The
pilot Covers
flrunsW
ick County
^SIXTEEN
NO. 9
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
'r
Most of Txie Newr
All The Time
4 pages today Southport, N. C., Wednesday, June 11th, 1947
(1.50 PER YE AM PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
acal Citizens
L Slate Will
|afc Over Base
ru ? Navy VVill Enter
Lease for Period Of
ft Five Years Not Be
jjed Important
21'esIp0beforCe?board
" ?5TS2. MPoi"
T? T?
ist Housing
w,t itT^Tstate Depart
^ Conservation and De
*' ? nt taking over Fort Cas
' part of the Mountain
Park system is mount
^ugnout the State and
. r. ,r. Brunswick county
ftuthport- At present the
V. , onlv a possibility, the
" . iampened somewhat
% fact that the Navy will
I give a five-year lease.
i wates of the proposition,
includes all who have
?*5 throughout Brunswick
-liny up-state-people and
?*,; v ir. Southport. are quick
. Kir.: out their belief that a
"v^r lease to the State by
Federal Government will be
ffttd for just as long as the
hv coui-i hope to have the pro
if it secured a 20-year
^ should war or some other
kQKial emergency arise the
.. . vent will need the pro
_,r and will get it again,
ppiiesg of whether the lease
.ay be existing at the
Im is for 5-years or 20-years.
aj week W. B. Keziah. of
lntr.r irt. received a letter from
[ ClyJe Council, a member of
k Sate Board of Conservation
Bi ftveiopment. Repeating that
It question of the State taking
It 5-vear lease would come up
b? the Board at the July
.Mr. Council expressed
pirn over the proposition be
|f:r only 5-years. He a0ded
1 he would be glad to have
paiorj, ijresumahly to la*
fore the Committee on State
kfc. during the July meeting,
fx the receipt of this let
ime Mr. Council, Mr. Keziah
Iter.'.ewed several local citizens
r the purpose of obtaining their
Iws. Following are some of
k news and comment express
II in answer to the direct in
furr of whether or not the per
is interviewed thought the
Rate should take over under a
Sfear lease:
5. Bunn Frink, City Attorney
fe Southport and former State
Senator? "Yes, the State should
bte over Fort Caswell. With a
1-year lease possession will con
L"*' as long as if the lease were
5)-years. The Navy will want
It Sack when a period of Nation
"I emergency arises and not un
1 tien." Continuing, Mr. Frink
that as a part of the Moun
ts-Seashore Park system Fort
&?ell would be one of the
latest attractions that North
has. It will draw tourists
W thousands of out-of-State
'store. The benefit will extend
1 of North Carolina.
State Senator R. I. Mintz,
(Continued on page 2)
IritfNtw,
Flashes
??
buying trip
Hobscn Kirby, proprietor of the !
tollotte Trading Company, will
"ton from the northern markets
borrow, Thursday. He has been
"fcrc for several days laying in
t tttensixe stock of fall goods.
BENEFIT PROGRAM
Homer A. Briarhopper and his
bie Dudes will appear at South
W high school Saturday, June
at 8:30 o'clock in a program
:<lt the benefit of the Southport !
?*eball team. Following this per- j
^finance, these artists will play \
j* a dance at the USO building.
iT CONFERENCE
J M. Waggette. pastor of
Nhport Presbyterian church.
? attending the Young Peoples
^-ference of the Wilmington
Pinery this week at Lake
TOttary. Dr Waggette is
*^u!ed to speak at the even
assembly each day through
1 the week.
^rrOK's NOTE j
to the shortage of news
, , todays is?ue has boen con
^ t? four pages. We have
and ?Ur l)est ren^er news
advertising coverage In the
?pace available, and we
back ia our regular #li?
w - fit aa jooa as conditions
Psnit.
Shallotte Man Renders
First Aid To Traveler
Rigs Ancient Chariot With Tight-Fitting Set Of Tires
For Its Coast-To-Coast Trip
When it comes to being versatile at repairing things,
leave it with lkey Reynolds, of I. E. Reynolds and Son, at
Shallotte. lkey can fix it if it is fixable, ? often even
when it isn't.
