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. 49
6-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1955
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
$1.50 PER YEAR
Social Security
Payments Total
$18,795 Monthly
About One-Third Of Total
Amount Being Paid To
Mothers And Children As
Survivors Insurance Pay
ments
TOTAL OF 591 PERSONS
RECEIVING BENEFITS
Recent Changes In Social
Security Regulations Will
Help Increase Benefits
For Certain Eligi
bles
Of the $18,795.00 in monthly
social security benefits being paid
in Brunswick County at the end
of 1954, $6,135.00, or about 32.1
percent, went to mothers and chil
dren, according to N. A. Avera,
Social Security Administration
district manager in Wilmington,
N. C.
Mr. Avera pointed out that pay
ments to mothers and children
have special significance to the
community as a whole because
they help families to stay together
after the death of the breadwin
ner.
In the nation as a whole, 111,
530 mothers and 1,100,770 children
were receiving social security in
surance payments at the end of
1954. Total payments in 1954 were
$133 million to mothers and $451
million to children.
Under the old-age and survivors
insurance program, workers and
their employers and self-employ
ed people pay into a fund while
they are working, and when earn
ings stop because of the death of
the worker or because he has re
tired, payments are made from
the worker and his dependents or
to his survivors.
In all, 591 people in Bruns
wick County were receiving $18,
795.00 each month in benefits
under the old-age and survivors
insurance program at the end of
the year.
One reason for the increase in
payments over 1953 was the pass
age last September of the 1954
Amendments to the Social Secu
rity Act. These amendments in
creased all benefit payments and
made it possible for the first time
for survivors of some workers
who died after 1939 and before
1950 to qualify for payment.
Beginning in September 1954
the amendments permit the “drop
ping out” of up to 5 years of
lowest earnings in figuring the
worker’s average monthly wage.
This has the effect of increasing
the average earnings ,from which
the monthly payments are figur
ed.
Other improvements in the law
made by the 1954 Amendments
went into effect in 1955, and
therefore are not reflected in the
benefit figures for the end of
1954. Among these were the
bringing of many more employees
and self-employed people under
the law and the beginning of the
(Continued on page four)
Brief Bits Of
lnewsj
NEW PROJECT
The Live Oak Garden Club has
adopted the project of planting
grass between the sidewalk and
the building at Southport high
school.
RECEIVES PH.D.
David L. Stratmon of South
port received his degree as doc
tor of philosophy at the 111th
Commencement Exercises at the
University of Michigan last week.
LEAVES FOR ST. .MARVS
F. H. (Tommy) Thompson,
foreman of Ballasting for the T.
F. Scholes ,Inc., left Friday for
St. Marys, S. C., where he is do
ing like for the same company.
He worked here for something
over a year.
YOUTHFUL ROYALTY
Children over 4 years of age
who have not yet reached their
sixth birthday will be eligible tc
compete for King or Queen for
the 4th of July dance. Such chil
dren may be entered in the con
test and voted upon at Watson’s
Pharmacy.
YOUNG PERFORMERS
The fashion show held in South
port last week under auspices oi
the Margaret Parkhill Auxiliary
of St. Phillips Episcopal Church
featured singing and dancing
numbers by three talented young
sters. These were Susan Harrel
son, daughter of Mr. and Mrs
Ed Harrelson; Patti Key, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Key;
and Miss Susan McKeithan
daughter of Mr and Mrs. Roy
McKeithan.
INBOUND—Here is the USS Fitch, destroyer aboard which Explorer Scouts
from Southport made the trip from Charleston, S. C., to Wilmington last week. This
photo was taken by Art Newton as the ship passed through Southport harbor, with
Battery Island in the background.
Sports Fishing
Still Good When
Weather Permits
Blustery Weather Saturday
Interrupted Good Luck
With Blues And Macker
el;. Good Off-Shore Trips
This Week
Saturday’s fishing off South
port was lost to the weather man,
and Sunday was just about a
draw as the charter boat business
once more felt the effect of strong
winds.
Several of the boats were out
Sunday, but only those that were
off-shore had any luck. A couple
of these had particularly good
luck.
