Most Of The News
All The Time
Vol. No. SIXTEEN
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
No. 45 6-Pages Today SOUTHPORFT, N. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1953 PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
$1.50 PER YEAR
March Of Dimes
Report Made By
Mrs. M. H. Rourk
Total Of $2,435.09 Is Larg
est Amount Raised In
Brunswick Except F or
Year Of Polio Epidemic
COOPERATION IS
KEY TO SUCCESS
Apparently More Citizens
Than Ever Before Had
Part In Raising Neces
sary Funds This
Year
Mrs. M. H. Rourk of Shallotte,
county chairman for the 1953
March of Dimes campaign, turn
ed in her report this week to
national headquarters showing a
total of $2,435.09 raised in Bruns
wick County.
In making her report, Mrs. Ro
urk stated "We believe that more
people in Brunswick County were
reached this year, resulting in a
larger collection than usual.”
Of the amount collected, half
was sent to National headquart
ers to help carry on the work of
the National Foundation for In
fantile Paralysis and the other
half is being retained in Bruns
wick County to be used if and
when it is needed for victims in
this county of the dreaded di
sease. /
A breakdown of the various
methods of collection shows that
the largest amount was raised by
the March of Dimes cards through
the schools. Approximately $800
was raised in this manner, with
around $550 being raised by clubs
and organizations. Business and
corporate gifts amounted to $443
and house-to-house solicitation ac
counts for $300 of the total a
mount. The remainder was rais
ed by the Mother’s March, coin
collectors, theatre collections and
special events.
Following is a list of the local
chairmen and the amounts raised
in their vicinities:
Mrs. R. D. White, Shallotte,
$525.53; Mrs. Bryant Potter, Sou
thport, $429.90; Mrs. James Bow
man, Holden Beach, $26.95; .Fos
ter Mintz, Bolivia, $111.07; Mrs.
O. D. Williams, Leland, $494.85;
Mrs. R. L. Sullivan, Winnabow,
$27.00; Mrs. R. C. Phelps, Ash,
$113.00; Mrs. Garland Clemmons,
Supply, $103.79; Mrs. Phil Dod
son, Exum, $12.83; Mrs. L. C.
Babson. Freeland, $69.19; Mrs. Nel
son Bennett, Longwood, $15.90;
A. C. Caveness, Colored Schools,
$198.14; Mrs. Leon Norris, Hick
man Cross Road, $35.48; Mrs.
Dudley Lewis, Thomasboro,
$24.60; Mrs. M. E. Platt, Grisset
town, $43.15; Mrs. Foster Thomas,
Calabash, $9.43; Fred Edwards,
Brick Landing, $174,28; Mrs.
Boyd Lott, Boone’s Neck, $20.00.
Brief Newt
Flashes
____i
PLANTING G ADEN'S
Following the long wet spell a
full week without rain has en
abled Brunswick County folks
to get really started at the job
of planting their gardens. Stores
report that there is now a big
demand for garden seed of all
sorts.
SQUARE DANCE
The Daughters of America are
sponsoring a square dance on
Saturday night of this week at
the old gym. The Carolina Hill
billy’s will furnish the music.
There will be other entertainment
for the public.
RED CROSS
There will be a house-to-house
campaign in Southport on Thurs
day aand Friday in behalf of the
Red Cross membership drive. Bus
inesses are being contacted by
members of the Southport Lions
Club, while ladies on each block
in town and at the beaches are
contacting individuals.
LATE YACHT
Making a late season run from
New Jersey to Hollywood, Fla.,
the big yacht Valeria P. stopped
over at Southport Saturday
night. Aboard were Mr. and
Mrs. E. F. Hill and daughter,
Valerie, and Mrs. C. Kaiser, of
Ridgewood, N. J.; and Mr. and
Mrs. John A. Verian of Verona,
New Jersey.
BAR ASSOCIATION "
The Brunswick County Bar As
sociation met yesterday in the of
fice of Clerk of Court Sam T.
