Most Of The News
All The Time
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
Volume No. 17
No. 24
6-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1953
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
$1.50 PER YEAR
Safety Meeting
For Sunny Point
Job Each Month
Every Possible Precaution
Is Taken To Keep Down
Accidents; Record Thus
Far Has Justified Meas
ures Being Taken
MONTHLY ^MEETINGS
ARE PROVING HELPFUL
Workers Are Discovering
That Practice Of Safety
Measures Mean Less
Time Lost From
Employment
By W. B. KEZIAH
Safety is the watchword in the
construction of the government
terminals, just as it will be the
watchword when the gaint insta
llation is completed. A safety
meeting was held yesterday after
noon aboard the super dredge G.
A. McWilliams.
Such meetings are held once
each month by each phase of
construction and it is worthy of
pointing out that work having
been in progress for nearly ten
months there has not been a sin
gle serious accident to anyone.
It is planned by the Army En
gineers to maintain this record, if
precautions will avail. Using the
dredging as an illustration, it is
pointed out that not a man is
allowed aboard a dredge or ser
vicing boat unless he is wearing a
life-jacket.
Employees or visitors are not
allowed to walk a pipe line or
go anywhere over the water with
out wearing one of these life
jackets. The jackets can easily
be the difference between life and
death. If a man falls or is knock
ed overboard, and perhaps render
ed unconscious, the kopok will
sustain him until he can be re
scued.
Old rivermen used to say that
"safety” was a word for sis
sies. If there was no walkway
and a man could not walk the
shivering pipe line he was told
to get off the job, Says Bill Ob
erjohann, Southport man who is
inspector of dredging.
Oberjohann hers covered dredg
ing operations on the Mississippi
from one end to the other and he
says that dredging people have
now come to realize that acci
dents cost time, money and some
time lives.
The dredging folks and other
contractors at the terminals are
falling in readily with the decrees
of the Army Engineers that every
safety precaution be taken.
The matter of safety is stress
id at all times and once each
month the employees of each con
tractor are briefed, just as they
were briefed last week aboard the
G. A. McWilliams, with regard to
safety for themselves and their
fellow workers.
Brief Newt
Flashes
i—— 1 ■
IN SESSION
The Brunswick Baptist Associa
tion is in session today at Soldier
Bay with Thursday’s session she
duled for Elah Baptist Church.
LOINS TO 3LEET
The Southport Lions Club will
meet tomorrow (Thursday) at
12:30 o’clock at the Masonic
Building. District Governor Wal
lace West will be the speaker.
HALLOWE’EN-CARNIVAL
The Southport Parent-Teachers
Association is sponsorir|g the an
nual hallowe’en carnival which
will be held on Friday night of
next week in the gymnasium.
FARMERS MEETING
The Brunswick county Farm
Bureau is sponsoring a county
wide meeting of farmers on
Tuesday night, October 27, at
Shalotte High School. A large
attendance is being urged.
DENTIST MEETING
Dr. and Mrs. C. E. Crandell
will spend the week-end at his
home in Pitt county and on Mon
day he will attend the 5th Dis
trict meeting of the North Caro
lina Dental Society in Goldsboro.
AT FISHBOCRNE ~
Cadet John Plaxco, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Frank Plaxco
of Southport, is a member of the
freshman class at Fishburne Mili
tary School, Waynesboro, Va.,
which is celebrating its 75th an
niversary as a preparatory school
for boys.
VISITING OLD HOME'
B. W. Ruark of Chicago has
been spending several days here
with his brother, C. G. Ruark,
and sister, Mrs. Mary St. George.
Mr. Ruark moved to Chicago 29
years ago and has been actively
engaged in the automotive indus
try. He is a son of the late Mr.
and Mrs. J. B. Ruark of South
port.
Southport Man
Tours Europe
Sgt. A. T. McKeithan Takes Time Off From Army Duties
For Visit To Southport, England
Employed here in the Southport
postoffice until he went into serv
ice early in World War n, Sgt. j
A. T. McKeithan is now station- j
ed with the U. S. Forces ini
Hanover, Germany.