One was the Margrace, Captain
James Arnold, who had Ken
Stuart and party. They brought in
20 king mackerel and several am
berjack and bonito.
Capt. Walter Lewis had J. O.
Simmons and party of Charlotte
on his Sunday trip and they
brought in 30 king mackerel, 1
amberjack and 1 dolphin.
Casey Canut headed a Char
lotte party that was out on
Monday. The catch included 10
king mackerel, 2 amberjack and
1 dolphin. George Hondros of
Clinton was out Tuesday and
caught 3 king mackerel, plus 400
lbs of seabass.
Capt. Howard Victor had a
Greensboro party headed by C. P.
Wagoner and J. H. Barrier for
the week end. On Friday they
had 107 blues and mackerel. The
next best day they had while
playing tag with the weather was
on Monday .when they had 7 king
mackerel.
Morton Church and a Charlotte
party were out Monday with
Capt. Hoyle Dosher aboard the
Idle-On III. They had 19 king
mackerel, 1 dolphin, 2 large Span
ish mackerel and 50-lbs of sea
bass.
Capt. Hulan Watts had one
half of the W. W. Bonds party
of Kannapolis out Tuesday. They
had 7 king mackerel and 100
lbs of seabass.
The other members of this par
ty, which included several news
boys, were aboard the Idle-On
with Capt. Basil Watts. They had
10 king mackerel and 150-lbs of
seabass. The day before Dr. Jones
and party of Long Beach caught
8 king mackerel, 2 dolphin, 2
amberjack and 75 seabass aboard
this same boat.
Ports Authority
Member Visitor
W. Avery Thompson Of
Hallsboro Admits His Sur
prise At Size And Type
Of Construction At Sunny
Point
Here Thursday on a visit to
the Southport Lions Club, W.
Avery Thompson of Hallsboro,
member of the State Ports Auth
ority, took time off afterwards
for a tour over parts of the Sun
ny Point installation.
Resident Engineer L. P. Thom
as of the Corps of Army Engi
neers joined in the tour after the
office at the installation was
j reached. Thomas, Mayor Roy
I Robinson, Capt. J. I. Davis and
i several other Southport men
traveled over wharf No. 2;
through parts of the railroad
j yards and highway system and
jthe administration area.
Thompson expressed much in
jterest and surprise, both at the
size of the teiminals and the
evident permananey of all con
struction. In a statment he said:
"These facilities will mean much
to the Brunswick area and to
the whole area surrounding
Brunswick county ,in fact to the
whole slate, through its economic
effect. I am surprised at the per
mananey of the construction and
I believe Sunny Point will help
all Southeastern North Carolina
' (Continued On Page Four)
Two Dances Are
Slated On Fourth
Street Dance Planned In*
Southport Saturday-Night,
July 2, With Music By
Leland String Band
FIREWORKS AND
PARADE CANCELED
Contest For Queen And
Princess Continues With
Winners To Be Crown
ed At Dance On Mon
day Night At USO
First feature of the Fourth of
July celebration here this year
will be a street dance Saturday
night in the down town section
of Southport. This dance will fea
ture the music of the Ganey boys
from Leland and will be sponsor
ed by the Southport home demon
stration club.
The next important feature will
be the dance Monday night at
the Community Building, with
music by the Bill Elliott orchestra
from Wilmington. This is the
same organization that played for
the Southport high school junior
senior banquet this year where
they made a big hit with the
young set.
Because of complications which
have developed, there will be no
parade nor formal speaking pro
gram this year.
Meanwhile, the contest to select
the queen, princess and the tom
thumb attendants for the Fourth
of July Ball is proceeding at a
merry clip, with an encouraging
show of interest. Voting boxes
are available at several of the
Southport stores, and the contest
will continue throughout this
month.
Busy Session
Of Court Held
Large Docket Monday Con- i
sisted Chiefly Of Cases j
Growing Out Of Traffic
Violations
A variety of cases, most of
them growing out of traffic viola
tions, were disposed of here in
Recorder's court Monday before
Judge Earl Bellamy. The follow
ing judgments were handed down:
D. F. Watts, drunk and dis
orderly, fined $10 and costs.
