THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
Volume No. 17 No. 27 6-Pages Today SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1956 PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Most Of The News
All The Time
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
$1.50 PER YEAR
Call 1955 Worst
Year For Fires
In Area Forests
Serious Fire Loss Reported
By District Forester For
Columbus And Brunswick
During Past Year
INCENDIARY FIRES
CAUSED TROUBLE
Greatest Destruction Resul
ted From Green Swamp
Fire, But Others Also
Caused Serious Loss
Foresters marked 1955 down as
the blackest year in recent his
tory for Columbus and Brunswick
counties as far as forest fires are
concerned.
The year saw 76,915 acres in
Columbus, and 58,317 acres of
forests and fields in Brunswick
county ravaged by fires. The
damage amounted to $620,127 for
Columbus and $468,597 for Bruns
wick. Together well over $1 mil
lion lost.
The office of Thomas Rhyne,
Jr., district forester, reported that
the worst part of 1955 were the
first six months. This was the
time of the Green Swamp fire
which raced out of control through
large timber tracts in both coun
ties.
Worst Portion
However, without the Green
Swamp, the first half of the year
would still have been the worst
portion. There were 167 fires
started during the January-June
period in Columbus, as compared
to 14 for the last six months. In
Brunswick there were 114 fires
for the first half of the year as
compared to 21 for the July
through December period.
Incendiaries are considered re
sponsible for 47 of the Columbus
fires. Debris burners who let fires
get out of control started 71
others, and careless smokers start
ed 36.
Eight of the Columbus fires
were caused by campers and
hunters, four in lumbering, one
by railroad, and ten through mis
cellaneous methods.
Of the 181 fires in Columbus
county during 1955, only four
were so-called “natural fires”—
fires started by lightning. The
rest were man origin blazes.
47 Incendiaries
Although 47 of last year’s fires
In Columbus county were set
fires, available enforcement of
l|aws permitted only one arrest
tind conviction for setting fire.
!’our other persons were cited
or infractions such as burning
/ithout permits. The five cases
netted a total of $41.50 in fines
and court costs.
In Brunswick county, despite a
record of 36 incendiary fires,
there was only one case for no
burning permit netting $16.50 in
^punishment.
In Columbus 26 persons paid
suppression costs (cost of extin
guishing blazes) for a total of
$202.81; one landowner paid $3.
In Brunswick three persons paid
suppression costs totaling $70.05.
The 76,915 acres lost in Co
lumbus last year is six times more
than the 12,235 acres lost in 1954.
The $618,923 losses is about seven
(Continued on Page Four;
Brief Bits Of
lnewsj
LIONS TO MEET
The regular meeting of the
Southport Lions Club will be held
tomorrow (Thursday) at 1 o’clock
in the Community Building.
RETURNS HOME
W. P. Jorgensen, who has been
a patient at Dosher Memorial
Hospital for the pagt few weeks,
was able to return home Friday.
He still spends a good part of
eacli day in bed.
TURKEY SUFl'ER
The Southport Woman’s Club
will serve a turkey supper Fri
day night from 5:30 until 7
o’clock in the Community Build
ing. Tickets may be seemed from
Mrs. E. J. Prevatte.
JAIL SERVICES
The 9 inmates of the Bruns
wick county jail were treated to
the usual Sunday afternoon jail
services Sunday. The WMS of the
old Shallotte Baptist church, Rev.
J. D. Hales, pastor, had charge
of the services.
FRATERNITY MEMBER
Bertram Burris of Southport is
one of 29 East Carolina College
students who have been chosen
for membership in the Sigma Rho
Phi Fraternity. It was founded
during the 1954-55 term at the
college and is both a social and
a service organization.
Laying Water Mains
WORKING—There are signs of major activity about
the streets of Southport during recent weeks as a Durham
contracting firm has been busy laying water mains that
will give better service to a large number of residents.
Better fire protection also will result.