Bennett to arrange the calendar
for the April term of Superior
Court. Judge Q. K. Nimmock will
preside at the term and only civil
cases will be heard. The Board of
County Commissioners is schedul
ed to draw the jury list for the
term at their meeting next Mon
day.
Results Of Insect Trap
EFFECTIVE—Above is shown about 10-quarts of insects caught in an electrical
insect trap in an experiment conducted last summer by the Brunswick Rural Electric
Membership Corporation. This take cam e from A cotton patch owned by J. O. Smith
at Longwood. This year the REA officials plan to try it in a tobacco field to test
results.
Band Festival Is
Successful Event
Crowds Of Music Lovers
Converged Upon Shallotte
Saturday For The Second
Annual Band Day Festi
vities
COLORFUL PARADE
STARTED PROGRAM
Ben McDonald Served As
Master Of Ceremonies
For Program Which
Moved Along At A
Merry Pace
Shallotte was host Saturday to
its Second Annual Band Day
Festival as the most ambitious
musical program ever undertak
en in Brunswick County was
reeled off without a hitch.
With their own outstanding
band setting the pace, literally
thousands of this area thrilled to
the music of seven fine organi
zations who participated in the
colorful parade and later in the
program at the football field.
The parade began at 2 o’clock,
and during the march to the at
hletic field along Highway No.
17, the bands were viewed by
spectators which crowded both
sides of the street through the
business district of Shallotte.
Hundreds followed the musicians
across the bridge to the school,
where the formal program was
staged.
Ben McDonald, Wilmington ra
dio personality and a band boos
ter from way back, served as
master of ceremonies. This was
his second appearance in that
role, and he voiced his amaze
ment at the remarkable strides
made by the Shallotte band dur
ing the short span of its exis
tence. He paid high tribute to
Director W. W. Jacobus and to
the fine support of citizens of
the community for their loyal
support of the band.
The Shallotte organization gavfe
an exhibition of precision drilling
and formations, and played sev
t Continued On Page Five)
Rock Bottom Is
Hard On Shafts
Dredge No. 5, Now Engag
ed In Removing Mud
From Lip Of Rock In
Vicinity Of Dock No. 2,
Has Hazardous Operation
Illustrative of the difficulty of
clearing the mud from the lip
of rock at the Sunny Point dock
No. 2 area, the dredge No. 5 is
reported to have broken three
12-inch digger shafts during its
Saturday operations. The shafts
are of steel, 12 inches thick.
When one breaks the digger stays
on the bottom and has to be re
trieved by grappling.
A replacement for a broken
shaft is usually available. Even
with spare parts handy some
hours are lost retrieving the dig
ger and replacing the broken
shaft. The breaks, which are
not much of a break for opera
tions, usually result from the
huge digger on the end of the
shaft striking the hard lock
suddenly. Mixed with the mud
that it removes the No. 5 has
to pump a great deal of water
because of the need of a cautious
I feel about by the digger.
fc- ■— — ■■■
Shallotte Band
To Savannah, Ga.
Members of the Shallotte High
^School Band are now preparing
for their next big event which is
a trip to Savannah, Georgia, next
Tuesday, for the Saint Patrick’s
Day Parade. The band will leave
at 4 a. m. on a Greyhound bus
for Savannah. The Shallotte Band
is becoming a favorite all over
the Eastern Seaboard as they are
receiving invitations weekly from
near and far to participate in
parades.
Upon their return from Savan
nah, the group will then prepare
for the Azalea Festival. An ap
pearance at Lcland High School
is expected the first week in
April and the band will march
again in the Farmer’s Festival in
Fairmont, on April 16th. The big
gest event coming up for the
band is the trip to the Lions
Convention in Chicago in July.
Long Session Of
Court Is Held
Entire Day Required To Dis
pose Of Backlog Of Cases
In Brunswick County Re
corder’s Court
The Monday session of Record
er's Court was one of the longest
in some time, and court officials
were not able to adjourn the pro
ceedings until. 6 o’clock.
