Most Of The News
All The Time
Volume No. 17 No. 4
THE STAT PORT PILOT
- &
_A Good Newspaj In A Good Community_
6-Pages Today SOUTHPORT, N.leDNESDAY. JUNE 3, 1953 PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
$1.50 PER YEAR
American Consul
Represents City
In Dedication
Commemorative Park Seat
Presented Citizens Of
Southport, Lancashire, En
gland, With Appropriate
Ceremony Last Week
OFFICIAL EXPRESSES
INTEREST IN CITY
Commends Southport For
Friendly Spirit Shown By
This Gesture And Hop
es To Pay Visit To
This City
American Consul General Shel
don Thomas of Liverpool, Eng-,
land, represented Mayor J. A.
Gilbert of Southport at the ded
ication of a commemorative park
bench last Tuesday in Southport,
Lancashire, the gift of residents
of this North Carolina communi
ty to citizens of their English
namesake city. Following are the
remarks made by the American
Consul at the ceremony:
“It is with much pleasure that
I accept your kind invitation tc
participate in this ceremony or
behalf of the citizens of South
port, North Carolina. While the
invitation itself came as a pleas
ant surprise, I was not at all
surprised to learn that they were
intending to mark this great yeai
in the noble history of Britain by
recalling their ties with this
country. Those of you have vis
ited the United States know the
deep well of goodwill for this
country which ever replenishes
itself from one generation of
Americans to the next.
“Southport, North Carolina,
feels these ties closely, both be
cause of its geographical location
and because of the root stock
of many of its inhabitants. May
or Gilbert, whom I have the
honor and privilege of represent
ing here, has reminded me of the
fact that Southport is located on
the banks of the Cape Fear Riv
er close to the Atlantic about 200
miles south of Roanoke Island,
where the first English colony
was founded by Sir Walter Ral
eigh; also that the early settlers
of North Carolina in the region
of Southport were predominant
(Continued On Page Five)
•a
irUfNtwt
Flash**
GRADUATES
Lee Keister, son of Mr. and
Mrs. L. W. Keister, graduated
Sunday from Georgia Military
Academy where he was a stu
dent last year.
AT PASTORS SCHOOL
The Rev. N. L. Jones, pastoi
of Trinity Methodist church in
Southport, is attending Pastors
School this week at Duke Univer
sity in Durham.
RESIGNS POSITION
Miss Ann McRacken has re
signed as a member of the higt
school faculty at Southport to ac
cept a position as secretary ir
the physics department at N. C
State College.
BOARD TO .MEET
The board of aldermen wil
meet on Thursday night, Jun
11 at 8 o’clock and at this meet
ing will consider the matter o
levying a privilege tax on mer
chants and places of business i:
Southport during the coming fis
cal year.
HEADS MEREDITH CHORUS
Miss Joanne Biown has bee
elected president of the Meredit
College Chorus for the next yea;
During the commencement e>
ervices at Meredith the pas
week-end Miss Brown served e
a marshal. She is the daught<
of Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Frink <
Southport.
RECEIVES DEGREE
William Leffis Bennett, son i
Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Bennett <
Shallotte, received his B. D. d
gree Monday at Duke Universit
While a student at Duke lie w,
a member of the Euzelian Lite
ary Society, Pre-Law Fratermt
Student Political Union. He r
ceived his A. B degree frc
Wake Forest and his M A. c
gree from Duk^ University.
HIKE BOX RENT
Effective July 1 box rent v
advance to the following sch<
ule: Small boxes, 90 cents: n
dium boxes, $1.10; large box
$1.50. Acting Postmaster Mi
jorie Livingston points to t
fact that there has been no <
vance in the charge for box r<
since 1907 and that this upwa
adjustment is being made to ta
care of increased costs of pro
ding equipment.
Elderly Boatman
Makes Long Trip
Harvey H. Heckler Returning To Home In Sandusky,
Ohio, From Florida In Small Boat With
Outboard Motor
On a trip that is undoubtedly
more interesting than was sail
ing around the Horn in the old
days, Shipper Harvey H. Hecker,
75-year-old veteran of the Span
ish-American war, put in at
Southport Thursday afternoon
spent the night here and depart
ed Friday to continue his long
way around to Sandusky, Ohio.