Big Improvements
Being Made Here
Water Mains Being Laid To
Serve Several Additional
Sections Of City Of South
port
WILL GIVE BETTER
FIRE PROTECTION
Large New Residential Area
Being Laid Out And Streets
Being Constructed By
Developers
The city is now having a full
mile of 6-inch water mains laid
from the ice paint to Fodale
Avenue, thence around Fodale
Avenue and back to the River
Road and Cape Fear Heights. The
area embraces the new sub-di
vision being prepared for Frink
and Herring. The pipes will af
ford water for file protection and
all domestic uses.
New piping are also being laid
in the western section of town
known as Boivery Hill. Water for
domestic uses only has been avail
able there. There was no file
plugs or sources of large supply
for use in case of fire.
City Manager John West is
very much pleased at the recent
construction of new facilities in
the form of water mains, storm
sewers and drainage.
Fishing Facts
On Cape Fear
Rod And Cane Pole Fisher
men Had Good Luck Last
Year Fishing From Locks
On Upper Reaches Of
River
A report by the Wilmington
District, Corps of Engineers, re
veals some 23,400 rod and cane
pole fishing folk caught almost
5.000 pounds of fish in waters
adjacent to the three locks on
the Cape Fear River during 1955.
The most popular fishing spot,
according to the report, was at
I the number 2 lock at Elizabeth
town where a total of 3,764
pounds were taken by 15,945
fresh water fishing devotees.
Lock Number I near Acme ran
second with 3,851 fishermen get
ting 1,000 pounds. Number 3 at
Fayetteville had only 3,691 visit
ors who caught only 226 pounds.
Figures kept by locktenders
show the best fishing season to
be from February through June.
At Elizabethtown, for example,
the catch was: February, 162
pounds; March, 646 pounds;
April, 855 pounds; May, 799
pounds, and June, 520.
April and May were fail
months at Acme when 175 pounds
and 265 pounds, were caught dur
ing the respective months.
Best months at number 3 near
Fayetteville were March and May
when only 60 pounds and 45
pounds were taken by 3691 fish
ermen.
The catch consisted largely of
bream, brass, perch, crappe and
Continued On Page Two
Recognition For
Southport Girl
A former Southport girl
who lives with her husband
in Atlanta, Ga., is achieving
recognition for her ability as
a “dance notator”, a spe
cialized field in which she has
achieved marked proficiency.
She is Mrs. Paul Pittenger,
formerly Miss Pat Arrington.
She is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. E. H. Arrington of
Southport.
The results of her work are
ballet blueprints, the only
method for copywrighting
dance forms, which are reg
istered with the Library of
Congress. Currently, Pat is
working up material for two
Atlanta choreographers.
Seed For Bird
Feed Available
N. C, Wildlife Resources
Commission Will Provide
Seed Mixture For Plant
ing On Farms This Year
More than 4000 ten-pound bags
of wildlife food seeds are avail
able to landowners who wish to
improve their lands for rabbits,
quail, and turkeys, it was an
nounced last week in Raleigh.
Bob Hazel, farm game specialist
with the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission, stated that
the bags of annual seeds will be
sent to landowners without charge
as long as the supply lasts. For
most of the State the mixture
consists of 2 pounds of combine
milo, 2 pounds of millet, 2 pounds
of cow. peas, 214 pounds of soy
beans, and lit pounds of annual
lespedeza. For the mountain coun
ties, half the bag consists of the
above mixture and the other half
is buckwheat, with a quarter
pound of sunflower seed added.
The mixture has been develop
ed by farm game experts to pro
vide a quick means of establish
ing food patches for wildlife. The
Wildlife Commissions long range
program for habitat improvement
is based on the planting of per
ennial plants such as shrub
lespedeza and multiflora rose.
Present planting stocks of these
perennials do not bear until the
second year, although new strains
ar e being developed that will bear
seed the first year, Hazel said.
