Most Of The News
All The Time
Volume No. 17 No. 5
6-Pages Today
PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1955 PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
The Pilot Covers
Brnnswiek County
$1.50 PER YEAR
Announce Total
FHA Loans For
The Past Year
Total Of 112 ApplicaLons
For Loans Approved By
County Committes During
Past Fiscal Year
COVER VARIOUS
FARM IMPROVEMENTS
County FHA Supervisor
Radford Allen Has Advice
Of Versatile Group Of
County Committeemen
Approximately 112 loan appli
cations from Brunswick County
farmers were approved during the
fiscal year ending June 30 by
the Farmers Home Administration
county committee, County Super
visor Radford R. Allen said this
week.
Loans approved total $135,815.
Credit has been advanced to buy
equipment and livestock needed to
place small farms on an efficient
operating basis, for other operat
ing expenses, and to buy and im
prove family-type farms. Funds
have also been advanced for soil
and water* conservation purposes
and to meet emergency needs.
All loans applications must be
approved by the Farmers Home
Administration county committee
before funds can be advanced.
Members of the Brunswick Coun
ty Committee are Mr. Ivan V.
Bennett, Ash. N. C., Mr. David B.
Frink, Shallotte, N C. and Mr.
Aaron E. Inman, Shallotte, N .C.
Mr. Aaron E. Inman is newly
appointed this year succeeding
Mr. Roy G. Sellers whose 3-year
term expired at the end of the
fiscal year.
At a recent committee meeting
when the agency’s lending poli
cies were reviewed, the chairman,
Mr. Bennett, pointed out:
1. No loan is made to a farm
er who can obtain adequate cred
it at reasonable rates and terms
from other private or cooperative
credit institutions, and
Borrowers are expected to
refinance their loans with other
lenders as soon as they are in
a position to do so.
He added that the assistance
borrowers receive in record keep
ing, budgeting, and preparing fi
nancial statements helps develop
their ability to handle and make
good use of credit. Also, the
equipment, livestock, and improved
land and buildings farmers ac
quire through Farmers Home Ad
ministration loans improve their
position when they apply for pri
vate credit.
Brief Bits Of
lnewsj
NEW COACH
Paul Powell of Whiteville has
been elected a member of the
high school faculty at Bolivia and
will coach football. Practice will
begin Monday afternoon at 2:30
o’clock.
STORE ROBBED
The J. O. Garner store this
side of the intracoastal water
way bridge was broken into Mor
day night. A quantity of cigar
ettes and other small articles
were taken.
DANCE FRIDAY NIGHT
Scheduled for last Friday night,
the American Legion Sho-Dance
was postponed until Friday night
of this week. It will be held at
the Community Building with the
Melton-Shannon orchestra of Wil
mington furnishing the music.
POLIO SHOTS
Brunswick County Health De
partment personnel will continue
to administer second Salk shots
at their regular clinics to first
and second grade children who
have had their first shot. The
date for this vaccine expires
September 1.
FOOTBALL PRACTICE
Principal Thomas Webb wishes
to remind candidates for the
Southport high school football
squad that grid practice begins
Monday afternoon. He plans to
coach this sport and will insti
tute the T-formation for the first
time for Southport.
CHANGED IN RULE
Midnight, October 16, is trie
deadline for birthdates of child
ren planning to enter the first
grade this fall, according to
H. C. Stone, county superinten
dent. He explains that the Oct
ober 1 deadline reported two
weeks ago is the school law, but
that the State Board of Edu
cation has ammended this regu
lation.
Another Pretty Catch
TWO WHITEVILLE MEN are shown proudly pointing to the ‘‘big ones" in a recent catch made
by their party while fishing off Capt. Walter Lewis’ “John Elian.” W. H. Morgan, Jr. (left) is
“showing off" a nice mackerel and W. E. Memory is measuring his amberjack. Fishing off Fry
ing Pan Shoals and in the Gulf stream, the party caught more than 30 king mackerel, bonito,
dolphin, blues and Spanish mackerel besides. The “John Elian” is out of Southport. (Photo by Art
Newton).
Jury List For
September Term
Superior Court
Judge Raymond B, Mallard
Will Preside Over Crimi
nal Session Which Con
venes Here September ^9
With Judge Raymond Mallard
of Tabor City scheduled to pre
side, the fall term of Brunswick
County Superior court is sched
uled to convene on September 19.
Among the cases scheduled to
be tried at this term is that in
which E. R. Crisp, Leland used car
dealer, is charged with the fatal
shooting of a young hitch hiker
at his place of business, one night
last spring. The coroner’s jury
liberated, Crisp but the grand jury
subsequently indicted him for the
killing of the boy.
