Most Of The News
All The Time
Volume No. 17 No. 41
6-Pages Today
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1955
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
$1.50 PER YEAR
Training School Band
PERFORM—The Brunswick County Training School band, under the direction of
S. S. Riggs, is shown as it played at the regular meeting of the Southport Lions Club
Thursday. The night before these bays and girls played for a concert in their school
auditorium. It is a versatile group that has made unusual progress during the short
time since its organization in the fall of 19 54.— (Art Newton Photo.)
Commissioners
Draw Jurors For
May Court Term
Session Will Be For Trial Of j
Criminal Cases And Con- |
venes On Monday, May 6
Judge J. Paul Frizzelle of Snow
Hill will preside over the May
term of Brunswick county Su
perior court which convenes here
on. Monday, May 16. This court
cession will be for trial of crim
inal cases.
The board of county commis
sioners last week drew a jury
list which is as follows: John
Delmas Hewett, Corbett Varnum,
Chancev Reaves, Elmer High,
Frederick E. Gore, Ellis Benton,
Bedford Ludlum, Supply; R. V.
Williams, Hadley Watson, D. L.
Ganey, G. H. Lanier, Leland; S.
A. Potter, H. M. Potter, G. R.
Hickman, Winnabow; Sam J.
Frink, James Earl Stone, L. L.
Thomas, Glenn N. Williamson,
Guy Culpepper, A Earl Milliken,
J. M. Bennett, Willie Boyd, Cur
tis Jr. Hewett, A. B. Willis, Jr.,
W. H. Caison, Shallotte; E. B.
Tomlinson, J. I. Davis, L. B.
Bennett, John R. Potter, Orvill
Willis, Southport, J. Dallas Mc
Keithan, V. B. King, Freeland;
R. B. Lewis, Bolivia.
Brief Bits Of
lnewsj
BENEFIT DANCE
The Live Oak Festival parade
committee is sponsoring a bene
fit dance Thursday evening in
the old gymnasium. Music will
be provided for round dancing.
AT ST. PHILLIPS
Morning prayer and holy bap
tism will be observed at St. Phil
lips Episcopal Church May 1,
with the Rev. William R. Hicks in
charge.
IN RICHMOND
Attorney J. C. Bowman, John
P. Stedman and Charles Trott,
citizens interested in the Long
Beach Water Company ,flew to
Richmond, Va., yesterday for an
appointment relative to a loan for
the Long Beach waterworks sys
tem.
NEW BOAT READY
Captain and Mrs. A1 Martin
went to Harkers Island Sunday
to see their new sport fishing
boat that is now ready for
launching. It vvil lbe brought here
in a few days. Captain Martin
will handle here while Leo Dowl
ing will operate the Miss Mar
garet II.
HOME FROM OVERSEAS
Sgt. J. Carl Ludlum, son of
Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Ludlum of
Shallotte, arrived in New York
Friday and is due to received his
discharge this week, having com
pleted his enlistment. It is under
stood he plans to spend a month
with his parents and other rela
tives, after which he will re
enlist. He lias been in the service
for 15-years.
ZION REVIVAL
Revival services will begin at
the Zion Methodist Church near
Town Creek Sunday evening, May
1, and continue each evening of
the week through Friday, May
6. Services will begin each eve
ning at 7:15 o’clock. The guest
preacher will be the Rev. M. C.
Dunn, pastor of the Trinity Meth
odist Church, Wilmington. The
public is cordially invited to at
tend these services.
Introduces Bill
For Incorporation
Representative Kirby Sulli
van Introduces Bill Pro
viding Operation Of Mu
nicipal Government At
Long Beach
BILL IS REFERRED
TO COMMITTEE
Bill Would Provide For Im
mediate Action And Six
Commissioners Are
Named In Act
Representative Kirby Sullivan
introduced a bill in the House of
Representatives yesterday provid
ing for the incorporation of the
Town of Long' Beach and naming
six members of the first govern
ing body.
The bill was referred to, the
committees on county, cities and
towns.
