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THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
I
Volume No. 21
No. 26
10-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1960
5e A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Recording Session
RECORDING—Here assembled are members
of the Southport Gardening Society of Southport,
England, as members met to complete a tape re
cording to be sent to the Live Oak Garden Club in
Southport, North Carolina. This recording was re
ceived and has been heard by the membership of
the local organization, who plan to make a similar
recording at one of their own meetings and send it
to their friends abroad. Shown seated in the center
and to the right of the table, is Mrs. Mae Bamber,
president of the society, and on the right of her is
Mr. Whittle, chairman, who moderated the pro
gram.
Legion Post Is
Ahead In Drive
For Membership
Commander Crawford L.
Rourk Receives Commen
dation From State Adjut
ant Nash McKee For This
Accomplishment
Southport Post No. 194 of The
American Legion has exceeded its
membership Incentive Goal for
1961 according to information re
ceived here from State Head
quarters of the Amercian Legion
in Raleigh.
The Incentive Goal of Post No.
-TfU is 35 and the--membership
for 1961 to date is 37. Incentive
Goals are assigned each American
Legion Post by the State Head
quarters and are based on last
year's membership of the Post
plus 2 per cent.
Crawford L. Rourk, Command
er of the Post, has received a
letter from the Legion State Ad
jutant, Nash McKee, expressing
congratulations and thanks to
the membership chairman, all post
officers, and membership workers
for their effort.
S. Marvin Burton, of Chralotte,
N. C. Department Commander of
the American Legion, issued a
statement of high praise for the
local Post.
Commander Burton said, “I am
Continued un Page 4
Brief Bit* Of
lnewsj
CHESS CLUB
The Southport Chess Club will
meet Thursday evening at 7:30
o'clock in the parrish room of
St. Episcopah Church.
BRUSH FIRE
The fire alarm Christmas night
was a call to a brush fire of no
serious consequence at the out
skirts of the city.
SILVER TEA
Mrs. Alice Arrington, Presi
dent of the Womens Society of
Christian Service of Trinity Meth
odist Church, is entertaining
member and friends of the church
on Sunday, January 1, at a sil
ver tea at her home from 4 to
6 p. m.
Clarkson extends a cordial in
the church are cordially invited
to join in this welcome to the
New Year.
BISHOP WRIGHT COMING
The Rt. Rev. Thomas H. Wright,
DD, Bishop of the Diocese of
East Carolina, will make his an
nual visit to St. Phillips Episcopal
Church, Southport, on Sunday,
January 1, for the 11 o’clock
service. At this time he will con
firm and deliver the morning ser
mon. Bishop Wright has recently
returned from a trip to the Far
East, including Formosa, Okinawa
and Japan. The Rev. Thomas C.
Clarkton extends a cordial in
vitation to all who will attend
this service.
Overseas Exchange
Of Tape Recording
First Phase Of Interesting2
Operation Is Completed
With Playing Of Record
ing At Garden Club Pro
gram
The first phase of an interna
tional exchange of recorded greet
ings between members of the Dis
trict Gardening Society of South
uort, England, and the Live Oak
Garden Club of Southport, North
Carolina, was completed last,
week.
ing of the Gardening Society a
tape recording was made with
greetings from various members,
together with a discussion of ac
complishments and problems, and
this was sent to the North Carol
ina organization, to be played at
a meeting of their club. This be
came an enjoyable feature of the
Christmas program, and members
enjoyed hearing the familiar voice
of Mis. Mae Bamber, who has
been a visitor here on several
previous occassions.
Following is a “cutting” from
"the Southport Visitor” Southport,
England, newspaper regarding the
recording of this tape:
“During her visit to America.
Councillor Mrs. Bamber contacted
the Live Oak Gardening Club of
Southport, North Carolina and put
them into touch with the South
port and District Gardening Soc
iety of this town. A lot of let
ters have passed to and fro, and
finally the idea was concieved of
making a tape recording by mem
bers with greeting to the Ameri
can club, and setting out the in
terested and aims of the society
as a whole, and of individual
members.
“This has now been done, and
on Wednesday evening Mrs. Bant
er, in her capacity as president,
Continued On Page 4
Faces Charge Of
Property Damage
Southport Youth Charged
With Using Automobile
On Destructive Spree On
Christmas Morning
Robert Wayne Potter, 19-year
old Southport youth, was arrest
ed Tuesday afternoon and placed
under $300 bond to face four
charges of malicious damage to
property.
It is charged that early on
Christmas morning young Potter
drove his car over the garbage
can and holding rack at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. George Parker;
he tore down a sign and the
newspaper box at the home of
Capt and Mrs. Walter Lewis; that
he tore down the newspaper box
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. M.
