The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
_A Good Newspaper In A Good Community _
Most of The News
All The Time
VOL. NO. SIXTEEN NO. 4
6-PAGES TODAY
Southport, N. C., Wednesday, March 29, 1950
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
$1.50 PER YEA*
Believes That
Cruises Would
Prove Popular
George W. Rappleyae Re
calls Days When Principal
Contact Of Southport Peo
ple With Outside World
Was By Boat
REPORTS FATE
OF OLD VESSELS
Several Famous Old Craft
Later Were Pressed Into
Various Types Of Ser
vice In Other Ports
George W. Rapplyea. who has
been far afield, mostly in salt
water areas, since he left South
port almost 30 years ago, is now
just as keenly interested in the
prospects at Southport as he
was long ago.
The water has always been one
of his first loves. For a long
time boat designing was a pro
fession with him. Anything with
relation to salt water has a spe
cial appeal.
In this office a day or two
ago he talked at length on the
things he formerly knew at South
port and some of the things he
hopes to see. In relation to boats
and boating, he said:
“You should promote motor
boat crusing between Southport
and Wilmington. By cruisers I
mean a displacement boat, not
a hydroplane racing job or an
air propellor job. A cruiser is
not a cruiser unless it has two
berths, a galley, sink and toilet.
"The old Steamer Wilmington
made the run regularly in two
hours,” he continued, “I believe
the fastest time over made was
by the Revenue Cutter Apache
in 1912 when she brought Presi
dent Taft to Southport and Fort
Caswell. I do not remember the
exact time the Apahe made but
I think it was one hour and
fifteen minutes. While he was in
office President Taft held the re
cord for travel by a president.
He kept it for a good many
years thereafter until the airplane
"fcamfe i'ftto general use.
"After being stationed in Wil
mington for a good many years
the Apache was sent to Baltimore.
She was broken up sometime dur
ing the 1930's. After leaving
Southport and knowing about all
of the old river boats, I met them
a gain in various pa i ts of the
world, just as one meets people
they formerly knew.
"The old Steamer Wilmington,
formerly here and commanded by
Captain Harper, is now a ferry
boat for automobiles and passen
gers in Tampa Bay. I last saw
the old Steamer Southport in
Washington, D. C. While here she
was owned by Captain Letta Pot
ter and he chartered her to some
Washington people and they had
so many debts against her she
was sold at auction in 1935. The
new owners replaced her vertical
steam boiler and engine with a
diesel and the last I saw of her
in the late 1930's she was still
running excursionists out of
Washington.
"Another old boat we all knew
was the Steamer Susquanne.
Originally a very fine steam
yacht. She was purchased by the
late Captain Bussells for his fish
factory up the river. Many South
porter’s took a trip or two on her
Continued On Page Two
Brief Newt
Flasket
w i. —- i .ii
STORE REPAIR
A new roof is being placed or
the R. Galloway store building at
Supply.
NEW RESIDENTS
Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Ramsaui
have moved from Pleasant Oaks
Plantation to their new home or
Moore street in Southport.
SUFFERS STROKE
A. R. Boatwright, well known
resident of Troy and Long Beach
sustained a partial stroke of par
alysis at his home at Troy this
week, it was reported here yes
terday. His condition is said tc
be serious.
BARBECUE SUPPER
There will be a pit barbecue
supper at the Baptist church
basement on Friday between 5:30
o'clock and 8 o'clock, sponsor b>
Circle No. 2. Proceeds will go tc
the building funds.
BOARD MEETS
The board of commissioner!
met here Monday as a Board ol
Equalization and Review. This
wound up their work in this con
nection for the year, as they hac
spent the previous Monday ses
sion for the same purpose.
Brunswick County Attraction
WM
(Pretty Pond Is
Site Of Scout
* Camping Area
I -
fe Present Buildings With New
| Additions Will Take Care
^ Of Needs Of Many Camp
| ers This Summer
1 OUTLINE GIVEN
ON ACTIVITIES
—
Girl Scout Program Is De
signed To Take Care Of
^ Camping Needs Of Girls
* Of All Age Groups *
Rivers And Harbors
Group Favors Work
i Meeting Last Week In Wash
ington Gave Approval To
I Holden Beach Basin For
Mooring Boats
INLET WORK ALSO
GETS GREEN LIGHT
I -7
j Waccamaw River Drainage
1 Project Once More Is List
ed As Worthy Of U. S.
