THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 43 NUMBER 43 12 PAGES TODAY SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA MAY 17, 1972 5 CENTS A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
New Primary School
Is Sought For Area
f f .
The Brunswick County
Board of Education has
adopted a resolution calling
for a new primary school for
Southport and has asked the
county commissioners to
budget $100,000 this fiscal
year towards the new facility.
The resolution, adopted
unaminmoulsy by the board,
noted the emergency
situation that exists due to
overcrowding of inadequate
classrooms.
According to the resolution,
the Southport school for
grades One through 12 was
destroyed by fire in January,
1969. “Students, as a result of
this disaster, have been
assigned to temporary,
improvised and makeshift
facilities,” the statement
read.
The board of education
noted that 823 students in
grades one through seven are
now assigned to the tem
porary units and next year,
when the consolidated high
school will be occupied and
space at Brunswick County —
Southport High School is
available, 537 students in
grades kindergarten through
four will continue to be
housed in the makeshift
facilities on an indefinite
basis.
“Such -conditions con
tribute to the critical
situation adversely affecting
the educational process for
young students in their for
mative years,” the board
stated. Also, “citizens and
industries which contribute to
the economic growth of the
county support and demand
improved educational op
portunities in Brunswick
County.”
The board has formally
requested the Brunswick
County Board of Com
missioners to initiate and
establish a “Brunswick
County School Capital
Reserve Fund,” the purpose
of which "would be for the
construction of a primary
school in the Southport area
of Brunswick County and
would elminate the current
emergency situation.”
The board also asked that
the $100,000 be set aside from
the 1972-73 tax levy, the
amount having been in
corporated into the budget
request submitted to the
county board of com
missioners.
Issue Drags
On Corncake
It will be several more
years before a study of
whether to reopen Corncake
Inlet is completed, according
to a report received by the
Brunswick County Board of
Commissioners.
Commissioners had asked
for and received a U.S.
Senate resolution authorizing
the study of the inlet, which
was closed by Hurricane
Hazel 18 years ago. That was
the first of a number of steps,
said Col. Albert Costanzo,
District Engineer of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
“The next step,” he
reported to the county
commissioners, “will be the
appropriation of study funds
by the Congress. Since funds
are normally made available
in the second quarter of the
fiscal year (November or
December), study activities
in that fiscal year are limited
to the preparation of a plan of
survey for review and ap
proval by the Division
Engineer and the scheduling
and holding of a public
meeting to afford all in
terested persons an op
portunity to express their
views for, or against, the
need for reopening Corncake
Inlet.
Costanze said, “Two more
fiscal years are then required
to complete the study fin
dings near the end of the last
quarter (June) of the third
fiscal year.
“In the case of Corncake
Inlet, the earliest study funds
could be expected would be in
the second quarter of fiscal
Yaupon Residents Fight
To Keep Trailers Away
Residents of Yaupon Beach
have taken exception to a
plan by Barbee Inc., original
developers of the Oak Island
resort, to locate a trailer park
in the community.
An overflow crowd at
tended the last regular
session of the town board
when a Lumberton attorney
represented a group of
Yaupon Beach residents
protesting the proposed, 24
trailer complex. The April
meeting of the town board
was adjourned after a heated
discussion of the issue.
According to attorneys for
Barbee Inc., the corporation
acted in good faith in
securing a building permit
the members thought to be
valid. In fact, the permit was
issued by the town clerk
rather than the building in
spector.
The present zoning or
dinance states that there
shall be one trailer house per
lot, which is to contain 6,000
square feet. The Barbee
proposal called for the
trailers to be located on 34 by
66 foot lots.
The Lumberton attorney
offered several suggestions to
Yaupon Beach Mayor
Clarence Murphy:
Stop the development of the
trailer park immediately
because the building permit
is invalid;
Have adopt new zoning
ordinances that assure
reasonable use of land;
And, with the com
missioners, make a decision
(Continued On Page Pour)
A Lonesome Vigil
(Photo By Ed Harper)
Time And Tide
In our issue for May 19, 1937, there was a front-page photo of
the Stuart House, and a headline which classified it as
“Famous Landmark Ip-SSuthport”. Dr. Mil. Rourk of
Shallotte had been appointed to head the Brunswick County
Health Department.
A look at the society page gave us pause: The “Personal”
head was upside down — but there was almost a full column of
these items; Sears had a special on battery radios; you could
buy a new Ford at Willetts Motor Company for $548 — including
front and rear bumpers and spare tires; but this was 35 years
ago!
H. Foster Mintz had been elected chairman of the
Democratic Executive Committee on the Saturday before our
issue for May 20, 1942. There was a war going on but on the
home front there was cheerful news: canning sugar and more
gasoline would be available for civilian use.
A headline said “Good Price For Alligator Hides”; Saturday
was to be “Poppy Day”; and fishermen were turning their
talents to freshwater angling. There was a political campaign
in progress, and there was an advertisement giving a list of
speaking engagements for candidates for the Democratic
nominations.
A headline in the May 21,1947, issue of The Pilot said “In
dications Are that State Will Take Caswell”. This was a follow
up of a story that the former Army fortification might be used
as a link in the state park system. Another successful flower
show had been held on the preceding Friday.