The most outstanding case re
sulted in D. M. Jarrell, Jr., young
white man, being sentenced to
serve a nine months term on the
roads for assault on his wife,
the assault allegedly being the
cause of a miscarriage. Jarrell’s
attorney gave notice of appeal to
Superior Court.
Other cases disposed of during
the day were as follows:
Frank Gouch Blank, speeding,
fined $10 and costs.
Albert McRae, reckless opera
tion, fined $25 and costs.
Howard E. Brewington, public
drunkenness, costs.
Marie Miller, no operator’s li
cense, fined $25 and costs.
Luther Blanton Cheers, speed
ing, fined $25 and costs.
Mrs. Lula Bell Jarrell, assault
with deadly weapon, not guilty.
Robert Davis, Jr., assault with
deadly weapon, two years on the
roads suspended on payment of
a fine of $50 and costs and good
behavior for two years.
Willie Smith, damage to per
sonal property, nol pros.
Edna Pridgen, public drunken
ness, fined $10 and costs.
Howard Cherry, public drun
kenness, fined $10 and costs.
Herbert King, public drunken
ness, fined $10 and costs.
Howard James Jenrette, im
proper equipment, $8.45, costs.
Numan Simmons, no operator’s
license, fined $25 and costs.
Rif ton Ercell Sellers, Jr., spee
ding, fined $20 and costs.
Carl Lee Norris, aiding and
abetting in operating without li
cense, judgment suspended on
payment of costs.
Josephine Reams Norris, no
(Continued On Page Four)
County Farmers
Urged To Treat
Seed Potatoes
County Agent A. S. Know
les Lists Stations Where
Free Treatment Will Be
Made Available To Farm
ers
Farmers of Brunswick County
are being urged to treat all sweet
potato slips with Semesan Bel
before beading this year. Ac
cording to County Agent A. S.
Knowles, buyers of sweet potatoes
as well as farmers storing pota
toes on the farm are experienc
ing heavy losses due to black rot
and other diseases.
These heavy losses are causing
potato buyers to be more cau- j
tious about diseases in the fu
ture. It is expected that farm-1
ers treating their seed potatoes!
this year will get a premium j
price over non-treated slip pota-!
toes. The potato buyers are set- j
ting up treating stations in j
Brunswick County where grow
ers can take their seed potatoes
for treatment. The grower will
be required to register his name,
address and the number of bush
els treated. This list will be
made available to the buyers du
ring the harvest season.
The treating station as set up
by potato buyers are Russ’ Store
at Longwood, H. J. Henson Store
in Shallotte, and Harold Willetts’
Store in Bolivia. Treatment can
be made during the hours these
stores are open beginning March
16 and ending March 28. Farm
ers should carry their potatoes
in baskets or have baskets av
ailable to do the dipping. To
treat potatoes properly they are
dipped in the Semesan Bel solu
tion for one minute.
It is advisable for growers with j
a large number of bushels to
purchase Semesan Bel and treat
on their own farm rather than
haul the potatoes to the treating
station. Any farmer treating his
own potatoes should register at
the treating station or at the
county agent's office in order for
the potato buyers to have a rec
ord of treated potatoes.
W. B. KJEZIAH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
Several Robeson County prop
erty owners at Long Beach were
visitors here Sunday and very
much raised the question of in
corporation of their resort. One
of them, J. A. Singleton of Red
Springs, stated that Representa
tive Odell Williamson has a bill
that will allow the property own
ers to vote on the question of in*
corporation. The bill, Mr. Sin
gleton says, does not incorporate
the town. It simply allows those
who own the property and art
interested in the privilege of vot
ing for or against such action.
There is apparently no good rea
son why the Brunswick represen
tative should not allow the propr
erty owners to have their sajl
The bill will probably be intro
duced along with other local leg
islation. Meanwhile it seem
pretty well assured that a lot I
i
\
not all of the residents in the
area are anxious to vote on the
matter.
Checking up late Saturday af
ternoon we discovered we had
been aboard the Gerig 13 times
that day, escorting parties of
from two to eight girls each trip.
We also found out that our wal
king apparatus felt like wooden
legs through having had to climb
up and down some 15 flights of
steps aand two ladders each trip.