Sgt. McKeithan is a son of the
late A. T. McKeithan, for many
years Clerk of the Superior Co- i
urt, and Mrs. McKeithan. Recent
ly getting a two-weeks leave fr
om duty, he took a vacation by
visiting several other European
cities. He wrote the following in
teresting account of this vacation
to his mother here in Southport:
“Am back in Hanover again.
Truly hated to come today from
Frankfurt. Left here the night
of August 31st. Went to Frank
furt, then on Tuesday arrived in
Amsterdam in mid-morning. Had
a nice hotel room located on the
main square. I think I like Am
sterdam better than any place I
have visited in Europe.
The canals are very interesting.
They are like streets in other pla
ces. The city is built on pilings.
Took a boat trip through the city
and into the harbor. It is one of
the major European ports. Al
most all the people speak English.
Food is almost cheap, and you
get more than you can cat.
“Last day there took a trip to
Volend&n and Marken through
the dike and windmill country,
visited a cheese farm, took a bo
at out to Market where the peo
ple dress in old Dutch oostumes
and live in small houses on the
cheese farm. The cows are kept
indoors in stalls during the cold
weather. They are milked and
the cheese made in the same
room. Am sure you would enjoy
eating the cheese. I ate so many
samples couldn’t eat supper. Was
in Holland three days and it rain
ed two of the days. It was really
bad weather the entire trip.
“Left Amsterdam Thursday ni
(Continued On Page Four)
Best Fishing In
History Going On
Fishing Parties During Past
Week-End Brought In
Catches Of Bluefish Run
ning Into The Hundreds
OFF-SHORE PARTIES
ALSO HAVE LUCK
Southport Filled With Fish
ing Parties As Many Pri
vate Vessels Also Made
Outside Trips
A new all-time record for
sports fishing was established by
parties going out of Southport
during the week-end as thousands
of bulefish were brought in along
with large numbers of larger
fish that were taken by parties
who chose to go off-shore.
Few people remember when
the blues were so plentiful nor
when they were so anxious to be
caught; but the big difference is
that more than twenty boats
were out in perfect weather Sat
urday and Sunday, and every one
of them came in with all the fish
they had time to catch.
The blues are of good eating
size, ranging from about three
quarters of a pound up. Some
boats made two trips and had a
catch running into the hundreds.
Following is a report of Friday,
Saturday and Sunday catches for
several of the local charter boats.
Information was unavailable for
some of these boats, and no ef
fort was made to give an acc
! ount of catches made by the do
zen or more private boats which
enjoyed this fisherman's paradise
of the past few days.
Friday
The Botfly, Capt. Leon Mc
Keithan, R. F. Lylerly party cau
ght 750 blues; the Lady Lou,
(Continued on Page Two)
River Road Is
Open To Traffic
With Drainage Canal Al
most Complete Water
Covering Road Has Re
ceded To Safe Level
Traffic is again passing over
Route 130 between Sunny Point
and Wilmington although the St
ate Highway Commission has not
yet removed the detour signs.
With high water from the ra
ins of three weeks ago covering
the road it became necessary to
close this route to Wilmington.
A drag line was set to work cut
ting a canal to carry off the sur
plus water on Monday, September
26. A long canal had to be cut
all of the way to the Cape Fear
River and this is only just now
being finished.
At the danger spot a natural
pond lies on each side of the
highway. In the government cons
truction work dikes were built
just back of each pond. These
dikes acted as dams and all of
the water that fell in the area
united to form one big pond out
of the two, with the road going
right through the center.
The Army Enginers had given
the contract for the cutting of
the drainage canal the week be
fore the rains started. When the
road became flooded they speeded
up operations on th6 contract.
Trio Stranded
In Open Boat
Going to one of the creeks
east of Bald Head with plans
to fish for a couple of hours
one afternoon this past week,
Mrs. Lou Mallison, Mrs. Harry
Saunders and Charlie Trott re
mained much longer than they
had intended.