Engineer Attention
; -
! The National Rivera and Har
bors Congress in session in Was
hington last week took notice of
badly needed waterway projects
j in Brunswick by giving- its ap
\ proval to the construction of a
boat basin at Holden Beach; for
| flood control of the Waccamaw
River and for improvement of the
jLittle River inlet, between North
and South Carolina.
I Funds will have to be obtained
through acts of Congress before
! any of the above projects can be
! carried out. The boat basin at
Holden Beach is needed for the
numerous shrimp boats that now
have to tie up in the waterway.
| With recommendations from the
j Rivers and Harbors Congress it
i will be up to Congressman Carlyle
j to secure an appropriation for the
j various works in this county.
I It was also approved that an
j adequate survey be made of lock
j woods Folly Inlet, between Hold
en Beach and Long Beach. It is
I understood that this survey can
| be made by the Wilmington Dis
trict Army Engineers without
■ awaiting for a congressional ap
i propriation with which to carry
| on the work. If the survey by the
j engineers shows the need of the
Continued On Page Five
—
Little River
Doctor Passes
Dr. J. A. Stone Died Friday
At His Home Following
Extended Illness Brought
On By Stroke
Dr. James Albert Stone a pra
cticing physician at Little River
for the past 45-years, died at his
home there Friday afternoon in
his seventy-first year His fatal
illness had its beginning with a
stroke of paralysis the first of
this year.
Dr. Stone, was a native of
Brunswick county, held extensive
property interests in the county
at the time of his death. He was
a graduate of the University of
North Carolina and of the Univ
| ersity of Maryland. After re
| ceiving his physicians license he
| made his home at Little River
[and practiced extensively in up
per South Carolina and lower
North Carolina.
A brother, J. H. Stone of Wil
mington, died just a month pro
ceeding the passing of Dr. Stone.
Surviving Dr. Stone is his widow,
the former Miss Nell Miles of
Marion, S. C.; two brothers, W.
H Stone of Little River and R.
R. Stone of Wilmington, one sis
ter, Mrs. J. E. Bryan of Myrtle
Beach, also survives, along with
(Continued on Page Five)
c
New Patrolman
Now At Bolivia
State Highway Patrolman Bob
Constante has moved his fami
ly to Bolivia and is now ser
ving the sa'hie area worked by
Patrolman C. M. Cummings,
before he resigned to enter
private business at Sanford.
Patrolman Constante is pro
bably the youngest highway of
ficer in the State. He is from
Waynesville and came to this
area following his graduation
from the Patrolman’s Training
! School. He is 22 years of age,
is married and has a small
daughter. The family is living
in the same home that was oc
cupied by Patrolman Cummings
! and his family.
Following the resignation of
Cummihgs Patrolman J.. R.
Rape supplied for him for two
| weeks until the arrival of
I Patrolman Constante.
Anderson Named
Board Chairman
_
New Board Of Elections Met
Here Saturday And Orga
nized With Dewey Ander
son Elected To Serve As
Chairman
Members of the Brunswick
county Board of Elections met
Saturday in Southport and Dewey
Anderson, the newly appointed
member, was elected chairman.
He succeeds Guy C. McKeithan,
who recently resigned.
Robert Millikan, who is the old
est member of the board in point
I of service, was named secretary.
The third member is Lester Bab
' son.
The next meeting of the board
has been scheduled for April S
for the purpose of appointing re
gistrars and judges for the var
ious precincts.
Bomberger New
Legion Leader
Installation Ceremony For
New Officers Will Be Held
Thursday Night In Legion
Hall
Lt. Commander W. R. Bomber
I ger, retired Coast Guard officer,
has been elected Commander of
the Brunswick County Post No.
192, American Legion, and he
and other new officers will be
inducted at the regular meeting
;°n Friday night in the Legion
hall.
Following is a complete list" of
new officers:
Commander, W. II. Bomberger;
1st Vice-Commander, Roy Robin
son; 2nd Vice-Commander, Ed
Oliver, Jr.; Chaplain, Julian
Southerland; Adjudant, Victor
Bartels; Sendee Officer, Craw
(Continued on Page Five)
:
Camp Pretty Pond, owned by
the Girl Scout Council of the
Cape Fear Area, is not so well
known as it should be. This may
be partly due to the fact that the
land and beautiful 60-acre lake
was acquired by the girls only a
couple of years ago.
