The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
?
Most of the K
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
All The Time
VOLUME 38
No. 45
12-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1967
Si A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESb,
Fire At Sunny Point
DANGER — This was the scene Tuesday afternoon as smoke billowed up from an
intense forest fire that burned over 800 acres at Sunny Point Army Temimal. A favor
able wind and heroic work on the part of several hundred volunteer fire fighters pre
vented a major catastrophe. (Beacon Photo).
Forest Fire At Sunny Point
A forest fire burned over 800
acres in the northwest quadrant of
the Sunny Point Army Terminal
reservation Tuesday afternoon
before it was brought under con
trol early in the evening through
the combined efforts of several
fire fighting organizations and
hundreds of volunteers.
The direction of the wind prob
v—,.. ably was the greatest single fac
tor in keeping the raging fire away
from the critical area where
carloads of ammunition were
waiting to be loaded aboard the
seven ocean going ships which
were on berth at the terminal.
The flames crept in around the
administration area, requiring
some fire fighting efforts on the
part of office personnel, but no
buildings were lost or damaged.
During the height of the con
flagration flames and smoke bil
lowed high into the air. The
woods were exceedingly dry and
new fires grew up wnere
ever sparks lighted.
The fire department at Sunny
Point was joined by men and
equipment from Sunny Point Fire
Department, Long Beach Fire
Department, Acme-Delco
Riegelwood Fire Department,
The Wilmington Fire Depart
ment, by men and equipment from
the N. C. Forest Service and In
ternational Paper Co. and by a
crew from Brunswick Town.
The fire broke out about 3:30
o'clock and was under control
by 7:30. An all night watch was
maintained to prevent another
outbreak.
Soon after the alarm was
sounded, all loading operations
on the docks was shut down. The
stevedore crews departed by way
of the back gates and many of the
contract employees reported for
duty as volunteer fire fighters.
Col. A. B. Joyner, base com
mander, was warm in his praise
for the cooperation received from
citizens of nearby areas. He
said this morning:
“I wish to express my sincere
appreciation for the volunteer
assistance we received at Sunny
Point army Terminal on the
(Continued On Page Two)
* Brief Bits Of
I NEWS
.SfiWKftttWSSWSSJijgSliWJ:!;
BENEFIT SUPPER
A barbecue and chicken sup
per will be served at Concord
Methodist Church Saturday be
ginning at 5;30 p. na. Proceeds
will go to the church fund.
SEEKS MEMBERSHIPS
Mrs. James c. Bowman
is Southport chairman for the
Wilmington Community Concert
Association and is accepting ap
plications for new or renewal
membership. The deadline for
next season is Friday noon.
BENEFIT SUPPER
The Ladles Auxiliary of the:
Winnabow Volunteer Fire De
partment will sell ham plates,
cakes and pies in the Grange
Hall at Winnabow from 11 a. m.
through lp.m. and from 5 through
8:30 p. m. Saturday.
Peak Of Beauty
BEST — This is Orton Mansion which this week is set
in a fairyland of beauty as the big azaleas reach the peak
of their beauty. Thousands of tourists have visited these
gardens during the past few weeks.
Mrs. Bamber Back
On Good Will Tour
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bamber
of Southport, England, were
guests in Southport, North Caro
lina, last night where they were
honored at a reception at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Livingston.
Mrs. Bamber is a former
mayor of her own city and has
been active during the past twelve
years in cultivating a firm bond
of friendship between the citizens
of these two cities which are se
parated by the Atlantic.
Last night she spoke warmly
of her friendship with the late
Bill Keziah and expressed her
pleasure that the Indian Trail
Tree will become a park honor
ing the memory of this Southport
booster. It was through his good
offices that her first visit was
made here, Mrs. Bamber re
called.
She brought with her six framed
etchings to be hung in the Cran
mer House when it is put in use
as a museum and asked that they
be used to honor Mr. Keziah.
Many friends whom she had
made during other visits called
at the Livingston home to greet
the Bambers.
Guests were greeted by Mrs.
Ed Royal and Mrs. Charles Mc
Lain. Mrs. Frederick Spencer
kept the guest book and Miss
Linda Kay Potter poured punch.
Mrs. Frank Potter and Mrs.