Fletcher Edward Beard, speed
ing (65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Eugene Washington, speeding
(65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Fred Wilson Robinson, speeding
(65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
George Sydney Dellinger, speed
ing (65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Joel Blake Barefoot, speeding
(65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Mack Jacob Hewett, speeding,
prayer for judgment continued.
Roland Johnson, speeding (55
mph in truck) fined $10 and
costs.
Carl Aubrey Johnston, speeding
(65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Jewell Inman White, expired
operator's license, taxed with
costs.
Gordon Wayne Pallitt, speeding
(70-mph) fined $15 and costs.
Donald Lee Hassell, drunk driv
ing, not guilty.
Herbert Megraw Swope, public
drunkness, not guilty.
John William Dryden, public
drunkness, not guilty.
O. J. Marlowe, Effie Marlowe,
Mary Marlowe, Ralph L. Mitchell,
assault with deadly weapon, all
defendants ask for jury trial.
Robert Stanley Sisler, speeding
(65-mph) fined $10 and costs.
Samuel Mosely Davis, Jr.,
speeding (70-mph) fined $15 and
costs.
George Garner, non-support, or
dered that defendant pay $20 per
month to the support of his minor
child.
Paul Joseph Annis, speeding
(70-mph) fined $15 and costs.
(Continued on Page 4)
Four Rescued
After Capsizing
A rowboat capsized in the
Cape Fear river channel at
Southport Friday afternoon,
and a tragedy was averted by
the prompt notification of the
Coast Guard by Sgt. Fred
Hoskinson/ who saw the acci
dent from the Garrison.
The Trawler Penney rush
ed to the rescue of the two
men and two boys who were
in the water, and they were
brought ashore soaking wet
and badly frightened, but
otherwise none the worse for
their experience.
The accident occurred when
two visitors from upstate en
gaged two local boys, Charles
Trott and Charles Harrison,
to go with them to Battery
Island. The small boat in
which they were making the
passage across the rough
channel did not have «uffi<j»nt
free board and the ainKing
resulted. The boat was picked
up by the Coast Guard, but
an outboard motor belonging
to young Trott was lost.
Weather Helps
Crowd At Beach
Indications Now Point To
Typical Summer Weather
For Coming Week-End,
With Large Crowds Pre
dicted
Should the present spell of
warm weather hold out both Long
Beach and Yaupon Beach are ex
pecting one of the biggest week
ends in the history of either
place. Warm weather invariably
lesults in drawing crowds to the
beaches. This fact, combined with
a big wave of public interest in
the Brunswick beaches, sport fish
ing at Southport and general in
terest in the area is pointing to a
record-breaking throng.
Visitors who have not been
there recently will find that the
reconstruction of homes and the
building of new ones has been
proceeding at an astonishnig rate
and that there is much to attract
their interest and please them.
The fishing pier into the ocean
at Yaupon Beach will be a mat
Continued On Page Two
Invitation To
Visit Spaalt
Attracts Many
This Was Part Of 150th
Anniversary Observance
By U. S. Army Corps Of
Engineers Thursday
SERVICE AWARDS
FOR EMPLOYEES
Forrttal Program Conducted
Thursday Morning In Wil
mington Before Spend
ing Part Of Day At
Sunny Point
Between four and five hundred
interested people, mostly from
Brunswick and New Hanover
counties, toured the SPAALT area
Thursday afternoon, courtesy of
the Army Engineers who were
partially off duty in commemora
tion of-'their 180th birthday.
It was dificult to get a good
estimate of all of the visitors who
came and went. Seven men from
the Resident Engineers office at
Sunny Point served as guides for
those who wished them. This
group was assisted by 3 more
from the District Office in Wil
mington. Some of the guides had
as many as 15 cars following
them on some of the trips. At
other times they would have only
two on three cars in tow.
In addition to local people who
knew the way about the installa
tion, the following men were
among the official guides from
the Engineers Corps: L. P. Thom
as, resident Engineer; James Wal
lace, chief inspector; Bob Har
borough, Gene Tomlinson, and
others.