Those proposed for town com
missioners are: J. A. Woltz, C.
C. Carr. L. P. McLendon, Jr.,
John R. Barnes, E. F. Middleton
and E. M. Underwood, Jr. These
appointees shall name one of
their number to serve as mayor.
The bill as introduced by Sulli
van will take in all of the prop
erty from the first development
on Long Beach westward to Lock
woods Folly inlet.
The bill not only provides for
appointment of the first group
of commissioners, but also makes
provision for giving property
owners an opportunity to vote on
officials to take office in 1957.
The act provides for commission
ers to be elected for a term of 4
years, with their terms of office
to be staggered. The mayor would
be elected from the membership
of the governing board evei-y two
years.
wmie mere appears to be a
strong sentiment in favor of the
bill for incorporation, there has
been some opposition. Those who
are against it will have an op
portunity to present their side in
committee hearings.
Short Session
Of County Court
Weekly Session Of Bruns
wick County Recorder’s
Court Devoted Chiefly To
Traffic Cases
Traffic cases once more took
up the greater part of the time
in the weekly session of Bruns
wick county Recorder’s court here
Monday, although it was a com
paratively brief session. The fol
lowing judgements were handed
down:
James Adams Wooten, Jr., op
erating after suspension of li
cense, nol prossed with leave be
cause of extenuating circum
stances.
Clifton Bowman Bannerman,
speeding (65-mph) fined $10 and
costs, costs remitted because of
mitigating circumstances. .
Dolly Mosely, no operators li
cense, fined $25 and costs.
Benjamin Thomas, allowing un
licensed person to operate, costs.
Rodney Grey, reckless driving
on school grounds, nol prossed.
Arthur Darly, speeding (70
mph) fined $15 and costs.
Samuel Abraham Friedman,
speeding, not guilty.
Joe David Levine, speeding (65
mph i fined $10 and costs.
Louis Herbert Fullwood, unlaw
ful possession of fireworks, fined
$10 and costs, fine remitted.
Richard Douglas Splawn, un
lawful possession of fireworks,
(Coutinued on Rage 4)
Senator Walton
Works On Bill
Ray H. Walton, Brunswick
county Senator, remained in
Raleigh over the past week
end to serve as a member
of the drafting committee of
the joint finance committee.
It was the assignment of him
and his colleagues to get the
proposals of the full joint
sub-committee in a form
suitable for presentation to
the entire committees as the
finance bill.
The contents of the bill
are not necessarily the sen
timents of the members of
the drafting committee, since
it was their duty to embody
the findings of the joint sub
committee group. This work
probably will be presented
today or tomorrow, and when
the controversial items have
been fully discussed, the fi
ance bill — probably with
numerous amendments—will
be passed and adjournment of
the legislature will soon fol
low.
Serving with Walton on the
drafting committee were
Senator William Medford,
Haywood; Representative Reid
Thompson, Chatham; Repre
sentative William F. Wom
ble, Forsythe; and Repre
sentative Ed O’Herron, Meck
lenburg.
Wind And Blues
Have Conflict
Prospects For Unusually
Good April Blue-Fishing
Sustained Setback With
Spell Of Windy Weather
Starting Sunday
Just when sport fishing off the
Brunswick county coast was
ready to move ahead in high gear
a three-day blow set in Saturday
and caused all boats to cancel
their Sunday and Monday trips.
One party tried it Tuesday, but
found the water stirred up and
fishing poor.
Although it was beginning to
get a little rough Saturday aft
ernoon, several of the local boats
came in with fine catches of
bluefish, many of which were
large.
Among them were the Botfly
of Capt. Leon McKeithan. His
party included Morton Church
and Dr. Motley and son of Char
lotte. They had around 100 blue
fish. ,
Hugh Randolph and party of
Hendersonville were out with
Capt. Fred Fulford aboard the
Davis Brothers and brought in
I 155 bluefish.
j Capt. Charlie Swan and son,
j Law, had some friends out aboard
i the Marie-Rose, and they caught
j better than 100 fish.
