The Pilot Covers
THE STATE PORT PILOT
1
Brunswick County
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
Most of the News
All The Time
VOLUME 41
No. 6
10-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1969
50 COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Horseless Carriage Visitors
About forty members of the N. C. Regional Group of Horseless Carriage Club
of America were in Southport Thursday following a ferry crossing of the Cape Fear
river. The visitors had lunch at Yaupon Beach. Several cars in their calvacade are
shown parked on Howe Street. (Photo by Spencer)
Antique Cars
Visitors Here
While On Tour
Approximately 40 antique
automobiles stopped in
Southport Thursday as the
Horseless Carriage Club of North
Carolina made its 18th annual
tour of EAstern North Carolina.
The weeklong tour began last
Monday with registration in
Dunn. The tour spent all day
Tuesday traveling eastward
towards Washington, stopping
along the route in such town as
Pinetops and Chocowinity and
touring the campus of East
Carolina University in
Greenville.
Wednesday the group traveled
southward along highway 17 and
spent that evening in
Wilmington.
Next morning the club cars
went to Fort Fisher, from where
they crossed the Cape Fear
River, in two groups aboard the
Soutkport-Fort Fisher Ferry, to
Southport.
Once in Brunswick County,
the tour went to Long Beach to
eat at Jones Tranquil Harbour
Restaurant. After lunch the
up-state car buffs visited Orton
Plantation and Brunswick Town,
before returning to the
Wilmington area to visit the
battleship.
Friday, the clubmembers
returned to Dunn.
The automobiles on the tour
were of many colors and shapes,
but as old cars are, of many
personalities as well. There were
old-timey Rolls-Royces, Buicks
and Fords, to be sure, but there
were antique Franklins, Stanley
and Overlands.
Oldest car was a 1907 Buick,
while most of the cars were of
1910’s and 1920’s vintage. One
hot-rodding 1922 T-model Ford
cruises at 45 miles per hour.
Organizers of the Horseless
Carriage Tour say the group will
continue coming to Southport as
(Continued On Pag* Bight)
Holden Beach
Adopts Budget
The newly incorporated town
of Holden Beach has adopted a
budget in excess of $15,000 for
its first physical year of
operation and established a
tentative tax rate of seventy-five
cents per one hundred dollar
valuation.
The governing body, a mayor
and five commissioners, recently
sworn into office by Foster
Mintz, chairman of the County
Board of Elections, has already
adopted some town ordinances
and are considering others at this
time, according to the mayor,
John Holden.
Holden said that one
ordinance adopted pertained to
the keeping of animals on the
beach. He said that over the past
few years a serious problem had
arisen because of horseback
riding on the beach. Property
owners had complained to the
extent that it became necessary
to outlaw horses in the town
limits, Holden indicated.
Another ordinance under
consideration would deal with
traffic on the strand during
vacation season. No plan has
been adopted, however, one is
being considered by the
commissioners, the mayor said.
The tentative budget, if
approved, will provide for police
protection, garbage pickup and
other such benefits as residents
of any town would receive,
Holden said.
Serving In War Zone
Two Southport men serving aboard the US Coast
Guard Cutter Mendota off the coast of Viet Nam are
Lt. Commander J. J. Wicks, left, and David O’Neal,
right. This picture was taken aboard ship while the
vessel was at sea.
Second Opening
Prices Improve
A good beginning was seen on
the initial sales of the "official”
tobacco sales in Columbus
County Monday morning with
auctions marked by complete
representation of buying
companies and little of the leaf
going under federal loan.
A lack of buying power and
exceedingly high diversion to
government loan force
Whiteville’s three-sets-of-buyers
market to close down
Wednesday after token full sales;
other markets of the Border Belt
opened their auctions but quit
after a few minutes, apparently
frustrated that buying
companies were not interested in
starting the season until today.