They left here at 2 o’clock,
and at 4 when they were ready
to return their motor would
not start. Charlie and his com
panions could not get things go
ing. They were more than 3 mi
les from the Coast Guard sta
tion and the sky was overcast.
Attempts at signaling were in
effective while daylight lasted
and so on through the night.
At somewhere around 6 o’clock
next morning they were picked
up and brought in, cold, damp
and hungry.
J. Mercer Taylor
Passes Monday
Was Native Of Brunswick
County But Had Lived In
Wilmington For Many
Years
J. Mercer Taylor, native of
Brunswick county, a son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. Edward W.
Taylor of the Winnabow comm
unity, died sudnely at his home
in Wilmington Monday morning.
The day before he had attended
the Homecoming Day celebration
at New Hope Presbyterian Church.
For many years Mr. Taylor
was an employee of the Wilming
ton post office, retiring from
that work a few years ago. He
was 78 years of age.
Funeral services arc being held
today at 11 o’clock from Pear
sall Memorial Presbyterian Church
in Wilmington, with the Rev. B.
Frank Hall officiating. Mr. Tay
lor was an elder in that church.
Mr. Taylor is survived by his
widow, Mrs. Sudie Mills Taylor;
one daughter, Mrs. Robert M.
Fales; a son, W. Mills Taylor, of
Continued On Page Four)
Revival Service
Comes To Close
Successful Series Of Servic
es Concluded At South
port Baptist Church Sun
day Night
The Rev. H. Gordon Keekley,
Jr., of Kings Mountain brought
the final sermon Sunday night,
closing a series of revival services
in which he had been preaching
at Southpor^ Baptist Church since
Sunday, October 11. The meetings
were marked by good atten
dance and responsive congrega
tions.
During the week’s services 13
people presented themselves for
membership in the church. A
number of others came forward i
to reredicate themselves to the
Continued On Page Four)
V ictim
DANNY HARRELSON
Southport Boy
Among Victims
Aboard Leyte
Arthur D. Harrelson, Son
Of Mr. and Mrs. Dan
Harrelson, Killed In Blast
Aboard Navy Carrier In
Boston, Mass., Friday
Funeral services were conduc
ted here at 4 o’clock Monday af
ternoon at St. Phillips Episcopal
Church for Arthur Danvis Har
relson, Jr., 20-year-old Southport'
boy who was killed Friday in an
explosion aboard the USS Leyte, |
giant aircraft carrier, as she lay]
in drydock in Boston, Mass.
A pall of gloom hovered over j
this community from the moment ]
the first rumor of the tragedy j
was spread early Friday evening.
Later there came the dread con
firmation when the F.ev. Walter
Harrelson, uncle of the young sail
or, identified h is body.
The remains arrived here short
ly after noon Monday, and a
full hour before time for the fun
eral all traffic and business acti
vity . in downtown Southport ha#<
come to a standstill. The small
chapel at St. Phillips was filled
with members of the family and
close friends, and hundreds more
stood outside on the courthouse
lawn.
No effort was made to carry
all the flowers to the church, but
several truck loads of beautiful
floral designs were banked about
the grave at Northwood cemetery.
A former pastor, the Rev. Ce
cil Alligood of Atlanta, Ga., was
in charge of the services. He was
assisted by the Rev. Sidney Mat
hews, pastor of St. Phillips, the
Rev. T. D| Toler, pastor of So
uthport Baptist Church, and the
Rev. H. M. Baker, a former pas
tor of that church and a close
friend and counselor of the de
ceased.
The flag-draped casket was
carried into the sanctuary by ei
ght former school mates, three of
whom are also in the Navy. These
included Tommie Bowmer, John
Carr Davis, Harold Spencer, Dar
rell Fisher, Douglas Watts, Joe
Young, Kenneth Stiller and Rich
ard Brendle. H onorary pallbear
ers were members of Brunswick
County Post No. 194, American
Legion.