Salient features of Mr. Heck
er’s journeying is his age and
the fact that he is making a
trip of several thousand miles
in a small outboard powered
boat. His boat is only 15 y2 ft.
in length and with a beam of 4
feet 8 inches. The outboard that
enables him to putt putt merrily
along on his long journey is of
only 10 horse power.
One might also add to the
features the fact that the pen
sioned soldier cannot swim. Liv
ing for the most part on the
water in his small craft, he re
lies mainly on steady legs, and a
steadier head. And if weather
and water are the least rough,
he takes on added insurance in
the shape of a life jacket.
He decided to leave his na
tive Sandusky, Ohio, last fall,
and go to Florida. Checking on
things both regarding both trans
it01 tation and hotel accommoda
tions once he was at his desti
(Continued On Page Four)
4th Of July Will
Be Observed Here
Again This Year Members
Of Southport Home De
monstration Take Leader
ship In Holding Celebra
tion
AIR FORCE BAND
WILL RETURN HERE
Other Interesting Features
Being Lined Up To Make
This Year’s Event The
Most Outstanding
In Series
The Southport Home Demon
stration Club again this year is
promoting plans for a gala cel
ebration of the Fourth of July
and tentative arrangements in
ciicfitc that ^ . .'
will be more than matched in
color and interest.
One of the best pieces of in
formation received is that the
Pope Field Air Force Band, the
organization which has been so .
well received here for each of
the past two years, will return.
This time they will arrive on
Friday afternoon and will remain
until Sunday. They will play for ]
a dance, will participate in the
parade and will play a concert
in the afternoon on Saturday,
July 4th.
Among the dignitaries expec
ted here for this occasion is
Congressman F. Ertle Carlyle,
who says that he will be pres- ;
ent. Other men of prominence .
have been invited and an inter
esting platform program is In
prospect.
Mrs. B. J. Holden is serving
again as general chairman for
this occasion, and she has nu
merous committees working on
other details which will guaran
tee an interesting program.
The club women usually man
age to come up with a profit
from these holiday activities, and
this year proceeds from the va
rious concessions will go to help
defray the expenses of converting
the old gymnasium into., a com
munity center.
' Stocking Game
! Fish In Rivers
\
' North Carolina Wildlife Re
sources Commission Fur
nishing Fingerlings To
1 Restock Our Freshwater
i Streams
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In its efforts to further im
prove the fresh water fishing
conditions in Brunswick .County,
a procedure that is being car
ried on throughout the State, The
North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission last week released
4000 small bass in the waters
of Waccamaw River and 6000 in
Town Creek.
The restocking was done un
der the direction of Game Pro
tectors Pawnee Duval, H. T.
Bowmer and other Resource
Commission officials. The fish
were two inches in length and
were brought to this county from
the State Fish Hatchery at Fay
etteville.
The legal size that the fish
must attain before they are ta
ken is 12 inches, and under good
growing conditions it will be a
little over a year before the stock
-ed fish can be legally taken.
Waccamaw River is one of the
most favored streams' in Bruns
wick for the sport fisherman,
During the past two or three
years, however, the supply ol
game fish has noticeably decreas
ed, due largely to the great
(Continued on Page Two)
Motor Boat Races
Attracting Crowd
Trucks and trailers bearing'
boats and outboard motors be
gan arriving in Southport early
this morning in preparation for
the start of the Southport-Myr
tle Beach Outboard Motor Mar
athon this afternoon. Starting
time is 2 o’clock. ,
Although full details were not i
available, it was expected that <
as many as 50 boats would be j
here to compete in the various <
classes, and plenty of activity c
and excitement was in prospect j
for waterfront spectators
day. c
Ideal weather conditions pre
vailed. 1
History Students j
Visit Clarendon;
Joys And Girls From Wil- ]
mington College Here
As Guests Of Mr. And
Mrs. Cornelius Thomas
Monday Morning
In charge of their teacher, Miss
Mildred Johnson, a group of stu
lents from Wilmington College
vere guests of Mr. and Mrs. Cor
lellus Thomas at Clarendon
Plantation on Tuesday morning,
rhey are studying engineering
ind contemporary civilization,
Miss Johnson stated.
