North Carolina Newspapers

ywn. f.’, 0, state jSi’urcirjr r?. 0. state Library Raleigh, R. C. Comp THE DARE COUNTY TIMES P' p? ‘ :;: Vol. IX; No. 23, Manteo, N. C., Friday, December 10,1943 Single Copy 5 Centa frf HOW STORIES OF 3 FIRST FLIGHTS RECOVERING FROM RECENT STROKE WERE SENT OUT K'S.' The Name Drinkwater Is Iden tified With Aviation ^ History in Carolina ! By BILL SHARPE ! Because Tar Keels have a pecul iar fondness for anecdote and leg- , end, the f irst flight of man at Kit- i ty Hawk, N. C., December 17, 1903, i' produced an amazing crop of yarns I which are not only flourishing but E'till multiplying. Any reporter can go to Dare coimty and dig up a half dozen different accounts of the flight—all rf them interest ing. But the story of how the first word of the first ■flig'ht was flash ed from the lonely Banks of 1903 is fairly well nail^ down because the poeple involved are still living. There was more hard work and discomfort than romance in that first flight, and, as a matter of fact. Dare Coimty was not par ticularly interested in the Wi’lsht Brothers on December 17, 1903. They had been a nine-day won der when they came by sail boat from Elizabeth City and started their fantastic glider experiments on the sand dunes, at Kill Devil Hills. The dunes are located on the Bank near Kitty Hawk, and from the top of any of them you get a good view of the Atlantic rolling onto the beach. The dunes, ramble and roam most incohtin- ently, devouring forests; xoajds, streams or anything else in their path, and Kill Devil itself has shifted a good quarter of a mile since it supported its historic bur den. After Warren had gotten the Memorial project through Con gress, anny engineers came in and plairM grass and shnrtis on old Kill Devil and andhtued her down, so the majeartic pylon could be erected on top. Alone of all the great dunes. Kill Devil Is clothed. The others stand out golden on hot summer days, and In the late af ternoons become great, glowing rubles when viewed from Roanoke Islimd across the Sound. ' ' ' ■ V" But on Decembo: 17, 1903, Dare County had turned its attention'to an even more novel and certainly, it would seem, more practical ’ -matter.- Fourteen days before, the submarine M'occasiri 'had run ashore some miles north, and Tlveodore Roosevelt was demand ing regular reports on efforts to free her. Nags Head wai long a .shipwTeck country: The beach is said to have derived its nam efrom pro fessional shipwreckers. But if an ordinary shipwreck was no novelty to these people, a 'submarine slrip- 'wreck certainly was. On Decem ber 12, Alpheus DrinkW'ater, then as now Coast Guard communica tions officer, had gone up to Cur rituck Beach to the wreck and tapped the Coast Guard telegraph line and set up his instrument on an orange crate. Prom this point he tapped out reports on the sub marine's condition, so that the energetic Teddy’s curiosity and anxiety could be assuaged. The first newspaper stories of the first flight must have originat ed from a commerdid message sent through the weather bureau sta tion at Kitty Hawk. The message was relayed at Norfolk and Harry Moore of the Virgiida-Pilot smell ed a story, and checked back on it. Very few people in America paid any attention to the story, or be lieved it. Only two people besides Orville Wright who were at Kill Devil wh«i the plane took off are liv ing today—John T. Daniels cmd Jidm Moore. Daniels lives in Manteo and Moore in Oollington, and both of them have been invit ed to participate 'in the 49th an niversary ceMxwUon. Any iMrallel between B3tty Hawk of that period and aviation today is more discernible by going back to May 1098. when the WMghts returned for some real flying. This time, they were accompanied by a flock of reporters—skeptical but observant. The first actual news paper .