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The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 39
No. 43
12-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1968
5f A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Bus Load Of Choir Members
Mrs. Connie Young, president of the Southport Junior Woman’s Club,
above as she meets the bus bearing members of the North Fulton Special
pulled up at the Jaycee Building last night. The boys and girls had supper
8 o’clock concert at the high school auditorium. (Photo by Spencer)
is shown
Choir as it
before their
Choir Delights
Small Audience
Tuesday Night
“Dixie” is a prayer?
Members of the audience who
heard the Fulton Special Choir
sing this unusual arrangement
during their concert here Tues
day night agree with Director
Robert S. Lowrance, Jr., that it
very well might be. This was
one of the highlights of the pro
gram here.
Another group that pleased the
audience included some favorite
spirituals, "There Is A Balm In
Gilead”, "Sometimes I Feel Like
A Motherless Child”, "This
Train” and "Michael Row The
Boat Ashore”.
There were other high points
of musical enjoyment during this
delightful two-hour program,
including a pianio duet by Jane
and Judy Stanfield.
And there was a delightful
variety, which reached a toe
tapping, crowd-pleasing climax
with the “Everybody Loves
Saturday Night” series, which
included several dance routines.
Eighteen boys and 22 girls .
make the spring tour of the North
Fulton Special Choir. During a
week’s tour, the choir, under the
direction of Robert Lowrance,
Jr., will make appearances in
several North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia cities. On
their tour of 1965, the group was
on television in Leningrad, news
reels in Warsaw, radio for Eu
ropean armed forces from Ber
lin. They also performed con
certs in Moscow, Stockholm,
Copenhagen and other European
cities. Definite plans have been
made for a world tour in 1969.
Brief Bits Of \
NEWS
SATURDAY PARTY
The jaycees will have a bingo
party on Saturday night at the
Jaycee Building, starting at 7:30
o'clock.
MUSIC FESTIVAL
. Southport High School will be
ho.* to the Brunswick County
:<iusU Festival on April 17 at
7;J0 o'clock. Musical groups
from several schools already
have indicated their intention to
participate.
BROUGHTON COMING
Gubernatorial candidate Mel
Broughton will be in Brunswick
county Monday with stops at Le
land at 8; 30, at the courthouse
in Southport at 10 o'clock and
for lunch at 12 o’clock at the
National Guard Armory in Shal
lotte to which the public is in
vited.
FISH FRY FRIDAY
There will be a Fish Fry at
So mersetts Landing near Ocean
Isle Beach Friday night begin
ning at 6 for Broughton sup
porters.
Columbus and Brunswick coun
ty Democrats are expected. Can
didates are invited to come and
give their views. Gubernatorial
candidate Mel Broughton will
be in the county Monday.
Planes Fight Fire
Planes from the N. C. Forest Service joined with
ground crews of the same organiation, members of the
U.S. Coast Guard, the volunteer fire departments from
Southport and Long Beach and firemen . from Sunny
Point Tuesday afternoon to fight a forest fire that burned
fiercely in the area north of the Brunswick County Air
port. This was one of several fires which made this a
black day for forest resources in Brunswick county as
several hundred acres were burned over. (Photo by
Spencer).
Merchants Sign In
Food Stamp Plan
Some 47 merchants in Bruns
wick county signed up under the
Food Stamp Program in South
port last week. These mer
chants were authorized to accept
the stamps in payment for gro
ceries bought at their places of
business by low-income families
who are qualified to receive the
stamps.
The food stamp program in
North Carolina is administered
jointly by the North Carolina
Department of Public Welfare
and U.S.D.A.'s Consumer and
Marketing Service.
The North Carolina Depart
ment of Public welfare points
out that families do not have to
be receiving welfare assistance
to be eligible for food stamp
help. Food coupons are issued
to families determined by their
local welfare agency to be in
need of food assistance. This
includes a number of persons
in the “senior citizens” group.
Many persons who, after re
tirement, are forced to live on
reduced incomes, are often eli
gible to take part in the food
stamp program.