Last week he was called upon*
to do something that he had notj
done in years. In fact, the man ^ .
he fixed things for . stated that }
he had driven several hundred
miles before he happened upon
Ikey and his ability to do a little ,
bit of car repairing.
Several weeks agt) J. J. Ruth, |
of York, Pa., a retired business
man, set out for California, ^
travelling down the coast. His |
conveyance was a 1902 gasoline
| buggy with rubber tires just
like those on horse-drawn bug
gies. The tires are solid rubber
with wires inside. These wires,
like the strings of a bathrobe,
must be drawn tight over the
rim of the wheel, and tied still
tighter. Ikey did this tying to
the full satisfaction of the coast ; |
to coast motorist, who merrily j
went rolling along in his horse- \
less chariott.
SURF CASTING
NETS NICE TROUT
Luck of the kind that keeps
hope springing eternal in the
brest of fishermen everywhere
was reported Tuesday by Dr.
W. C. Hedge peth, of Lumber
ton, who Is spending his vaca
tion at Long Beach.
The doctor has been spend
ing some time each day surf
casting in front of his cottage,
and usually has wound up with
little to show for his efforts.
Yesterday he was using cut
bait, when all of a sudden
there was business on the line.
When he reeled "in he found
that he had a 8% -pound
trout.
This was his top catch of
the day, but variety was add
ed to his sport when a short
time later he landed a med
ium-sized bluefish.
Thousands Of Legionnaires
To Meet At Carolina Beach
? ? ? *
Forty And Eight Will Open
Convention Saturday;
General Jacob L.' Devers
Will Be Principal Speak
er
MANY BRUNSWICK
MEN WILL ATTEND
Nothing Has Been Spared
To Make This One Of
Most Complete Pro
gram* Ever Held At
Convention
CAROLINA BEACH, June 9?
Plans for the 1947 convention of
the North Carolina Department
of the American Legion, the Leg
ion Auxiliary, and the Forty and
Eight, to be held here June 14-17
are complete and indication are
that it will be the largest Legion
convention ever held in he State,
according to VV. L. "Bill" Farmer,
chairman of he convention ar
rangements committee.
General Jacob L. Devers, chief
of the U. S. Army Ground Forces
and formerly stationed at Fort
Bragg, will make the main address
at the closing session on, June 17.
Paul R. Younts, executive vice
commander of the North Carolina
Department of the legion, has
worked out a full and interesting
program and so have Mrs. Tom
Bird, president of the Legion
Auxiliary, and Edwin Burge,
Grande Chef de Gare of the For
ty and Eight, Farmer said.
The Legion program proper
gets under way Sunday morning
with the beginning of registration
of delegates and others in front
of the Hotel Bame, convention
head-quarters. The Child Welfare
luncheon will follow at 12:30, and
at 2:30 the Department executive
committee will meet in the City
Auditorium. The annual memorial
service will be held that night in
the Baptist Church, with Depart
ment Chaplain John D. McReady
presiding.
Cancer Chairman
Receives Praise
Congratulatory Letter From
State Chairman Received
By Mrs. M. M. Rosen
baum Following Recent
Drive
Mrs. M. M. Rosenbaum, of
Shallotte, has received the follow*
ing self-explanatory letter from
the State Chairman of the Can
cer Relief Society. Mrs. Rosen
baum served as Brunswick coun
ty chairman during the recent
drive for funds.
"Congratulations are certainly
in order for you, for you have
almost doubled your county quo
ta!
"Final reports have been re
ceived from twenty-three coun
ties and they are all "over the
top." Wouldn't it be wonderful
if every county in our state
could make such a record? But
then we don't have a Mrs. Rosen
baum everywhere. However, we
have some excellent leaders and
more interest has been shown in
(Continued on Pag* 2)
Prominent Men
Playing Hookey
Without intending to encour- j
age the practice among small j
boys it can be said here that .
they are far from having a j
monopoly on the art of playing 1
"hookey."
" This past Monday Dr. W. C. j
Jackson, Chancellor of Woman's
College at Greensboro; Dr. S.
F. Bauer and Charles Farrell,
all of Greensboro and all out
standing in their professions,
had important engagements,
lectures, programs and ailing
patients. Sunday morning they
were all three unexpectedly
called out of Greensboro, ar
riving here with several cans
of worms and the latest thing
in rowboats atop their car.