Sales Monday morning in
Whiteville started exceedingly
strong. A view of the first two
rows bought in one warehouse
showed by a single pile going to
Stabilization got 120 piles of the
first 128 sold.
Savings Bond
Sales Improve
Savings Bonds sales in North
Carolina for January-June
amounted to $32,259,962. This
is 54.1 percent of the state’s
dollar quota for 1969.
Because of the exceptional
sales recorded in North Carolina,
the state now ranks 6th in the
nation in percent quota reached.
In making this release, Bland
W. Worley, state volunteer
chairman, stated: “We are
exceedingly proud of the record
established by North Carolina in
U.S. savings bonds sales for the
first six months of 1969. Much
credit for this record is due to
volunteers, advertising media,
banks, industries, and others
who have assisted in the
promotion of this great thrift
program. With their continued
support North Carolina will
surpass its 1969 quota of
$59,600,000.”
Sales in Brunswick County for
January-June amounted to
$29,920 which is 88.1 percent
of the county’s 1969 dollar
quota, according to Lester V.
Lowe volunteer chairman of the
Savings Bonds program in
Brunswick county.
Average price being paid
during the early part of the
morning appeared to be around
72-cents per 100, and generally
the range was between 65 and
77 cents.
“We have no reason to believe
sales will be anything but normal
Monday, Whiteville tobaccomen
agreed Sunday.
Offerings on the warehouse
floors are mostly lugs and
primings, of the low and fair
qualities, the tobacco that has
been bringing mostly $6 to $7
per hundredweight more than
the support price level in
Georgia and South Carolina
sales.
In South Carolina sales Friday,
low orange primings averaged
$67 per hundredweight
compared with a support level of
$60. Low lemon primings
averaged $69 per cwt. compared
with a $63 support level. Low
green primings averaged $64 per
cwt., compared with a $48
support level.
Best thin nondescript averaged
$63 compared with a $49
support mark and best lug side
nondescript averaged $57 per
cwt. compared with a $54
support level.
Unsupported poor nondescript
(N2) averaged $55 per cwt.
Thus, optimism has replaced
the loom of the aborted
Wednesday opening when
farmers saw what few buyers
they would simply walk by
most of the tobacco before the
sales were halted.
Warehousemen and growers
have commented that they do
not think the tobacco will be as
finely graded as it was
Wednesday. Much comment has
centered on the fact tobacco
grades were higher than usual for
an opening day offering.
In part, this bears out earlier
predictions of a better than
average quality crop of the kind
buying companies liked last
year.
Warehouses were filled by
midday Saturday with many
having enough on their floors for
Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
Because of the late actual
opening in comparison with the
stage of the crop, it is feared
farmers will create a congested
situation at the warehouses as
(Continued on Page 4)
Harrells Man
Heading FHA
In The State
The appointment of James T.
Johnson of Harrells, as State
Director of the Farmers Home
Administration has been
announced by Secretary of
Agriculture Clifford M. Hardin.
The appointment was effective
July 1. Johnson succeeded
Melvin H. Hearn.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. Eugene Johnson of Sampson
County and has made farming
his career. He was graduated
from Wake Forest University in
1955 with a bachelor’s degree in
General Science and has done
graduate work at North Carolina
State University and East
Carolina University. He served in
the U. S. Army Medical Corps in
1956-58, then entered farming in
Sampson County. He has
operated a 762-acre
establishment near Harrells,
raising tobacco, row crops, and
livestock on some 300 acres and
cultivating timber on 450 acres.
He was honored as the
Outstanding Young > Farmer in
Sampson County in 1965, is a
past president of the Sampson
County Grange and a member of
the Farm Bureau. He also has
served as a member of the
Sampson County ASCS
Committee.
ill cumiiiuiuiy emails*, duuusuu
has been active as a member of
the Clinton Junior Chamber of
Commerce, the Harrells Planning
and Development Committee,
artd executive committees of the
Boy. -Scouts of America and
Sampson County Red Cross.
