
Cranford finally contacted
■
Carolina Orchids
Sets Open House
Twice On Weekend
Want a breath of spring in the
middle of summer?
The second in a series of open
houses at Carolina Orchids, Inc.,
one of the most famous green
houses in the South, will be held
at the greenhouses Saturday and
Sunday from 2 to 6 p. in., it has
been announced by Mr. and Mrs.
Karl H. Bridges, owners.
Visitors, who are being admit
ted without charge, will be able
to see more than 1,000 orchids in
full bloom, all in one greenhouse;
The firm, which has steadily
grown to become recognized as
one of the finest growers of prize
orchids in the country, has some
60 to 75 thousand orchids, in va
rying stages of growth. More than
10,000 varieties, many of them
rare and extremely difficult to
grow, are included in the giant
collection.
Mrs. Bridges said that visitors
could see one specimen known
as “oncidium,” the smallest open
now, a pure white orchid known
as cybele, and Afterglow, with
petals of a coppery tone.
Visitors may also see the thous
ands of plants in their various
stages of growth. At present the
greenhouses num.iber about fif
teen, and all are well-stocked
with orchids.
The usual $1 admission fee —
which is distributed to various
charities—^has been dispensed
with for the open houses.
The greenhouses are located on
Crest Road, about two blocks off
Midland Road, within the city
limits of Southern Pines.
R. L. LINK sadly surveys
the work of the volunteer
search crew that was in the
flood waters of Bear Creek
looking for his missing wife
and daughter, both later
found drowned.
Richardson at Dunn through the
State Highway Patrol. He report
ed that Richardson told him that
he (Richardson) and Black were
standing by the car when it went
into the creek. The two had be
come excited at the fast rising
(Continued on page 8)
County Commissioners To Buy New
Fire Truck For Rural Protection
AGOS Airmen
Capture Adult
SoftbaU Title
Defeat CP&L For
6th Straight Win
Airmen at the Air-Ground Op
erations School defeated Carolina
Power & Light Company 13-2 last
Friday night to wind up in top
spot in the Adult Softball League.
The Airmen went through the
season undefeated, winning six
straight games. Carolina Power
& Light had its perfect season
spoiled by the Airmen, winding
up with a 5-1 season record.
In a special playoff game for
third place, the Church of Wide
Fellowship defeated the Lions
Club Tuesday night 12-4.
The first four teams will begin
Shaughnessy playoffs tonight
(Thursday) at Memorial Field and
continue next Tuesday. Winners
will be decided on a best two-of-
three basis.
Irie Leonard, director of the
summer recreation program, an
nounced the schedule as follows:
Thursday, July 26, 7:15—Church
of Wide Fellowship (no. 3 team)
(Continued on Page 8)
Volunteer Fire
Department Loses
25-Year Veteran
The resignation of Ralph Mills,
a veteran of 25 years with the
.Southern Pines Volunteer Fire
Department, was accepted with
“genuine regret and deep feel
ing” by members of the depart
ment at their last meeting.
Mills, superintendent of the
Southern Pines Water Depart
ment, had informed the depart
ment several weeks ago.
Harold B. Fowler, chief of the
local volunteer fire department,
said that Mills had given “devo
ted and unselfish service to the
department without ever a
thought of personal glory or re
muneration.”
A^ed Resident Killed
Saturday On RR Track
'Probably Did
Rot See Train/
Witnesses Say
Funeral services for Mrs. Wil
liam Edward Cox, 82, who was
(accidentally killed when she
walked in front of a south-bound
Seaboard Airline passenger train
Saturday morning, were held at
EmmanueK Episcopal Church
Monday morning at 11 o’clock.
The services were conducted by
the Rev. Martin Caldwell, rector
LEGION MEETING
The Sandhills Post of the Amer
ican Legion will meet at the Le
gion Hut on Maine Ave. at 8 p.m.
Friday night to elect new officers.
Other business is also scheduled.
Polio Vaccine
Available Now
Special public clinics for polio
vaccinations with the Salk vaccine
are not being held in Moore Coun
ty at present, but will be if the
need arises. Dr. J. W. Willcox,
county health officer, said this
week.