Ralph Potter also assisted with
the refreshments.
Health Career
For Students
Health careers are the goal
of two Brunswick County students
enrolled in schools at the Uni
versity of North Carolina Health
Center here.
Meta G. McNiel of Bolivia
is a freshman at the School of
Nursing and Joseph Henry Good
(Continued On Page Two)
mi .am. '-x+am n
MRS. MAE BAMBER
P. T. A. Meeting
This Thursday
Louis K. Newton, Wilmington
attorney and former resident of
Southport, and Mrs. Joyce Dea
ton, a teacher in the Myrtle
Beach High School, will be
featured on the program of the
local P.T.A. on Thursday eve
ning in the Southport High School
auditorium. Mrs. Deaton will
represent teachers and Mr.
Newton will represent parents in
a discussion centered around two
topics: “Five Things I wish
Parents of My Pupils Would
Do” and “Five Things I wish
the Teachers of My Child Would
Do”. Audience participation will
also be encouraged.
Also appearing on the pro
gram will be the Junior High
School Glee Club under the direc
tion of James H. Frink, Mrs.
Annie E. Francis and Mrs. Ruth
(Continued On Page Four)
FHA Loans To
Aid Fishermen
Now Available
Melvin H. Hearn, state Direc
tor of Farmers Home Adminis
tration, and members of his staff
from Raleigh met with Farmers
Home Administration super
visors from the coastal counties
of North Carolina on April 13
to advise with these supervisors
in helping fishermen, shrimpers
and oyster men with a credit made
available by the Economic Op
portunity Loan Program and ad
ministered by Farmers Home
Administration.
Hearn advised that there is
either a full or part-time
Farmers Home Administration
Office in each of the coastal
counties. These offices have
funds available to provide credit
for fisherman, shrimpers, and
oyster men when they cannot ob
tain their credit needs from other
sources at reasonable rates and
terms. This credit is available
only if=the operator does not have
adequate income to meet his
basic family living expenses.
Loans are made for such pur
poses as to buy or improve boats
or other equipment used in the
business. There have been about
100 such loans already made in
these coastal counties to help
fishermen. These loans are al
so available to help with other
small businesses in rural areas
including towns up to 5,500 popu
lation. Hearn said that on a
state' basis, more than 1,800
loans of this type have been made
to help more than 90 different
type of businesses in the State.
Persons interested in obtain
ing more specific information on
these loans need only to contact
the Farmers Home Administra
tion Office in Shallotte.
Library Fund
Still Growing
Mrs. Virginia Williamson, wile
of Rep. Odell Williamson, has
collected $246 from business^
firms and individuals inShallotte
and lower Brunswick County for
the Library Building Fund. Other
county residents who have re
cently made contributions toward
the proposed county-wide facility
are Douglas Hawes, Bolivia, Le
von Bennett, Ash, and Willetts
and Son Motor Sales, Bolivia.
The Willetts firm has now ex
ceeded contributions required
for membership in the $100
Club.
George Whatley, prominent
Southport resident who died
recently, has been remembered
in memorial gifts to the building
fund by Miss Gertrude Y. Lough
lin, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis J. Har
dee, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Picker
rell, and Mr. and Mrs. Jam'es
T. Barnes. Books for use in the
new library have been given in
memory of Whatley by the choir
of the Southport Baptist Church
(Continued on Page 4)
Scene Of Dedication
BUILDING — This is the Visitor Center-Museum at Brunswick Town, which will be
dedicated Sunday afternoon with appropriate ceremonies, beginning at 2 o’clock. Mrs.
Dan K. Moore will be the speaker. (Beacon Photo).
Mrs. Moore Sunday Speaker
Thousands are expected to
hear Mrs. Dan K. Moore, wife of
the Governor of North Carolina,
make the dedicatory address and
see her cut the ribbon opening
the Brunswick Town Visitor
Center-Museum Sunday after
noon at 2 p.m. Dr. Christopher
Crittenden, Director of the State
Department of Archives and His
tory, will participate on the pro
gram. The Rev. Fred Fordham,
Rector of St. Philips Episcopal
Church, will pronounce the in
vocation and the benediction will
be pronounced by the Rev. W.S.
Davenport, pastor of Trinity
Methodist Church, Southport.