He will administer statewide
the Department of Agriculture
agency’s credit programs in
support of family farm
ownership and operation, and
the improvement of housing and
community facilities in rural
areas. The Farmers Home *
Administration has State
headquarters in Raleigh and its
county office saving Brunswick
is located in Shallotte. Parks C.
Fields is the county supervisor.
Johnson’s wife is the former
Sue Oswald, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Harry L. Oswald. Mr.
Oswald is Editor of THE
WALLACE ENTERPRISE,
Wallace. The Johnsons have two
daughters, Margaret, 9, and Lee,
6. For the present, Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson will maintain a
residence at both Harrells and
Raleigh.
Conducts Art
Classes Here
Mrs. Esther Welles Cotton, a
new resident of Southport, is
teaching art classes two
afternoons each week at the
recreation hall of Sacred Heart
Catholic Church. On Tuesdays
from 2 to 4 o’clock she has a
class for advanced students and
on Thursdays from 2 to 4 she
has a class for beginners.
At the time of her
graduation from the University
of Hartford Art School in
Connecticut, Mrs. Cotton
received spjcial recognition and
many awards for work at the
school which she attended as a
scholarship pupil. Since that
time she has taken evening
courses at the art school with
Hendrick Hynd, and also studied
with William Cowing at the West
Hartford Art League.
Mrs. Cotton has been an
instructor at Foxwood Farm
Summer Art School in Tolland,
(Continued on Page 4)
New Officer Of Press Association
J. D. Fitz, publisher of the Morganton News-Herald and retiring secretary-tre
asurer of the North Carolina Press Association, gives some pointers on the job to the
new secretary-treasurer, Mrs. James M. Harper, Jr., of Southport during a recess in
convention activities Friday at Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Fitz was honored by the
association for his 10 year service in this office. With Fitz and Mrs. Harper are Brodie
Griffith, publisher of The Charlotte Observer, retiring president of NCPA; David
Whichard II, editor of the Greenville Daily Reflector, the new president; and Howard
White, editor of the Burlington Times-News, the new president of the Associated
Dailies.
Southport Lady
Is Elected New
Press Officer
David J. Whichard II, president
and editor of The Greenville
Daily Reflector, was elected
president of the North Carolina
Press Association at the group’s
annual business session Friday
morning*'in Irfn at
Asheville.
Whichard succeeds Brodie
Griffith, associate publisher of
The Charlotte Observer and The
Charlotte News.
Mrs. James M. Harper, Jr., of
the State Port Pilot, was elected
executive secretary to replace
J.D. Fitz, publisher of the
Morganton News-Herald. Fitz
resigned this year after 10 years
of service as secretary-treasurer
and was elected to a three-year
term on the board of directors.
New vice president of the
organization is Wallace Carroll,
editor and publisher of the
Winston-Salem Journal and the
Twin City Sentinel. Carroll
replaces Tom Boney of the
Alamance News, Graham.
Miss Elizabeth Huckle of the
Concord Tribune and Gene
Smith of the Havelock Progress
were also elected to the board of
directors.
The new secretary-treasurer is
the wife of the editor of this
newspaper, who served in
1964-65 as pi ->ident of the
association. She is a former
president of North Carolina
Press Women, having been
elected to that office in 1945
while helping to edit The State
Port Pilot while her husband was
serving in the U.S. Navy during
World War II.
She is a former president of
the N.C. Federation of Woman’s
Clubs and of the Council of
Women’s Organizations.