There were no statistics avail
1 able from other parties, but there
j were hundreds of bluefish brought
! in that day.
All boats were held in Sunday
by high winds, but there was am
, pie indications that the spring
1 appearance of bluefish at South
1 port is attracting widespread at
■ tention.
Every one of the 16 charter
I boats at Southport that are now
leady had a party here and
I ready to go and two boats down
(Continued on Rage 4)
Committees Make
Plans For Show
Here On May 13th
Annual Flower Show V/ill
Be Jointly Sponsored By
Garden Club, Live Oak
Garden Club And Wo
man’s Club
THREE LADIES
JOINT CHAIRMAN
Entries col’citsd From Resi
dents Of Every Section Of
Brunswick bounty; iwo
Classifications
A May Day theme will be car
ried out in the annual Flower
Show which will be presented by
the Southport Garden Club, the
Live Oak Garden Club and the
Southport Woman's Club on Fri
day, May 13. The show will be
held in the Lion’s Club building
on the garrison and will be open
to the public from 4 in the aft
ernoon until 8:30 that night.
Women all over the county are
urged to enter flowers in the
show. There will be two general
classifications, specimen blooms
and artistic arrangements, so
there will be a place for every
one’s flowers. Those who are en
tering exhibits are urged to get
them in by noon as the doors
will definitely close by 1 o’clock.
Mrs. J. A. Gilbert is chairman
from the Southport Garden Club,
Mrs. R. A. Jones is chairman
from the Live Oak Garden Club
and Mrs. Bryant Potter is chair
man from the Southport Woman’s
Club. These three will have joint
responsibility of the show as gen
eral chairmen.
Mrs. L. J. Hardee and Mrs.
Dallas Pigott are chairmen of the
staging committee, composed of
Mrs. P. O. Leggett, Mrs. Dorothy
Nichols, Mrs. Fred Willing, Mrs.
Alex Fox, Mrs. A. D. Harrelson,
Mrs. E. C. Blake, Mrs. R. L.
Jones, Mrs. E. J. Prevatte and
Mrs. F. M. Burdette.
Mrs. F. M. Burdette is chair
man of the schedule committee
composed of Mrs. J. A. Gilbert,
Mrs. H. T. Sanders, Mrs. Alex Fox
and Mrs. Bryant Potter. Mrs.
H. T. St. George is chairman of
the placement committee and en
tries. Publicity and posters are
(Continued on page tour)
Sexton Leaving
Brunswick Job
Superintendent Of Public
Welfare Resigns To Ac
cept Similar Employment
In Onslow County
Miss Dorothy Swain, secretary
to tiie Board of Welfare has been
appointed acting Superintendent
of Welfare to serve until a quali
fied successor can be secured for
Edward Sexton, who resigned sev
eral weeks ago.
Sexton, who has served for al
most five years, resigned to ac
cept a like post in Onslow county
at a considerable increase in
salary. His resignation here be
comes effective the end of this
month.
The job here is one that re
quires a trained man, experienced
in welfare work. The board has
been trying to secure a qualified
replacement and has met with no
success thus far. Miss Swain has
had several years experience in
the welfare office and is con
versant with the duties.
It is understood that Friday
is the last day here for Sexton.
Named Dean
DR. WALTER HARRELSON,
native of Bninswick county and
professor of religion at Andover
Newton in Boston, Mass., has
been named Dean of the School
of Religion at the University of
Chicago. Dr. Harrelson is the son
of the late Sheriff and Mrs. I. D.
Harrelson.
Citizens Hear
Explanation Of
Manager Plans
Leigh Wilson Of League Of
Municipalities Was Speak
er At Mass Meeting Here
Thursday Night
“The main purpose of the City
Manager Plan of Government is
to provide in city government
some of the methods that busi
ness has employed over the
years1', declared Leigh H. Wilson
Thursday night as he explained
some of the principals of this
plan to a meeting of Southport
vitizens. He is a representative of
of the North Carolina League of
Municipalities, and during his
talk he made no attempt to
either sell the voters on the plan
nor to discourage their enthus
iasm for its adoption.