Previously the lake, something
very much like White Lake in
Bladen county, had been general
ly known as just “Pretty Pond.”
In reality it is a lake. There
is no outlet or inlet. With its
pure, clear water, coming from
springs deep in the center, the
lake has gradually sloping sandy
bottoms. It is safe and is every
way ideal for bathing and a play
ground for children.
The camp site is now being de
veloped. Relative to its operation
and various matters some inter
esting information was received
I this week by W. B. Keziah, from
; Mrs. John H. W'ilson, commission
i er. Mrs. Wilson may have intend
! ed her letter only for information.
! However, it is of such an infor
jmative and interesting nature that
1 it is being published in full be
| low. Mrs. Wilson wrote:
j “Three phases of Girl Scout
i camping are being emphasized in
| this council.
“Day Camp: Held the past few
years on Greenville Sound, four
I days a week, 10 A. M. to 4 P. M.
j Volunteer counselors and special
j ists in various fields. Directed by
Mrs. Jones, Executive Director,
j assisted by Miss Southerland, our
| field dir ector, and Mrs. Russell,
j office secretary. Fee is held to
[ small amount, girls bring their
.own lunch except one day a week
| when they are given an outdoor
, cookout, and given their milk at
lunch with a snack in the after
noon. Attended by Brownies, age
(Continued On Page 5>
— tat——
Candidates Continue^
W ith A nnouncements
*
April Term Of
Court Convenes
A one week term of Brunswick
county Superior court for trial
, ^of civil cases will convene here
Monday, with Judge J. Paul
Frlzzelle of Snow Hill presid
ing.
Although no cases in which
there is a great amount of
public interest are slated for
j trial, this term is .expected to
j go far toward clearing the civil
docket for Brunswick county.
As usual, divorce actions arc
expected to consume a good
part of the time.
Cancer Fund
Drive Begins
, Mrs. E. G. Goodman Of Ice
land Will Head Brunswick
County Organization Of
American Cancer Society
Mrs. Elizabeth Goodman of Le
■ land has been named County
| Commander for the American
| Cancer Society and will launch
| the drive for funds this week. She
i's the wife of Dr. E. G. Goodman,
Jr., Wilmington physician, who
resides at the family home place
in this county.
Mrs. Goodman has set up her
(Continued on page five)
VV. B. KEZIAH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
Summing up a bit with regard
to the marathon outboard race,
sponsored by the Myrtle Beach
Outboard Motor club and ran
from Southport to Myrtle Beach,
the event appears to have been
I a big success, although only about
138 boats actually appeared for
| the start. There were reasons for
this small number. This was the
first marathon outboard race In
this area, sixty miles is a long
and grueling distance for the
small boats. For two or three
weeks the weather had been con
tinuously bad and it was raining
on the scheduled day. The middle
of the week and the month of
March does not appear to be an
auspicious time for such a race, j
We believe that if the event is!
repeated a couple of months from
| now, that if it is held on Satur-!
| day or Sunday there will be a'
j huge entry list of the fast little
1 boats and that the waterway be
i tween Southport and Myrtle
.Beach will be lined with spectat
ors.
Clerk of Cou* Sam T. Ben
nett started out on the marathon
hoat race last week with plenty
of provender for his outboard
engine. The tank held one gallon;
a 5 gallon can was also filled with
gas and hooked up with a gravity
I'-’ie to the tank of the motor.
Stowed forward in the boat was
nine 1-gallon glass jugs filled
with gas as a reserve supply. Be
fore the start John Hemmer,
cameraman for the State News
Bureau, got a good shot or two
of Sam and his tig. After the
712 h. p. and 10 h. p. boats had
left Southport John and your
columnist raced down to the wat
erway bridge to get pictures of
the 16 h. p. and 22 h. p. boats
as they shot under the bridge.
Arriving at the bridge, we found
Sam’s boat moored under some
glass in a small ditch. Bridge
tender L. W. Frink reported that
Sam had lost sight of all of the
other boats in his class while he
was passing the yacht basin and
that he had moored up and re
turned to Southport through the
woods, rather than race in a class
Continued On Fage Four
J. W. Ruark Announces His
Candidacy For Judge Of
Brunswick County Recor
der’s Court This Week
HARRY L. MINTZ, JR.
RUNS FOR HOUSE
j ElRoy King Comet Out As
I Tenth Candidate For Mem
j her Of Board Of Coun
ty Commissioners
Major developments in the poll- j
tical situation in Brunswick coun- j
ty this week included the an- J
nouncement of Harry L. Mintz,
Jr., for member of the House of J
Representatives; J. W. Ruark for!