During a program given in the
Federal court room in Wilming
ton during the morning, Col. Ray
mond L. Hill of the Corps of En
gineers presented pins to various
employees in token of the num
ber of years they have spent in
the service. Preceeding this pre
sentation, Dr. B. Frank Hall made
the principal address.
Pins awarded were as follows:
30-year service, Hamilton E.
Continued On Page Two
Shaiiotte Man
Buried Monday
William Bert Williams Laid
To Rest In Gurganous
Cemetery; Was Employee
Of Engineer Department
Funeral services were held at
2 o’clock Monday afternoon for
William Bert Williams of &hal
lotte Village Point, who died at
his home Saturday morning .The
services were in charge of Rev.
J. T. Fisher, pastor of Village
Point Methodist Church. Burial
was in the Gurganous Cemetery.
The deceased was 56-years old.
Form any years he had been em
ployed by the Corps of Army En
gineers and was a first assistant
engineer on one of the govern
ment dredges at the time of his
death. A brother, Capt. Alex Wil
liams .former Brunswick Deputy
Sheriff, foimerly served with the
Army Engineers.
I Surviving the deceased is his
[widow .Mrs. Lillie Davis Williams;
one son, Roger V. Williams; two
daughters, Mrs. Mary Lee Todd,
all of Shaiiotte; and Mrs. Flora
j Rayhoff of Charleston; two broth
| ers, Bennie and Alex Williams of
! the Village Point community.
I Active pallbearers were Her
Continued On Page Two
W. B. HJ6SOAH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
For about a year the State
Ports Authority has been plan
ning a trip here and inspection
of the Sunny Point Terminal. The
date for this trip was contigent
on their meeting at Wilmington
and it has been almost a year
since the body met there. They
are now scheduled to meet in
Wilmington the later part of the
week beginning duly 17th and if
the plans of Chairman Edwin
Pate, Colonel Harr, W. a. Thomp
son and others work out they will
be at Southport and Sunny Point
July 21st or 22nd. The length of
their stay here is still a matter
to be settled, but it is hoped
that they can be here at least
three hours, have lunch and be
come fully acquainted with the
area.
Despite the early April freeze
that got all plants and forced re
planting, the Brunswick county
watermelon crop will come on by
July 4th, perhaps a day or two
before that .according to Robert
McRackan who farms out on Wal
den Creek. McRackan is the big
gest melon grower in Brunswick
and he usually begins offering his
crop before the end of June. Some
years he trucks to Southport and
Wilmington daily from about the
first of July on through August
and a good part of September.
From growing the melons all of
his life, he knows how to plant
his fields to insure continuous
marketing.
It’s a long, long way to Vene
zuela, but from there this week
came a letter from T. J. Keeva
of the Creole Petroleum Corpora
(Continued on Page Four)
Farmers Invited
To Field Day
Brunswick County Growers Will Attend Tobacco Field
Day Program Near Whiteville Tuesday
One of the largest crowds in
T.he history of the Border Belt
experiment station are expected
to attend the Tobacco Field Day
program, scheduled for 9 a. m.,
June 28.
The tour will be for tobacco
farmers and other leaders from
Columbus, Hoke, Brunswick, New
Hanover, Pender, and Sampson
counties, according to Charles
D. Raper, Columbus county agent.
In addition to leaf growers,
leaders expected to attend are
business men, fertilizer dealers,
bankers, tobacco company repre
sentatives, and others interested
in the industry.
Dickens Is Host
To be displayed and discussed
will be some of the latest in
novations in flue-cured tobacco.
Wallace Dickens, as station su
perintendent, will be host and will
welcome the group. John L. Reit
zell, assistant commissioner of
agriculture for North Carolina,
will represent the state at the
field day.
W. E. Colwell, assistant di
rector in charge of tobacco re
search, will outline to the group
what they can expect to see and
hear, and will orient them in
other matters concerning the
Border Belt station, located five
miles north of Whiteville on the
Whiteville—Clarkton road.
The tours will include a dis
cussion of old and new varieties
by F. A. Todd, extension plant
pathologist; a high analysis fer
tilizer demonstration explained
by R. R. Bennett, tobacco spe
cialist; a chemical sucker con
trol demonstration, with S. N.