He stated that the annual seed
mixture would provide excellent
food for part of the winter months
of the first year while the peren
nials are reaching maturity.
Hazel pointed out that the an-,
nual seed mixture will plant two
eighth-acre plots. He said that it
would be more desirable for the
game to plant two small patches
rather than one large one. The
patches should be located near
good cover, and will require one
(Continued on Page Four)
Governor Hodges
Is Scheduled For
Banquet Speaker
Tenth Annual SENCBA
Banquet Will Hear Report
From N. C. Governor On:
Hurricane Rehabilitation
Survey
PLANS MEETING
WITH ADVISORS
Citizens Advisory Panel Of
Which Mayor Roy Robin
son And City Manager
John West Are Mem
bers To Meet
Governor Luther H. Hodges
has accepted the invitation of the
South Eastern North Carolina
Beach Association to be their
guest speaker at its Tenth An
nual Banquet, Saturday, January
28, Cape Fear Hotel, Wilmington,
at 6:30 p. m.
The Governor has selected this
occasion to reveal for the first
time, the high-lights of his re
cently completed Hurricane Re
habilitation Survey. The recom
mendations have to do with per
manent projects for long range
planning along the North Caro
lina Coast, to help prevent and
to hold to a minimum damages
which might be caused by any
future hurricane hitting the coas
tal area—to beach resorts, com
merce . and sport fishing places,
and to r h farm soil in this re
gion.
Governor Hodges is expected to
arrive in Wilmington about noon
to confer in special session with
his recently appointed Citizens
Advisory Panel, of which John
H. Ferrell, Manager of SENCBA,
is chairman. The Citizens Ad
visory Panel consists of beach
resort businessmen, mayors of
coastal towns, including Mayor
Roy Robinson of Southport and
John West, city manager, county
agents, soil conservation special
ists, engineers, prominent farm
ers from disaster areas, a few
Chamber of Commerce managers
in the flooded regions, etc. This
group represents the entire ooaa
tal region of North Carolina. It
was the members of this panel at
a series of meeting during the
past four months who supplied a
large majority of the suggested
recommendations contained in
Governor Hodges’ Hurricane Re
habilitation report.
Notices have been sent by Far
rell to all members of "CAP” to
meet with Governor Hodges in
the Wilmington City Hall Coun
cil Chamber about 2 p. m., to
discuss and review the recom
mendations included in his report.
Development Is
Being Opened
Frink And Herring Are Cut
ting Streets And Laying
Out Lots For A New Res
idential Development
Frink and Herring are opening
a new residential sub-division on
Cape Fear River Heights west of
Fodale Avenue. Their property
there will afford 100 choice, high I
and dry building lots.
The Coastal Construction Com
pany of Wilmington and Long
Beach has already done much of
the roadway and street work. It
Continued On Page Two
Commissioned
HENRY E. GILBERT, JR., son
of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Gilbert
of Bolivia, is attending a five
month officer basic course at the
Marine Corps Schools, Quantico,
Va. He was commissioned De
cember 17 after completing a ten
week Officer Candidate Course at
Quantico.
Representative Is
Coming Tuesday
To Aid Victims
Applications For Purchase
Of Government Surplus
Property Will Be Receiv
ed By State Civil Defense
Office Men Next Week
Clerk of Court J. E. Brown has
been advised by General Edward
F. Griffin that his representative
will return to Brunswick county
of Tuesday, January 24, to take
further applications for Federal
Surplus property from hurricane
disaster stricken farmers and
business men.
General Griffin stated that the
visit has been scheduled for the
benefit of all applicants who were
not able to interview him on his
(Continued on Page Four)
Lester Babson Is
Committeeman
Freeland Resident Named
To Succed The Lata Char
les M. Trott As Member
Of State Republican Exe
cutive Committee
Hay Jennings, chairman of the
North Carolina Republican Ex
ecutive Committee, has announced
the appointment of Lester C. Bab
son of Freeland as a member of
the executive committee. Babson
will succeed the late Charles M.