Currently she is vice-chairman of
the State Democratic Executive
Committee; chairman of the
Board of Trustees for the State
Federation; vice-chairman of
North Carolinians for Better
Libraries; vice-chairman of the
N.C. American Revolution
(Continued on Page 4)
Time And Tide
It was July 26, 1939, and The Pilot that week carried a front
page plug for sanitation. The item mentioned that one non-hygenic
practice was the use of second-hand chewing gum. Snow’s Cut,
above the Quarantine Station, had been recently opened, and a story
noted that the new water passage would allow “shallow” Carolina
Beach boats to visit Southport. The Frank Sherrill yacht, yet
unnamed, was to remain in Southport for some time. A special
notice announced that the following week’s paper would be the
annual Tobacco Edition; Bill Wells had predicted that shrimp would
appear in large numbers locally within two weeks; and Neils
Jorgensen had been nominated by our Not Exactly newsman as
All-American soda jerker.
Joe Cotton, one generation senior to the movie star, had visited
Southport during the past week; David Watson was currently calling
numbers at a Carolina Beach bingo emporium; and Charlie Mathews
had been appointed manager of the soon-to-be developed Smith
Island property.
It was July 26, 1944, and there was much weeping, wailing and
gnashing of teeth among the younger set. Schools, it was announced
(Continued on Paare 4)
State Interested
In Smith Island
LT. JOSEPH H. BENTLEY
New Officer
On Duty Here
Second Lt. Joseph H. Bentley
has recently reported for
assignment and duty at the
Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny
Point.
Lt. Bentley graduated in June
1968 with a Bachelor of Arts
from Davidson College where he
was a Dean’s List student and
participated in Davidson’s
Junior Year Abroad Program at
the Universite de Montpellier,
France.
He was commissioned a
second lieutenant after
completing ROTC summer
camp training at Fort Bragg, in
July, 1968. Prior to his being
assigned to Sunny Point, Lt.
Bentley attended the
Transporation Officers’ Basic
Course at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
His duty assignment while at
Sunny Point will be as a cargo
officer in the operations
directorate.
Simmons On
FHA Committee
Dalton B. Simmons of Ash,
has accepted his second
three-year term as a member of
the Brunswick County Farmers
Home Administration
Committee. County
committeemen are appointed by
the FHA State Director.
Simmons’ appointment is
effective as of July 1. He is a
successful farmer and
community leader. His
knowledge and experience in
dealing with farm and rural
problems will be an asset to the
FHA Committee.
Simmons replaces James D.
Bellamy, Jr., whose term expired
June 30. He will serve on the
committee with W. Worth
Mercer of Bolivia and William T.
Bowen of Freeland.
The prospective buyer of
Baldhead Island wants the
state to erect a two-lane
causeway and bridge along the
eastern shore of the sub
tropical island near
Southport/- "*'*%*¥
Developer Charles Fraser
has also proposed that the
sandy bottoms of the mar
shlands around the island be
dredged to build a 14-foot high
protective sand dune east of a
state-built tollway.
Fraser, developer of the
plush Hilton Head Island, S.C.
resort, is president of The Sea
Pines Plantation Co. which is
negotiating to buy Baldhead
Island at the mouth of the
Cape Fear River. The proper
ty isowned by Frank Sherrill,
Charlotte businessman. The
selling price is reportedly $5.5
million.
Conservationists and some
state officials have long ad
vocated state purchase of Bal
dhead, also k.iov.n as Smith
Island, for preservation in its
natural form.
Confers with C&D
Governor Bob Scott spent al
most the entire afternoon
Tuesday in his office at the
Capitol conferring with Roy
Sowers Jr. and Gil Horton of
Wilmington. Sowers is director
of the State Department of
Conservation and Develop
ment and Horton is chairman
of C&D’s policy-making
board.
Neither Sowers nor Horton
would comment on the nature
of their discussions with Scott
But it was learned that a mo
vement may be afoot for the
state to buy the island and
convert it into a state park.
Fraser’s tentative plans for
(Continued on Page 4)
New Nurse On
Hospital Staff
Mrs. Lois Miller, Certified
Registered Nurse Anesthetist
(C.R.N.A.) is now the
anesthetist at Dosher Memorial
Hospital, replacing Henry Walkei
who resigned May 1, and is now
employed at Bladen Countj
Hospital, Elizabethtown.