They had heard that the fresh- I
water fish down here needed to !
be fed and they straightway
set out to do the feeding.
While their two or three !
days absence from Greensboro j
Jias probably been noticed, the
Greensboro papers are asked j
not to copy this.
Shallotte Post
Names Officers
Full Slate Of Officials Sel
ected , To Handle Affairs
Of This Organization
During Coming Year
Members of Shallotte Post,
American Legion, met Friday
night and elected the following
slate or officers to administer
the affairs of this organization
throughout the coming year:
Commander, R. D. White, Jr.;
vice-commander, H. B. Nobles;
vice-commander, Odell William
son; adjutant, J. D. "Bellamy, Jr.;
athletic officer, W. T. Russ;
chaplain, Major Richard Braun
sticn; finance officcr, J. D. Bel
lamy, Jr ; historian, Edward Dal
ton; service officer, Edward Red
wine; sergeant-at-arms, Charlie
G. Arnold; Americanism chair
man, Eli Kravitz; Boy's State
Chairman, Ernest Parker; child
welfare chairman, Dr. M. M.
(Continued on Page 2)
Two New Boats
Ready For Work
Mrs. W. S. Wells And Sister
Make Trip From St.
Augustine To Southport
Aboard Boat With Skip
per Billie Wells
Word ha3 been received here I
that Brunswick Navigation Com
pany was the successful bidder
for YMS426, and that Mrs. Bess
Miller Plaxco was successful bid
der for YMS276 in a recent War
Surplus Administration sale.
These two craft, both of which
were used as mine sweepers dur
ing the late war, are now at
Charleston, S. C., and will be j
brought here to be converted for
use m menhaden fishing.
Two of the three Mats now|
I Continued on page
Vacation Bible
School Begins
Here Next Week
Complete Details Of This
Annual Training Course
Not Available At This
Time Due To Absence
STUDENTS REPORT TO
SCHOOL BUILDING
Announcements Will Be
Made From Various Pul
pits Sunday Regarding
Final Details
'The annual session of t^ie Dally
Vacation Bible Schol will open
Monday morning at 9 o'clock at
Southport high school; with the
Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal
and Methodist churches cooperat
ing.
The Rev. H. M. Baker is spend
ing this week at Ridgecrest; the
?Rev. Paul H. Fields is' with his
son, who is a patient at Duke
Hospital; and Dr. J. M. Waggette
is attending a Young Peoples
Conference at Lake Singletary.
This means that it was difficult
to obtain definite information re
garding the organization of the
Vacation Bible School.
It is definite that the school
will be held beginning Monday;
that the faculty members will in
clude the most able teachers and
leaders available from each of
these churches; that the daily
program will include manual arts
training; that an urgent Invita
tion is extended all boys and girls
of the Sunday school age to plan
to attend the school during the
next two weeks.
More complete details regarding
plans for the school will be an
nounced Sunday from the pulpit
of the various cooperating chur
ches of the community.
Long Session
For Recorder
This Week's Recorder's
Court Required All Day
For Disposition Of Cas
es On Docket
An all-day session of Brunswick
county Recorder's court was re
quired to dispose of the cases on
the docket Monday. The follow
ing disposition of cases was made
by Judge W. J. McLamb:
Floyd Waddell reckless opera
tion, 30 days in jail, suspended
on payment of a fine of $25.00
and costs.
R. A. Burnett, drunk driving
and reckless operation, six months
on the roads, judgment suspend
ed on payment of a fine of $75.00
and costs and the defendant to
remain of good behavior for a
period of one year.
Jane Lewis, drunk on highway,
30 days on county farm, suspend
ed on payment of costs and de
fendant not to be caught in
Brunswick county for a period of
two years, except when working.
James McMillan, assault, con
tinued to June 23rd.
Robert G. Ward, reckless op
eration and no operators license,
fined $25.00 and costs, fine re
mitted.
Carl Babson and L. L. Smith,
violating prohibition laws, not
guilty.