‘atory of an airplane flight was sent on May 6, 1908, by the long-suffering Drinkwater, who now i^egan FISHERMEN MAKE MANY NETS FOR COMING SEASON Strong Demand For Seafood Encourages Further In vestment Wright Memorial itKiU De^il Hills LESLIE SUTHERLAND of Man- teo, Wlio several months ago, suf fered a stroke of paralysis which left him partially helpless, is get ting better rapidly, and his me.ny Men-ds will be 'glad to know that he is .able to be up most of t)ie tim'a, and recently cook a few steps. A COOT,ole te i''e'CO''.iery l.s hoped for in the near future. Siithei'land came to Manteo reveral >cars ago fram his forin- ;i' home in Yonkei's, N. Y.. bought a home -and settled h.ere He has since made rn'cny friends in the commun'lty, who regretted his re cent illness 'and who will rejoice to oee him out and around 'town. KELLOGG LEAVES MAYOR'S PLACE FOR COUNTY JOB CommissioneTs Appoint AL torney For County Prosecu tor Replacing Russell Martin Kellogg. Jr., Mayor of Mianteo, was appointed County Prosecuting Attmiey by the Dare Board of Commissioners this week at a salary of $50 -per month, re placing D.JL,iR«sseU,.whose.term expired. Mr. Keliogg ntw' finds it necessary to resign as Miayor of Manteo, which post he has held less lUran a year. He was form erly prosecuting attorney in the Recorder’s Court, but resigned when he became Maj’or, but con tinued as_ County Legal Advisor for $10 a month. Mr. Russell re ceived $30 a mont'n as Solicitor of the Recorder’s Court. The' problem of appointing a new Mayor now comes up 'With the name of O. J. Jones, town coun cilman (in 'the forefront. Ocher suggestions are Former Mayor L. D. Tarking'ton, Tbeo. S. Meekins, Eber Wescott, M. K. Fearing, J. B. Peterson, A. W. Drinkwater, and Mrs. Lucetta Willis. Should Mr. Jones be appointed, there will be a vacancy on the town board, and the name of Ras Weooott has been suggested for 'this place. Mr. Kellogg’s resignation as Mayor will be viewed with much regret. His short stay of (office had been surrounded with many progressive features, and wras a continuation of a progressive a- wakening that seem^ to be com ing to the* administration of the town government. NATIVE OF HYD^ DIES AT BELHAVEN HOME FRIDAY Funeral services for Samuel L. Sawyer, 83, of Belhaven, were held Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock from Trinity Methodist church in Belhaven with the Rev. O. C. Haas, officiaiting. Intetment .was in Mount Olive Ownetery at Ponzer. Mr. Sawyer, a native of Curri tuck township, died at hts home in Belhaven Friday monflng. He had been lU for several days. The Hdye County native was angaged in the lumber business. He was employed as tintoer esti- mater -for the John L. Roper Lum ber Co., tmtil it moved from Bel- Imven, 'and then he frdlowed the same trade for various concerns. Surviviig are his wife, Miranda CuthreU; four sons, Chester of Belhaven, Clyde of Ntorfolk, Reu ben of Ponzer and Harry of Piin- to learn something cess Anne; one daughter, Mrs. about newtoapennen. The first story—the original j Tom Edmundson of Princess Anne. copy of which Drink will gladly H. O. CHESNUT GETTING show you the next 'time you go to one of his famous champagne lawn parties—began: “The WItight BETTER IN BALTIMORE News reaching Manteo last week Brothers, the a«o(nauts, now at from. H. O. Ohesnut, former ma- wm Devil Hill, near here, made a chine operator for the Dare Coun- flrst flight in their new airplane ty Times, was to 'the effect that this aftenioon. Although a test his health is improving and that flight, it was successful in every he is able to be out of bed part respect, the macliine 'being under of the time. Mr. Chesnut has perfect control of its two makers, been, a patient 'at Johns Hopkins traveling for a distance of 1000 Hospital, Baltimore, Md., for a- feet. Apparently it could have bout two months. Mrs. Chesnut (Continued on Page 2) is at his beddde. Tlie strong demand for seafood products, with unusually good profits for 'fisherm'en, has encour aged considerably new net making I in the Dare County section in preparation for 'the coming shad seas'on. ' The fishermen of M&nns Har bor and Stumpy Point are said to be making many new nets, or re pairing and putting into the best of condition their present rigs, according to well-known dealers in 'the villages. Fi^ermen of these communi ties for the better part have had a successfiil year’s work. Many being released from work on de fense jobs that are nearing com pletion are back home in Uie fish ing 'business. On returning home