}N Wilson said that the chief pur
fose of the City Manager Plan
are to provide a' chief adminis
trator, try to establish definite
i line of authority, separate policy
i making from administrative
: group.
The speaker explained that un
der the City Manager Plan there
are three chief heads of local
government. The first is the city
council, whose duty it is to set
policies for the city administra
tion, adopt a budget and set a
tax rate. The city manager is
responsible to this group, and
they have full authority to fire
Him.
The second is the mayor, who
is the leader, or head, of city
government. He presides at all
council meetings and at cere
monial functions, but has fewer
administrative duties to perform.
The City Manager proposes
the budget and confers with the
cjouncil about its various items.
Be is charged with enforcement
qf the laws, not as a police of
ficer, but with responsibility to
See to it that laws and ordinances
ire enforced. It is his duty to
Hire and fire department heads,
fie must perform other duties
Which may be assigned by the
City council, and he can be of
greatest value when he tries to
Coordinate the varied functions
c(f the city administration.
I Among the advantages of the
City Manager Plan as explained
*y Wilson is the ability to ef
iContinued on page four)
- —--—
W. B. Kr/IAH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
Harris Nelson, of the Marshall
Field mills at Leaksville-Spray,
j came down with some helpers
[ for the week end, the object be
;ing to clean-up and paint up the
Nelson cottage at Caswell Beach
preparatory to Mrs. Nelson’s com
ing down along in May. Saturday
night Mr. Nelson confided to us
j that he is in a peck of trouble,
j There is a skunk under his house
j at the beach and he was at a
loss how to get him out and
subsequently deodorize tire prem
! isis before his Missus gets here,
j We were at a loss how to advise
j lnm, but suggested he shoot the
skunk, being careful to beat him
| to the draw.
“Not many.” This is the in
i varible answer to all inquiries
1 as to whether herrings are being
taught in Town Creek this
Spring. The fish just are not
there in numbers they use to be.
Did residents of the community
give but one explanation. Some
Nears ago during dredging opera
tions on tiie Cape Fear river into
which Town Creek empties, a
llredge pumped disposal to points
pear the mouth of the creek.
This disposal shifted until it prac
tically closed the mouth of the
jstream. There is now but a few
inches of water at the mouth of
Hie creek at low tide and each
jyear the fish have been going
over in less and less numbers
to spawn. It is predicted that
in a few years there will be no
herring in Town Creek in the
spring unless means are found to
remove the obstruction from the
(Continued on Page Four)
Information On
(Garrison History
J
; Site Acquired By Federal Government In 1782 By Grant
From North Carolina; Title Later Protested
The story in The Pilot last
week, anent the raising of the
U. S. Flag and the Flag of the
Transportation Corps on the Fort
Johnston Building, led Lt. Col.
Gregg McLeod of SPAALT to go
to the records.
There he dug up the following
information regarding the tract of
land and the Garrison Building.
The Fort Johnson (Johnston)
Reservation was originally ac
quired by the Federal Government
in 1782 by grant from the State
of North Carolina, for use as a
military post. The grant express
ly stipulated that fortifications
should by erected thereon and
kept forever for public use. The
condition was not adhered to, and
the site, during the course of
time, was abandoned as a military
post. In 1900, the City of South
port and others entered suits in
the local courts to recove pos
session of the premises, claiming
that the Federal Government had
forfeited its title. A year later
the suits were settled by com
promise, the Government paying
$2,000 to perfect title of the land.
Of that sum of money, $1,000 was
paid to the City of Southport,
$300 to the University of North
Carolina, and $700 to William
Weeks and wife, Mary Louise
Weeks. Payment was made from
the appropriation for improving
Cape Fear River, at and below
Wilmington. Quick-claim deed
from William Weeks and wife,
Mary Louise Weeks; the City of
Southport, and the University of
North Carolina, covering the re
servation and dated 10 July, 1901,
23 July, 1901, and 26 July, 1901,
respectively, are recorded in the
Office of the Register of Deeds,
City of Southport, County of
Brunswick, State of North Caro
lina, Book SS, 19 Nov. 1901, page
06; and 20 Nov, 1901, page 98
and 101. The area comprises ap
proximately 6 acres.