M. Hood; and that he drove his
car part of the way into Franklin
Park and tore up two camellia
bushes.
Chief of Police Herman Strong,
Continued On Page 4
List Lighting
Contest Winners
Mrs. John Julius Swain
won first prize in the doorway
decoration division of the
Christmas lighting contest
sponsored this year by the
Southport Garden Club. Sec
ond place was won by Mrs.
_. L. J. Hardee._
In the over-all decorations
first prize went to Mrs. James
C. R. Livingston.
Mrs. W. A. Russ won first
prize for her living Christmas
tree.
The judges thought that
honorable mention was due
the Santa in the window at
the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Dick Rankin and the spot
lighted pyracantha bush at
the home of Mrs. Eva Ruark.
Interest Shown
In New Tobacco
Several Brunswick County
Farmers Attend Meeting
To Discuss Production Of
Aromatic Tobacco
Several farmers have indicated
they will plant between 20 and 30
acres of aramatic tobacco dur
ing the 1961 season, reports A. S.
Knowles, County Agricultrual
Agent. This was his conclusion
after talking to a group of farm
ers at Waccamaw School last
week about the production of
this crop. Roy Crouse, Extension
Aramatic Tobacco Specialist,
gave the group information and
illustrated his talk with color
slides various production pract
ices.
It was pointed out that the
production and curing is so dif
ferent from the flue-cured type
that most people would have to
unlearn the handling of flue
curing tobacco to be successful
with aramatic tobacco. It is
thought that this type may have
its limitations because of the soil
requirements. It seems to do best
on soils of low organic matter
and where the clay is near the
top of the ground. Its nitrogen
requirements are low. The rows
are set 20 inches apart and
about finve inches in the drill.
It requires from 65,000 to 70,000
plants per acre. It takes about
300 yards of plant bed to insure
sufficient plants for one acre.
Seed are furnished to producers
by the Purchasing Association
without cost. Prices are paid
according to grade. Production
cost are low. This crop may
supplement the income on a
number of farms in Brunswick
County if it can be successfully
grown.
Former Local
Citizen Dies
In Boat Blast
Charles Gilbert Dies In Ex
plosion Aboard His Boat
At Cedar Key, Fla., Last
Week; Boat Built Here
News was received here last
week of the death at Cedar Key,
Fla., of Charles Gilbert, 81-year
old former resident of Southport,
who died as a result of an ex
plosion aboard his houseboat, Val
entino. The accident occurred on
the morning of December 19.
The craft was constructed by
the owner at -a, site near the
Southport yacht basin, and was
later used for the trip to Florida.
Gilbert's body was recovered at
ter the houseboat sunk. An early
morning riser told Deputy Pete
Smith that he saw Gilbert moving
about inside the boat minutes be
fore the 9 a. m. blast which was
heard over most of the downtown
section of this island city.
Members of the Cedar Key Vol
unteer Fire Dept, were on the
scene quickly with fire-fighting
equipment. The fire on the dock
was doused and the burning boat
cut away where it continued on
fire for more than an hour before
sinking.
Gilbert had moved his house
boat, the "Valentino,” from a
berth in back of the old fibre fac
tory to the dockside at the “V”
near R. B. Davis’ place only sev
eral week ago. He had arrive there
with the boat, which he built in
Southport, several years ago and
had, from time to time
Continued On Page 4
Red Cross Gives
Damage Report
From Hurricane
Total Of $361,131 Spent In
Southeastern North Caro
lina Following Hurricane
Donna
Southeastern Area Red Cross
headquarters here announced We
dnesday the completion of its dis
acter rehabilitation program in
the Carolinas for Hurricane Don
ia victims. Help was given 1,765
families for needs beyond the em
ergency period, according to Emil
F Lewis, Regional Manager,
Financial assistance supplemen
ted family resources for homes re
storation and refurnishing, medi
cal, occupational and cither heeds
resulting from the storm, he re
ported.
Lewis said the entire Donna
relief operation in 27 eastern
North Carolina counties and two
ih South Carolina amounted to
$361, 131 for rehabilitation oper
ations and for emergency mass
care given to 7,697 refugees at
the height of the storm last
September.
Leading relief expenditures
were in the following counties of
North Carolina: pare, $U0.867;
Pamlico, $64,664; Brunswick, $42,
785; Carteret, $38,346; #yde,
$26,402; Onslow $24,401; Craven,
$15,000 Sampson, $10,626; New
Hanover, $10,503; Beaufort, $8,
097.
Most rehabitation expenditures,
Lewis said, were for homes re
pairs for 1,293 families, new
building construction for eight fa
milies, homes refurnishing, and for
restoration of small, family bread
winner types of business, partic
ularly assistance to commerical
fishermen for boat repairs and
equipment.