V Continued On page 2)
Perfect Record
LEON J. PHELPS, son of Mr.
and Mrs. R. I. Phelps, of Ash,
who graduated from Waccamaw
high school last month with the
unusual record of never having
missed a day of school during his
twelve years as a student.
Five Held On
Robbery Count
Five Resident# Of Near
Lumberton Will Be Given
Preliminary Hearing On
Safe-Stealing Charge
Their bond having been fixed
at $3,000. for the five at Mon
day's session of the Recorder's1
court, two white men and three
women, all residents of near
Lumberton, are being held for a
hearing at next Monday's ses
sion of the Recorder's court.
They are charged with breaking
into the store of Obie Tharp, in
Shallotte township, and stealing
a small iron safe, said to contain
appraximately two thousand dol
lars. Mr. Tharpe stated to offi
cers that he had given his bro
ther $1,500 only a day or two
before, and he was_not sure
how much money the~safe con
tained.
Those being held are Henry
(alias Jobe) Willis, Martin Wil
lis and Mrs. Martin Willis, Dixie
Willis and Emma Willard. They
have not yet given bond and are
still in Jail. The store was broken
into some time after 3 o'clock
Thursday morning and the ar
rests of the suspects was made
at Lumberton and Fayetteville
Friday night. It is understood
that the defendants revealed no
trace of the safe and its con
tents.
The two men and three women
are- said to have gone to the
store of Tharpe, midway between
Gause Landing and Seaside, at
(Continued on page 2)
Visits Family
After 21 Years
Robert Fulcher, who left his
home in Seuthport 21 years ago.
returned last week for a visit
with members of his family.
A seafaring man, he arrived
in Norfolk, Va., 'aboard a ship
and was met there by his bro
ther, Delmas Fulcher, and by
two sisters, Miss Helen Fulcher
and Mrs. William Oberjohan.
His home is in San Pedro,
California, and before shipping
out again he made a trip to
new York to see another bro
ther, David Fulcher.
Our
ROVING
Reporter
W. B. IMU1
Although there was no cannery
within a couple of hundred miles,
an attempt was made to grow
tomatoes commercially in Bruns
wick county about 18 years ago.
About a hundred acres were put
in the crop and as we recall it,
the production was good, the
main trouble being the long haul
of an easily damaged product to
the cannery. The interesting thing
about that effort to grow to-'
matoes is that at least half a
dozen farmers who planted an
acreage under contract, have told
us during the past week ? that
they grew plants that were ready
by April 12th. Maryland, New
Jersey, Delaware and other north
ern states growers say that they
must have their plants between
May I and May 15th. The large
growers who want to lease or
buy land for growing tomato
plants in Brunswick county and
cur own famer? wW w*dt to.
contract to grow an acreage in
tomato plants, can make that
deadline with plenty of time to
spare.
When through soma accident
this column fails to list the
name of some woman or girl,
around Southport or Shallotte,
who are to receive a free movie
ticket at the Shallotte Theatre
or the Amuzu in Southport, a
great many inquiries are made
regarding why no one got a tick
et. It may be said here that
such omissions, when the occur
are purely accidental. The free
admissions represent a coopera
tive gesture between this column
ai)d the show houses. We name
who are to get the free ad
missions and the theatres admit
them. It can also be said that
no favorites ar6 played in narr.
Iztg who will get the tickets. Un
Cdntlfl\i6d on paft 3 '
Dr. L. C. Fergus Leaves
Southport For California
Practice Here Will Be Taken Over By Dr. F. M. Bur
dette; Fergus Here For Nine Years
Dr. L. C. Fergus and family left Thursday for Los
Banos, California, where they will make their home. They
made the transcontinental trip by automobile.
Dr. Fergus came 10 souuiport<
nine years ago to take over the
practice of Dr. William Dosher.
Following his graduation from
the Medical College of Virginia,
at Richmond', he was resident sur
geon at James Walker Memorial
Hospital prior to moving to
Southport.
Dr. Fergus soon established a
fine practice here, and gained a
reputation for being a skilled
surgeon, as well as a diagnosti
cian of unusual ability.
Although hq served as U. S.