Trott on the board.
The board meets in Winston
Salem on Friday and it is under
stood that Babson will be sworn
in at that time.
Babson has been the Republican
member of the Brunswick county
election board for the past 12
years. He is respected by his
fellow members and he has per
formed his duties in an efficient
and pleasing manner, this despite
the fact that he formed a hope
less minority. At the moment it is
not known if the taking over
of the duties of a member of the
executive board will disqualify
him from continuing his service
with the election board. A re
Continued On Page Four?
Our
ROVING
Reporter
Tobacco canvass spread over
seed beds all over Brunswick
county is a very forcible remin
der that winter will soon be over,
ilven when it was raining mildly
Monday morning tobacco growers
could be seen here and there in
the country preparing other seed
beds. The general preparation on
the part of farmers is a sure
indication that they feel spring
weather' is almost here. The to
bacco grower has to be almost
as observant as the fisherman. A
mistake on the part of a fisher
man may result in a financial
loss, possibly life or injury. A
mistake on the part of the to
bacco grower may result in a
good deal of financial loss and
they do not often rush into pre
mature efforts to get started.
With three miles of high and
dry river bank facing on South
port’s great natural harbor, the
possibilities for industrial develop
ment here are almost unlimited,
at least to the eyes of those who
have ever given any considera
tion to development. Sunny Point
lias gone a long way in attract
ing the attention of the country
to possibilities here and it will
continue to attract attention.
Army engineers rated it the num
ber one in safety and on the At
lantic Coast. That fact will stand
out and go a long way towards
attracting both land and ocean
shipping. Nothing but the dullest
of minds could fail to visualize
the industrial and shipping de
velopment that is already be
ginning to be interested.
Always having been something
of an optimist, we are a com
plete flop as a weather forecast
er and have been that way for
more than a year. We see only
t Continued on page four)
Loyal Dog Aids
Stricken Master
Hunter Rescued From Woods As Result Of Intellimence
Of His Pointer Bird Dog
Walter C. Burney’s pointer
didn’t win his race against death,
but he did delay it and in doing
so won for himself the heart of
Burney’s family.
Walter Burney, a retired Wan
anish businessman, collapsed fol
lowing a stroke while hunting
near his home, Thursday after
noon. He had with him a brown
spotted pointer he'd gotten short
ly after Christmas.
Burney fell within 10 or 15
yards of US 74-76, but he was
in a location where he might not
have been noticed. His dog sens
ing his master's plight, ran to
the highway and began acting up
in such a way as to attract at
tention.
Dog Attracts Attention
Highway Patrolman F. D. Mc
Lean said:
“I passed by as the dog dame
out to the highway, but didn’t
think anything about it until I
came back a few minutes later
and the dog was still there.
“He was jumping across a
ditch to the road, then jumping
back. I got curious, stopped, and
the dog led me to Mr. Burney.
He’d lick his master’s face and
whine.”
McLean said he made the
stricken man as comfortable as
possible using a raincoat as a
pillow and another coat as a
blanket, and sent for an ambu
lance.
The highway patrolman said he
found Burney about 4:30 p. m.
"A Negro man who’d been by
said he’d noticed the dog there
about 4 p. m. If it hadn’t been
for the dog Mr. Burney would
have probably died there in that
pine thicket that night.”
Illness Is Fatal
The young dog did all he could
for his new master. It is some
thing Mr. Burney’s family will
long remember. But even the
dog’s faithfulness and loyalty,
and the hopes for Mr. Burney’s
(Continued on Page Four)
Superior Court
Here Next Week
List Of Firms
On Honor Roll
Word from the Wilmington
office of the U. S. Army En
ginners reports the following
films on the honor roll for
their work at Sunny Point:
Goode Construction Co., T.