Judge of Recorder's court; Mag
nus Tripp for sheriff; and Elroy
King for member ' of the board
of county commissioners.
Decision of Mintz to enter the
house race makes this a two
man contest at this time. T. T.
Ward of Longwood announced
I several weeks ago. The new can
didate is a successful merchant
at Supply; is district commander
i of the American Region; is form
er Register of Deeds for Bruns
i wick county, a position which he
filled by appointment. He is the
j son of Mrs. Harry L. Mintz, Sr.,
and the late Mr. Mintz of Shal
lotte. He graduated from Shal
lotte high school, attended Phiffer
Junior College and the University
of North Carolina before volun
teering for service in the Army
Air Forces.
The new candidate for Recorder
brings the field in this race to
three. He is a veteran member
of the Brunswick county bar and
has represented the people at
seven sessions of the State Legis
lature. He also has served pre
viously as Recorder, once by ap
pointment and later after being
(Continued on page five/
Brief Session
Of Court Held
For The Second Consecutive
Monday Business In Recor
ders Court Has Been Light
Judge W. J. McLamb and Re
corder's court officials had their
second consecutive light session
here Monday with only a few
minor cases being disposed of. The
following entries were made:
Elton Lorie Stephens, hit and
run, nol pros.
Joseph Raymond Pearson, reck
less operation, possession, $40.00
fine and costs.
Bernard Silverman, speeding,
bond condemned.
Frank Brown, reckless ope
ration, bond condemned.
William Lewis McMillan, public
drunkness, bond condemned.
Joseph E. Sommersett, speeding,
bond condemned.
Howard A. Smith, speeding,
bond condemned.
Last Monday the following
cases were tried:
Durham Willington Mercer,
speeding, taxed with costs.
Paul Cleland, speeding, fined
$25.00 and taxed with costs.
Marathon Motorboat
Races Attracted Big
Crowd Wednesday
Mrs. Ida B. Parker, post mas
ter at Shallotte, has announced
the following hours for service
at the Shallotte office, begin
ning Monday of this week. Mrs.
Parker and her staff will ap
preciate the cooperation of the
par-tons in the keeping of ob
servance of the hours.
Week days, except Thursday:
8 a. m. to 12 noon and 2 p. m.
to 6 p. m. This gives a two
hour closing period at noon for
lunch.
Thursday: 8 a. m. to 12 noon.
Closes at noon for the weekly
half holiday that is usually ob
served by other offices on Sat
urdays. Office will be open for
the 5 p. m. mail and window
will be open for half half to
hand out mail to the public.
On holidays the windows will
be open 9:30 a. m. to 10 a. m.
Forestry Council
May Be Formed
For Brunswick
County Agent Is Attempting
To Work Out Plans For
Organizing Group To Aid
With Forestry Program
County Agent A. S. Knowles
has plans underway for the for
mation of a County Forestry
C ouncil, an organization like
that recently formed and now
functioning smoothly in Columbus
county.
The organization will have as
its main object the promotion of
better forestry practices in
Brunswick county. To look into
all of the angles prelimary to the
formation of the organization, a
limited number of the most in
terested parties were called
to meet at the office of Mr.
Knowles Friday evening of last
week, at 7:30 o’clock. Bill Ed
munds, H. E. Blanchard and
Joe Herlevich of the Columbus
County Forestry Council were
present at this meeting.
Dr. E. G. Goodman of Leland
was named temporary chairman
and presided over the meeting.
It was found at this meeting
that the formation of the council
is practical subsequent meetings
will be held at which the public
will be invited to join in.
Continued On Page Two
Asks Permission
To Dredge Basin
First Step Taken In Making
Arrangements For Erec
tion Of Third Fish Factory
In This Locality
The U. S. Army Engineers in
Wilmington have issued a public
notice of the fact that W. S. Wells
of Southport has made application
to dredge a basin and to construct
bulkheads on the north side of the
intracoastal waterway, just west of
the Fort Caswell bridge.
The plans submitted to the en
gineers call for a basin 12 feet deep
at mean lew water and approxi
mately 1,000 feet long, with the
bulkhead located at a minimum
distance of 150-feet back from the
adjacent edges of the intracoastal
waterway.
