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The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
i
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
Most of the News
All The Time
VOLUME 39
No. 6
8-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, JULY 19. 1967
5* A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
New Building Going Up
George W. Massengill, Jr., left, is shown here talking to William Powell,
of the Brunswick County Resources Development Commission regarding the
for M & M Electronics which now is under construction on a site near the
Boat Harbor. Massengill plans to move his manufacturing operation into the
mg when it is completed.
chairman
new plant
Southport
new build
Removing Dock Debris
In the above picture the middle section looks like a walkway, but it isn’t. It is a sec
tion of the City Dock which collapsed one night last week under the force of wind and
wave wash. City workmen are shown removing this menace to navigation and public
safety. (Spencer photo).
State 4-H Week
Starts Monday A.M.
Some 1,500 Tar Heel young
sters and their adult leaders
converge on Raleigh Monday for
the 1967 State 4-H Club Week.
Brunswick county will be
represented by participants in
the health contest, the dress
revue and in the automotive com
petition. Milton Coleman and
other adult leaders will accom
pany the boys and girls from
Brunswick who attend.
Four days of activities on the
North Carolina State University
campus will climax another year
Brief Bits Of
NEWS
LIONS TO MEET
The Southport Lions Club will
hold its regular meeting tomor
row (Thursday) at 6:30 p. m. in
the Community Building. Jim
Rogers will be the speaker.
RADIO MEETING
Col. Frank Motfitt had called
a meeting of all C. B. Radio
Operators to meet Monday eve
ning at 8 o’clock at the Agri
culture Building at Supply to
plan an emergency organiza
tion to function in the event
this area should be hit this fall
by a hurricane.
BOOKMOBILE REPAIR
The Brunswick County Book
mobile has been temporarily re
moved from the scheduled runs
in order that emergency repairs
can be made. It is anticipated
that it will resume its regular
runs next week. Meanwhile, the
Bookmobile librarian is meeting
the scheduled stops by car in
order to receive books which
are due.
of work for the 4-H’ers.
Dr. T. C. Blalock, state 4-H
Club leader, said each of the
state’s 100 counties will be rep
resented. They will throw their
youthful enthusiasm into a tight
schedule of classes, contests,
recreation, fellowship and even
politicking.
Among the featured speakers,
according to Blalock, will be
Marilyn Van Derbur of Colorado,
a former Miss America and well
known television personality; Dr.
Earl Butz, Dean of the School
of Agriculture at Purdue Uni
versity; and Dr. Robert George,
extension conservation special
ist at Michigan State University.
Miss Van Derbur will appear
on the program Thursday morn
ing to the 4-H’ers on “Are You
Willing to Pay the Price?”
Dr. Butz, a former 4-H mem
ber from Indiana and married to
a native Tar Heel, the former
Mary Emma Powell of Sampson
and Jones counties, will speak
Tuesday morning.
Dr. John T. Caldwell, chancel
lor of North Carolina State uni
versity, will welcome the group
at the opening assembly Monday
evening. Dr. George will follow
with a pictorial presentation on
“You and Your Environment.”
Among the other highlights of
the week are a Battle of the Bands
and the Honor Club tapping
ceremony Monday night, the
Health Pageant Tuesday night,
the Dress Revue Wednesday
night, and the Parade of Talent
Thursday night.
The evening assemblies begin
at 8 p. m. in Reynolds Coliseum.
The public is invited.
Some 30 contests, starting
Monday afternoon with an auto
motive skill driving contest
and judging in horticultural
crops, livestock and dairying,
will be held throughout the week.
Most of the contestants are win
ners from the state’s six ex
(Contlnued On Page Pour)
Three Superior
Court Sessions
Three terms of Superior court
for trial of civil cases have
been scheduled for Brunswick
county during the month of Au
gust, according to Clerk of Court
Jack Brown this week.
On Monday members of the
board of county commissioners
drew a jury list for each of
these terms. They are as follow:
Following is the list drawn for
the term starting August 7:
Southport: Israel Clemmons,
Joseph Galloway, G. A. Howard,
John H. Williamson, G. W. Fish
er. Sr.. Neal Facies. Wrilev Wil
lis, Ed Harrelson.
Shallotte: Olaf Thorsen, Hu
bert Blanton, Vollie E. Smith,
Dalphus Bellamy, Malcolm Shep
hard Smith; Ash: M. S. Hughes,
Vance Gore, Houston L Hewett,
Thurman Simmons; Ocean Drive
Beach, S. C.: F. C. Osborne,
Barden E. Gore.