“In each instance”, Lewis point
ed out, families designated build
ing contractors and merchants of
their choice to receive this money
from the Red Cross after recov
ery needs had been determined.
Funds were a gift, with no ob
ligation of repayment.”
The Red.fyoss, Lewis reported,
also spent $1,343,769 for Hurricane
Donna relief in 39 counties in
Florida, in operations completed
in the past week.
Rommic 0. Lewis
Rites On Friday
Prominent Citizen And For
mer County Official Died
At Home Last Wednes
day Night
Rommie O. Lewis, 61, promin
ent merchant, businessman and
citizen of Thomasboro in Bruns
wick county, died at his home,
Wednesday at ,10 p. m., after a
short illness.
Mr. Lewis was a former mem
ber of the Brunswick County
Commissioners for a number of
years, and was chairman of the
Brunswick County Board of Elect
ions and a member of the Bruns
wick Welfare Board at the time
of his death. He was a deacon of
Bethel Primitive Baptist Church
near Hickman’s Cross Roads for
more than 20 years.
Continued On Page 4
TIME and TIDE
Register of Deeds, R. I. Mintz was president of the Brunswick
County Young Democrats Club back in 1935, and preparations
were being made for a Jackson Day Dinner early in the New
Year. This news was in The Pilot for January 1, 1936. The men
haden boats were still at work, and a casualty during the pro
ceeding week was the loss of a purse seine when one of the
boats of the Captain capsized.
Inmates at the Brunswick County Home were enjoying a new
radio that had been installed during the Christmas season for
their pleasure; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Willing had purchased the
J. D. Sutton home and had moved in; and December had earned
a reputation for being a bad winter month. Judge R. Hunt Par
ker was to preside over the January term of Superior Court.
Five years later, and once more The Pilot, came out on New
Year’s Day—1941. In contrast to the December of 5 years ago,
the month just past had set something of a record for warm
weather, with the mercury going above 60-degrees on 18 days
during the 31-day period. Orton Plantation had made Life Maga
zine with a spread on an Old Fashioned Christmas Party.
Judge R. Hunt Parker was coming here to preside over the
forthcoming January term of Superior Court; A picture of the late
Aunt Mary Ann Galloway had appeared on the front page of The
State Magazine; and the Register of Deeds office had reported
a rush for marriage licenses.
The time was December 26, 1945, the end ol the year that saw
the end of World War II. Returning servicemen were looking with
envy at some of the small craft owned by the Navy and Coast
Continued On Page 4
Triplets Enjoy Christmas
MUlffMlllllllllllllllflllllllil IIH 'ii
mm
. TRIO—These are the Miller triplets, the young ladies who achieved nation-wide
fame wltep they-were horn 18 months ago at Dosher Memorial Hospital. They are
the daughters of Mrs. Nathan Miller and the late Mr. Miller, who died three weeks
ago, Fpom left to right they are Linda Sue, Glenda Lee and Brenda Gale. From re
ports from other members of the family, the little ladies thoroughly enjoyed Christ
mas attkj all that it brought.—(Photo by Neil Thomas.)
Arrest Third Man
In Robbery Case
Asked To Take
Up Ferry Matter
The State Highway Com
mission js holding a special
session this afternoon in Ra
leigh to; reconsider their re
fusal to i acquire the ferry
which operated last summer
ftWi Atlantic to OcraCoke.
A . lease-purchase agree
ment with the Taylor brothers
who built ahd placed the
ferry in operation last year,
will be considered.
A request also has been
made to have the Highway
Commission to reconsider tne
negative vote they recently
gave the matter of ferry
service across the Cape Fear
River from Southport to Fort
Fisher.
Leland Man Is
Named Chairman
T. C. Barefoot, Proprietor
Of Barefoot Mattress Co.,
Chairman National Fed
eration Of Independent
Businesses For County
Announcement of the appoint
ment of T. C. Barefoot of the
Barefoot Mattress Co., at Leland,
as chairman of the Brunswick
County of the National Federation
of Independent Business, was
made today by C. H. Thompson,
District Manager of the Feder
ation this week.
Each business and professional
man member of this organization
maintains a voting membership,
and is polled by ballots regularly
throughout the year on bills and
issues that affect independent en
terprise at the national state lev
els.
In an effort to do everything
possible to maintain the American
way of life, and keep our free
competitive system of business,
the businessmen express their own
personal opinion on the ballots
each month and turn them over
to Barefoot, who makes tabul
ations of the total number and
the manner in which they voted.