In the group were three Brun
swick County boys and girls,
Miss Elsie Peterson of Leland
snd Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Kirby
if Supply. Others in the party
were Annie Chadwick, Wilming
ton; James B. Rourk, Carolina
Beach; Wallace Brimley, Eliza
beth City; Norwood Chestnut,
Warsaw; E. M. Crockett, Wrigh
tsville Beach; Robert A. Hodges,
Reba Miller, Jack Franks, Robert
McGee and Barbara Dannaker,
TV iUUUlglUU.
The young folks manifested a
lively interest in the many an
tiques and objects of historic in
terest in the beautiful Clarendon
home. Among these objects is
the old Pirate Branding Iron
that was found deep in the
Green Swamp. This branding
iron is shaped something like a
double headed hammer with a
handle two feet long and with
the Pirate Skull and Crossbones
cut into head. It was used to
brand pirates on the forehead
when they were captured during
early colonial days. Its discovery
in the Green Swamp, or rather
how it got there, has never been
fully explained.
In addition to their visit to
the Clarendon House the visit
ors were taken by Mr. Thomas
to the “Village,” a location half
a mile from the house to what is
now a ghost town of some early
group of settlers. Clay pottery
and other objects abound at this
village and there is said to be
ample evidence that the place
once comprised a considerable
settlement. The students found
and carried back with them some
50 pieces > of broken pottery for
an exhibit at the college.
Dr. Phillips Russell, noted his
torian of the University of North
Carolina, is planning to shortly
have an exploration made of the
village with the object of try
ing to discover something rela
tive to its early history.
Supt. of Brunswick Schools J
T. Denning and W. B. Keziair ol
(Continued On Page Five)
Appoinj
Billy Sanders, son
Mrs. M. R. Sanders
who graduates on
Georgia Military
lege Park, Ga. The
port cadet
that he had
Scholorship. This
special aptitude
examination and
view. He will enroll
ber in the unit at
sity, New Orleans,
Farmers
Loss From
Monday In
upon
VVirmabow Communit' Hit
Twice During Satfie Af
ternoon By Hail ;| Hick
man’s Cross Roads Section
Also Suffered Dailaga
A wind and hail storm which
aused considerable crop damage
n at least two sections 'of the
ounty and brought the tem
'erature tumbling down 30 de
;rees in the matter of a couple
f hours hit Brunswick Monday.
m
n some j
E ....
ome serious.
One section which was hit by
ail was near Winnabow, the
ame ' area which suffered severe
amage four years ago. Actuat
or, there were two hail storms
londay, but only the first did
riuch damage. Among the farms
lit were those of G. T. Reid
md Earl Earp, both of whom
Dst heavily in the storm of four
mars ago..
Half a dozen farmers in the
(Continued on Page Two)
Shallotte Native
Dies In Accident
Mrs. Frances Floyd Bre
en Killed Instantly In
tomobile Crash In Floi
d
u
:ia
Mrs. Frances Floyd Breei
33, a native of Shallotte,
killed instantly last Thursia;
an automobile accident near
home in St. Petersburg, Ha
Details of the accident iBre
not immediately available iei
Mrs. Breeden was ridin;
car with her husband, Lute
Breeden, who was injured
rites for the victim were4
ed while Mr. Breeden VS
covering from his injuries
Mrs. Breeden had lived
Petersburg for the past sb/1
(Continued on Page Tv)
Vacation Bible
School Closes
Thursday Night
Preparations Being Made
For Exercises Following
Successful Two Weeks
Program At The Baptist
Church
ATTENDANCE HAS
AVERAGED 84 PUPILS
I ~,
! Strong Faculty Has Been In
| Charge Of Diversified
Program For Eoys And
Girls Of Southport
Commencement exercises for
ie Vacation Bible School of
.outhport Baptist Church will be
eld at the church Thursday night
t 7:30 o’clock. Each department
vill give a demonstration of
omething learned during the
chool and there will be a display
if handwork done by the chil
Iren.