Former Senator Ray Walton
will preside over the ceremony.
The day will be a product of the
cooperation of various organiza
tions. The Brunswick County
Historical Society provided the
, funds for stamps, the Garden
Clubs are in charge of all flower
arrangements at the luncheon
at Bolling Springs Lakes prior
to the ceremony. The Jaycettes
of Southport will help serve the
luncheon, the members of the
Southport junior woman's Club
are providing the place cards and
will be costumed usherettes at the
ceremony. The Jay cees of South
port have charge of traffic and
parking problems, and the Lion's
Club of Southport is arranging the
speakers platform. Invitations
were addressed by members of
the Southport Woman's Club.
Financial arrangements have
been .made by a committee com
posed of John Barbee, C. D. Pic
kerrell, Lester Lowe, Grover
Gore, and Mayor E. B. Tomlin
son, who have received the co
operation of the Brunswick Coun
ty Board of Commissioners, the
Board of Alderman of Southport
and the Board of Boiling Spring
Lakes.
Time And Tide
There was a front page picture of Dr. M. H. Rourk in the Pilot
for April 21, 1937, and with it a story saying that he had been made
chief of staff at Dosher Memorial Hospital. Schools got out early in
those days, and graduation exercises for Southport were scheduled
for the following week.
Paul Green had written a play for presentation of the 350th anni
versary of the founding of The Lost Colony and few people would
have believed that this outdoor pageant still would be running in
the year 1967. Dr. Frank P. Graham was to be the commencement
speaker at Shallotte High School.
Twenty-five years ago this week preparations were being made
for the dedication ceremonies at the Southport USO Building. The
late Congressman J. Bayard Clark was to be the principal speaker.
The war was on, and registration had begun for men from 45-65
years of age.
A Brunswick county girl, Miss Emma LouHarrelson,had captured
a live alligator; a 20th Century-Fox Movietone News cameraman
had been in the county taking pictures of pretty girls riding bikes;
and bids had been opened for construction of the new drawbridge
over the inland waterway near Southport. Registration had begun for
the beginning of sugar rationing in the United States.
There was a front page photo of Orton Plantation in The Pilot
in our edition for April 23, 1947. The word was that flowers in the
plantation gardens were at peak beauty (as they are again this week.)
The bridge at Jackies Creek on U. S. Highway 17 had been the scene
of another fatal accident.
William P. Sellers has begun work on an airstrip at Shallotte;
fire had destroyed Longwood Trading Co., a landmark in that com
munity; and vandals had dynamited the dam at the Butler Mill Pond,
also at Longwood.
There was a front page headline in The Pilot 15 years ago this
week announcing that a Brunswick county man, Col. Ivan L. Bennett,
would be promoted to Brigadier General and would become Chief of
U. S. Army Chaplains. The date was April 23, 1952.
W. P, Jorgensen had resigned as county auditor to become auditor
for the City of Southport; members of the N. C. Bird Club were
planning a weekend visit to this area; and Jerry Ball was coming to
Shallotte for one of his benefit shows.
Ten years ago this week there was a headline reporting "Fisher
men Enjoy Great Week End." There was the added information
that good catches of bluefish had been made. Dr. M. H. Rourk of
Shallotte was candidate for District Governor of Lions International.
This was an off-election year, so far as the county was concerned
but there, was a city election in progress; a big May Day celebration
(Continued on Pag* 4)
Pageant Entrants
CONTESTANTS — Sharon K. Bradsher, left, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Bradsher of Shallotte, will repre
sent Brunswick county in the Blueberry Festival pageant
in Elizabethtown next month. She is a student at East
Carolina. Patricia Ann Pigott, right, Columbus county’s
representative, is another Shallotte girl. She is a student
at Southeastern Community College and is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pigott.
Slates Set Up For
Municipal Elections
Mayor E. B. Tomlinson, Jr.,
is unopposed for reelection as
are Mrs. Dorothy Gilbert and
Harold Aldridge from the sec
ond ward.
In the first ward Crawford
Rourk is opposed by w. L.
(Shortey) Hufham.
At Long Beach eight candi
dates are seeking three vacan
cies on the Board of Commis
sioners. They are Mrs. Eliza
beth O. Pickett, R. Sam Edwards,
L. D. Jones, John J. Burk, Wil
lard Ferrell, Alvin Staley, Mrs.