These tabulations are sent, with
the underlying signed ballots, dir
ectly to the desk of Congressman
Alton A. Lennon, at Washington,
D. C., and to State Senator S.
Bunn Frink. They are the only
means whereby independent busin
ess and professional people can
keep in continuing, organized per
sonal, direct contract with their
national and state legislators on
measures that affect, locally and
nationally, free enterprise opport
unities.
The National Federation of In
dependent business is a non-profit
organization that has the largest
business organization in the Un
ited States and indepent business
and professional men of every vo
cation participate .with voting me
mberships, regardless of the other
civic or trade affiliations.
Barefoot owns and operates a
Continued On Fage 4
'Cooperation Of Various
Law Enforcement Agen
cies Brings Solution Of
Leland Robbery Case
Near Close
One of the most successful law
enforcement operations of recent
years was in its final chapter
here this week as a third man
wanted in the robbery of cash
and bonds totaling more than
$32,000 from a filling station near
Leland last Tuesday night was
arrested and lodged in the Bruns
wick county jail under bond of
$25,00.
He is Troy Brown, 45-year-old
Leland man, who faces charges
of aiding and abetting and con
spiracy to armed robbery. He was
arrested Monday mgnt at His”
home.
Sheriff E. V. Leonard reported
this latest arrest here Tuesday
morning and said that solution of
the case had been made possible
through the cooperation of the
Shei-iff Department in three coun
ties, Brunswick, New Hanover
and Duplin, the active participa
tion of Frank Saterfield of the
State Bureau of Investigation and
of other law enforcement agencies.
"Never before in my history as a
law enforcement officer have I
seen things work out better be
cause of cooperation,” Sheriff
Leonard said.
John Calvin Whaley of Beulah
ville was the first man to be
arrested and this came following
a tip from Sheriff Ralph Miller
of Duplin county on Friday night.
Virgil Mayo Sanderson, formerly
of Beulahville, more recently of
Wilmington, was arrested on Sat
urday.
Continued on Page 3
Some Veterans
Have Eligibility
Men With Service Record
And Who Become Totally
Disabled May Be Eligible
For Pension
Crawford L. Rourk, Brunswick
County Veterans Service Officer,
stated this week that a veteran
with active service during a war
period who becomes permanently
and totally disabled for reasons
not traceable to his service in the
Armed Forces may be entitled
to pension,
He must have been discharge
under conditions other than dis
honorable after a minmum of
90 days of services, unless dis
charged sooner for disability in
curred in line of duty.
The pension is payable only if j
the veteran’s income does not
exceed .ft,800 a year without de-1
pendents, or 3,000 if he is mar
ked or has a minor child.
The monthly rate varies from
540.00 to $100.00, dependent upon
imount of income and dependency I
status.
Veterans who are entitled to j
pension and who are so helpless I
is to need the regular aid and j
ittendanee of another person may j
ce eligible for an additional $70.00 !
ilways apply when the veteran is
Continued On Page 4
Southport Boy
Sentenced To
Detention Home
Leon H. Hilburn Receives
Sentence Of Indefinite
Duration As Result Of
Bank Robbery, Forgeries
Leon H. Hilburn, Southport boy,
pleaded guilty to charges of rob
bery and forgery at a hearing
in Federal Court in Raleigh Fri
day and was sent to the Federal
Detention Home for Youthful Of
fenders in Washington, D. C.
His sentence is for an indefinite
duration and will depend to a
large degree on the hi annex- that
the defendant responds to the pro
gram of rehabilitation which is
an important part of the program
at this institution.
Not only did Hilburn confess
that he was the person who enter
ed the local Waccamaw Bank &
Trust Co. office here on the night
of December 4, but he told Cheif
of Police Herman Strong and
Frank Saterfield of the State
Bureau of Investigation of his
participation in a series of thefts
of checks from post office boxes
in Southport and of cashing sev
eral of them to obtain more than
$1,000 in cash and merchandise.
His statement leads officers to
beleive that at least two other
persons are involved in the check
thefts and forgery, but the young
high school student maintained
that he was alone in the bank
theft.
He said that he entered that
building through a rear window
between 9 o’clock and 10 o'clock
on Sunday night,' December 4,. He
said that he earned the stolen
machines down the alley to the
point where they were discovered
on Tuesday morning by Policeman
Charlie Johnson. All articles tak
en were recovered.
The series of check thefts
started in September, according to
the statement from Hilburn. He
told of buying two hunting licen
ses to be used as identification in
Continued On Page 4
Tide Table
Following la 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, December '29,
5:18 A. M. 11:32 A. M.
5:37 P. M. 11:38 P. M.
Friday, December 30,
6:05 A. M.
6:23 F. M. 12:19 P. M.
Saturday, December 31,
6:47 A. M. 0:23 A. M.
7:06 P. M. 1:02 P. M.