Other low-income families
also may receive food coupons
provided their family income is
not over specified amounts. The
amount of income permitted to
such families is worked out by
the N.C. Department of Public
Welfare with the Consumer and
Marketing Service.
Persons who are already re
ceiving checks from the welfare
department are usually eligible
for food stamp assistance. These
persons may take part in the
food stamp program and still re
ceive all of their monthly welfare
check, and are urged to apply
as soon as possible for food
stamp assistance.
The Welfare Department is
responsible for interviews and
certification of eligible needy
families. Authorization of food
merchants to handle USDA food
coupons is handled by the Con
sumer and Marketing Service.
Mrs. Gerald D. Dowdy, Offi
cer-In-Charge of the Consumer
and Marketing Service's field of
fice at Wilmington, was on hand
Tuesday to certify qualified mer
(Ooattauod on P«f« 4)
Retail Sales
For Brunswick
Show Increase
During 1967 19 counties re
corded a decrease in retail sales
collections while Brunswick
county showed the largest per
centage increase in North Caro
lina. This increase was 25.78%
with Polk County rating 2nd with a
24.16% increase.
Brunswick County Retail Sales
are increasing at the rate of 11%
per year according to statistics
compiled by the Resources
Development Commission for
Brunswick County.
In 1965 sales of $19,425,624
were 1J,3% over 1964 sales of
$17,263,347. In 1966 sales were
up 11.5% and 1967 retail sales
showed an increase of 11.2% for
a record year of $24,820,149.
This amounts to a 43.7% increase
for the 3 year period from 1964
through 1967.
January 1968 Retail Sales in
creased $292,939 for an increase
of 17.4% over January, 1967.
In reviewing the retail sales
record for Brunswick county it
wap noted that during 1964 no
One month exceeded $2-million.
In 1965 it had one month over
the $2-million mark; in 1966
3 months over the $2-million
mark, and in 1967 5 months over
the $2-million mark.
At the present rate of increase
the month of July, 1968 should set
a new record of over $3-milllon
of retail sales in one month.
Board Urges
Mayor To Stay
A call meeting of the South
port Board of Aldermen was
held Friday at which time mem
bers voted unanimously not to
accept the resignation of Mayor
E. B. Tomlinson.
Mrs. J. A. Gilbert presided
mayor - '"'**5
Following is a report of the
minutes of that meeting:
The board of aldermen met In
special called session Saturday
with mayor pro-tem Dorothy R.
Gilbert presiding, Harold F.
Aldridge, Crawford L. Rourk,
William P. Horne and Norman
M. Hornstein In attendance.
Mrs. Gilbert stated that this
special meeting was called for
the purpose of accepting or re
jecting the pending resignation
of Mayor Eugene B. Tomlinson,
Jr.
Motion was made by Aldridge
and seconded by Hornstein that
the city board go on record
commending Mayor Tomlinson
for his outstanding service as
mayor, and that they wish to ex
press utmost confidence In his
integrity and ability, and that the
city board refuses to accept his
pending resignation.
As alderman Thomas H.
Dosher was unable to attend the
meeting due to illness he was
contacted by Mrs. Gilbert on
the telephone and was asked to
give his vote on the motion.
His vote being in agreement with
the motion it was then de
clared unanimously carried.
Meeting At City Hall
This was the scene at City Hall Thursday night as Mayor E. B. Tomlinson presents a
summary of the controversial situation which later led to his resignation. Shown here,
left to right, are Harold Aldridge, Mayor Tomlinson, Walter Aldridge, Mrs. J A Gil
bert and Dr. N. M. Hornstein. (Photo by Spencer).
Mayor Tomlinson Resigns
City Controversy Continues
Hornstein Urges
Mayor To Remain
Dr. N. M. Hornstein, member
,,of the Board of ^lderman for the
City of Southport, said this week
that he considers the resignation
of Mayor E. B. Tomlinson to be a
“very unfortunate" action and
says that it is his hope Tomlinson
will reconsider and will remain
as head of city government here.