Following the action of the
grand jury the presiding judge
ordered that a special veenir of
jurymen be called from Sampson
county to hear the case.
It is understood that Judge
Mallard will order the calling of
such a jury from Sampson Coun
ty when court convenes. Mean
while the board of county com
missioners drew a regular panel
this week to serve in other cases
that may come up at the term.
The list of jurymen drawn Mon
day was as follows:
E. L. Oliver, Sr., B. H. Price,
John D. Erkison, Robert Moore
Willis, Hugh Spencer, Craig Cas
ter, Southport; Jimmy Bigford,
Long Beach; Isiah Fulford, Jesse
J. Cheers, Troy Caison, Cobie C.
Hewett, Wilbur Cross Hewett,
Richard Lee Galloway, Walker
Bryan Hewett, Hamilton Robin
son, Dennis R. Hewett., Alton
Clemmons, Supply; E. N. Johnson,
Cedie Bullard, G. E. Danford, Carl
Wescott, Bolivia; L. H. Hughes,
Oliver Smith, Lennon McLamb,
Garland Long, Ash; Ezkil Skipper,
E. M. Hickman, G. R. Shew, T.
E. Harrell, Eunice W. Mintz, D.
F. Ganey, Sr., T. H. Wolfe, Sr.,
J. Thurman Skipper, Leland; D.
W. Padgett, Adrian Phelps, Jr.
Winnabow; Homer L. Russ, Free
| land.
_
Genera! Yount
Inspects Area
Chief Of Army Transporta
tion Corps Paid First Vis
it To Sunny Point Term
inals Wednesday
Major General Paul F. Yount,
Chief of of Transportation, De
I partment of the Army, spent last
| Wednesday in Southport, at Sun
ny Point and in Wilmington.
General Yount came down from
Washington by train and arrived
in Southport as residents of this
community were making prepara
tions to withstand the coming visit
of Hurricane Connie. He was
mirch interested in plans that were
j being worked out, and with the
| fact that military personnel as
signed SPA ALT were assisting in
J carrying out these operations.
He inspected the wharves and
other facilities at Srtnny Point
and appeared to be very favor
j ably impressed with this installa
tion.
j He and members of his party
i (Continued on Page Four;
4
Tobacco Market
Going Full Time
*
Man Has Close
Brush With Death
Buster Cog-gins, white man
from Thomasville, had a nar
row escape from drowning
while fishing in the surf
near the new inlet at Long
Beach Sunday afternoon.
The channel had resulted
in a sudden deepening of the
water along the beach and
Coggins, stepped into water
that was up to his neck. In
his struggles he swallowed
w'ater and soon was in se
rious trouble.
Billy Newton of Southport
was passing in a car with
two companions and heard
his cries. They waded into
the water and dragged the
drowning man ashore. First
aid was given by Dr. Creigh
ton Wrenn who happened to
be nearby. Dr. F. M. Bur
dette and an ambulance from
Southport were called and
Coggins was brought to
Dosher Memorial Hospital in
Southport u'here he remained
for observation and treat
ment.
Red Cross Lady
Thanks Citizens
Miss Dorothy Perkins, Who
Came To Southport To
Direct Preparations For
Reception Of Hurricane
Connie, Liked It Here
The American Red Cross again
arose to the occasion this past
week when storm danger threat
ened all of the eastern Atlantic
coast. With the storm still hun
1 dreds of miles away workers were
rushed to all points to take charge
and assist in meeting whatever
crisis might arise.
Miss Dorothy Perkins, Red
Cross Field Representative of
Summerville, S. C., came to
Brunswick.
Miss Perkins drove all of the
w'ay in from Summerville Tuesday
night, arriving in the area at i
I a. m., Wednesday. That morning
found her busy setting up an
organization and taking whatever
; steps were possible to meet the
expected blow.
After two days of working and
waiting, with the storm posing
a continuous serious threat, the
hurricane finally swung off from
its threatened approach to Bruns
wick county sending along in
stead only damaging winds.
Despite the non-arrival of the
expected crisis, the folks who met
Miss Perkins and saw her efforts
during those two days of threats
had ample opportunity to note
that the Red Cross was fully pre
1 pared and eager to do what it
I would if the emergency came.
Saturday morning with all dan
ger over, with another Red Cross
worker Mrs. Olive de Moya, of
West Palm Beach, Fla., arriving
i to take over and gather up the
few words with W. B. Keziah.