Public Health officer and as
County Physician in addition to
his general practice of medicine
and surgery, the center of his
professional interest was Dosher j
Memorial Hospital, and for sev- 1
eral years during the war it was
largely through his efforts thatj
this institution was able to con- 1
tinue to render service to the j
citizens of Brunswick county.
Dr. Fergus figured prominent
ly in the business, civic and po
litical affairs of Southport dur
ing his residence here, and serv
ed for one term as member of
the board of aldermen.
Dr. F. M. Burdette has moved
to Southport and has purchased
the Fergus home. He will have
the office formerly occupied by
Dr. Fergus and will do general
practice and surgery in this
county. During the war he serv
ed as surgeon in the Navy Medi
, cal Corps.
Two War Surplus Craft |
Acquired For Fishing
Proof Again That
Advertising Pays
In the matter of advertising,
this paper rea?-he* about every
body In Brunswick county, and
then some.
Last week R. E. Bellamy and
Sons, Shallotte, received a rail
from Siler City, the center of
North Carolina population. The
caller, although he is not per
sonally doing the work, is hav
ing six homes built at Long
Beach.
He advised he would bo at
the Bench on a certain day.
He had read the Bellamy ad
vertisement and wanted to
know if the firm could supply
him with bath room and plumb
ing fixtures for his new build
ings. They could, and the, con
tact was made with the cen
tral North Carolina man
through the placing of an ad
vertisement in this paper.
Big Transaction
Completed Here|
Gravely Plantation, Large
Land Area In Town
Creek Township, Sold To
International Paper Com
pany
In the largest real estate deal
to be recorded in Brunswick
county this year, the famous old
Gravely Plantation, owned by the
estate of the late John D. Bel
lamy, of Wilmington, was sold
yesterday to the International
Paper Company. The tract com
prises 2,600-acrcs and the pur
chase price, according to the
deed, was 555,521.00.
Beginning at Jackies Creek,
the northern frontage of this
property runs down Route 17 for
a considerable distance. Follow
ing various courses it extends all
of the way to Town Creek. Near
ly all of it is grown up in woods.
The plantation is said to have
suffered a ruinous blow when
Lord Cornwallis marched through
it. Later during the civil war, it
was hit even harder. The late
John D. Bellamy, who died a few
years ago in his 94th year, al
ways insisted that the plantation)
was ruined by Cornwallis, al
though the property did not come
into the hands of his family un
til many years later, in 1842. I
For 105 years the plantation
remained in the hands of the Bel
lamy family, John D. Bellamy,
| being the last owner and holding
this ownership for many years.
Upon his death it passed to bis J
! estate. Selling for $55,521.00 it
I is understood to have been list- ,
!ed on the tax books for 520,- ;
397.00. However, the tax books
for Town Creek to'vr.ship .are
now in the hands of, the revalu
ation officials and this listing
cannot be verified until they are
returned to the courthouse. i
I _________
Two YMS Vessels Will Be
Brought Here From
Charleston And Will Be
Converted For Use In
Menhaden Fishing
WORLD WAR I CRAFT
WERE ALSC JSED
These Vessels Admirably
Adapted For Conversion
Into Fishing Boats For
Use In Industry
Making their first run from
dock to dock, St. Augustine, Fla.,
to South port, the Bill, Jr., and
Claudia J.- arrived here Monday
morning in exactly 52-hours after
leaving St. Augustine. The Bill,
Jr., was in charge of BTlly Wells,
17-year old son of W. S. Wells,
with Frank Brown as his mate.
With the young Captain on the
boat were his mother, Mrs. W.
S. Wells, and her sister, Miss
Helen Johnson, of Raleigh.
The Claudia J., came up under
Captain Thomas Bennett, with
James Bass as his mate.
Both boats are 53-footers. They
were built in St. Augustine by
the Diesel Engine Sales Company,
a branch of the General Motors.
They are powered by self-start
ing Diesel catapillar engines and
come to Southport brand new
and completely rigged with only
the nets to be put aboard before
they start shrimping. The mat
ter of the nets was attended to
Monday and both boats started
out with the Wells fleet Tues
day morning. The two new boats
boost the W. S. Wells Fleet up
to 9 big diesel-powered trawlers.
