THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 45 NUMBER 31 16 PAGES TODAY SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA FEBRUARY 20,1974 10 CENTS A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Energy Crisis Hits Home
Empty Tanks, Short
Pump Hours Prevalent
By BOBBY HILL
The energy crisis struck the
Southport - Oak Island area with a
vengeance this past week.
As the area’s gasoline supply
dried up, those few stations selling
fuel were swamped with lines of
customers sometimes reaching
several blocks. Reports have been
received of flaring tempers while
customers waited for a chance at the
pump.
A telephone survey of several
station owners showed general
dissatisfaction and disapproval with
Gov. James E. Holshouser’s gas
distribution system announced
Sunday.
Holshouser’s voluntary plan would
have those with license tags ending
in odd numbers buying '/uel on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Those with tags ending in even
numbers could buy gas on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays.
The governor also asked drivers to
avoid buying less than half a tank at
one time. He urged stations to sell a
minimum of 10 gallons per pur
chase.
Reaction to the proposal varied
from the unprintable to an attitude
of “leaving it up to the customer.”
No owner or operator said he ex
pected to enforce the plan.
Distribution of nonexistent
gasoline is the problem most area
service stations face. As most
station operators could put it, “Yes,
we have no gasoline today.”
Convenient Food Mart was one of
the few retailers selling gas Monday
morning. Of over 20 cars lined up for
refueling, only two autos sported
odd- numbered tags. Neither driver
had heard yet of the distribution
plan^l
Convenient owner - operator
Bryan Grimes closed his pumps at
about 10 a.m. Within a couple of
minutes, he turned away almost half
a dozen gas-hungry vehicles.
Grimes &id he “can’t afford” to
pump alUday. He plans to pump
unspecified hours in the morning
and afternoon.
“Service station owners are doing
a public service when they’re
pumping gas, because they’re losing
money,” declared Grimes, claiming
price controls make no allowance
for labor overhead.
With 4,000 gallons of the scarce
commodity on hand, Grimes said he
anticipates two more 8,000 gallon
deliveries this month. His was one of
the few stations reporting any op
timistic prediction on fuel delivery.
At least half a dozen other station
operators reported they are out of
gas. Unanimously, these operators
said their distributors have not
given them any definite com
mitment on the next load of
petroleum.
“They don’t tell you a damn
thing,” one operator complained of
his distributor.
A few stations have a small
amount of fuel, which they intend to
stretch out — regardless of the 10 -
gallon purchase asked by the
governor. Vereen’s Gulf and South
port Sunoco of Southport and Joyce’s
Unico of Long Beach reported
having limited amounts of gas.
High prices have accompanied the
drought — with more certain raises
in the future. Prices for regular
gasoline ranged from 47.7 cents a
gallon to 64 cents.
The wide difference of prices,
according to Jimmy Cochran of
Harbour Grocery, reflects the
higher cost of Middle East crude oil
and the relatively cheap domestic
crude. He maintains the in
dependents are supplied the costly
foreign oil product, whereas the
(Continued on page 4)
DEED TO LAND for a new fire department
building at Boiling Spring Lakes was presented
Friday night to the department by Arthur
Greene, right, general manager for Reeves
Telecom Corp., developer of the Brunswick
County community. Accepting the document is
Loren F. Gay, chairman of the fire department’s
board of directors, while fire chief E.C. Meade
looks on.
Aldermen Talking About
Local Support Of Dosher
By BOBBY HILL
The Southport Aldermen
Thursday Instructed city
attorney E.J. Prevatte to
Investigate "with urgency"
the possibility of financing
Dosher Memorial Hospital
without county funds.
This came after the reading
of a local news account that
trustees of the Brunswick
County Memorial Hospital
are proceeding with con
struction. They reportedly
see lack of state approval for
construction as “no
problem.’’
“Are we going to allow this
County Roads
Project Noted
Secondary road projects for Brunswick County
during 1974 have been announced by the Depart
ment of Transportation.
Work approved for Brunswick County:
SR 1183 — Pave 0.60 miles from NC 904 to dead
aid, $15,000.