An additional feature of the
>rogram will be the showing of
i, film showing the school of the
ime of Jesus. One of a series
mtitled “Two Thousand Years
\go,” shows school boys going
,o the synagogue for instruction
vhile the girls are taught at home
>y their mothers.
Attendance at the school for
;he first week has averaged 84.
rhe following are serving on the
faculty: Rev. T. D. Tolar, Lew
Hardee, Miss Gloria Lee Hewett,
Mrs. Albert Bogie, Mrs. Robert
Garner, Mrs. William Kincaide,
Mrs. John Carr Davis Mrs. Earl
Hancock Mrs. W. L. Aldridge,
Miss Carol Ann Smith, Miss Nor
ma Ann Harrelson, Miss Latitia
Hickman, Mrs. T. D. Toler, Mrs.
Joe Wilmoth, Mrs. Dan Harrel
son, Mrs. J. B. Warth, Miss Sue
Williamson, Miss Janice Trunnell,
Miss Karen Swan, Miss Patritia
Adams.
This year the school has added
a nursery department and an in
termediate department.
n Kiver
Southport Residents Had
Unusual Experience Fri
day Of Seeing Six Big
Boats Load Fish In Local
Harbor
Five or six boats made pretty
good catches of menhaden in the
Cape Fear River between South
port and Bald Head Island Fri
day morning. Their operating in
that close-in area was so unusu
al that many people asked if
the presence of the fish in the
river was indicative of an ap
proaching storm.
As a matter of fact, the men
haden come into the Cape Fear
in great numbers each spring
and summer, especially during
very hot weather, at which time
the river waters are cooler than
those of the ocean. However,
they are so widely scattered that
the boats cannot usually operate
on them to advantage.
At its best the river is a very
poor operating ground for men
haden. Most of the area has its
bottom filled with oyster shells
and there is also wreckage to
tear the nets. With the scatter
ed fish and the disadvantage of
operating the nets, the menha
den fishermen usually ignore the
schools of fish in the harbor.
Thursday night some pretty
sool weather came along when
(Continued on Page 2)
W. B. HEZUH
OVING
Reporter
During the recent sel
schools at least three
had regular school repoil
of these three the Shallot!
with Miss Betty Gray
Wayne Tripp had the nj
sistent workers. Miss Gi|
ably bore the lion’s
the work, and it can ]
that they never missed j
of the paper from stall
ish. In fact, Miss Gnf
lished some kind of
She had a column last |
ter school was out.
recall when any of tl
reporters have ever bl
lowed up with a repoi|
final week of school,
otte school reporters
only been regular, they
good and their cole
read with interest,
about ail of the schooll
have graduated. it is hoped
that an equally good group will
take up next fall where the
present ones left off.
The Brunswick County long
range farming by growing blue
hemes is this year paying off
and paying well to the New
Jersey folks who came here sev
eral years ago and began to es
tablish this crop. We call it long
range farming by reason of the
fact that much time is involved
in the planting and then the
planter must wait three years
before he can hope for a crop.
After that the crop is an annual
one, calculated to grow bigger
each year as the bushes become
more mature. Once the crop is
established the ground must be
kept cultivated and free from
(Continued on Page 4)
Survey Berry Crop
GROWERS—T. P. Key, Sr., and his son, Tom Key, are
examining fruit-laden plants on their blueberry farm near
Southport. Picking is now at its height, and a splendid
crop is in prospect.
Heavy Machinery
Saved From Fire
Special School
Tax Is Defeated
Voters of the Shallotte school
district turned thumbs down
Saturday upon a. proposal to
levy a special tax of 15 cents
per hundred on property own
ed by white residents of the
district to provide a special
school fund.