Continued On Page Two
Weather Conditions Bring |
About Change In Announ
ced Policy Of Restricting
Selling Time For Border
Belt Markets
WHITEVILLE AVERAGE
REPORTED AT $53.48
Growers Advised To Mal^e
Selling Piles Heavy As
Possible In Order To
Clear Up Weed
Whiteville tobacco warehouses,
scheduled for three and one-half
hour sales this week due to a
glut of stabilization purchased
leaf, was allowed to go on full
five and one-half hour selling
time due to Hurricane Connie.
R. G.. Maultsby, sales super
visor, said full time sales will
be held all this week in White
ville due to having to close clown
for Connie. The five and one-half
hour time will be used until the
partial loss on Thursday and full
day loss on Friday is made up.
Maultsby said that only six of
the 11 scheduled sales for Thurs
day went through.
So far this season, the White
ville markets have sold a total
of 4,485,156 pounds for $2,1198,
758.27, and average of $5148.
These figures top 1954’s pound
age, 3,586,324, by nearly 950 000
pounds, and 1954’s money, $1,708,
793.60, by nearly $690,000. last
year’s average for the same print
was $48.32.
Growers were advised by the
sales supervisor to make t:eir
selling piles as heavy as posrble
to facilitate clearing of the eaf
as quickly as possible.
Assembly Gives
Up Program In
Face Of Storm
For Second Consecutive
Week Baptist Summer
Assembly Is Forced To
Cut Short Program
CHORAL SOCIETY
THERE NEXT WEEK
Little Damage Sustained To
Property At Baptist As
sembly For Either Con
nie Or Diane
The seventh week at Caswell
Baptist Assembly was noted for
a very distinguished guest named
Connie, who made it necessary
for all who came to leave early.
A G. A. Camp that started off
well came to an abrupt end on
Wednesday. The attendance for
this week was"the smallest of the
whole season with a total of only
293. This brought the attendance
o fthe season to 5,975, or an av
erage of 853 per week.
Connie’s sister Diane caused
postponement of the assembly
program this we^k. A good pro
gram had been planned under the
direction of James P. Morgan and
his capable leaders.
Damage done to assembly prop
erty last week was confined al
most entirely to wind damage to
the roof and rain damage where
shingles were removed.
The final week of the assembly
season will begin August 22, at
which time the North Carolina
Choral Society will conduct a
worship; and there will be a
special camp for Junior girls and
boys.
Lengthy Court
Session Monday
Monday Was Busy Day For
Judge Earl Bellamy And
Other Recorder’s Court
Officials
A lengthy session of Recorder’s
court was held here Monday, with
the following judgments being
handed down by Judge Earl Bell
amy:
Lonnie Ray, C. C. W., nol pros.
(Technicality of search of person
before arrest. Two knives order
ed destroyed.)
Henry Anderson, speeding (65
mph) fined $10 and costs.
Albert Lewis, improper equip
ment, nol pros.
James Cogdell, speeding (65
mph) fined $10 and costs, fine
remitted because of mitigating
circumstances.
Vernia White Clemmons, no op
erator’s license, fined $25 and
costs, costs remitted because of
mitigating circumstances.
James Claude Varnum, speeding
(65-mph) find $10 and costs.
Elizabeth Varnum Williams,
reckless operation, fined $15 and
costs.
James Bowman Gray .driving
too fast for conditions, fined $10
an dcosts.
Frank Murphey, reckless opera
tion, fined $25 and costs, fine re
funded on condition that defend
ant pay a sum not in excess of
$201.49 for the benefit of Willie
Davis covering repairs, and costs
of this action.
Calvin Robinson, operating aft
(Continued on Page 4)
W. B. JlifiZIAH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
“In the Army,” said Col. irm.
A. MeAleer, speaking of the iur
ricane that went around us, ‘we
call such things as near n ss.”
That is just what happene in
the Southport area last week, Phe
Colonel was making a very apt
quote that would have been veil
better if he had added the re.-- of
j it by saying, “A miss is as ood
as a mile.” Putting all flippnqy
aside, Brunswick county pople
should be deeply thankful t an
all-wise providence that last eek
came and went without their?et
j ting hit for the second tint in
less than a year by a destn-tivc
storm.