The entire text of the Hornstein
letter follows:
“Mr. Eugene Tomlinson’s
resignation as Mayor of the City
of Southport immediately after
the emergency meeting of the
Board of Aldermen, in which the
existence of brothels was dis
cussed, has been very unfortu
nate. Immediately after the
meeting, I called Mrs. J. A. Gil
bert, Mayor Pro-tem, and asked
that an emergency session of the
Board of Aldermen be called for
the following day. At this
meeting, I seconded the motion
that was unanimously carried
commending Mr. Tomlinson for
his outstanding work as Mayor,
and asking that he reconsider
his resignation.
“I believe that Southport has
been very fortunate in having had
Mr. Tomlinson leading so many
projects in the past that have
greatly contributed to the culture,
(Continued on Page
I
Campaignl
Diary jj
By Margaret Harper K
You might say that my campaigning last week began on Monday
night when Ann Colarusso of the Durham Morning Herald inter
viewed me for a feature article. She is a knowledgeable writer
who asked straight, hard political questions. When the story came
out on Thursday 1 was very much pleased with the results. It was
one or the best i nave seen since I announced ior omce.
1 was a delegate from Trinity Methodist Church to the Annual
WSCS Conference in Raleigh, so on Tuesday and Wednesday, I went
with my sister, Mrs. Earl L Brown, to these sessions. I have ’
worked with many of the women present in various capacities over
the years and it was pleasant to greet old friends and to make new
ones. Mrs. Musette Dunn, who is president, introduced me as
a past district president (and candidate). There were about 800
delegates present.
On Thursday I went out to Meredith College to talk to the student
body. This visit was arranged by Dudley Barbee Howard, who In
troduced me. It was pleasant to talk to these eager young people,
and although most of them are not old enough to vote, they now
are making evaluations which will affect them throughout their life.
What’s more, all of them have parents'
Duck had done a thorough job, for not only was there newspaper
coverage, but the same television cameraman who had followed me
on my trip to Smithfield was on hand to take pictures of my visit
to this college campus.
Bright ai«d early on Friday I headed for Montgomery county where I
spent the day in hand-to-hand politicking. First it was with Mrs.
Kitty Reid as my escort in Candor. Later I was in Biscoe, where
Mrs. Helen Asbill took me up one side of the street and down the
other to meet the people in her town.
We had luncheon at the Old South Inn, where my good friend, Mrs.
(Oootlnuad on Pig* 4
JAMES HARPER
Southport Man
Safety Winner
Virginian Pilot staff writer
James Harper has won first prize
and $1,000 in the national News
paper Safety writing Competi
tion of the American Trucking
Association, Inc.
The award will be presented at
a luncheon in Washington on April
4.
Harper won the award for a
story that appeared in The Vir
ginian Pilot on January 8, 1967.
It was an investigation report of
a 1965 auto-truck collision in
which two teen-age boys were
(Continued on Page 4)
Tide Table!
Following Is the tide table I
for Southport during the I
week. These hours are ap-1
proximately correct and!
were furnished The State I
Port Pilot through the!
courtesy of the Gape Fear I
Pilot’s Association. I
HIGH LOW |
THURSDAY APRIL. 4 |
11:45 A M 6:10 A M |
6:16 P M |
Friday, April 5, I
0:21 A M 7:04 A Ml
12:45 PM 7:10 A Ml
Saturday, April 6, I
1:15 A M 8:04 A M |
1:51 P M 8:16 PM*
Sunday, April 7, J
2:21 A M 9:10 A M J
2:57 P M 9:22 P M J
Monday, April 8, J
3:31 A M 10:10 A M J
3:57 P M 11:28 P M J
Tuesday, April 9, !
4:21 A M 10:58 A M|
4:51 P M 11:22 P M J
Wednesday, April 10, j
5:16 AM 11:52 A Ms
5:45 P M *
Mayor E. B. Tomlinson, Jr.,
resigned as head of City govern
ment in Southport during a
stormy session at City Hall
Thursday night. Thus far this
resignation has not been accepted
by the Board of Aldermen, nor
has Mayor Tomlinson indicated
whether he will accede to the
wishes of the alderman and the
expressed wishes of a large ma
jority of Southport citizens and
rescind his action.