The margin of defeat was
about 7 .1,0 1.
the largest school
or the outstanding* rural high
schools in Eastern North Car
olina, lias a program which go
es beyond the limits of State
financed operation. Officials
interested in being able to con
tinue the same type of school
program had advanced the
cause of the special school tax
as an equitable means for
spreading the cost. But the
idea of added taxation was not
acceptable to the majority and
the special school tax failed to
carry.
Sentence Two
In Sordid Case
Crowd Attends Court Here
Monday To Hear Trial Of
Negro Man And White
Woman On Charge Of
Fornication And Adultery
A record was established Mon
day in Brunswick County Recor
der’s Court for the time consum
ed in trying a single case, and
for attendance at a session of
this court. From the time that
court opened at 10:30 until 5:30
not a seat was vacant and ma
ny spectators crowded the hall
way.
Main cause of the overflow at
tendance was the scheduled trial
of Mrs. A. C. Hewett, white wo
man of the Supply community,
and Holly Johnson, a Negro,
charged with fornication and ad
ultry. Both had signed a con
fession of guilt to the charge
while they were being held in
jail in default of a ?1,500 bond in
each case.
At the trial Monday they re
pudiated this confession, claim
ing that they were afraid and
signed through fear of the offi
cers. The officers who obtained
the alleged confession were FBI
Agents O’Daniel and Pope; Sher
iff Leonard, Deputies Drew Long,
H. C. Radcliff and Leo Wil
liams.
The signed confession was in
troduced as evidence at the trial.
Both the defendants were repre
sented by S. Bunn Frink of
Southport and Mr. Britt of Britt
& Britt of Lumberton. Because
of the alleged confession it had
been supposed that the couple
would enter pleas of guilty and
throw themselves on the mercy
of the court.
However, with the calling of
the case Attorney Frink entered
a plea of not guilty for his cli
ents, thereby setting in motion ,
the all-day session of court.
Four women and one man swore >
that they went to the home of
the woman at 2 o’clock in the '
morning and that the Negro was j
there. The woman's husband i
was away working on a night ]
(Continued on Page 2) ;
Forest Fire Spreading From
Trash Dump Threatened
Widespread Damage Sat
urday Afternoon
HIGH WINDS MAKE
FIGHTING DIFFICULT
Effective Work By Forestry
Department Is Responsi
ble For Holding Loss
To A Minimum
A forest fire which got out
from the city trash dump near
the Magnolia Dairy about, noon
Saturday threatened for a time
to bo one of the most disastrous
blazes in recent years in this
vicinity.
Fanned by high winds, the
first danger from the on-rushing
flames was two pieces of high
way machinery which had been
parked in a vacant field near
the trash dump. Only the quick
thinking of Mrs. Fred Stevens
and her daughter, Mrs. Gladys
Johnson, saved this equipment.
With no knowledge of how to
operate these heavy machines,
Mrs. Johnson rushed into South
port for assistance. Fortunately,
she was able to contact H. A.
Livingston and her own husband,
who made a hasty trip to the
.scene of the fire. Each of these
men is experienced in the oper
ation of motors, and they got
the huge machines going in time
to rumble across the highway
just ahead of the fire.
The next danger was to a barn
I and stables on the Brown farm,
and flames came so close to this
building that they were extin
guished by a bucket brigade
within a yard of the fat light
wood sills.
Meanwhile the fire was rag
ing through a growth of young
Pinesj and was headed for a pret
ty stand of young timber almost
of merchantable size. Next to
this grove was the residence of
Mr. aand Mrs. Goley Stanley,
who by this time were growing
anxious about the safety of their
home. The house of Mr. and Mrs.
Ernest Stanley and of Mr. and
Mrs. Alex Shirey were also in
the line of fire.
Someone had the good judge
(Continued on Page Two)
Vacation Bible
School Planned
Summer Session Will Begin
Monday Morning At Trin
ity Methodist Church
With Mrs. H. T. St. Geor
ge Director
Mrs. H. T. St. George will be
in charge of the Daily Vacation
Bible School which will be in
session for a 10-day period be
ginning Monday.
The school is for children from
four to 14 years of age and will
run from 9 to 11 o'clock each
norning. A strong faculty has
seen assembled for the training
period.