Few people outside the ; ow
ers have any knowledge ol the
j fact that high winds, such as-pre
vailed for several days last sek.
may' be very damaging to ti to
bacco that may be in the pi less
of curing. Too much air gAtag
through the vents in the e-ing
barns makes it almost impossible
to cure the weed properly. The
required average temperature just
cannot be kept up. Many growers
apparently think that under such
conditions it is far more advisable
of the fires are closed down en
tirely to await conditions that
will permit of an even tempera
ture being maintained. The chill
ing of the weed while it is in
process of being cured naturally
results in damage to quality. But
according to one grower, not so
much damage as would result if 1
curing was continued under im
possible conditions.
Ordered out of their homes and
nto safer places as danger from
the storm apparently increased
ruesday afternoon and Wednes
Jay of last week, it was sur
prising to note the lack of long
'aces among the folks that pour
id into Southport from the beach
tContinued on Page i)
Brunswick Recovering
From Damage Sustained
During Twin Hurricanes
Open House Is
Observed Here
Mr. And Mrs. S. T. Bennett Threw Open Their Tourist
Court And Their Home To Refugees From Long
Beach Last Week
When Long Beach folks wen
ordered from their homes last
week because of danger from the
advancing storm, Mr. and Mrs.
Sam T. Bennett of Southport
threw open the doors of all ten
rooms of their Franklin Park
Court, and also rooms in their
own home to the refugees.
These rooms, the first arrivals
were informed, were free as long
as the folks were prevented by
providence from occupying thei:
own homes at the beach.
In addition to the rooms as far
as they went—and that was
pretty far, as many as five per
sons of one family occupying
some of the rooms—the Frank
lin Park Court folks went fur
ther instances and provided free
coffee and lunches when such
were needed. In some instances
25 to 30 people had lunch at one
time, all free.
Saying that it was not a mat
ter of business, that he and Mrs.
Bennett did not keep track of
their guests, Mr. Bennett was
unable to gives names. Other
sources, however, say that guests
for the two days and nights in
cluded the C. C. Carr and Sam
Carr families, Mr. and Mrs. Jim
mie Woltz, Mrs. George Sherrod
and children, Mrs. Frank Arm
strong, Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Blowe
and many others of whom they
are not definitely sure.
This fine example could not
be followed by the Riverside
Motel. Right on the bank of the
river, this court had been forced
to remove all of its furnishings
to storage during the previous
night. Several homes, in addition
to Franklin Park Court, also re
ceived guests from the beach
without charge.
Many of the beach residents
have frankly stated that the at
txtude of the Franklin Court peo
ple and others in Southport is
something they will never forget.
Following the storm of last
October many Southport people
came in for the same considera
tion and help that some of therr
tried to give the Long Beach peo
ple last week. The Diamond
Construction Company of Savan
nah, Ga., Hertford Construction
Company of Hertford and J. K.
Cecil Company of Lexington all
sent in powerful construction
equipment from Sunny Point and
performer} free work , in removing
wreckage and launching boats.
In that, as in the present case,
lit was all on a. no pay basis.
New Principal At
Shallotte High
Souvenir Has
Practical Use
Without knowing exactly
how the rank and file of
Southport people met the no
power situation that prevailed
during the stormy days last
week, it can still be said that
Col. W. A. McAleer was
equal to the emergency.
The efficiency of his elec
tric stove completely nulli
fied by lack of power, Col.
McAleer rummaged around
among his service souveniers
and before Mrs. McAleer knew
what was on foot he had un
earthed and put into service
a Japanese “hibaclii”—this,
to you would be a Japanese
cooking device that the Col
onel had accumulated at his
last overseas station.
Placed in a shallow water
bowl, this device gives off
intense heat without smoke
or disagreeable odor of any
kind. It can be kept going
all day long by simply add
ing a few brickettes from
time to time.
The power was turned off
Wednesday night. When Mrs.
McAleer awoke next morning
she was in for a pleasant
surprise. The Colonel had
made coffee, fried bacon and
was ready for scrambling
eggs. Mrs. McAleer says that
the efficient husband, plus the
“hibachi”, plus a portable
radio, made Connie somewhat
more endurable.
Assistant Is
Here For Work
Snodie B. Wilson Of Pitt
County Becomes Assistant
To County Agent A. S.
Knowles
. Snodie B. Wilson has been em
ployed as assistant county agent
for Brunswick and has already
entered upon his duties.
He is a graduate of N. C. State
College with the class of 1955.
His home is at Winterville in
Pitt county and he is unmarried.
In discussing this addition to
his staff Monday County Agent
Continued On Page Pour)
*
Fred Lentz, Formerly Prin
cipal Of Lenoir High
School For 8 Years, Will
Head Brunswick County
' School
PRINCIPAL GUY
ANGEL IN NEW JOB
Popular School Man Resigns
To Accept Election As
County Superintendent
In Watauga County
Fred Lentz has been elected
principal of Shallotte High
School and will commence his
new duties Monday.