We mention the stairs and lad
ders subtly to bring to light the
fact that we were not discrim
inating against the boys by tak
ing only girls on these trips. It
grew somewhat windy in the af
t ternoon and to show the girls
the perfect safety of the places
to which we were taking them,
(Continued on page four)
Criticism May
Speed Work On
New Facilities
Complaint Of Gen. James
A Van Fleet Regarding
Lack Of Sufficient Am
munition In Korea May
Help
CONTROVERSY OVER
RAILROAD CROSSING
Work Continues On Dred
ging With Round - The
Clock Operations By
Vessels And Drag
lines
(By W. B. KEZIAH)
The flare-up in Washington over
General J. A. Van Fleet’s decla
ration to the Senate that ammu
nition has been arriving for the
armed forces in Korea in insuffi
cient quantities may bring about
some local reactions.
Senator Byrd of Virginia and
other Senatdts and Congressmen
became bitterly indignant at the
conditions described by General
Van Fleet. So did millions of
plain American people. It was
enough that their husbands and
sons had gone abroad to fight
Communists without the added
knowledge that they were being
poorly equipped to defend them
selves. ■':*
In his outbursts against the al
leged conditions Sertator Byrd had
many sympathetic listeners.
It has been said that the war in
Korea was just a policing war.
If that was so and if the govern
ment has been unable to provide
ample ammunition for the men
who are fighting that policing
war, what will happen if a full
scale world war breaks out call
ing for ammunition by the mil
lions of tons to be shipped out
from both the east and west
coast ?
The local reactions come from
the feeling of the absolute neces
sity of the Transporation Corps
of the Army to speed up con
struction on the Sunny Point am
munition outloading depot at
Southport. This installation has
been under consideration for
years and tangible plans took
shape in 1950.
The site, 3 miles above South
Continued on Page Five
Southport Band
Is Participant
Local Boys And Girls Took
Part In Band Day Festi
val At Shallotte Satur
day; May Enter Alazea
Festival Parade
The first marching perform
ance for the Southport High
School Band was when it ap
peared at Shallotte for Band Day
Saturday. Band members obtai
ned uniforms consisting of white
trousers or skirts and red shirts
—school colors, as a temporary
uniform and made a neat and
snappy appearance.
Band practice began last June
after the Parent-Teacher Associ
ation had purchased the first in
struments. At that time there
were 18 members. The band was
really organized in September
when school started and has built
(Coutinued on Page 4)
Civil War Projectile
Is Exploded Here
Demolition Team From Charleston Dispose Of Strange
Piece Of Ammunition Discovered Near
Sunny Point
A Navy demolition crew of two
men came up from Charleston
this week and proceeded to ex
terminate the 35-pound projec
tile that was dredged up by the
Ventor of the Hill Dredging Com
pany 10 days ago. A demolition
charge blew the thing to frag
ments.
Warrant Officer H. E. John
son, commanding the Oak Island
Coast Guard Station, which re
trieved the projectile from the
dump, says that the demolition
crew expressed the belief that
the shell was of Civil War vin
tage. They based their belief
that the numbers 1864 stamped
on the shell was the date of
manufacture and not a code num
ber.
This projectile, despite an un
doubted long emersion on the
muddy bottom of the Cape Fear,
still bore rifling marks, indicat
ing it had been fired from some
sort of a cannon.
It was loaded with powder and
was intended to explode on con
tact with its target. The explo
sive contents failed to go off
when the thing was destroyed
by the demolition charge. The
experts accounted for this non
exploding by saying that long
years of emersion . in the water
had destroyed the potency.
They think that perhaps Fort
Fisher or some Yankee gunboat
may have fired the shot that sent
the 35-pound projectile over into
the water near the west bank
of the Cape Fear.
If the thing had been still po
tent it is more than likely that
the crew of the dredge would
have gotten a bad scare, perhaps
injury. Their huge cast steel
digger dug it up and the pumps
sucked the whole 35-pound ob
ject through the dredge and sent,
it hurtling through 2,300 feet of
disposal pipe in company with a
lot of limestone rocks.