This popular young Southport
boy graduated from the local
high school in 1951 and soon en
listed in the Navy. He was the
eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan
Harrelson. In addition to his par
ents he is sui'vived by one bro
ther, Tommy Harrelson; and by
Continued On Page Four)
Whiteville Sets
Record For Sale
Of 1953 Tobacco
These Include Highest Ave
rage, Most Pounds, Most
Money In Week, And
Most Dollars In Week
AVERAGE OF $58.96
HIGHEST IN HISTORY
Fourteen Whiteville Re
cords Smashed During
Sale Of 41 Million
Pounds fn 52 Sales
Days
The Whiteville tobacco market
today laid claim to four world re
cords for the 1953 auction season.
Sales Supervisor Dave S. Neil
son tossed out a challenge based
on the following records:
1. Highest season average for
any market*— $58.96.
2. Best average for one day on
any market selling^ more than
million pounds' *on that day —
$63.80.
3. Most money paid out to gro
wers in any one week by a three
sale market — $3,770,900.40.
4. Most tobacco sold in five-day
period by three-sale market —
6,148,536 pounds.
Meanwhile, the Whiteville mar
ket set 14 new records. These
ranged from “most tobacco in one
season’’ to “first time market
sold 29 million pounds in first 29
selling days.” The supervisor be
lieves the latter is also a world
record for any market having on
ly three sets of buyers.
In smashing every mark in the
records of the Whiteville market,
local warehousemen operated at
capacity during 36 of the sea
son’s 52 sales days. Operations
ended October 14.
The 1953 record is all the more
remarkable because the market
remained open five less days than
in 1952.
Power Company
Begins Working
Carolina Power And Light
Company Already At
Work Extending Lines To
Southport For Purpose Of
Serving Community
Wit their contract to furnish
power wholesale to the City of
Southport signed Tuesday night,
the Carolina Light and Power
Company began work next day,
surveying and erecting poles and
lines for the approximately 28
miles of route between U. S.
Highway 14-76 and Southport and
Sunny Point.
No survey was necessary on
most of the route, neither was
there any problem as to the right
of way. The line uses the Sunny
Point railroad right of way to a
point this side of Moore’s Creek.
There the lines to Southport will
branch off and come straight in.
The CP&L had already let the
contract for the lines to Sunny
Point and the signing of the local
contract gave the green light to
construction. Without a local con
tract the line would have been
started without any provision
for taking care of things here in
town.
In addition to the contractor
working on the upper end of the
line, a force of CP&L engineers
are now busy surveying for the
branch on into Southport. They
are also planning for the trans
former station. This will be cons
(Continued on Page Four)
W« R» HBMAH
Our
ROVING !
Reporter
Cpl. Paul C. Smith of Ash is
a mighty happy man, even if he
is way out in Korea. Writing this
paper on the 5th of October, he
stated that he hoped to be leaving
Korea on the 12th. Getting back
into the States he is due to leave
the Army on November 27th. He
has been in Korea for the past 11
months with the 176th and 8th
Infantry. They had hard times
during the months of June and
July and the young Brunswick
man was awarded the Purple j
Heart on the 26th of July. Cor
poral Smith apparently got the
State Port Pilot regularly during
his stay in Korea. He a^ked that
his address be changed from Ko
rea to Ash. In his letter he stated I
he has been especially interested
in this column, but he read every
thing down to the littlest bit of
advertising when his paper reach- [
ed him.
With the city signing the con
tract to purchase power from the
Carolina Power and Light Com
pany one night last week, A. J.
Woody, industrial agent for the
company, and Jack Kiley, press
relations man, came down next
morning to pick up the contract.
Mr. Woody had other commit
ments for the afternoon and co
uld only remain part of the morn
ing. He carried the contract back
with him. Riley remained over
for a trip to Sunny Point. Return
ing, we were eating a late lunch
and among other things we asked
him, “When will your contractor
start on the line here?” “He
started this morning,” said Riley.
And just at that instant the city
lights blinked and went out.
(Continued on Page 4)
Homecoming Queen
WINNER—Miss Marie Rourk, who was crowned
Shallotte Homecoming- Queen Friday night, is shown with
Pete Singletary, Shallotte football star, who was her spon
sor. She is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. M. H. Rourk.