He succeeds Guy Angell, who
recently resigned from this posi
tion to become superintendent of
schools on Watauga county. He
had been at Shallotte for twc
years, and was recognized as an
able administrator and effective
educator.
Lentz has served as principal
of Lenoir High School for 8
years. He is' a graduate of Ap
palachian State Teachers College
and holds his masters degree
from University of North Caro
lina.
Hp is married and has four
j children, one of whom is ir.
. school.
Southport Man
Dies In Storm
William Harold Stephens
Believed To Have Drown
ed Thursday Night While
Serving As Watchman
Aboard Menhaden Vessel
Brunswick
William Harold Stevens, 38-year
old resident of Southport, was
I drowned in Wilmington harbor
some time Thursday night when
j he fell or was blown from the
I menhaden vessel Brunswick, on
which he was engineer.
He was alone on the ship,
serving as watchman at the time
and his disappearance was not
noted until Friday morning. Cap
tain Homer McKeithan and en
gineer Johnnie Hewett of South
port had each talked with Stev
ens the day before his disappear
ance was discovered. Hewett, en
gineer on the Nickersen, a sister
j ship of the Brunswick, had spok
! Continued On Page Two
Considerable Property Dam
age Left In Wake Of
Hurricane Connie, Which
Passed Near Southport
Friday Morning
HURRICANE DIANE
HIT HERE TODAY
Brunswick County Residents
Take Shelter From Two
Tropical Storms Within
Span Of Single Week
Hurricane Diane struck the
coast of Brunswick county before
day this morning, leaving in her
wake several thousand dollars
worth of property damage to be
added to the depredations of
Hurricane Connie, who skirted
this same area early Friday.
Of the two, the first of these
unwelcomed visitors did the great*
er damage. Hurricane Connie had
tantalized residents of this area
for 24-hour while she hovered
menacingly offshore at a distance
of about 200 miles and when she
finally came boiling past the coast
of Brunswick she left behind her
damaged roofs, damaged crops
and a few major building casual
ties.
In contrast to the taunting
tactics of Connie, Hurricane Diane
stayed on schedule and hit be
tween Southport and Wilming
ton about 3 o'clock this mor
ning. At about 3:30 a period of
calm set in, and there were grave
fears as to what would happen
when the direction of the wind
changed and picked up to hurri
cane force again about the time
of high water. The tide was high,
but the shift in the wind and in
crease in acceleration failed t<»
materialize, thereby saving the
Southport waterfront and the
beach resort area.
There was only one death re
ported in North Carolina from
either of these tropical storms.
William Harold Stephens, young
Southport man who was enginer
of the menhaden vessel Bruns
wick, lost his life Thursday night
when he fell overboard or was
blown from the deck of his boat
into the Cape Fear while she was
at her moorings in Wilmington,
where this and other local vessels
had been taken for refuge from
the storm.
In both instances, the most vio
lent winds were from the north
east, a direction which affords
protection for the Brunswick
county coastline. It was also con
sidered a matter of great good
fortune that high winds were not
accompanied by high tides, al
though there were plenty of both
during the visit of Hurricana
Diane.
Having learned a valuable if
costly lesson from Hurricane
Hazel last October, Brunswick
county residents made elaborate
preparations for riding out Hurri
cane Connie, which was first ex
pected to strike this area some
time last Wednesday. The fact
that the ari’ival was about 48
hours late gave additional time for
organizing Red Cross disaster ac
tivities and for moving boats and
personal property from points of
danger. Every boat with power
was taken from the Southport
Continued On Page Four)
Tide T able
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, August 18,
8:14 A. M. 1:59 A. M.
8:34 P. M. 2:15 P. M.
Friday, August 19,
9:02 A. M. 2:43 A. M.
9:18 P. M. 3:03 P. M.
Saturday, August 20,
9:48 A. M. 3:25 A. M.
10:00 P. M. 3:47 P. M.
Sunday, August 21,
10:33 A. M. 4:06 A. M.
10:41 P. M. 4:32 P. M.
Monday, August 22,
11:18 A. M. 4:47 A. M.
11:23 P. M. 5:18 P. M.
Tuesday, August 28,
12:04 A. M. 5:30 A. M.
0:00 P. M. 6:06 P. M.
Wednesday, August 24,
0:07 A. M. ‘ 6:16 A. M.
12:54 P. M. 6:58 P. M.