Dorothy Cupit and Billy R. Dor
sett.
At the close of the filing date
April 12, the following citizens
filed for the Board of Commis
sioners of Yaupon Beach: C. E.
Murphy, Llnwood D. King Jr.,
J. F. Aman, Gib V. Barbee Jr.,
J. C. Newman, Wayland F.
Vereen, E. L. Champion, A. C.
Harris, G. Jarvis Jones, Richard
L. Appling, and W. E. McDougle.
All six members of the Board
of Commissioners of Yaupon
Beach will be elected at this
election. The three with the
highest number of votes will be
elected for a term of four years,
and the three with the low number
of votes will be elected for a term
of two years. Voting place will
be in the City Hall. Polls will
open at 7 a. m. and close at
6 p. m.
Legislature To\ \
Be Battleground
In Power Fight A
By ODELL WILLIAMSON
Representative,
13th House District
Past sessions of the General
Assembly have seen several
fights between the private power
companies in the State and the
electric cooperatives. However^
two years ago. at the urging of
the Governor, the two factions
were able to get together on a
bill that seemed to resolve, at
least for the time being, a lot of
their differences.
But in working out their
dispute, it seems that the private
power companies and the co-ops
reached an agreement that is not
too satisfactory to municipalities
which operate their own electric
power systems.
I understand there are 73 mu
nicipalities in our State that sell
power direct to residents. The
city of Southport, in our House
District, is one.
Since the agreement between
the private power companies and
the electric co-ops does not sat
isfy those cities with their own
electric power systems, the mu
nicipalities have come up with a
new bill this session.
The bill was introduced last
week. It would enable a city with
its own electric power system to
purchase facilities for distribu
ting electricity within its cor
porate limits.
What with the power companies
and co-ops on one side and
the municipalities on the other,
I am sure that this issue will de
velop into a real legislative battle
before it is over.
The Senate has passed a
bill that would require the driver
of a motor vehicle to turn on his
headlights at sunset and keep
them on until sunrise.
When it reached the House,
this bill was debated at some
length. It was pointed out that
if enacted as written, the bill
could leave a driver in the po
sition of not knowing when he
was violating the law or when he
was driving within it. This would :
be due to the fact that the time 1
changes every day for sunrise ~
and sunset. . -
Finally, the House adopted an -
amendment to fix the bill so that
the driver must turn on his lights
30 minutes after sunset and keep
them on until 30 minutes before
sunrise. Of course, this is the
way the law now reads.
It is my understanding, how
ever, that if the bill passes, It
(Continued On Page Two)
Hospital Gifts .
Still Come In
Donations for the improvement
of Dosher Memorial Hospital
have slowed down but continue to
come in, reports Administrator
W. F. Cupit this week.
M. M. Way, wholesale grocer
of Carthage, gave $50 to help
toward painting rooms. The MYFi
of Ocean View Methodist Church,
Long Beach, donated $15 to paint
a room. The MYF sold tooth
brushes for this contribution.
The Southport Home Demonstra
tion Club donated ten sheets and
blankets for use of operative
and oxygen patients. The En
deavor Circle, Kings Daughters,
donated ten bed pan covers.
As in the past the administra
tor publicly thanks each person
or organization for their con
tributions.
Tide Table
Following Is the tide table
tor Southport during the'
week. These hours are ap
proximately correct and.
were furnished The State
Port . Pilot through the
courtesy of the Cape Fear
Pilot’s Association.
**IGH _ IXJV
Thursday, April 20,
3:51AM 10:28 AM
4:27 PM 10:56 P M
Friday, April 21,
4:51 A M 11:22 A M
5:27 P M 11:52 P M
Saturday, April 22,
5:45 A M 12:16 A M
6:21 P M
Sunday, April 23,
6:39 A M 0:46 A M
7:15 P M 1:04 P M
Monday, April 24,
7:33 A M 1:40 A M
8:03 PM 1 f>2 P M
Tuesday, April 25
8:21 A M 2:34 A M
8:57 P M 2:40 P M
Wednesday, April 26,
9:15 A M 3:22 A M
9:45 P M 3:28 P M