Leland: Eugene Burkhalter,
Grady Barnes, Gilbert M. Savage,
John F. Melvin, Dan Willetts,
Forest D. Williams, Sr.; Supply;
Harvey Bellamy, Homer B.
Clemmons, A. B. Chestnut,
Emory R. Hewett, Levy Clem
mons, Thomas Gause, Johnnie
Sam Varnum, Johnnie D. Gainey.
Bolivia: Horace M. Johnson;
Freeland; Robert S. King, w.
Ardis King, Bennie K. King, Mal
colm King, Anson Babson; Win
nabow: Homer S. King.
Following is the list of jurors
called for duty during the term
convening August 14:
Shallotte: S. Grant Johnson,
Jr., Parker D. Phillips, Shepard
Hill, Louie Stanley, Steve Autry
Gore, D. B. Kanoy, Jr., Paul
Dennis, Clarence Michael Russ,
E. L. Gray; Freeland; J. B.
Inman, J. M. Formyduval.
Leland: Homer B. Chadwick,
Phillip Perry, L. W. Long, Hu
lon Pellom, H. L. Summerlin,
Jimmie D. Blanton, Raymond
Reddick, Edison Moore; South
port: Malcolm Stidham, Charles
Leon McKeithan, Charles Bruce,
A. D. Ruark, Jr., Lewis Hardee,
(Continued on Page 4i
Health Work
For Quarter
In Brunswick
The following is a summary
of the Brunswick County Health
Department activities for April,
May and June:
There were 300 immunizations
for diphtheria, whooping cough
and tetanus combined, 29 for
diphtheria and tetanus combined,
15 for tetanus, 5 for typhoid,
83 for measles, 78 for small
pox and 348 for polio.
One talk on health education
was made.
'mere were two new cases or
tuberculosis reported in Bruns
wick County during the last three
month period. There were also
27 visits to patients, contacts
and suspected cases. 179 tu
berculin tests were given—174
were negative; 5 were positive.
There were 58 X-rays taken.
53 visits were made by ex
pectant mothers to maternity
clinics, but there were no
nursing visits to expectant
mothers, no visits by nurses to
midwives and no classes for mid
wives. There were 82 visits to
planned parenthood clinics.
There were 88 visits by infants
to pediatric clinics and 18 nursing
visits to infants. There were 161
visits by children to pediatric
clinics and 15 nursing visits
to children.
The year count for school
health shows that 1092 children
were screened by the health de
partment for defects and 773
were referred for medical or
dental care, 298 children secured
medical care and 517 received
dental care.
The six month report on
chronic diseases showed that 57
patients were under the program
at the end of the last three month
period. 8 new patients were added
to the program this quarter.
There were 34 patients dis
charged from the program this
quarter, and there were 919 vis
its to chronic disease patients.
25 birth certificates and 30
death certificates were received
and processed. There was one
stillbirth certificate received and
processed and one infant death
under one year of age. There
were no deaths under one month.
(Continued On Page Four)
Board Pushes j::
Highway Work
At their first regular meeting
this month members of the board
of commissioners for Brunswick
county wrote to Chairman Joe
Hunt of the State Highway Com
mission urging that his commis
sion give consideration to a pro
ject to improve and widen u. S.
Highway No. 17 from BellSwamp
to Supply.
This week the commissioners
received the following reply from
Chairman Hunt:
“Thank you very much for your
letter of July 5 regarding the ac
tion of your Board relative to
the improvement of US 17 from
Supply to Bell Swamp.
“We appreciate the en
dorsement of this improvement
by the Brunswick County Com
missioners and assure you this
matter will be given careful con
sideration by the Highway Com
mission.”
The Highway Commission has
announced plans to four-lane
Highway No. 17 from the
new bridge over the Cape Fear
River at Wilmington to Bell
Swamp. The commissioners took
this action in an effort to have
improvement made to the entire
stretch of this interstate high
way lying within the boundaries
of Brunswick as early as is
possible.
Three Persons Die In Wreck
Three women returning to their homes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania from a va
cation in Florida plunged into the waters of McMilly Swamp shortly after noon Thurs
day and were drowned before they could be rescued from their capsized automobile.