Plans showing the proposed
work may be seen at the office of
(continued on page two)
Propose Power
Boat Cruise
Race Event Would Follow
Same Route Followed By
Vanderbilt Boats Before
Civil War
Before the Civil War and the
building of the Wilmington, Flor
ence and Columbia railroad, old
Commodore Vanderbilt ran a line
of fast passenger boats between
Wilmington and Charleston. The
boats ran up and down the coast,
close inshore and touching at
Georgetown. Some of the craft are
said to have been very fast. Many
of the skippers became Confeder
ate Blockade runners during the
Civil War.
Recently a suggestion was
made to stage a power boat cru
Continued On Page Two
c --
Weather Conditions Were
Favorable Both For Con
testants And For Large
Crowd Of Spectators Who
Crowded Waterfront
WILMINGTON BOATS
WERE PRIZE WINNERS
Large Field Of Entries And
Officials In Charge Of
Race Unanimous In En
thusiasm Over Racing
Event
Six Wilmington drivers were
among the winners in the First
Annual Marathon Outboard
Motorboat Races from Southport
to Myrtle Beach Wednesday. A
total of 344 boats made the 58
mile course from her Co Socastee
bridge, near the beach resort.
Boats began showing up about
daylight on the morning of the
race, and long before the first
race was scheduled to start many
of the craft were in the water
for warm-up trials.
The water in the river was a
trifle rough flood tide at 10:15
but with the wind blowing fresh
northeast, the water was about
as smooth as it gets on a Mid
March day. This meant that it
was possible to start all events
from the government dock and
that hundreds of spectators had
a splendid point of vantage from
which to view the take-off.
Perhaps the most spectacular
start was when the 16hp racers
got underway at 12:30. There
were 12 boats off in this event,
and they made one false start.
This gave the spectators a good
show.
On bridges and along the inland
waterway al along the route spec
tators crowded to the bank te
see the speedy craft flash past
It was one sporting event whosf
thrills were scattered alone- n ?co
mile stretch.
No major mishaps were report
ed, and officials of the Outboard
Motorboat Club of Myrtle Beach
joined with citizens of Southport
in expressing the hope that this
will be made an annual event.
The top three drivers in each
of the four classes were as fol
lows: /
7l/2 horsepower—(1) J. L. Col
lins, of Charleston, S. C.; (2)
Clyde Bell, of Fayetteville; and
(3) A. K. Otey, of Wilmington.
10 horsepower—(1) H. C. Pen
mington, of Wilmington; (2) W.
G Hunter, of Wilmington; (3)
Bate Mauncey, of Wilmington.
16 horsepower—(1) Ernie Shinn,
of Wilmington; (2) D. A.-Winter,
of Fayettteville; (3) Davis H.
Pigott, of Charleston, S. C.
22 horsepower—(1) W. G. Car
ter, Georgetown, S. C.; (2) J. G.
Pickard of Wilmington; (3) C. V.
Griffin, of Charleston, S. C.
Hurricane Motor
W. G. Carter, who won in the
22 horsepower class, used a 10
horse power "Hurricane” motor,
which is considered equivalent to a
22-ho'rse power. Carter received a
beautiful gold-plated trophy plus
50 dollars in cash.
J. G. Pickard of Wilmington,
runnerup in the 22 horsepower
class, was awarded a trophy and
25 dollars; and C. V. Griffin of
Charleston received a trophy only.
In the 16 horsepower class,
Ernie Shinn of Wilmington was
(Continued on page five)
Tide Table
Following is the tide table
for Southport during the next
week. These hours are approxi
mately correct and were furn
ished The State Port Pilot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot’s Association.
High Tide Low Tide
Thursday, March 30
4:43 A. M. 11:16 A. M.
3:15 P. M. 11:35 P. M.
Friday, March 31,
3:40 A. M. 0:00 A. M.
6:09 P. M. 12:00 P. M.
Saturday, April 1,
6:31 A. M. 0:30 A. M.
.7:00 P. M. 12:51 P. M.
Sunday, April 2,
7:22 A. M. 1:20 A. M.
7:50 P. M. 1:37 P. M.
Monday, April 3,
8:11 A. M. 2:10 A. M.
8:11 P. M. 2:22 p. M.
Tuesday, April 4,
9:01 A. M. 3:00 A. M.
9:32 P. M. 3:08 P. M.
Wednesday, April 5,
9:52 A. M. 3:51 A. M.
10:27 P. M. 3:56 P. M.