Forty-two seniors had been graduated at Shallotte High
School; commencement also was in progress at other con
(Continued On Page Four)
BEAUTIFUL OAK ISLAND, the theme of this sign by the Barnard. J.R. Corbett, contractor, constructed the sign with
Oak Island Extension Homemakers Club, is meant to en- plywood donated by Blake Builders Supply- Here, Mrs. Cotton
courage a sprinq— and year-round—clean-up campaiqn. The gets a steadying hand from her husband as Long Beach Mayor
sign was designed by Esther Cotton, who was assisted by White Nick Coleman and Yaupon Beach Mayor Clarence Murphy
Heath, Alyce Underwood, Jodie Padric, Daisy Slate and Amy watch the finishing touch.
Hearing On Bridge
Set For Wednesday
The immediate future of
the Oak Island bridge project
will be determined next
Wednesday when a public
hearing is held at the
Brunswick County-Southport
school auditorium.
The 3:30 p.m. hearing will
be conducted by the State
Highway Commission, and
will include an explanation of
the proposed bridge and
approaches, right-of-way
requirements and any
comments from the public
concerning the project. Town
Manager Jack Hayward of
Long Beach has said his
community has no objection
to the bridge crossing at
Yaupon Beach — “just so we
go ahead and get a bridge.”
Starting now, the proposed
$3.6 million, high-level bridge
would still require at least 18
months to complete.
Little opposition is ex
pected to the State Highway
Commission project, which
will replace a temporary,
one-lane floating bridge that
is often overcrowded.
Aldermen Met
Last Thursday
The Southport Board of
Aldermen met last Thursday
to discuss matters ranging
froip the use of trailers as
temporary residences to the
paving of city streets before
the Fourth of July.
Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Haight
came before the board
requesting permission to
place their travel trailer as a
residence on their property
located on West Street, to be
used while their home is
being constructed. The board
advised them that they could
not use the trailer for a
residence but could use it for
an office or for storage.
Alderman W.P. Horne
discussed the valuating of
property for taxes, also the
streets to be worked on and
paved this year. After some
discussion, a motion was
made by Alderman Horne
that the paving Committee
try to have streets paved
before July 4, the city auditor
to get prices for paving.
A motion was made by
Horne, seconded by Aider
men Hoyle Dosher, that the
acting city manager notify
C.B. Caroon to cease the
construction of the building
on his pier until plans are
submitted to the board for
approval.
W.B. McDougle, chairman
of the Planning and Zoning
Commission, presented a
map showing a development
plan of property located on
Fodale and Collins Street.
There was some question
about Collins Street being
accepted by the city, but after
discussion, Mayor Dorothy
Gilbert appointed Aldermen
Dosher and Harold Davis to
serve as a committee to in
vestigate this and report as
early as possible.
Alderman May McHose
requested that Mayor Gilbert
remove her name from the
Paving Committe, and Mayor
Gilbert replaced her with
Alderman Davis.
The city auditor advised
the board of an increase in
the City Hospital Insurance
plan. After some discussion,
a motion was made by
Alderman Harold Aldridge
that the city continue to pay
the employee hospital and
$1,000 life insurance as in the
past. This increase of $2.20
per employee was effective
Monday.
Alderman Davis presented
a copy of the ordinance
controlling rental property of
(Continued On Page Ftaur)
especially now during the
tourist season.
The old swing-type bridge
that had served Oak Island
and the communities of Long
Beach and Yaupon Beach
was destroyed last Sep
tember 7 when an off-course
barge rammed the structure.
All vehicular traffic was
halted for several days until a
ferry service was made
available from the Coast
Guard station to the
mainland.
Gov. Scott failed to declare
a state of emergency and
created some ill-will that
many island resident still
harbor. The State Highway
Commission has prepared the
environmental impact study,
required before any further
action is possible, and has
recommended that the bridge
be located just west of the
present temporary crossing.
The bridge, which will have
a 65-foot vertical clearance,
will be a fixed span and will
not be opened for In
tracoastal Waterway traffic.
A recent study by the State
Highway Commission stated
that the one-lane bridge could
accommodate, with little
delay, about 7,000 vehicles a
day. During the Easter
weekend about 5,000 vehicles
used the bridge each day, but
the bridge was not open to
waterway traffic except on
schedule.
The lack of a two-lane
bridge has not adversely
affected island businesses as
much as had been expected.
Heal estate businesses, which
deal mostly with mainland
tourists, report business as , ,
usual.
Second Primary
Herman Strong, candidate for county commissioner who
finished only 13 votes behind Way land Vereen in the balloting
for the Smithville Township Democratic nomination, has
called for a second primary.
The run-off election will be June ? and will be held in
conjunction with second primaries for several state posts,
including governor, U.S. Senate and commissioner of in
surance. Vereen received 1,603 votes to Strong’s 1,590, while
a third candidate, Bobby Thorsen, received well over 1,000.
Intersection Signals
The State Highway Commission will proceed with im
provements to the US 17-74-76 intersection near Leland,
according to a letter to the county board of commissioners
from SHC Chairman La,’d’ Faircloth.
The improvements, fVircloth said, “will consist of
channelization (lane) revisions and signalization
(stoplights).” He thanked the county board for interest
shown in the project.