Captain Bennett is fishing the
Claudia J. and Billy Wells is
skipper of the Bill, Jr., until fall
when he goes to take his first
year in college. He graduated
from the Southport high school
this year and for the past year
or two he has had the distinc
tion of being one of the youngest
skippers or big trawlers any
where on the coast.
Arrange Lease
For Farm Land
One-Hundred Fifty Acres
Leased For Use In Pro
duction Of Tomato Plants
In This Area Next Year
Lease papers were signed Fri
day for two tracts of land, total
ing about 150 1 acres, to be used
for growing tomato plants for
northern Interests. Only part of
the land will be used next year.
A considerable amount will have
to be cleared this fall and will
not be ready to grow plants until
1949.
Both tracts are on the river
road. One of them is located
about seycn miles out from
Southport and the other three
milea out, near Walden Creek.
It is probable that other tracts
of land for growing tomato
plants will be leased or bought
this year for the purpose or
(Continued on Fige AJ
Baby Show Turns
Out To Be Gala
Event Of Year
Many Entries In Various
Contests Included In This
Event Staged Under
Auspices Of Southport
Woman's Club
MRS. THOMPSON
WAS CHAIRMAN
Mary Louise Herring And
Herbert Baker Were
Winners In Popularity
Contest Balloting
Members of Southport's young
er set, ranging in age from one
month to seven years, togeather n
with their mothers, their other
loving relatives and well-wishers,
lined up for a gala Baby Show
parade here last Friday in one of
the outstanding events of the
season.
Baby Martha Harrelson, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Harrel
son, stole off with the prize as
prettiest girl from age one month
to one year. Thomas Hunt, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Hunt,
was winner in the boys division.
There were so many candidates
for the prizes in the one year to
five year age group that first
and second prizes were award to
both girls and boys. Mary Rose
Fodale, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Paul Fodale, won first prize and
Joyce Jorgenscn, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. W. P. Jorgensen, won
second prize in the girls division.
Dennie Lore, son 'of Mr. and Mrs.
Dennie Lore, was first prize win
ner in the boys division, followed
by Phil Aldridge, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Aldridge.
In the five year to 7 year age
group Judy Young daughter of
Mrs. Frances Young, captured top
honors for the girls while Jerry
Fulcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Del
mas Fulcher, was winner for the
boysi
The winning float for the girls
w?? Ural of Pci.ji?'Dl.-.nv Hagie
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Bogie; while the winning float
for the boys was that of Don
Hardee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lew
is J. Hardee.
As a result of spirited bollot
ing during the week proceeding
the Baby Show Mary Louise
Herring daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Davis Herring, won the popularity
contest for girls while Herbert
Baker, son of Rev. and Mrs. Gcr
bert .M. Baker, was winner among
the 'boys. w*i(
Mrs. Robert Thompson, who ?
served as chairman of the show,
reported that $1(12.00- was raiset
for the benefit of the Southport
Woman's Club.
Father McCarthy
Leaves Southport
Being Transferred From
Here To Waynesville;
Has Served In This Com
munity During Past Year
Father Francis J. McCarthy,
who came here about a year ago
to serve as priest of Sacred '
Heart church, has received no
tice that he is being transferred
to Wayncsvillc.
During his stay here Father
McCarthy has madfe many
friends, who regret to sec him
move from this community. He
in turn has a very warm regard
for Southport and her citizens
and has asked that following ex
pression be made to them:
"I take this opportunity to-gay
farewell to the good people, -of
Southport and Brunswick county.
My new appointment which I re
ceived recently from my Bishop
will take me to the mountains
of Waynesville, North Carolina.
"The memories of my first year
in the Catholic Priesthood will
(Continued on Page Four)
Return Visit
To Southport
Commander Haskell And
Wife Here For Few Day*
At Caswell Reach Last
? Week; Was Section Bas?
Commander
Former Naval Commander and
Mrs. S. B. Haskell of OincinhfcU,
Ohio, have been spending t)M
past week at Caswell as guest*
of Dr. and Mrs. Landis BrovnL
Mr. Haskell opened Fort Caswell
for the Navy in November, 1M1,
and was in charge of the pUaa
until June 1943. Mrs. Haskell
sided here while he was stations^
.(Ccntuaud on page it ,