The forgoing quit-claim deeds
included the brick garrison house
erected in 1748 as quarters for
the malitia. .
Other items of historical im
portance on the reservation are:
a. A memorial shell stone
boulder, with tablet, approximate
ly 5 feet cube in dimensions,
commemorating the first resist
ance, in 1766, by the citizens of
that locality, against the British
Government. The Society of Co
lonial Dames of America was
granted permission to establish
Continued On Page Four)
City Election Is
Slated Tuesday
4
Suspicious Driver
l akes To Marsh
After getting a Dodge and 85
half-gallon jars of bootleg Satur
day morning in the Northwest
section of Brunswick, Corporal O.
H. Lynch was out again the
same afternoon.
On the causeway between the
Brunswick River and Wilmington
he encountered a car that looked
suspicious. When he stopped it
the driver, a negro whom he rec
ognized, jumped out and took off
through the muddy marsh, splash
ing like an alligator .Knowing
the man and feeling he would
get him in due time, Lynch did
not elect to do any wading and
swimming of his own.
Investigating the car the officer
found four and one-half cases of
whiskey that he impounded along
wit hthe car.
First Treatment
For 693 Children
Two . Southport Physicians
Cooperate In Program To
Immunize First And 2nd
Graders Against Polio
A total of 693 children in the
first and second grades were
inoculated by Brunswick County
Health Department personnel last
week under the direction of Dr.
Fred M. Burdette and Dr. Landis
G. Brown.
The Health Department wishes
to thank those wrho participated
in this important program. These
include: Miss Ann Lamb, nursing
consultant, and Miss Joann Long
acre of the State Board of Health,
Mrs. Marie Brown, from Dosher
Memorial Hospital; Mrs. Betty
Leggett, Mrs. H. T. St. George,
Mrs. Dallas Pigott, and Davis
Heriing, local volunteers.
Miss Gertrude Loughlin, Super
visor for elementary schools of
Brunswick County made it pos
(Continued on Page 4)
Menhaden Boats
Make First Trip
Small Catches Made Yester
day By Two Boats; More
Vessels Out Again Today
The 1955 commercial fishing
season was launched Tuesday
j when the two big boats of the
Southport Fisheries went out and
each brought in a small catch of
i menhaden. They made no attempt
1 to make a day of it as the trip
was mostly to see what was
there.
Both boats are out again to
day and also joining them are
two of the boats of the Bruns
(Continued On Page Four)
Voters Will Elect Mayor
And Six Members Of
Board Of Aldermen For
Next Two Years
CITY MANAGER PLAN
WILL BE VOTED ON
Gilbert Being Opposed By
Roy Robinson For Mayor;
Contest For Alderman
In Third Ward
Southport citizens go to the
polls Tuesday to elect a mayor
and .six members of the board
of aldermen to serve during the
next two -years; and to vote on
the question of whether to adopt
the City Manager Plan of city
government.
In the race for mayor Roy :
Robinson, retired Coast Guard of
ficer, is running against Mayor
J. A. Gilbert. The latter is round
ing out his first term as elected
head of the city government, al
though he had served prior to his
election in filling out the unex
pired term of the late H. W.
Hood.
In the first ward there is no
contest, with Harold Aldridge, a
member of the present board,
seeking re-election and the other
candidate being Charlie Aldridge.
W. P. Jorgensen did not seek re
election.
In the second ward G. C. Kil
patrick and Ormand Leggett are
the candidates. Neither D. C.
Herring nor Willie McDowell
were candidates to succeed them
selves.
There is a contest for the two
places on the board in the third
ward. G. E. Hubbard, member of
the present board, is a candidate
for re-election. New men seek
ing a place on the governing
board are Ernest Parker, Jr.,
(Continued on Page Four)
Expect Dredge
Here May 15th
Information Indicates This
As Probable Date For
Norfolk Dredging Com
pany Vessel To Work
Yacht Basin
Information this week from the
Engineers office was of the ef
fect that the Norfolk Dredging
Company is expected to get to
work on the intraooastal water
way at New River some time this
week. The job there will require
about ten days to complete.
