A bystander, watching flames
gut the historic Hu^es home on
Craven street last weekend,
spread the word among other
spectators that the venerable
three - story brick dwelling
place was once a ho^ital.
As Is so often the case when
people are quick to speak with
authority, the Information was
wrong. It wouldhave been right,
had the Informant pointed next
door to the rambling frame
house that used to be New Bern
General hospital. And the Sal
vation Army building, just up
the street, was In days long
past Fair view ho^ital.
In dollars and cents, the
loss of the stately structure,
converted Into a dozen apart
ments, proved quite a blow to
occupants and the owner,
Charles Toler. Beyond this,
no amount of money could ev
er restore the rare woodwork
destroyed by the raging Are.
To those who cheridi land
marks, for their Intrinsic val
ue and their memories. It was
a tragedy.
One of the misconceptions
held by many people Is the be
lief that only those well along
In years are enthusiastic about
antiques. Any dealer will tell
you that today a hlg^ percent
age of the buyers are under
35, and most of them are
shrewd and discriminating.
They aren't usually hasty In
making a choice. As one deal
er observes, "Our younger
clients are vitally Interested
and are educating themselves
to make wise and responsible
purchases. Another adds that
"Young people these days are
closer to art and beauty than
any generation we have seen."
As an Investment, antiques
at a reasonable price are as
sound as any investment you
can make. It may not always
hold true, but up to now no an
tique has decreased in value,
according to the experts. The
longer you hold them, the more
they're worth, especially hlgli-
prlced items of the finest qual
ity.
In fact, countless things, you
have discarded throu^ the
years would bring a pretty
price today. Remember the
Mickey Mouse watch you threw
away when it stopped tick
ing, and the Shirley Temple
drinking cup that came in a box
of cereal and ended up in the
trash can when your kids grew
up. You could sell them today
for quite a tidy sum.
Irvin S. Cobb, whose short
stories brought him lasting
fame and so endeared him in
his home town (Paducah, Ken
tucky) that schools, bridges,
and just about everything else
were named for him, realiz
ed belatedly that all things
rare have value.
As humorous in person as his
delightful fiction, Cobb hunted
In these parts (at Camp Bry
an) and described our upper
Trent River as the most beau
tiful stream In the eastern
United States. Quite a com
pliment from a man who had
traveled widely, and viewed
more than his share of scen
ery.
But getting back to his tardy
appreciation of antiques, the
loquacious and rather comical
looking author recalled with
keen regret how he and his fam
ily cleaned out the attic and
threw away several hundred old
(Continued on Page 8)
The NEW BERN
PUBLISHID WIBKLY
IN TNB HIART OP
•^«TBRN NORTH
VOLUME 12
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1970
NUMBER 44
Nm Spm-Cdrattptt ^omtlg Hibrorg
Duke Coach Tom Harp and New Bern High School Quarterback Chuck Mohn make it official.
—Photo by Chick Natella.