Shown above, left to right as they worked to get the car back on the highway are De
lane Stanley, K. T. Bellamy, Beaman Hewett and Robert Bellamy. (Beacon Photo)
On Highway 17
Wreck Claims 3 Lives
An automobile, northbound on
U. S. Highway No. 17, ran off
the road and plunged into the
waters of McMilly Swamp two
miles south of Shallotte shortly
after noon Thursday killingthree
women passengers.
Coroner Lowell Bennett said
death was due to drowning.
The victims were Mrs. Carole
Ann Bersage, 25; her mother,
Mrs. Theresa Bringlia, 58, both
of Philadelphia, Pa., and Mrs.
Angelina Avetta Benton, 52, of
New Jersey.
This raises to 11 the number
of persons who have lost their
lives thus far this year in Bruns
wick coimty in highway accidents.
Last year’s total stood at 12.
Riding in the car just ahead
within view of the women were
Frank Bersage, husband of Mrs.
Bersage, who was driving the
car that took the lives of the
women; their daughter, Denise
5; Douglas Benton, husband of
a victim, and Elaine Benton 6.
A patrolman said Mrs. Bersage
lost control of the car as she
passed another car. The car cut
to the right, went out of control,
New Officers
For Library
At a regular meeting of the
Southport-Brunswick County Li
brary Board last week, Mrs.
James M. Harper, Jr., was elect
ed chairman to succeed Harold
Aldridge, who has served in that
capacity for the past four years.
Douglas Hawes of Bolivia was
elected vice-chairman, suc
ceeding Mrs. M. Henderson
Rourk of Shallotte. Reelected for
additional two-years terms were
Mrs. Susie Carson, secretary,
and Miss Gertrude Loughlin,
treasurer.
The Building Committee for the
new library will remain the same,
with the exception that Harold
Aldridge, who has been serving
in an ex-officio capacity, will
become a regular member. This
committee is composed of Lewis
Hardee, chairman, Eugene Tom
linson, C. D. Pickerrell, Mrs.
Philip King, Davis Herring, Har
old Aldridge and Mrs. Harper,
ex-officio.
Time And Tide
Thirty years ago this week two young federal foresters spent two
night in the Green Swamp before being rescued by a search party
led by Frank Rabon.
A mention was made of a report on a story about the Stuart House
that appeared in the Wilmington Messenger in 1897. It said that
the Stuart House may have been the oldest hotel in North Carolina,
having been opened in 1830.
Entries were coming in for the sailing regatta to be held in Au
gust; case workers were ready to begin social security; and the
Waccamaw Lumber Co. had sold all of its Umber land.
Twenty-five years ago this week shrimping was well underway in
Southport. Good catches were reported and there were four shrimp
houses here to accept the loads of shrimp. The menhaden boats were
given permission by the board of Conservation and Development to
catch mullets. They were not to take any within 300 yards of shore.
Capt. L B. Bussells, H. T. Bowmer and Crawford Ruark had caught
L30 sea trout and 20 bluefish while fishing off one of the wrecks.
Sports fishing near Southport has been prohibited during the past
several months and reason for this ruling was that the area has
been classified in the defensive area of the port of Wilmington.
Sharks were hindering the shrimpers by becoming entangled in
their nets; a number of Southport boys were arrested for stealing
watermelons; and a warning siren was sounded before dawn because
of an unidentified craft off the North Carolina coast.
(Continued On Page Four!
and plunged into the River. The
car landed upside down.
The car driven by Mrs. Ber
sage was traveling north when
it left the highway and went over
an embankment into the river.
The point where the accident oc
curred is near the South Carolina
border. There were no skid
■'is ■ ;-V-. \ ■■■■ ■
marks.
A wrecking crew spent more
than an hour extricating the car
that had been buried in the River
bottom.
Frank Bersage returned to the
scene when the car driven by his
wife failed to appear in his rear
view mirror.
x
Once In A Lifetime
This is the century plant at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
D. C. Herring at Long Beach and it now is in full bloom.
The only trouble is that the high wind one day last week
broke the top off the plant. It can be seen leaning to the
right. As soon as the blooming process has ended, the
plant will die. (Photo by Spencer)
Brunswick Helps
Carry Referenda
Brunswick county voters added
their strength to an overwhelm
ing vote of approval for each of
the four propositions submitted to
the farmers of the nation Tues
day.