F. Scholes, Inc., Boyle Con
struction Co., H. C. Bryant
Electric Co., Winkleman Con
struction Co. and W. J. Mc
Lamb & Son. *
It has also been announced
that plans for a fire obser
vation tower on the Sunny
Point reservation have been
cancelled.
Another Busy
Court Session
Large Number Of Cases
Disposed Of Here Monday
Before Judge Earl Bel
lamy In Recorder’s Court
A variety of cases were dis
posed of here Monday before
Judge Eaj-1 Bellamy in Brunswick
county Recorder’s court, with the
following judgments being handed
down:
Jesse T. Brown, possession, fin
ed $10 and costs.
William P. Andrews and Mrs.
Ormond Caison, fornification and
adultry, 90 days on roads, sen
tence suspended on good behavior
for two years, not breaking any
laws and paying a fine of $50 and
costs.
Vance Errell Young, speeding
(70-mph) fined $15 and costs.
William Hosea Long, Jr., im
proper equipment, fined $25 and
costs.
i-rmce nooen Heims, operating
on wrong side of highway, fined
$25 and costs.
Harry Healy, speeding (55-mph)
fined $10 and costs.
John W. Gore, non-support, one
year on roads, suspended on con
dition that defendant pay $15 per
month to the support of his
iliigitimate children.
Hermit Braxton Mebrin, im
proper equipment, fined $10 and
costs, fine remitted because of
mitigating circumstances.
Hansom George Dodd, no chaf
feur’s license, fined $25 and costs.
Edward Norman Hall, no chaf
feur’s license, fined $25 and costs.
Nero Gause, failing to report
and accident, fined $10 and costs.
Hardin Henry Roberts, expired
auto license, taxed with costs.
Herbert Whitler, speeding, nol
pros.
Samuel Robbins Chinnis, Jr.,
speeding, not guilty.
Clara Miller, assault, 30 days,
suspended on good behavior and
payment of costs.
John Howard McManus, speed
ing (55-mph with truck) fined
$10 and costs.
Walter Ralph White, non sup
port, ordered to pay $20 weekly
for the support of his three minor
children.
Currie McKenzie Milligan,
speeding t70-mph) fined $15 and
costs.
Arthur Wilson Williamson,
(Coutinued on Rage 4)
Trial Of Crisp Murder Case
Set For Wednesday, With
Special Venire To Be Cal
led From Sampson Coun
ty
CROWDED DOCKET
IS IN PROSPECT
Solicitor May Call For Spec
ial Term To Relieve The
Situation; Large Crowd
Is Expected Here
Solicitor John J. Burney, Jr.,
was here this week, preparing a
calendar of next weeks term of
Superior court which will be pre
sided over by Judge Q. K.
Nimmocks.
Solicitor Burney stated that the
selection of a jury to hear the
R. E. Crisp murder case will be
gin Wednesday morning. At the
opening of court Monday morning
he will ask Judge Nimmocks for
an order for the summoning of
a special panel from Sampson
county to hear this case. This
procedure will be in accordance
with an order given last year.
The regular jury list drawn
for the term some time ago from
Brunswick county will serve until
Crisp case comes up Monday. The
Crisp case, which grew out of the
death of a young hitchhiker, will
probably require two full days
on the part of the court.
With a large number of cases
awaiting trial, Solicitor Burney
stated that it was his plan to
ask for a special term of court
for the trial of criminal cases in
order to clear up a lot of matters
that the court will not be able
to handle next week.
The term next week is expect
ed to draw one of the biggest
crowds that has attended a term
of criminal court in years. A
grand jury to serve through 1956
will be drawn Monday from the
regular jury list that has been
called for that time, Clerk of
Court J. E. Brown says.
Construction On
Pier Under Way
Long Beach Will Have Oce
an Fishing Pier In Opera
tion In Time For Use Next
Summer
W. S. Blowe and Jimmy Big
ford have started work on the
fishing pier at the lower part of
Long Beach and near the Big
Hills. They plan to have it ready
for the first spring fishing. The
location is said to be ideal for
pier fishing.