Hospital Bids
Total $101,149
-----*
Urges Treatment
For Blue Mold
The blue mold on young to
bacco plants causes farmers much
concern this time of year, says
County Agent A. S. Knowles. So
far blue mold has not been re
ported in Brunswick County, but
it may already be in some to
bacco beds, as reports of blue
mold has been made in Colum
bus and Horry Counties.
Farmers have had good results
in controling blue mold in the
past when they used the cor
rect fungicide in the right am
ounts. Use either Dithane Z-78,
advises the county agent. “These
materials may be used as a
spray or dust. The young plants
must be thoroughly sprayed or
dusted to prevent blue mold from
starting. These materials must
be used before blue mold appears
in the plant bed and used twice
weekly until set in the field.
“Tobacco plants without blue
mold attack have several advan
tages over blue mold plants,
points out County Agent Knowles.
In the first place, the farmer is
assured of setting on time. In
the second place, he does not
run risk of bringing in black
shank, Granville Wilt and other
diseases. This lack of plants at
the right time has caused many
farmers to bring in the dreaded
Black Shank and Granville Wilt
diseases.”
Residents See
Effects Of Fire
Billowing Smoke And Fine
Particles Come Pouring
Across Brunswick From
Big Fire In Wilmington
On Monday
The disastrous fire in Wilming
ton, less than half a mile from
the Brunswick County line Mon
day, sent a lot of reminder into
Brunswick regarding what was
going on in the neighboring coun
ty of New Hanover.
The wind was from the north
east, blowing smoke, flames and
debris out over the river toward
Brunswick County. The smoke
went almost directly over the
central part of the county, Sup
ply and Shallotte and Little Riv
er, S. C., 50 miles away.
Sheriff E. V. Leonard was on
Route 130 above Orton, and six
or seven miles from the fire when
a nitrate explosion occurred and
his windshield and car windows
were covered, almost obscuring
vision and resembling white spra
yed paint. Other cars in other
areas sustained the same “paint
ing up.”
From Southport, 31 miles from
the point of the fire, the huge
bank of smoke resembled storm
clouds as it drifted across the
county and into South Carolina.
Many Brunswick farms are said
to have received a plentiful spray
ing of nitrate, as well as many
of the residents getting more
smoke than they wanted.
The fire loss, mostly water
front warehouses and goods stor
ed, ranging from tobacco to su
(Continued on page four)
Officials Of Dosher Memo
rial Hospital Pleased As
Bids All Fall Well With
in Estimates
MEDICAL CARE TO
HAVE FINAL SAY
Small Sum Left For Contin
gencies On Basis Of Bids
Canvassed Here Last
Wednesday
Bids totaling- $101,149.75 for re
novations and additions to the
Dosher Memorial Hospital were
opened here last week, but final
approval must come from the
Medical Care Commission before
work may commence.
In addition to the bid total of
$101,149.75 there is an architect
fee of $6,068.98. This leaves a to
tal of $2,781.27 out of the $110,
000 building fund for contingen
cies.
Successful bidder on the gen
eral contract was the Murray
Newton Co., of Wilmington,
whose figure was $74,108. This
bid includes a new front on the
building and a stainless steel
kitchen.
The plumbing contract will go
to Ideal Plumbing Co. of Wil
mington, whose bid was $8,690.
A. B. Blake of Wilmington sub
mitted the low bid of $10,738.75
for electric wiring. This figure in
cludes new lighting for the ope
rating room, for the delivery
room, a new nurses’ call system
and lights for the new front of
the building.
Low bid for heating was made
by A. W. Branch & Son of Wil
mington. Their figure was $7,613
and includes a new boiler.
Members of the Dosher Memor
ial Hospital Auxiliary have been
offered an opportunity to raise
money on Sunday, March 22, by
(Continued On Page Five)
Issues Warning
On New Cards
Port Security Identification
Cards Must Be Held By
Those Whose Duties Car
ry Them About Water
front
Oak Island Coast Guard Sta
tion has been notified commercial
fishermen, longshoremen fishermen
and others requiring Port Securi
ty Identification careds in this
immediate area, should make ap
plication now-. The applications
may be filed at Oak Island now
and a little later a mobile proces
sing team will process all appli
cations.