Hawks, assistant tobacco spe
cialist, as demonstration guide.
The effect of quality of trans
plant on field performance, ex
plained by H. H. Nau, assistant
tobacco specialist; how to handle
hail damaged tobacco, Hawks in
charge; insect control work, as
demonstrated by Eldon Scott,
extension entomologist.
As the Field Day closes, at 11
a. m., there will be a demon
stration with tobacco transplant
ers and humidifying equipment
to bring tobacco in order at barn
and pack house. Bennett will be
in charge.
In addition to the guided tours
through the station, and informa
tion given in them, farmers and
others interested in tobacco will
be able to get answers to most
any question they have on to
bacco.
Of special interest will be the
insect controls and sucker and
hail damage projects. Dickens
said earlier that all work done
on the station is done through
conventional farm operations.
Civilian Defense
Officials Coming
*
No Report Made
On By-Pass Work
Although Grannis and Sloan of
Fayetteville were the low bidders
on the by-pass road from Orton
to 87 at the letting 3 weeks ago,
it is understood that the com
pany has not yet reecived the
green light to proceed with the
work.
The matter is under both the
U. S. Bureau of Public Roads and
the State Highway Commission,
with the State Highway Com
mission doing the work. It is un
derstood that both bodies have to
go over and give their approval
of the contract. That fact is not
believed to result in any changes.
The bid of Grannis and Sloan
was considerably lower than any
other submitted and the firm is
one of the best accredited in
Southeastern North Carolina.
Week-End Rains
Brought Relief
Gentle, Soaking Showers
Gave Farmers New Hope
For Farm Crops In Bruns
wick This Season
Rains which fell this past week
were just enough and of just the
sort to be one of the most wel
come visitations Brunswick coun
ty farmers have had in a good
many years. They brought enough
moisture to insure a fine crop of
tobacco and corn, as well as oth
er crops.
Some folks may argue that
rain is rain, that one sort is as
good as another when rain is
needed. Any good fanner will say
otherwise. There may be a couple
of inches of rain that does crops
practically no good, or there may
be two inches that has a wonder
ful effect.
The difference is in tire way it
falls. There may be a two inch
rainfall coming in a heavy down
pour. It packs the earth, very
little of it sinking deep and most
of it flooding into streams. The
hardpacked earth resulting from
such floods is more or less in
juries to growing crops and wash
es a lot of fertility from the land.
As against the usual heavy
lain, that which fell last week
was a continuous drizzle, sinking
deep into the earth and resulting
in very little packing of the soil.
Farmers say that its effects will |
be belt all through the remainder |
of the growing season. Even
should a dry spell set in, there j
is now enough moisture in the j
ground to insure a fine tobacco
and corn crop .
Register of Deeds Amos Walton
claims that his tobacco grew six
inches Saturday and Sunday and
credited an even greater growth
to corn. The rains, he said, came
continued On Page Two
Making Trip Along Coastal
Area Of North Carolina
To Inspect Efforts To Re
pair Damage Caused By
Hurricane Hazel
TO ARRIVE HERE ON
THURSDAY AFTERNOON
Friday Morning Will Be De
voted To Inspection Of
Southport Waterfront
And Brunswick
Beaches
A group of Civil Defense Of
ficials are scheduled to spend
Thursday night here at Southport
and Friday they will look over
the coast here ,giving especial at
tention to the beaches damaged in
last year’s storm.
Heading the party is Thomas
H. Goodman, director of the Re
gional office at Thomasville, Ga.,
his chief engineer, Earl Mader,
and General E. F. Griffin of Ra
leigh, North Carolina Director for
Civil Defense.
The party is due to aiTive at
Topsail from Morehead City at
about 1 o'clock this afternoon. In
spection of points there will be
followed by their arrival at
Wrightsville at about 7 this eve
ning.
Thursday the party will inspect
the New Hanover county beach
es, leaving late Thursday after
noon for Southport where they
are to spend the night, with the
inspection of the Southport water
front to follow Friday morning
and the visit to the beaches be
ing made later that day.
