I The Pilot Covers I Brunswick County THE STATE PORT PILOT A Good Newspaper In A Good Community Most of the News All The Time VOLUME 38 No. 26 8-Pages Today SOUTHPORT/ N. C. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1966 5f A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY Southport - Fort Fisher Ferry Returning EXPECTED — This is the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry that has been in drydock at New Bern for the past month. It was expected to b e back to resume its regular winter schedule this week but the go for her until Friday. Operation now is resume the first of next week. crew will not s expected to Back Next Week Marine Officer Is Found Shot Near Bolivia Lt. Clyde Elmer Prince, a member of the U. S. Marine Corps stationed at Camp Le jeune, was found shot to death last Wednesday in his camper truck that had been parked for two days at the roadside park near the Bolivia fire tower. Coroner Lowell Bennett In vestigated and reported that death was due to a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Bennett said that discovery of the body was made by Rodney Gray, Shallotte oil tanker driver. He had seen the camper trailer drive into the roadside park early Monday morning. When it re mained there all that day and all day Tuesday, Gray decided on Wednesday to investigate. When he did he discovered the body of the Marine officer in the sleep ing compartment of the trailer. He called the Highway Patrol. Bennett said that it appeared that Lt. Prince had gotten out of the front seat of his truck, entered the rear compartment and had laid down on a bunk before placing the muzzle of a 306 rifle under his chin and pulling the trigger. The coroner notified authori ties at Camp Lejeune, who re ported that Lt. Prince recently had returned from duty in Viet nam. He was divorced and has one son who lives in California. His body was buried in the National Cemetery at New Bern. Brief Bits Of NEWS SURRENDERS Thomas Dixon, former em ployee at the Lincoln High School lunchroom who faces charges of embezzlement, walked in and surrendered Tuesday to Sheriff Harold Willetts. FRIDAY DANCE Members of the Southport Jun ior Woman’s Club are sponsoring a Christmas Ball Friday night at a Boiling Spring Lakes Country Club, with all proceeds to go to the Brunswick County Library Building Fund. Music will be furnished by the Wilmington Community Orchestra. OYSTER ROAST Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church near Supply will sponsor an oyster Roast on Saturday at the Percy Suggs store building, located one half mile east from US 17 on the Holden Beach road, from the hours of 5 to 9 p.m. Homemade cakes and pies will also be on sale. The sale will also include fruit cakes which will be a nice treat for the coming holidays. All proceeds will go to the New Church Building Fund. The pub lic is invited. County Officials Sworn In Monday i-A • ••• . vSh'imi.iam'i* ■ «« , -W -• Newly elected county officials were sworn in here Monday be fore J. E. Brown, clerk of Su perior court. The new officers include Sheriff Harold Willetts, Judge Clinton Bellamy, Coroner Lowell Bennett and County Commission ers D. B. Frink, George Rourk, Clemit Holden, John L. Barbee : and V. A. Creech. Sworn in as deputies to serve under Sheriff Willetts were Lon nie Vick Brown of Holden Beach, chief deputy; D. W. Long of Free land, who was an unsuccessful candidate for county commis sioner; John E. Jones of Leland; and H. G. Ratcllffe, whose duties have not yet been defined by Sheriff Willetts. When the board of commis sioners convened the first order business was organization. Bar bee was nominated by Frink, seconded by Holden and the vote was unanimous. The new chair man is the youngest member of the board, but was high man in the recent general election. He served the last three months of the unexpired term of T. S. Bowmer when the latter resign of this fall to accept a position with the Community Action Pro gram. Upon motion by Holden, seconded by Frink, D. T. Clark, register of deeds, was elected unanimously to serve as clerk to the board. Upon motion by Frink, seconded by Holden, E. J. Pre vatte was unanimously reelected county attorney. Upon motion by Creech, seconded by Frink, A. H. Gainey, Jr., was unanimously reelected solicitor of Recorder’s court. Upon motion by Holden, seconded by Frink, J. E. Brown was appointed custodian of coun ty property. Upon motion by Creech, seconded by Holden, the Wacca maw Bank and Trust Co. was designated custodian of county funds. The commissioners establish ed the Christmas holiday period to extend from December 23 through December 27. Archie Martin, Agricultural Extension Agent for Brunswick county, appeared before the board and submitted his annual report. The board voted to ask the Employment Service Division of the Employment Security Com mission to conduct a labor survey in Brunswick county. It is ex pected that this work will begin in January and will last for about three months. The following were appointed to serve as tax listers: Northwest, C. G. Hammonds; Town Creek, Mrs. A. P. Henry; Smithville, Mrs. Betty Smith; Lockwoods Folly, Mrs. Harold Robinson; Shallotte, Mrs. Lela Osborne; Waccamaw, Parley Formyduval. Coast Guard Flotilla Meets The Southport Flotilla of the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary meets Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Boat Harbor Building. All members of the public, especially those who own a boat at