At present. Dr. Willcox said,
anyone between the ages of one
through 19, or any pregnant moth
er, will be given the shots on re
quest, without charge, at the
county health center in Carthage.
The health center is open Mon
day through Friday from 9 to 5,
and on Saturday from 9 to 12.
There is plenty of vaccine avail
able in the county. Dr. Willcox
pointed out, and urged anyone de
siring the shots to visit the health
center.
He said that those people who
fell within the age limits and who
had their second dose anytime in
1955, can get their third dose now.
The North Carolina Medical So
ciety has issued a release urging
every parent in the state to make
certain that their child is vaccinat
ed immediately.
The society said that North Car
olina’s heaviest polio period has
been experienced in August in a
number of past years, and that
members of the society are seek
ing to protect as many children as
possible against the dread disease.
“The polio vaccine is safe, effec
tive and is now available in siz
able quantities but is useless un
less injected,” the society said.
“Vaccination now may prevent
of Emmanuel Episcopal Church,
of which she was a member, as
sisted by Dr. T. A. Cheathami of
Pinehurst. Dr. Cheatham also
conducted graveside services at
Mt. Hope Cemetery, where the
burial took place.
Mrs. Cox was killed instantly
stortly before 9 a. m. Saturday.
She had, for three or four min
utes, been talking with Harry
Pethick, Mayor Pro Tern of
Southern Pines, in front of Ham
el’s Restaurant on the corner of
North East Broad Street and New
Hampshire Avenue. She appar
ently was on her way to the curb
market across from the passen
ger station on North West Broad
Street.
Mr. Pethick told Southern
Pines police officers that he
shouted at Mrs. Cox to stop when
he noticed she was walking
across the track in the face of
the oncoming train. He said she
gave no sign of hearing him.
Bernest Sellars, railway station
porter, told the officers he was
walking alongside the tracks on
the station side to meet the
train’s mail car, which ordinarily
stopped just south of New Hamp
shire Avenue. He said he also saw
Mrs. Cox crossing the tracks and
waved frantically in attempts to
get her attention.
A number of witnesses, several
who were having breakfast in
Hamel’s Restaurant, later told of
ficers they heard the warning
bells on the track and the train’s
horn.
Mrs. Cox, who was reoorted to
(Continued on page 8)
paralysis and other dangers
August and September.”
441st IN VAST CHAIN
A move by a committee to set
up a program of rural fire protec
tion in the county has paid off-
not quite as much as had been ex
pected—but enough to cause a
general expression of pleasure
from a number of officials in the
county.
The Board of County Commis
sioners voted Wednesday after
noon to purchase immediately one
fire truck, to be used in the coun
ty at some spot selected by a com
mittee representing the various
sections.
The Board also said it would
purchase another within 60 days
’if the budget will allow it.”
Ralph Steed of Robbins, who,
was appointed by Mayor W. R.
Kennedy of Robbins to represent
the citizens committee at the spe
cial meeting, said he was extreme
ly pleased with the board’s action.
“It is a small start, but represents
progress,” he said. “We hope the
full plan of rural fire protection
will be fully implemented' in the
immediate future.”
The Moore County Farm Bu
reau, which has some 450 farm
families in its membership, was
represented at the meeting by
Clyde Auman of West End, presi
dent of the organization. He also
expressed pleasure at the Board’s
decision and said it was an excel
lent start to rural fire protection,
“one thing this county has been
sadly lacking in.”
Auman said he could foresee
the day when the county would
be completely protected by mod
ern fight fighting equipment and
called on the Board to recognize
the problem that rural people are
faced with when fire threatens
their homes.
Under the present plans a com
mittee of mayors and fire officials
in the county will decide the prop
er type equipment to purchase
and the locations of the equipment
so that maximum protection may
be realized.
The request for the commission
ers to provide such protection was
made at a meeting in the court
house about 10 days ago, attended
by mayors of all towns in the
county with their fire officials.
New Colonial Store Sets Opening
Next Wednesday; Building Complete
Opening of the new Colonial
Store on the corner of North East
Broad Street and Connecticut
Avenue has been scheduled for
next Wednesday, August 1, com
pany officials announced this
week
The store, 441st in the vast Co
lonial chain, has been under con
struction since March. Finishing
touches and the tremendous task
of stocking the shelves will be
completed when the store opens
its doors formally Wednesday
morning at 8:30.