The Thursday night meeting
was called to consider a petition
circulated by his friends on be
half of Chief of Police Louis
Clark, who had been asked to
step down from this job and
accept a position as regular po
liceman, with former Po
lice Chief Herman Strong re
placing him as head of the de
partment.
A large crowd showed tg> for the
meeting, and also present was a
television cameraman and re
porters for two out of town daily
newspapers. George Rountree,
Wilmington attorney, was pres
ent to present the case of the
petltioneers.
Then, after Mayor Tomlinson
had read a statement setting forth
the official position of the city hi
the matter under controversy,
Dr. N. M. Hornstein, a member
of the Board of Aldermen, arose
to declare that it appeared to
him there was something rotten
in the city government, because
he knew of two houses of prosti
tution operating on main street.
Alderman Hornstein made a
motion that the SBI be called in
for a complete investigation and
that the make-up of the police
department remain as it is until
(Continued On Pag* Two)
Brunswick Lady
Covering State
In Campaigning
The campaign of Mrs. Mar
garet Harper for Lt. Governor
extends all the way from Co
lumbus county to Greensboro this
week, with stops In between at
Lumberton, Elizabethtown, Clin
ton, Sanford and Pittsboro.
Tuesday was a busy day In the
campaign of the first woman who
ever has run for this office.
It started In whitevllle and wound
up In Lumberton. At 10:30 Mrs.
Harper cut the ribbon to open the
Arts Festival, then went to the
Heritage inn where she was guest
of honor at a coffee hour. Later
she was guest of honor at a
luncheon before going to South
eastern Community College for
a visit to the campus of that
Institution.
At Lumberton she spoke last
night to the Rotary Club. Today
(Wednesday) she has been visit
ing various places In Robeson
county to meet and shake hands
with voters. Tonight at 8 o’clock
she will address a meeting of
voters at the Robeson County
Courthouse in a session spon
sored by the Lumberton Jay
cees.
On Thursday she will attend
the District WSCS meeting at
Elizabethtown and will spend
a part of the afternoon visiting
in Bladen county before going
to Clinton. There she will attend
the meeting of Sampson County
Democratic women.
She will spend Friday in San
ford and other points of interest
in Lee county. She goes to
Greensboro Saturday to attend
a Fine Arts Festival, then back to
Pittsboro for a meeting in her
honor and a chance to meet
Chathan county voters.
Mrs. Harper said while she
was at home this past weekend
that she is pleased with the
momentum that her campaign has
picked up. Her attendance Sat
urday night at the banquet of
North Carolina Press Women at . ,,
Chapel Hill gave her contact with 5
representatives from every sec- •
tion of the state. “1 am glad
that all over North Carolina they
know now that not only am I the
only woman who ever ran for the
office of Lt. Governor, but that
I am running to win. If things
continue at their present pace,"
she added, “1 think I have a good
chance to receive the nomina
tion.”
“Here at home, the best help
I can get from my fellow citizens
of Brunswick county is your en
thusiastic support when you are
talking to people from other
sections of the state. We need
to send them forth as missiona
ries to spread the word that it
is time for our part of the state
to be represented In Raleigh.
Mrs. Harper said that she
wants to urge every voter to be
sure that he or she is registered
to vote in the precinct where he or
she now resides. “We have this
new registration, so this is some
thing that affects every voter, not '
just those with some unusual
condition,” she said, “l under
stand they had good response last
Saturday, the first day the books
were opened. I hope there will be
an even greater turn-out this
week.”
At Southeastern College
Mrs. Margaret Harper, candidate for the Democratic
nomination for Lt. Governor, is shown here with Presi
dent Phillip Comer of Southeastern College. At the right
is Robert L. King, member of the faculty, a native of
Brunswick county and graduate of Shallptte High School.
(Elgie Clemmons Photo)