least fourteen feet long, are invited to join. As most of the present mem bers have almost finished their examinations, the Southport flotilla expects to start function ing officially with many boating events in the early part of 1967. One of the main items on the agenda for the next meeting is the completion of examinations for candidate members. Any person may take this examination free of charge. Flotilla Commander Norman M. Hornstein says, “If you are one of the crowd, join the Auxiliary and attend the course in celestial navigation that will be given next year.” Little Prong Gives To Library Little Prong Baptist Church, Ash, became the first church in Brunswick county to contribute to the building fund of the new coun ty library. Under the leadership of Rev. Willie Frink, members of the Little Prong congregation raised $100 toward the new build ing. Other members of the $100 Club in recent weeks are: Mr. and Mrs. John G. Swan, Mr. and Mrs. James C. Bowman, Frank O. Sherrill and Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Aldridge. Out-of-town contributions have come in from M. M. McHose, New Shrewsbury, N. J.; John W. Powell, Whiteville; Henry von Oesen and Associates, Wilming ton; and Friendly Department Store, Wilmington. William Smalley of Island En terprises, Oak Island, has given to the building fund, as have Holloway Furniture Company, Cromer’s Real Estate, Dan Shan non and Carl Stidham, all of the beach area. John F. Baker is collecting donations in the Bolivia com munity and has turned in $53.00. He reports that he has not finish ed canvassing the area. In Southport, Mr. and Mrs. Worley of Pines Drive-In have given $50.00. Anumber of small er contributions have been re ceived from Southport residents. Members of the Building Fund Committee are enthusiastic over the prospect of having all local funds in hand within the coming few weeks so that attention can be turned to actual construction early in 1967. The crew of the Southport Fort Fisher Ferry which was to go to New Bern today (Wednes day) to bring the vessel out of drydock received word last night that she will not be ready before Friday and possibly not until Monday. This is the second delay in delivery Of the ferryboat, wltySiL. was due to return here last week and to be on duty for weekend travel on the winter schedule. That schedule calls for four round trips daily, with departures from the Southport side at 8 a.m., 11 a,m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Departure times from the Fort Fisher side are 9:30 a.m., 12:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The trip from New Bern is expected to require two days, with one night being spent at the gerry slip at Bogue Sound Inlet. If the trip is made this week, Captain Preston Bryant will be in charge of the crew making the trip. He will be accompanied by Hugh Gray, engineer, Jim Hardin, oiler, Robert Willing, ferryman, and Billie Newton, deckhand. If the return trip begins Fri day, the regular schedule should begin Monday. Glee Club To Give Program A Junior High School Glee Club was organized at the beginning of this school year at the Southport High School. This group is composed of students from grades seven and eight and they seem to enjoy singing and rehearsing songs from their rep ertoire. The Glee Club will present its first public program on December 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southport High School audito- | (Continued on Page 4) Jurist Recalls Statement Of Judge Cranmer As a two weeks term of civil court convened here Monday morning judge Leo Carr of Burlington took occasion to pub licly thank Sheriff E. V. Leon ard for his long and faithful service as a Brunswick county law enforcement officer. The presiding jurist also wished him good health and good luck in his retirement. Judge Carr then extended a gracious welcome to Sheriff Harold Willetts as an officer of the court and expressed the con viction that he will conduct the affairs of his office on the same standard of efficiency. Judge Carr then turned to the portrait of the late Judge E. H. Cranmer which hangs in the courtroom and said that he was reminded of the great wisdom of remarks he had heard the former Southport man make from the bench. He recalled that Judge Cran mer always had taken the posi tion that it is important for every man to own some property. “There is a too large percent of our population today who does not make use of this privilege," Judge Carr said. “When we go to vote, the vote of a man who owns nothing counts tile same as the vote of a man who is a (Continued on Page 4) Sees Prospect In Brunswick H. B. Lee was doing well with Mobil Oil Co. in Richmond, Va., but he couldn’t get it out of his mind that Brunswick county holds great promise as a location for a new business, so last sunmer he resigned as Terminal Super intendent to open the H. B. Lee Oil Company at Leland. Lee had had previous exper ience in Brunswick. He first came to this county following his discharge from service in 1945. He started with Mobile in 1947 in Wilmington, was transferred in 1953 to Charleston, West Va., and in 1957 went to Richmond for the company. Lee is married to the former Betty Jo Long, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Long of Leland. They have two children, a son, Hank, age 10, and a daughter, Bruce Ann, age 6. “I have great faith in what is in prospect in the way of busi ness development in the North west section of Brunswick coun ty,” Lee said this week. “I liked my work in Richmond, but I decided to come down here and become a part of the busi ness growth and development of Brunswick.” LEE Time And Tide \ .