W. H. Lee, a Durham native
who has been with the company
15 years, four as manager of Co
loniaTs other store in Southern
Pines, said this week that approx
imately 50 people will be employ
ed by the firm in various capaci
ties.
The new store, modern in every
respect, will have more than
10,000 square feet of space devoted
to displaying more than 4,000 dif
ferent items, double the amount in
♦the other store. The display
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NEW HOME OF COLONIAL STORE—CORNER CONNECTICUT AND E. BROAD
shelves, constructed at an angle
will make for easier floor traffic,
Lee said, and will afford custom
ers a better opportunity to see the
merchandise.
A complete line of frozen foods,
meat, fresh foods, dairy products
and fancy foods will be offered.
The meat market, Lee said, will
be completely self-service al
though, as a custom of the store,
custom cuts of meat will be avail
able.
The store is completely air-con
ditioned with the latest equip
ment. Customers may enter the
store from one of two entrances—
from North East Broad Street, or
from Connecticut Avenue.
A paved parking lot will accom
modate 53 cars. In addition there
is considerable street parking ad
jacent to the property.
A unique feature of the new
store is a marquee running around
two sides. All Colonial stores do
not have this feature, Lee said. It
was constructed primarily for con
venience of customers during
rainstorms.
The inside store walls are of at
tractively colored concrete block
and plaster.
Lee said the dairy department
would be one of the most com
plete in this area.
Store hours for the first four
days, beginning Wednesday, are
from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The
following week the regular sched
ule—opening from 8:30 a.m. to 6
p.m., closing Wednesday after
noons and remaining open Friday
night to 8:30—will be observed.
Company officials said that
hundreds of dollars worth of mer
chandise and free prizes would be
given away during the four-day
opening.
In addition to Lee, other offi
cials of the store are Don J. Wal-
dock, manager of the meat de
partment, and Franklin D. Ivey,
produce manager.
County All-Stars
Defeat Durham In
Pony League Play
Moore County’s Pony League
All-Stars defeated Durhaim 4-1
in the first game of early elimina
tion rounds at Ervin Park in Dur
ham Wednesday night.
The All-Stars meet Durham
again tonight in the best two-of
^ three series to decide who will
in advance to the district elimina
tion tournament in Greensboro,
Which starts Monday.
In the game last night, played
in rainy weather before an un-
usuaUy large crowd, G. A. Mc-
Caskill of Robbins saved a game
that Marvin Lewis, of Aberdeen,
who started for Moore County,
had practically won.
In the seventh inning, leading
4-1, Lewis loaded the bases and
had none out. Lewis had already
struck out six and allowed only
two hits, an excellent showing.
When McCaskill was called in,
he studied the situation carefully
and did what all major leage
pitchers dream of at some time
in their career: he promptly
struck out the first three batters
he faced.
Moore County scored first in
the third inning on a single by
Jimmy Caldwell and a long triple
by H. V. Ritter of Aberdeen.
They scored single runs again in
the fifth, sixth, and seventh inn
ings, with all the runs coming as
the result of squeeze bunts.
W. A. Leonard, who is coach
ing the All-Stars with Major Er-
skine Crew, said this morning he
probably would start either
Archie Kelly of Carthage or Bob
by Watkins of Southern Pines in
tonight’s game, scheduled to get
underway at 8 p. m. in the same
park.
A number of fans from the
county attended last night’s
game, Leonard said, and many
more have indicated they would
attend tonight.
The county All-Stars, picked
by a panel of four coaches Iasi;
Friday night, is composed of Bob
by Watkins, Robert Woodruffi,
Melba Hall and James Caldwell,
of Southern Pines; H. V. Ritter,
Marvin Lewis and Bill Marts of
Aberdeen; Archie Kelly, Yates
Williamson. Bobby Kelly and A.
Whitaker of Carthage; and Phil
lip Williams, G. A. McCaskill,
Larry Kennedy and Lindy Moore,
of Robbins.
All play in the county league
has been suspended during the
playoffs.
At present Southern Pines is
leading the league.