— (Art Newton Photo.)
Miss Rourk Is
Crowned Queen
Commissioners In
Monthly Session
Members of the board of county
commissioners held their midmo
nth meeting Monday, and only a
comparatively small amount of
business came up for attention.
The minute books show the fol
lowing matters as having been
attended to:
It was ordered that J. E. Pin
ner of Southport be relieved of
$966.00 valuation on his real es
tate in Smithville township, known
as the Buck Branch tract, be
cause of error in listing.
It was ordered that Roland T.
Gore of Shallotte township be re
lieved of $15.00 valuation his
home, due to an error in listing.
Numerous Cases
Tried In Court
Lengthy Docket Disposed
Of Here Monday Before
Judge W. J. McLamb In
Recorder’s Court
Road sentences and heavy fi
nes were handed down by Judge
W. J. McLamb here in Brunswick
county Recorder's court Monday,
with the following judgments be
ing meted out:
Charles Hill, no operators li
cense, fined $50.00 and costs.
Julius Osborne, failure to yield
right-of-way, judgment suspend
ed on payment of costs.
R. D. and Mrs. R. D. Deaver,
assault, trespass, drunk and dis
orderly, nol pros with leave.
Maurice Baldwin, public drun
kenness, fined $16.00 and costs.
Sevas Mims, public drunkenness,
fined $10.00 and costs.
Archie Wilson, public drunken
ness, fined $10.00 and costs.
Shelby Eugene Chestnut, hit
and run, not guilty.
John D. Hall, failure to yield
right-of-way, motion for jury
trial.
Willie Rhodes Caison, no opera
tor’s license, prayer for judgment
continued on payment of costs.
Dorsey McLeod, reckless oper
ation, fined $25.00 and costs.
Albert Clark, following too clo
se, judgment suspended on pay
ment of costs.
Robert Willing, load improperly
secured, nol prossed.
Corbett Simmons, disposing of
mortgaged property, 90 days on
roads, suspended on the making
of restitution in amount of
$259.00 and paying cost of prose
cution. Defendant gave notice of
appeal to Superior court.
Henry Zatzkis, expired opera
tor's license, fined $10.00 and
costs.
Mary Lee Ballard, failing to re- j
port an accident, motion for jury
(Continued on Page A)
Miss Marie Rourk, Daughter
Of Dr. And Mrs. M. H.
Rourk, Winner Over Elev
en Other Contestants
PETE SINGLETARY
WAS HER SPONSOR
Colorful Presentation Of
Players And Ceremony
For Crowning Queen
Preceded Football
Game
Preceding the football game
between the Shallotte Pirates and
the Beaufort team Friday night
Miss Marie Rourk, Shallotte High
School student, was crowned
‘‘Shallotte Homecoming Queen.”
Two weeks prior to the Home
coming game the twelve seniors
on the varsity team selected a
girl whom they wished to spon
sor as queen for the homecoming
event. Miss Rourk, daughter of
Dr. and Mrs. M. H. Rourk, was
selected by Joseph Singletary.
Climaxing a two weeks’ vigorous
campaign, Miss Rourk was de
clared the winner over the other
contestants.
At 8 o’clock, with A1 Comp
ton of Wilmington at the micro
phone, there began a spectacular
and dramatic 1953 Homecoming
presentation.
Both goal posts were decorat
ed with huge footballs. At the
call from the announcer, the Beau
fort team came through the foot
ball and took their place on the
field for the kick-off. Immedi
(Coutinued on Page 4)
Homecoming Day
At Mount Pisgah
All-Day Program Arranged
For Baptist Church Near
Supply Sunday For Home
coming And Harvest Day
Tlie Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church
of Supply will celebrate its 191st
Homecoming and Harvest Day
Sunday, October 25, states Rev.
E. C. Reeves, pastor.
The program will begin at 10
o'clock and the Rev. I. F. Britt,
former pastor of the church, will
be guest speaker. An old fashion
ed picnic lunch will be spread on
the church grounds at noon, and
special music will be rendered by
groups from 1: 30-3 during tlie
afternoon.