they found considerable work and expense necessary to clean up their prem'-ses, to recondition their boats, motors and nets. They find now that it is mighty expensive to get stakes, and must pay up wards of 50 cents apiece for eveiY .slake they get. Most of the stakes ’ are being purchased from East Lake men, who have made quite j a little money this fall cutting stakes. It is likely the price of stakes will go up, now that ten | cents apiece stumpage is being charged by the resident manager of the property. Heretofore many stakes were brought to the villages by Tyrrell County truck owners, but now the scarcity of gas, itires, and trans portation in General has reduced the avaolability of stakes, which worked to good advantage for the boys in East Lake. Reiwrts (from Hatteras Indicate a highly successful season, and preparations are being made for more fishing in the Spring. The scarcity of labor is the chief thorn in the flesh for (the fishermen. * ' vs'n'-*' s > V O \ \ '' N-*,* ■* ***"*" FUNERAL SERVICES CEREMONIES NEXT ST CLAIR TILLETT, JR.; FRIDAY AT K.D.H. TO BE BROADCAST Young. Manteo Man Dies Sunday . After Being III for Several ' Months; Passing IMounicd Elizabeth City High School' By IlDst of Friends and , Ba^d and Governor To Relatives St. Clair Tillett, Jr., 27. of Man- Bc On Air teo, died early Sunday morning in' Cerent'onies a't Kill Devil HiUs a Norfolk hospital after several Next Pi'lday at whlcfti .time General mon'ths of ill health. Funeral 'H. H. Arnold is slated to be speak- services were conducted at four or, will be broadcast over a Nation- o’clock M'onday afternoon at the’al hookup, according to Bill Manteo Methodist church, by Rev.' Sharpe, Secretaiy to the Commit- M. W. Maness, pastor. Special,tee and representing Governor music was rendered by the church Broughton, who was in Manteo choir, and a duet was sung by Mrs. E. R. Wescott and Mrs. R. I. Leake. Burial was in Manteo cemetery. Mr. Tillett, affectionately known Wednesday. Tlie ceremonies honoring the 40th anniversary of flight, iwili be ing at 10 a.m. but .there is to be an initial broadcast in which Gov- to all his friends as “Punk," was letnor Broughton amd the Elizabeth one of the best liked young men I City High School Band are to be in Manteo, and his death is'featured. Through the courtesy RO\VAN H. QUIDLEY, JR. , * DIES SATURDAY NIGHT THIS memorial, erected by Congi’es.-, in 1928, marks the spot whei'e man first conquered the air. Lindsay Warren, while a member of Congress introduced legislation which resulted in the memorial and envii-ons costing a half milion dollars. NAVY SQUADRON V-17 SEES ACTIVE FIGHTING Men Who Trained Within Last Year At Manteo Airport Go After Japs and Get Them Manteo Child Passes After Long Illness; School Dismissed For Funeral ■ Funeral services for Rowan H. Quidley, Jr., nine years of age, were oonducted Monday afternoon at two o’clock at the Manteo Methodist church, Re.v. M. W. Maness officating. The little boy died e.t his home Saturday night after many months of .suffering from a heart ailment. He would have been in the fourth grade at school this year, and his passing is mourned by his many little friends. Music for Uie services was rendered by a choir made up of members of the fourth grade of the Manteo school and several other grammar grade students. Jack Cahoon sang “Jeaus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,” and the choir sdng “Jesus Loves Me” and “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Pallbearers were Billy Cox, Jule Burrus, Billy Walker. Dan Can- nady, Jr., H. A. Creef, Jr., and Harry Hostvedt, all high school boys. School wzs dismissed at noon in order that the students might attend the funeral. Rowan Is survived by his par ents, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Quidley. eight brothers and sisters, Mrs. Joe Jones, Jane Quidley, Irena Quidley, Earl Quidley, Leonard Quidley, Colleen, Billy and Odell Quidley, all of Manteo; and a large number of aunts, rmclra, and cous ins. MANTEO BOY MARITIME OFFICER CANDIDATE Robert Lee Mklgette, of Manteo, has just enrolled as an offico' candidate at the United States Maritime Service OMteers School, Fort