Tire structure will extend out
700 feet over the water and will
have a 100 foot “T” on the end.
Next winter it is planned to run
the pier a few hundred feet furth
er out and build another “T” on
the extension. Prom a distance in
the air it will look like a giant
plane with two sets of wings.
At Yaupon Beach, about 4 miles
from where the Long Beach pier
is being constructed, the big steel
pier did mighty well its first year,
despite the fact that it was a bad
year for all sorts of fishing. The
owners say that the pier added
greatly to the attractiveness of
the real estate development. The
Continued On Page Two
Truck-Trailers
Deliver Entire
Cargo For Ship
First Time In History Of
North Carolina Shipping
That Delivery Of Cargo
Accomplished In This
Manner
GOOD PROSPECTS
FOR EXPANSION
Prediction Is Made That
Commercial Cargoes Will
Be Delivered Here In
Similar Manner
By W. B. KEZIAH
With the point of origin un
known and destination also off
the record, a big oeean freighter
is here taking on a full cargo,
with every pound of it being de
livered to the ship’s holds by
tractor-trailers. Therein is prob
ably being set a precedent in
freight transportation for North
Carolina.
Most of the tractor-trailers are
owned by lines in Alabama and
Texas. That fact has no bearing
on where the cargoes originate.
The machines go wherever they
are ordered to go and pick up
cargo. Like-wise, getting return
cargoes here, they take them
wherever they are ordered taken.
Some of the operators do not
see their families for weeks or
months. One operator stated this
week that he sees no prospect of
keeping up his home life, unless
he moves his family here. It is
one certain port of call. While
on runs from here he may be
sent anywhere to take a cargo
or pick up one for a return
journey.
Scuttlebutt has it that the trail
ers give stevedores an easier
loading and unloading job than
do railroad cars. Large ocean
freighters usually have five holds
from which cargo is removed or
loaded. It is desirable to have
cargo on the wharves directly op
posite the holds of the ship, and
with freight cars having only side
doors midway their lengths, it is
not so easy to string them along
with the doors exactly opposite
the holds of the ship.
On the other hand, the tractors
can back up and deliver their
loads anywhere on the loading
ramp and right under the swing
ing booms.
Similar scuttlebutt has it that
the tractor-trailers are doing a
mighty good job in bringing in
cargo and taking others away,
thus helping the chance for South
port to become a great trucking
center. Commercial cargoes will
Continued On Page Two
New Motel Now
In Operation
Ray Walton And Frank
Lennon Proprietors Of
New Facilities For Taking
Care Of Guests
The Southport Motel and Res
taurant opened last night and en
joyed the rare experience of be
ing sold out completely its first
night. The first meal to be serv
ed in the new establishment was
breakfast this morning, and that,
too, attracted a lot of customers.
This new business is an at
tractive pair of buildings of mod
ern construction, located on Howe
street. The restaurant fronts on
the street, with several rooms be
hind it fronting a courtyard that
separates this building from the
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 Fort Pilot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot's Association.
High Tide Low Tide
Thursday, January 19,
11:47 A. M. 5.47 A. M.
0:00 P. M. 6:15 P. M.
Friday, January 20,
0:24 A. M. 6:44 A. M.
12:41 P. M. 7:10 P. M.
Saturday, January 21,
1:27 A. M. 7:50 A. M.
1:44 P. M. 8:12 P. M.
Sunday, January 22,
2:34 A. M. 9:02 A. M.
2:53 P. M. 9:18 P. M.
Monday, January 23,
3:41 A. M. 10:11 A. M.
1:03 P. M. 10:24 P. M.
Tuesday, January 24,
4:46 A. M. 11:15 A. M.
5:10 P. M. 11:26 P. M.
Wednesday, January 25,
5:48 A. M. 0:00 A. M.
6:12 P. M. 12:13 P. M.