Scholes Company
Completing Job
Big Railroad Building Job
At Sunny Point Has Been
Completed And Equip
ment Is Going Elsewhere
Should no unexpected difficul-!
ties develope, the T. F. Scholes,
Inc., will finish up their Sunny
Point railroad project next week.
Including the grading period, ap
proximately 20 months will have
been spent of the job. Because
of the nature of the soil that had
to be worked and reworked to
insure better stability and drain
age, the grading work took much
longer than was originally ex
pected. This also delayed the ac
tual laying of the track and bal
lasting.
Some of the Scholes equipment
has already scattered to various
other jobs held by the Corpora
tion. After the work is completly
finished it is probable that some
of the remainder may be kept
here until the company gets an
other railroad contract in this or
adjoining states. Often the com
pany’s contracts are scattered
over the United States.
Baptist Assembly
To Open Season
With Music Week
Everything In Order For
The Arrival Of First Visi
tors Of Summer Season
During Coming Week
End
OUTSTANDING LEADERS
WILL BE IN CHARGE
Predictions Made For Five
Hundred Delegates To
Assembly For First
Weekly Program
The Baptist Seaside Assembly
at Fort Caswell will begin its
1955 convention season Monday
with Music Week. About 500 dele
gates are expected for this first
session. Later on the weekly
gatherings are expected to swell
to about two thousand.
Director R. K. Redwine recent
ly stated that the yearly program
of improvements have resulted in
the assembly being able to take
care of a large number of ad
ditional delegates and visitors this
year. Each year since the assem
bly opened more and more of the
substantial former military build
ings have been put in order and
furnished for additional quarter s.
In addition to the regular force
working the year-around, a large
number of additional workers
have been engaged in cleaning up
and putting everything shipshape
during the past several weeks.
The regular assembly staff mem
bers are arriving this week, and
the delegates arriving this week
end will find everything in apple
pie order.
Except for losing some 75 of
the beautiful trees, the grounds
and buildings came through the
October storm almost unscathed.
A report from Dr. Redwine after
the storm was that only a few
shingles were lost from the build
ings. Everything now painted up
and presents a very attractive
appearance, inside and out.
Award Contract
To Stop Inlet
Wilmington Man Gets Con
tract For Construction Of
Bulkhead Across New In
let At Long Beach
A contract was signed Monday
wherein Russell T. Burney of
Wilmington agreed to build the
necessary bulkhead, closing the
Long Beach Inlet washed through
in the October storm.
The contract calls for heavy
plank pilings with an overlapping
strip between each plank, some*
thing in the same manner in
which old time buildings were
built. The object of the bulk*
head is to provide a temporary
barrier to the water and stop the
current until mud and earth can
be pumped or dumped in to per
manently close the opening.
The job of the bulkhead pre
sents a big problem, but when
seen Monday Burney appeared
confidence he could get through
with it. He stated he would start
work just as soon as he can get
his pile driver and other equip
ment to the beach from Wilming
ton.
Funds for this work were pro
vided by the Civil Defense Admin
istration. The State Highway
Commission will follow the work
of the bulkhead construction by
building a fill over which they
can rebuild the paved highway
that crossed where the inlet now
Continued On Page Two
Tide Table
Following is the tide table
for Southport during the next
week. These hours are ap
proximately correct and were
furnished The State Port Pilot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot’s Association.
High Tide Low Tide
Thursday, June 23,
10:43 A. M. 4:24 A. M.
11:00 P. M. 4:35 P. M.
Friday, June 24,
11:37 A. M. 5:15 A. M.
11:50 P. M. 5:31 P. M.
Sautrday, June 25,
0:00 A. M. 6:03 A. M.
12:31 P. M. 6:26 P. M.
Sunday, June. 26,
0:40 A. M. 6:53 A. M.
1:25 P. M. 7:23 P. M.
Monday, June 26,
1:31 A. M. 7:44 A. M.
2:19 P. M. 8:21 P. M.
Tuesday, June 28,
2:22 A. M. 8:35 A. M.
3:11 P. M. 9:18 P. M.
Wednesday, June 25
3:13 A. M. ‘ 9:27 A. M.
4:02 P. M. 10:12 P. M.