During the moring service an
offering will be taken to be used
soley on the indebtedness of the
pastorium which was completed
in November of last year.
The Mt. Pisgah people have
ben planning and are looking
forward to this program. Every
one is cordially invited to come
and join in hearing gospel mess
ages and singing, praying for
spiritual power and renewing old
friendships.
Reelect Holden
PMA Chairman
For This Year
Bolivia Farmer Will Once
More Heads Committee
Charged With Adminis
tration Of Various Farm
Programs
COMMITTEEMEN FOR
TOWNSHIPS LISTED
All County Committeemen
Are Farmers And Will Be
Paid Only For Days
They Serve On The
Program
G. Rutherford Holden of Bo
livia was reelected chairman of
the Brunswick County Producti
on and Marketing Administration
Committee at the convention held
at the Agriculture Building in
Supply on Friday.
Elected as vice-chairman of the
county committee was Edgar I*.
Holden of Supply and M. Kirby
King of Freeland was elected as
regular member. The two alter
nates are Calvin O. Dennis, Long
wood, and D. Russell Johnson,
Winnabow.
These committeemen were elec
ted to administer the Agricultu
ral Conservation Program, loan
program for com, soybeans, whe
at and cotton and wheat acreage
allotments, marketing quotas, and
other assignments in 1954.
All of these committeemen are
farmers and receive payment on
ly for the few days they actually
serve.
The following are names of the
elected township committees:
Lockwoods Folly: Garland J.
Clemmons, chairman; Floyd He
wett, vice-chairman; Henry Wil
liams, regular member; Wood
row Russ, first alternate.
Northwest: D. T. Clark, chair
man; R. L. Stewart, vice-chair
man; George Skipper, regular
member; John W. Butler, first al
ternate; Charlie Sykes, second
alternate.
Shallotte: Herbert Russ, chair
man; Jerome Jenrette, vice-chair
man; Herman Long, regular mem
ber; A. J. Walton, first alternate;
Bedford Stanaland, second alter
(Continued on Page 2)
Achievement Day
Observed Friday
Home Demonstration Club
Meeting Held At Bolivia;
Southport Club Receives
Loving Cup
The Brunswick County Home
Demonstration Clubs held their
county achievement program in
the Bolivia school auditorium
Friday evening at 8 o’colck.
Mrs. E. G. Goodman, County
Council President, presided at the
meeting. Rev. C. L. Warren, pas
tor of the Zion Methodist Church
gave a very appropriate and ins
pirational devotional. Mrs. D. B.
Stanaland, county secretary read
the county achievement report.
The guest speaker for the even
ing was Mrs. Mrytle Chestnut,
clothing instructor for Singer
Sewing Machine Company of Wil
mington. Mrs. Chestnut presented
a very interesting program on
“Styles of Clothing for the Var
ious Types” illustrating the points
stressed.
Again this year the most out
standing club of the county was
recognized by the 'presentation of
the loving cup, a trophy given by
the R. E. A. cup, a trophy given by
standing club. The cup as pres
ented by Mr. Cherry to the South
(Continued on Page Four)
Tide. Table
Following la the tide table
for Southport during the next
week. Xheae 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, October 22
7:21 A. M. 1:06 A. M.
7:45 P. M. 1:42 P. M.
Friday, October 23
8:12 A. M. 1:54 A. M.
8:36 P. M. 2:23 P. M.
Saturday, October 24
9:05 A. M. 2:41 A. M.
9:28 P. M. 3:24 P. M.
Sunday, October 25
9:57 A. M. 3:30 A. M.
10:20 P. M. 4:15 P. M.
Monday, October 26
10:48 A. M. 4:19 A. M.
11:15 P. M. 5:07 P. M.
Tuesday, October 27
11:42 A. M. 5:11 A. M.
0:00 P. M. 6:01 P. M.
Wednesday, October 28
0:12 A. M. 6:06 A. M.
12:36 P. M. 6:58 P. At