__ . . . . . ■ j Our issue for December 9, 1936, reported the call of a special session of the State Legislature, and the late Representative R. E. Stelle of Brunswick was getting ready to go to Raleigh. The State Forestry Department was seeking five locations in Brunswick for demonstration timber growing projects. A member of the Cape Fear Pilot Association had returned from a trip to Florida aboard a palatial yacht, which he had guided through the intracoastal waterway; a group of northern sportsmen were backing a hunting preserve project near Winnabow; and “The Last of the Mohicians” was showing at the local moving picture emporium. Wednesday, December 8, 1941, was our first edition after Pearl Harbor and this time we went outside Brunswick County for our big, black headline; u. S. Declares War on Japan." There was a sidebar story which was of great local interest; "No Report Re ceived of Brunswick County Boys." On the local front, the USO Hut was completed and ready for use; the survey had been completed for a new draw bridge over the intra coastal waterway from Southport to Fort Caswell; and W.S. Wells, chairman of the Brunswick County Defense Council, urged vigilance on the part of volunteer aircraft spotters; Twenty years ago this week the war was over, and had been for a little over a year. An inland waterway count had revealed that (Continued On Page Four) Keys To Fire Station PRESENTATION — James Kyle, member of the board of commissioners for the Town of Long Beach, is shown here presenting the keys to the recently completed new fire station to Carl Watkins, chief of the Long Beach Fire Department. (Shannon Photo). Public Hearing On Road Project Change Made In Clinic Schedule A change in the clinic schedule for Shallotte Health Center has been announced, beginning im mediately: Health Card Clinic (blood and skin testing) second and fourth Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon; X-ray Clinic, second and fourth Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon; Maternity Clinic, second and fourth Thursday at 9 a.m. The following Health Depart ment clinics have been cancelled: December 21, Immunization clinic, Bolivia Baptist Church; December 22, Maternity clinic, Health Department, Shallotte; December 26, Pediatric clinic, Health Department, Southport; December 28, x-ray Clinic, Health Department, Shallotte; January 2, Pediatric Clinic, Health Department, Shallotte. Christmas Mail Has Problems .Acting Postmaster Marjorie P. Livingston rang the warning bell this week, reminding resi dents of the Southport area that this is the last round for Christ mas mailing. All out of town Christmas gifts and greetings should be deposited in the mails as soon as possible to be absolutely sure they will arrive at their destination on time. All gifts should be packed in sturdy boxes. Cardboard boxes should be wrapped in heavy paper and tied with strong cord. Each package should include a slip showing the person to receive the Christmas gift and listing the contents. In case outer wrapping of package comes loose the gift will still be delivered. Nationwide, it is expected that more than eight billion pieces of mail will be delivered just before Christmas—a new record. Propose Sale 01 Feeder Pigs On November 29, a meeting was held In Wallace for the pur pose of developing the pos sibility of establishing a graded feeder pig sale Extension agents, vo-ag in structors, veternarians, and in terested people from the south eastern part of North Carolina were in attendance. David Spruill, Extension Swine Specialist from N. C. State Uni versity, William Wilder, Market ing Specialist from the Depart ment of Agriculture, and Dr. Robert Behlow, Extension Vet erinarian, were present. To gether, they led the discussion. At present, there are three graded and two ungraded sales held each month in the state. At present, the nearest sale is located in Fayetteville. A second meeting is planned for the month of January. At this time, the sale will be dis cussed at length. Grading dem onstrations will be given to inform and show producers the procedures used in a graded sale. Sales of this nature have proved successful. With trends toward leaner animals, swine producers who have participated in the established sales are quick to reply when asked if they have benefited from participating. Brunswick county swine pro ducers are being asked to study this proposal. “If you are in terested in swine production with emphasis on feeder pig pro (Continued on Page 4) A public hearing has been scheduled by the State Highway Commission for December 21 at 2 p.m. at Ac me-Delco High School to hear objections, if any, to a project to four-lane Highway 74 76 from Leland to the Columbus County line and a second project to four-lane Highway 74 from the Brunswick county line to Bolton. Plans call for locating these improvements north of the exist ing highway and a map showing that portion of the road lying with in Brunswick county will be posted at the courthouse at South port. The map showing the Co lumbus county part of the pro posed project will be posted in the courthouse in Whiteville. This will not be a limited access road and the reason for locating the Improvement north of the existing highway is to stay clear of the Atlantic Coastline right-of-way, which lies to th