THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 44 ~NUMBER 27 14 PAGES TODAY SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDA Y, JANUARY 24, 1973 10 CENTS A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDA Y
Same Bidder: $3.9 Million
Apparent Low Bid
On Bridge Is Made
An apparent low bid of
$3,867,206.87 for construction of a
high-level bridge to Oak Island was
received Tuesday by the State High
way Commission in Raleigh.
The bid will be reviewed by the
SHS on February 1, and if all is
determined to be in order work is
supposed to begin immediately.
Estimated date of opening is May 1,
1974, with final completion set for
October 1, 1974.
The apparent successful low
bidder is J.T. Triplett and LR.
Ryan of Chester, South Carolina—
the same bidders who submitted an
erroneous bid in November. That
bid, for $3,090,936, was well below
the state’s estimate for the work but
was found to be estimated
$300,000 too low. The price of con
crete was incorrectly figured at 90
cents a cubic yard rather v than $90,
accounting for the mistaken total.
In the November bidding, Bellamy
Brothers submitted a bid of
$4,199,621 and McLean Contracting
Co., a bid of $4,386,874.
The high-level bridge will be
located just west of the present
temporary crossing, installed after
a barge-and-tug combination
demolished the old swingbridge on
September 7, 1971. The present
bridge allows only one lane of travel,
creating a sometimes massive
traffic jam in the early morning and
late afternoon.
Grand Jury
Report Made
A report of Brunswick
County Grand Jury activity
was reported last week to
Judge Edward B. Clark,
presiding over a term of
Superior Court here.
Following is the report
submitted by Gene Frink,
foreman, and Larry McGee,
secretary.
The Grand Jury, is session
for three days, examined 32
bills and found 31 true bills
and one non-true bill. One bill
was returned to the Solicitor
due to the absence of one
witness.
The Grand Jury visited the
Shallotte jail and found same
in an unkept condition —
previous day’s food con
tainers were still in the cells,
the floors needed cleaning
and the fire alarm system
was not in working order. It
was found that the jailor had
(Continued On Page Two)
Clean-Up Idea
Draws Support
The Resources Develop
ment Commission for
Brunswick County has given
its enthusiastic support to the
declaration by the Board of
Commissioners proclaiming
February as Clean-Up
Month for Brunswick County.
County.
Luke Appling, Yaupon
Beach merchant, entered a
motion that the Resources
Development Commission
adopt a resolution supporting
the commissioners’ action.
George Inman, Ash area
farmer, seconded the motion,
which was carried
unanimously.
In addition to the
resolution, the commission
members stated that they
would continue to strongly
encourage a county wide
clean-up campaign to con
tmue beyond the month of
February until such time that
satisfactory conditions exist
throughout the entire county.
The commissioners ex
pressed interest in a more
attractive community for
industrial, commercial and
tourist clients appraising
Brunswick County as a place
to work, live, and play as well
as interest in a simply more
aesthetic environment.
Several suggestions were
discussed that would con
tribute to successful efforts to
ciean-up. The commission
further expressed hope that
area newspapers would run
special articles with
photographs on unsightly
areas in the county, en
couraging improvements,
and that civic and service
(Continued On Page Two)
Security Savings & Loan
To Open Office At Leland
At the annual meeting on
Thursday H.T. St. George
was re-elected president of
Security Savings and Loan
Association for the coming
year.
Other officers and direc
tores elected were D.C.
Herring, first vice-president;
Lewis J. Hardee, second vice
president; Douglas H.
Hawes, executive vice
president and secretary
treasurer. In addition to
these, directors elected are
SB. Frink, W.E. Bellamy,
Jr., E. Hobson Kirby and H.
Foster Mintz.
Albert G. Trunnell, Jr., is
assistant secretary-treasurer
of the home office at South
port and Leroy Mintz, Jr., is
assistant secretary-treasurer
and manager of the Shallotte
office.
Following are excerpts
from the annual report by
President St. George:
“Our policy has always
been and sull is to serve all of
Brunswick County with fast,
courteous and efficient
service. We have made ap
plication and received per
mission to open a branch
office in the I eland com
munity in order to improve
our services in that area.
“The year 1972 saw the
savings and loan business
achieve its largest growth on
record, both on the savings
and the mortgage side of the
operations. We are proud to
(Continued On Page Two)
iirr r .irrTnilirraMir-irr-- *
CAMPFIRE GIRLS raised sufficient money to attend camp
this summer by selling more than 4,000 boxes of candy during a
recent campaign. Part of the proceeds were used to buy stuffed
animals for the youngsters who sold the most boxes. Leader
was Jo Ann Bernard, center, who sold more than 300 boxes by
herself. Selling over 200 boxes apiece were Freya Higgins, left,
and Barbara Brown. Net profit from the candy sale was $1,400.
Auto 1$ Stolen,
Youths Nabbed
Last Friday, Holden Beach
police apprehended four
runaway juveniles from
Greensboro who had broken
into and were living in a
house on the causeway ap
proaching the Intracoastal
Waterway.