Finishing there, the boat will
come on down the waterway with
one or two other small jobs on
the waterway to complete before
arriving at Southport.
Arriving here, it will spend
about a week dredging out the
boat basin, going on down from
here to Little River and doing
various small jobs along the way.
The expectations are that the
dredge will be here and on the
basin job about May 15.
Fund Drive For
Red Cross Will
End This Week
The Rev. L. D. Hayman,
Chairman Of Fund Drive
Fcr Erunswick County,
Says Preliminary Reports
Encouraging
FINAL RETURNS IN
TWO MORE WEEKS
Chairman Expresses Appre
ciation For Cooperation
Received In All Com
munities
The Red Cross Fund Campaign
comes to a close this week in
Brunswick county and the Rev.
L. D. Hayman, who has directed
the drive this year, is optimistic
over prospects for a successful
report.
He stated yesterday that only
a few preliminary returns are in
and that he is therefore unable
to give any clear idea of the
amount that has been raised.
However, he makes no secret of
the fact that he is well pleased
with these scattered reports, and
he will be able to give a full ac
count of the fund raising effort in
another two weeks.
Brunswick is a large county,
and in order to conduct a
thorough campaign, it was first
necessary for the chairman to
perfect a county-wide organiza
tion. ’rtiis he did by enlisting
the aid of public spirited citizens
in the various communities. These
include the following:
L. C. Babson, Freeland, Cleon
Evans, Ash; Mrs. Edward Wess
ell, Leland-Woodburn; Mis. E. G.
Goodman, Town Creek; Mrs.
Early Danford, Bolivia; Mrs. Irma
Holden, Supply; Mrs. J. T. Ram
seur, Pleasant Oaks-Orton; the
Rev. F. W. Naylor, Mill Creek;
G. C. McKeithan, Shallotte-Gris
ettown; Mrs. Lottie Chadwick,
Village Point; Mrs. Joyce Long,
Hickman’s Crossroads; Mrs. E.
Continued On Page FourJ
Bethel Baptists
Plan Building
Congregation Of Church
Near Southport Working
On Plans For Building
New $40,000 Structure
Their present building being too
small and needing repairs, the
congregation of Bethel Baptist
church three miles from South
port, has been laying plans for a
new church building and in a
new location.
Officials of the church say that
they will erect a new $40,000
brick structure, construction to
begin some time this year. The
location they have acquired is
some 400-feet west of the Saw
dust Trail Filling Station on
Route 130, being just south of
this road.
It is said that no definite plans
have been made regarding the
old church building. It may be
allowed to remain where it is for
the present. The cemetery at
Bethel will be maintained where
it is and the new church will con
tinue to use the name of Bethel.
One claimed advantage of
building in the new location is
the fact that it will be much
more accessable to the public.
Close to a busy highway and in
a growing community, it is ex
pected that the membership will
materially increase. Many of the
present members now reside • in
Southport.
Tide Table
Following Is the tide cable
tor 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,
April 28,
6:59 A.
7:14 P.
M.
M.
0:38 A. M.
1:18 P. M.
Friday,
1:28 A. M.
2:20 P. M.
Saturday,
2:38 A. M.
3:20 P. M.
Sunday,
3:36 A. M.
4:17 P. M.
Monday,
4:30 A. M.
5:07 P. M.
Tuesday,
5:19 A. M.
5:54 P. M.
Wednesday,
6:04 A. M.
6:37 P. M.
April 29,
7:59 A. M.
8:20 P. M.
April 30,
8:58 A. M.
9:24 P. M.
May 1
9:52 A. M.
10:22 P. M.
May 2,
10:41 A. M.
11:14 P. M.
31 ay 3,
11:27 A. M.
12:02 P. M.
May 4,
0:00 A. M.
12:10 P.