SR 1356 — Pave 0.75 miles from SR 1302 to dead
end, $20,000.
SR 1345 — Pave 0.50 miles from US 17 north,
$15,000.
SR 1521 — Grade, drain, base, pave 2.10 miles
from SR 1539 southeasterly, $105,000.
SR 1439—Base and pave 0.60 miles from SR 1438
to Sr 1347, $30,000.
SR 1207 — Grade, drain and partial stabilization
0.40 miles from SR 1143 to dead end, $7,000.
Brunswick County’s total allocation for the year
is $240,000.
matter to proceed un
challenged?” Mayor Eugene
Tomlinson asked.
Tomlinson also criticized
county commission Chair
man W.A. Kopp, Jr., for
failing to call a meeting
between Dosher proponents
and commissioners.
Tomlinson said he has
requested such a meeting
from Kopp twice during the
past two weeks. He said he
had “waited patiently,” and
he charged that Kopp “has
not had the courtesy to reply
either to the telephone call or
to the letter.”
The aldermen also said
they are considering a
“sizeable contribution”
based on a |40,000 county
commissioner donation to
Dosher this fiscal year.
A letter was read from
Southport county com
missioner John Bray, urging
the aldermen to make a ‘‘like
contribution” to Dosher.
Bray’s letter reportedly
stated he was “proud to take
part” in the financial aid to
the hospital. Bray was
reportedly unable to attend
the meeting because of illness
in his family.
The aldermen maintained
they have paid more than
their share of the hospital’s
upkeep in the past. They have
reportedly paid $5,000 so far
this fiscal year (since July 1,
1973)0, which includes free
electricity.
Dosher trustee chairman
W.B. McDougle said an in
vestigation of records since
(Continued on page 4)
Simmons Changes Vote
Sheriff Will Get Cars;
■xh>
Willetts Gets Contract
By BOBBY HILL
The county commissioners
Tuesday reinstated a con
tract with Willetts Ford for 14
cars for the Brunswick
County Sheriff Department.
In other business, the
commissioners stalled again
on buying sanitary landfill
equipment. Commissioner
J.T. Clemmons first had
proposed an unsuccessful
motion to transfer landfill
funds towards construction of
Brunswick County Memorial
Hospital.
The decision to give the
$54,000 vehicle contract back
to Willetts came after heated
discussions and two split
votes. The final motion
carried “instructions” to
Sheriff Harold Willetts and
County Manager Neil
Mallory to insure fuel sup
plies for the cars.
Voting for the cars were
Commissioners Vardell
Hughes, Robert Simmons and
Chairman W.A. Kopp, Jr.
Clemmons and Com
missioner John Bray
remained in opposition.
Bray explained his
negative vote as “strictly
business” and “a point of
legal matter.” He maintained
the contract had been
breached by failing to meet
the delivery deadline.
Clemmons originated the
contract - voiding February
4, questioning the passed
delivery deadline of January
1. He also questioned the
judgement of buying 14 of the
largest motors available in
the midst of the energy crisis.
Clemmons again em
phasized the gasoline shor
tage Tuesday. “We’re into a
downright crisis, and I’m
going to vote no unless
somebody will prove we can
get gas,” he said.
Sheriff Harold Willetts
replied that Clemmons
should call the office of
Governor James E.
Holshouser, Jr., for that
assurance. “I believe the
governor’s office is closed,
but I’d like you to call him,
Mr. Clemmons,” he said.
Sheriff Willetts spoke for
almost half an hour in favor
of buying the cars. “I’d ap
preciate it if you fellows
reconsider what you’ve
Island Marina
OK With State
A state permit has been
issued for Carolina Cape
Fear Corporation to dredge a
marina on Bald Head Island.
The corporation will be
allowed to dredge a 10-acre
marina and access channel
by the Cape Fear River at the
western side of the island.
In the modifying stage for
two years, the permit was
issued last Wednesday by the
Department of Commercial
and Sports Fisheries.
Steve Meehan of the State
Department of Natural and
Economic Resources said the
permit Includes certain
standards to be followed. He
said the corporation must
contain all dredge spoil by
dikes in a 25- acre area. The
dikes must be grassed to
prevent erosion and must be
safeguarded to maintain
water quality from dredging
effluent of the project, said
Meehan.