Mrs. Miller was graduated froir
Jackson Memorial Hospital
School of Nursing, Miami, Fla.
in 1953. She took post-graduate
work in anesthesia, University of
Alabama Medical School, in
1956-57. Formerly she was a
member of the Anesthesia
Department, V.A. Hospital, New
Orleans, La., and Denver General
Hospital, Denver Colorado. At
present she resides in Southport
with her three daughters. She
has purchased a 16-foot
outboard runabout, and every
spare minute she and hei
daughters are using it strictly foi
pleasure.
Bureau Head
Talks About
New Farm Bill
“Recently we had numerous
bills and pieces of egislation that
relates to agriculture and people
of our area here in Brunswick,”
said Ira L. Chadwick, president
of the Brunswick County Farm
Bureau this week. We have
compiled a report which we
hope will help farmers in our
county to understand the
details.
“Cotton defoliants, plant
growth inhibitors, regulators and
stimulators, sucker control
agents, such as MH-30 and Penar
were exempted from 3 percent
sales tax. However, this will not
be effective until January 1,
1970. This will amount to
approximately $150,00 per year
in savings to farmers.
A tax of 2 cents per pack on
cigarettes was levied by this
Legislature. It was a part of the
Governor’s tax package, which
also included a 1 cent tax on
soft drinks.
“The effort to have farmland
classified on the basis on its use
for ad alorem tax purposes was
unsuccessful. The bill died in the
Senate Finance Committee after
receiving a favorable votes to
bring it out of the Finance
Committee or to pass it on the
floor.
Hie citizens of each county in
the state will vote this fall FOR
or AGAINST a 1 percent local
sales and use tax which would be
levied against those items now
taxed at 3 percent and would be
returned to local governments.
The revenue collected from
those counties that vote FOR
the 1 percent local sales and use
tax will go into a state pool. The
money will be distributed to the
taxing counties and
municipalities therein on the
following baas: one-half on per
capita and one-half in...
proportion to total ad valorem
taxes levied by each. Counties
not voting for the increase
would not share in the revenue
pool.
Legislation requiring slow
moving vehicle signs (24 hours a
day or only at night) on farm
tractors and machinery and
other slow moving vehicles
designed to move less than 25
MPH was defeated.
This General Assembly raised
the interest ceiling in North
Carolina. Hie new law contains
the following major provisions:
(1) 8% simple annual interest
where the principal amount is
$50,000 or less and is secured by
a first mortgage or deed of trust
on real property. (2) 10% simple
annual interest where the
principal amount is more than
$50,000 but not more than
$100,000 and is a business
property loan, i.e. secured by
real property used in connection
with the business. (3) 9% simple
annual interest where the
principal amount is $100,000, at
less and is not a transaction set
forth in (1) or (2). (Bank loan
fees are eliminated.) (4) 12%
simple annual interest where the
principal amount is more than
$100,000 but not more than
$300,000. (5) no ceiling whore
the principal amount is more
then $300,000, and (6)
maximum brokerage fee on
(Continued On Pace Eight)
Tide Table
Following Is die tide table
tor Sontti port during the
week. These hoars are ap
proximately correct and
were tarnished The State
Fort Pilot through the
courtesy ot the Gape Fear
Fllofs Association.
Thursday, duly 31
10:33 AM 4:34 AM
11:03 PM 4:48 PM
Friday, August 1
11:27 AM 5:22 AM
11:51 PM 5:40 PM
Saturday, August 2
12:15 AM 8:10 AM
12:39 PM 8:34 PM
Sunday, August 8
1:08 AM 8:58 AM
1:00 PM 8:28 PM
Monday, August 4
1:27 AM 7:48 AM
2:03 PM 8:22 PM
Tuesday, August 5
2:21 AM 8:34 AM
2:57 PM 8:22 PM
Wednesday, August 6
3:16 AM 9:28 AM
3:51 PM 10:22 PM