In Brunswick the vote was 859
to 24 in favor of continuation
of tobacco quotas; 815 to 50 in
favor of continuing an assess
ment for Tobacco Associates; 31
to 0 in favor of assessment for
the promotion of cotton products;
and 4 to 0 in favor of the peanut
program.
Ralph Price, Brunswick ASC
office manager, said that the light
vote probably was due to the fact
that this is a busy time for
farmers of this area. He also
cited the rains of yesterday as a
reason for some people being
unable to get out to vote.
The favorable vote exceeded
90 per cent in each state and
in all North Carolina tobacco
growing counties except Rowan
and Davidson.
Totals in North Carolina were
107,195 favoring quotas and
3,230 opposing, for a 97.1 per
cent margin of approval.
The total vote and the favor
able percentage in other states:
Georgia, 14,266 and 93.6 per
cent.
South Carolina, 13,351 and 98.4
per cent.
Florida, 2,013 and 93 per cent.
Alabama, 103 and 96.1 per
cent.
Virginia results were unre
ported late Tuesday night.
Hue-cured farmers in the
Carolinas approved a continua
tion of their assessment pro
(Continued On Page Foun
Erosion Funds
Being Sought
From County
Chairman John Barbee Is a
patient at Dosher Me mortal Hos
pital and was unable to attend
either the special meeting Satur
day for consideration of the bud
get of the regular meeting on
Monday.
At the latter session George
Rourk served as acting chairman.
The commissioners say that
they have most of their prelim
inary work completed on the bud
get and predict that they will be
able to come up with a tentative
tax rate the next time they meet,
with all members present.
One matter of business Mon
day was to accept the resignation
of A. H. Gainey, Jr., as a mem
ber of the Board of Trustees for
Dosher Memorial Hospital and
the appointment of D. L. Gainey
Sr., to take his place.
At tne Saturday session mem
bers of the board heard an ap
peal to place an Item in the new
budget to raise funds with which
to match State and Federal funds
which are expected to be made
available for beach erosion con
trol.
They heard several private in
dividuals express alarm over
what is happening to the water
front property along the coast
of Brunswick and agreed that
this is the source from which
most of the added tax valuation
has been developed during the
past few years.
One of the advocates for tak
ing a step toward cooperation with
the erosion program was Rep
resentative Odell Williamson,
who stated flatly that Ocean isle
Beach is not one which appears
to be seriously affected by the
erosion threat.
"The critical areas appear to
be Yaupon Beach and Sunset
Beach", he said.
Representative Williamson de
clared that there is a strong
sentiment in favor of state as
sistance in erosion projects, but
he pointed out that there must,
be some source of funds for
matching purposes. "We need to
make a move to show that we are
willing to do something to help
ourselves,” he said.
The commissioners made no
commitment, but said they would
take the matter under considera
tion.
Summer Course
For Teachers
In Brunswick
L. R. Biggerstaff, head of the
ESEA program in Brunswick
county this week received ap
proval from Raleigh for a sum
mer reading course for which
he has on file approximately 80
applications. These applicants
will be given first choice for
the course on registration day.
If there is room left, others
may apply for these spaces.
The course title and number
are Ed 312 Ga., "Improvement
of Reading in the Elementary
Grades.” It will be taught by
Mrs. Georgia Franklin of the
East Carolina College staff.
Classes will be held at Bolivia
High School beginning July 24
through August 4. All teachers
who Indicated a desire for this
course and plan to attend are
to register at Bolivia on July
24 at 9 a. m.
This course will be offered at
no cost, including textbooks. Stu
dents must provide their own
(Continued On Page Fouri
Tide Table
Following: to the tide table
lor Southport during' the
week. These hours are ap
proximately correct and
were furnished The State
Port Pilot through the
courtesy of the Gape Fear
Pilot’s Association.
high low
Thursday, July 20,
6:30 A M 0:52 A M
7:10 P M 12:52 P M
Friday, July 21,
7:27 A M 1:40 A M
8:03 P M 1:40 P M
Saturday, July 22,
8:15 A M 2:28 A M
8:51 P M 2:28 P M
Sunday, July 23,
9:03 A M 3:10 A M
9:27 P M 3:10 P M
Monday, July 24,
9:45 A M 3:52 A M
10:09 P M 3:48 P M
Tuesday, July 25,
10:27 A M 4:28 A M
10:45 P M 4:40 P M
Wednesday, July 26,
11:09 A M 5:10 A M
11:27 P M 5:22 P M