John Parker of the
Fisheries Department said
Coastal Act Expected
To Be Watered Down
The Coastal Management
Act last Thursday in the
legislature faced a concerted
attempt to water the bill
down.
The House Water and Air
Resource Committee last
week considered several
amendments in an attempt
by proponents of the bill to
pass it this session.
However, some stronger
measures to gut the bill will
reportedly be proposed this
week.
Opponents of the act object
to the proposed selection of
the Coastal Resources
Commission (the bill’s policy
making body), which would
be appointed by the governor.
The opponents are asking
for additional local and
county control in coastal
management.
Efforts by Democratic
coastal legislators have
reportedly been made to
insure this local control by
the coastal counties in the
selection of the commission.
The 12-man commission
would lay down planning
guidelines for planning of
areas of “environmental
concern” in the 22 coastal
counties.
No vocal opposition to the
bill from Brunswick County
has been heard. Rep. Tommy
Harrelson has repeatedly
expressed approval of the
plan, and the county com
missioners have given their
tacit approval.
Opposition to the selection
and consistency of the
commission has led
Republican proponents,
particularly from New
Hanover County, to charge
that opposition has been
generated on strictly partisan
lines. This charge has come
despite the involvement of
lobbying interests.
“If there was a Democratic
governor in office, there
wouldn’t be any problem with
(Continued on page 4)
the conditions are a result of
three or four on-site meetings
between developers and fish
and wildlife personnel.
Parker said the permit,
effective until December 31,
1975, also requires a drainage
pipe at the low water line.
The use of septic tanks on
the island is prohibited,
according to Parker. He said
(Continued on page 4)
done,” he said. He main
tained purchase of the cars
will enable his department to
purchase fuel under an
emergency program giving a
nigh priority to law enfor
cement vehicles. The sheriff
deputies presently drive
private vehicles and are
awarded no privileges in
obtaining gas.
Prior to the sheriff’s
presentation, Kopp read a list
of statistics showing growth
of the county law enfor
cement department from 1966
to 1973. He said papers served
by deputies increased from
471 in 1966 to 4,326 in 1973.
Arliss Willetts,
representative of Willetts
Ford, told the commissioners
he had received seven of the
cars. He said six of the
vehicles are in Winston
Salem and can be delivered
“before the weekend.” The
remaining squad car, he said,
is on the District assembly
line and should be delivered
(Continued on page 4) \
Dosher Shows j
Month’s Profit I
Dosher Memorial Hospital
trustees Monday reported a
profit of 12,700 for January
but an annual loss of $34,000.
The trustees also granted
privileges to admit patients
to Dr. Paul Leslie Stuck, an
obstetrician - gynecologist.
Dr. Stuck was reportedly
approved earlier that evening
by the medical staff
credentials committee.
Administrator William F.
Cupit delivered the annual
audit to the trustees. The
board indicated they will give
a further report on the audit
at their next meeting, after
having time to study the
report.
Cupit also reported a 82
percent collection rate of
patient billings since July
1973. He said he has collected
about $8,000 of $10,000 billed.
“That’s a very good
collection,” said Charter
Medical consultant Don
Caldwell.
A large part of Dosher’s
previous financial losses
have come from uncollected
patient bills. Charter is
reportedly owed about
$200,000 In unpaid bills.
Trustee chairman W.B.
McDougle was absent due to
illness. Trustees A.H.
Gainey, Jr. and L.T. Yaskell
were also absent, with
Yaskell reportedly on
vacation.
Trustee Ralph Nordquest
and vice - chairman Ed
Johnson joined In requesting
financial aid from the city of
(Continued on page 4) 5
Filing Deadline
The deadline for filing for the May primary is
noon Monday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the following people
had filed for office: Democrat W.A. Stanley, Jr.
for county commissioner, Democrat Andrew Gray
for county commissioner, incumbent May W.
Barbee for county board of education, Republican
Larry Andrews for coroner and incumbent
Democrat Lowell T. Bennett for coroner.