It is understood only one trip
will be made here this year and
having the application on file,
so that it can be acted upon by
the mobile unit may be impor
tant in that it will save a trip
to the captain of the port in
Wilmington or some other such
office.
The permits must be had by
persons whose duties require
them to visit waterfront prop
(Continued On Page Four)
Gerig To Leave
Tomorrow After
Completing Job
Big Hopper Dredge Of U.S.
Army Engineers Spent
Week-End At Dock And
Permitted Visitors Aboard
LETTER EXPRESSES
CORDIAL FEELING
Big Vessel Going To Cuba
For 4 - Months Job, But
May Return To South
port For More Work
By W. B. KEZIAH
While spending the week-end
here at the Army Engineers dock
the huge USE dredge Gerig waa
visited by more than 1,000 people
according to a check made of the
guest registry by the quarter
masters just before the vessel
returned to her work on the
Cape Fear bar Tuesday.
The Gerig, as has previously
been stated in this paper, is
more than three times as large
as other hopper dredges that us
ually work in North Carolina wa
ters. She carries a pay load of
3,060 cubic yards of earth and
the next largest boat to have
been in North Carolina waters
was the Atlantic, working at
Southport in 1937.
Only 45 minutes are required
for the huge pumps of the Gerig
to get her approximately 1,000
dump truck loads aboard. Unloa
ding the giant hopper is much
simpler. Ten minutes after the
ship arrives at the dumping
ground the load will have been
discharged and the ship on her
way to load up again.
Pipeline dredges, it may be ex
plained here, have no engines
except to operate their pumps.
Through a system of cables, an
chors and spuds, they can move
slowly about after reaching their
operations area. A digger and
powerful pumps suck up the mud
and carry it through the dredge
and then on shoreward or other
disposal area through pipes.
When a pipeline dredge gets any
where it has to have a tug to
tow it. *
The hopper dredges, such as
the Gerig, have their own power.
The Gerig can make 17 knots
when going from job to job or
returning from a disposal area
to the scene of its dredging op*
erations. The only pipes are the
huge starboard and portside drag
pipes with a seven-ton drag on
the bottom end of each. These
drags are lowered only when the
ship is sucking up mud and the
mud goes into the huge hold of
the vessel.
Unloading is a simple process
of pulling leavers. The entire^
bottom of the hold swings wide
open and the cargo slides out
into the sea.
On its present trip to South
port the Gerig was loaned to the'
Wilmington District Army Engin
eers by the Savannah, Ga., Dis
trict'. The immediate work was
to do some clearing of the bar.
This is scheduled to be finished
Thursday night at midnight and
the Gerig will then return to
Savannah, take on supplier for
a trip to Cuba and a four nrfcnths
job there.
She is to return to the A S.
in four months and there s^us
to be another and much larger
job at Southport awaiting her 61
some other vessel of her size at
about the time she returns to
the U. S. From the many re
marks they made it is evident
that the officers and crew of
the ship hope they will draw the
big assignment.
Southport people hope the same
(Continued On Page Four)
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 12
11:09 a. m. 5:00 a. m.
11:34 p. . 5:0Sp: m.
Friday, .March 13
12:01 a. m. 5.54 a. m.
0:00 p. m. 6:00 p. m.
Saturday, March 14
0:29 a. ma 6:51 a. nt.
1:00 p. m. 6:57 p. m.
Sunday, March 15
1:27 a. m. 7:53 a. m.
2:01 P. M. 7:57 p. m.
Monday, March 16
2:27 a. m. 8:55 a. m.
3;03 p. rn. 9:03 p. m.
Tuesday, March 17
3:27 a. m . 9:53 a. m.
4:02 p m. 10:03 p. m.
Wednesday, March 18
4)23 a. m. 10:44 a .m
4:55 p. m. 10:57 p. m
i