About 1 p.m., Greensboro
police alerted Chief Julian D
Bowman that the youngsters
were reported to have stolen
a light-colored Chevrolet and
were staying some place near
the bridge to Holden Beach.
(Continued On Page Two)
‘No Strings Attached9
City Contributes $10,000
To Help Dosher Hospital
City of Southport aldermen
voted Monday night to give
Dosher Memorial Hospital
$10,000 — not because of
conditions set by the county,
they insisted, but because of a
desire to help the facility.
$10 For A Start,..
He may be only one in a thousand, but a South
port man has reacted to Dosher Memorial
Hospital’s call for financial help with a con
tribution of his own. The city was asked to ap
propriate $10,000 for the hospital.
The man wrote a check for $10 to the City of
Southport, noting that it might be “a very small
part of the money needed, but I feel there are 999
more residents of the city that can afford to donate
a similar amount to help.”
The city funded $10,000, and forwarded the
man’s check to the hospital for use.
JUNIOR WOMAN'S CLUB OFFICERS for the coming year
are, from left to right, Mrs. Phillip King, III, secretary; Mrs.
Joseph Young, newsletter; Mrs. Fred Spencer, treasurer;
Mrs. Jackie Stephenson, president; Mrs. Curtis Cowan, vice
president; and Mrs. John Lockhart, Jr., publicity director.
“No strings” were attached
to the appropriation, the
alderman noted.
The funding comes soon
after a proposal by the
Brunswick County board of
commissioners that it
provide $20,000 for the
hospital if certain conditions
were met. Now that a mat
ching $10,000 has been ap
propriated, the remaining
“condition” concern the
hospital Board of Trustees
and the physicians.
In a letter from the com
missioners the following
conditions were spelled out:
“(1) That the City of South
port appropriate a minimum
of $10,000 which will result in
a total of $30,000 to alleviate
the present financial
situation;
(2) That complete financial
statements including profit
and loss, accounts receivable
and accounts payable, be
furnished monthly to the
board of county com
missioners by the 15th of the
following month;
(3) That Dosher Memorial
Hospital immediately offer
obstetrical services to the
citizens of Brunswick
County;
(4) That the current
chairman of the Board of
Trustees resign because it is
the opinion of this board that
your present financial con
dition is due in a large part to
decisions made primarily as
a result of the recom
mendations of your chair
man;
(5) That you immediately
develop a program to bring
(Continued On Page Six)
Superior Court
Term Concludes
Judge Edward B. Clark of
Elizabethtown presided over
a criminal session of Superior
Court here last week.
Following is a list of
dispositions in the cases tried
during the court term.
Gene Watts, Southport,
assault on female. PG - six
months suspended three
years on condition that he
support his children; and that
he not assault, molest or
otherwise abuse his wife
during three-year period.
A.C. Meares, Fair Bluff,
Group Supports
Bald Head Plan
The Resources Develop
ment Commission for
Brunswick County has gone
on record in support of
planned development of Bald
Head Island and has asked
the Secretary of the Army to
rethink his position against
such a development.
In a resolution adopted at
its last regular meeting, the
Resources Development
Commission board said that
all possible alternatives for
the utlization of the island
near Southport have been
exhausted. The development,
according to the resolution,
would not damage but rather
would enhance the natural
environment, as well as
provide a sound economic
enterprise in Brunswick
County.”
Following is the text of the
resolution:
“Whereas, the Resources
Development Commission for
Brunswick County is charged
with the responsibility of
guiding the overall economic
development program of
Brunswick County; and
“Whereas, Smith Island,
commonly known as Bald
Head Island, is an integral
part of the County of Brun
swick, and the State of North
Carolina; and
(Continued On Page Two)
unsafe overtaking and
passing. PNG-G. $10 and
costs.
Rayford Piver,
Wilmington, murder. PG to
2nd degree murder. Defen
dant to be imprisoned for not
less than 28 nor more than 30
years in the state’s prison.
Julius Roy Willetts, DUI.
PNG. Motion for non-suit
allowed.
Donald Ray Benton,
Shallotte, driving after
revocation. PG - not less than
one year in Brunswick
County jail, suspended 3
years, $300 and court costs.
Elroy Windell Harrelson,
Bolivia, driving with revoked
license. NP.
Kenneth James West,
Wilmington, breaking, en
tering and larceny. PG.
Seven nor more than 10 years
in the state’s prison.
Winfred Robinson, Supply,
reckless driving. Judgment
absolute on bail bond ($200).
Ronnie Holmes, Shallotte,
reckless driving. Judgment
absolute on bail bond ($300).
Hardy Ballard, Phoenix,
resisting arrest and trespass.
Plea of nolo contendere.
Suspended two years upon
conditions that he pay court
costs, shall not trespass upon
lands of E.G. Dale and shall
not go upon lands without his
permission.
Sammie Ervin, Boliva,
breaking, entering and
larceny. NPL.
Vernal J. Spivey, South
(Oontinued On Page Two)