Mrs. E. B. Brunson and Mrs.
V. R. Jenkins will be in charge
>f beginners; Mrs. Davis Her
•ing and Mrs. John D. O’Daniel
'■’ill have charge of the primary
jroup; Mrs. J. T. Denning anil
Urs. James M. Harper will di
ect the juniors; music will be in
iharge of Mrs. Dallas Pigott,
uliss Ann Brooks Newton and
iliss Jean Thompson.
Srig. Gen. Holle
To Visit Sunny
Point Project
'Jew Chief Of South Atlan
tic Division Of U. S. Army
Engineers Will Inspect
Work In Progress There
FIRST VISIT TO
WILMINGTON AREA
Distinguished Visitor Will
Include Southport On Itin
iary If Time Permits
By W. B. KEZIAH
Brigadier General Charles G.
Holle, Chief of the South Atlan
:ic Division, Army Engineers in
Atlanta, will visit Sunny Point
next Monday manning in com
pany with Col. R. C. Brown, chief
i>f the Wilmington District, and
other officials.
After an inspection of the
dredging operations, they will
come on to Southport, and be
at the office of this newspaper
for a short while. They will also
make a courtesy call on Col. E.
X. Brown, retired Army Engin
eer of Southport, who filled the
post of engineer for many yea¥§
in various districts.
Since both bear the same fam
ily names and both have filled
the same executive posts with
the Army engineers, it may be
mentioned here that Col. Roland
C. Brown, the present head of
the Wilmington District, is not
related to ' Co. E. I. Brown of
Southport, a former head of the
same office.
Brigadier General Holle, who
took charge of the South Atlan
tic Division on April 15th will
be making his first official visit
to the Wilmington District and
to Southport Monday. All of
the Districts of the South At
lantic Division. He served at
New Orleans as District Engin
eer from 1949 until recently,
when he was promoted to Divis
ion Manager. His various toura
of duty in the lower Mississippi
Valley have given him a wide
range of experience with civic
works, in addition to his exten
sive military engineering expe
rience.
On his own trip Monday, Col.
R. C. Brown of the Wilmington
District will probably be making
one of his last official visits to
Sunny Point and Southport. His
three-year tour of duty at the
Wilmington office will be finish
ed on June 15th and in accord
ance with military procedure he
will be assigned elsewhere. In
the Sunny Point project togeth?
er with many other engineering
jobs assigned to his office, Col.
Brown has seen his office the
most remarkable list of achieve
ments.
Dies Suddenly
Of Heart Attack
B. M. Graham, Prominent
Iowa And New Jersey
Farmer, Was Here Look
ing After Blueberry Farm
Interests
B. M. Graham, prominent res
ident of . Decorah, Iowa, and Pal
myra, Nl J., died here suddenly
from a tjeart attack in his rooms
I at the Camellia Inn Sunday mor
ning. Mi-. Graham was 64 years
old and was extensively engag
ed in farming in Decorali and at
Palmyra. During the past sev
eral years he has also spent a
good deal of his time at South
port looking after his extensive
blueberry farm, owned joiptly
(Continued on Page 2)
e* cj co
Tide Table
Following Is the tide iabie
for Southport during the next
week. These hours are approxi
mately correct and were furn
ished The State Port PUot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot’s Association.
High Tide Low Tide
Thursday, June i
0:51 a. m. 3:17 a. rn,
1:27 p. m. 7.41 r>. m.
Friday, June 5
:50 a. m. 8:11 a. m.
-9 p. m. 8:19 p. m.
Saturday, June 6
:f>l 3- m. 9:12 a. mV
:32 p. m. 9:55 p. m.
Sunday, June 7
3:52 a. m. 10:09 a. m.
4:32 p. m. 10:57 p. m.
Monday, June 8
4:51 a. m. 11:04 a. m.
5:29 p. m. 11:55 p. m.
Tuesday, June 9
5:58 a. ni. 11:56 a, in.
5:21 p. m. 0:00 p. m.
Wednesday, June 10
6:44 a. m. 0:48 a. m.
7:15 p. m. 12:46 p. m.