Trumbull, New London, Con- necticut. He is taking an intensive course in deck subjects which he expects will qualify him to take an exam ination in January for his mer chant marine Hcenee as third mate on ocean-going vessels which to day form the supply lines to all United Nations. Mr. Midgette is the son of Mrs. Minnie Midgette of Manteo. PONZER HOME CLUB PLANS OYSTER ROAST The Ponzer Home Demonstra tion Club will sponsor an oyster roast and Chicken supper at the Ponzer Club House, Friday night, December 17. The public is cor dially invited to come and enjoy a delicious supper. Fliers of Navy Squadron V-17, who underwent part of their final training at 'the Afanteo Naval Air Station within the past year, have recently seen active sm’ice over seas. and news from them wUl be of interest to the friends the m«i made'during thelr~ stay oir Roa noke Island. An AP dispatch from a South Pacific base, dated November 13, read in part as follows;: • “A land-based fighter squadron shot down 18 enemy planes Thursday in helping to ward off a Japanese air attack on our carrier force which struck Ra- CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT MANTEO METHODIST Special Music At All Service on Sunday, December 19; Message By Supt. Clegg at Evening Roar haul that day. . ' “Eleven of the victims were bombers, the others fighters. “Ensign Ira Kepford, of Mus kegon, Mach., shot down four bombers. “ T got the first three before they knew, what was happening,’ he related. “The squadron commander, Lt.- Commander John Blackburn, of Washington, D. C., has been here only three weeks and In the firot 15 days he knocked down 15 planes. “Lieutenant Howard Burris, of Orantville, O., got tvo bombers, and Lieutenant Clement D. OUe of Pittsburgh. Pa.. Lieutenant John Kleinman ot Titusville, Pa., Special Christmas services have been planned lor Sunday, Decem ber 19, by the Mianteo Methodist church. They will begin at Sun day School at 10 o’clock, when a program- of Clirlstmas. music and lecltatlons will ’be given' by the children. At the morning 'Worship at 11 o’clock the, pastor will deliver a Christmas message and' the choir will render special selections of Christim'as music. The Young People and Inter mediates will meet for an hour of worship 'and 'followohip at 6:30 The message of Christmas will be presented in song and discussion. At the evening service at 7:30 •the choir will s.ng Christmas an thems, followed by a sermon to be d'Cliverid by Rev. W. L, Clegg, Superintendent of 'the Elizai'b-th City District. At 'the close of the service he will conduct tlie fii’st Quarterly Conference for the year 1943-1944. I Hie ftaeat CHRISTMAS pres eat, yea con give Is sue ot Uoele Sa,ai’B WAR BONDS. Keep en BACKING THE ATTACK. and Kns.gn Robert Hill of Beau fort, N. C.. one bomber each. mourned by a host of friends and relatives. of Miles Clark, the Band’s godfath er, this remarksible musical or- He IS survived by his wife, the. ganization will be 'able to take former Miss Alice Hampton; his part in the ceremonies, father, S. C. Tillett of Maitteo; j Meanwhile plans go aliead for his motlier, Mrs. Emma Tillett of the day, w'ith the local committee Portsmouth, Va.; one brother. Me-j consisting of D. V. Meekins, I. p. Coy Tillett of Manteo; three aunts,Da\'ls, Mte-lvin R. Daniels, Horace Mrs. R. C. Evans and Mrs. A. J.!A. Dough and A. W. Drinkwater, Willis cf M-anteo and Mrs. J. T.)h'oning out the wrinkles. Mr. Sthciidge of Norfolk; and a num-!Drinkwater is master of special en- rof cousins. ' tertainment. Melvin R. Daniels, Pallbearers were Raymond Wes- Secretary to 'the K. D. Hills Me- cott, Belton Buniis, Sam Midgett, morial Association. Jolm E. Fei-e- Earl Green, Ewrlan Quidley and bee and I. P. Davis are ara'anging Marvin Rogers. ,for a fish dinner. Aanong out-of-town people at- Guy H. Lennon, 'head of the tend.ng the 'fiin-eral were Mr and tran.iportation committee, will ar- Mi's. P. L. Hampton, Miss Elinor range transportation from the Hampton, Miss Mildred Midgette, Manteo Airport early in the mom- Mrs. P. H. O’Neal, Mrs. Willie ;ing, for air plane pasengers who Walker, Mrs. Hardy Overton, Mrs.' come for th'e occasion. These will Geo. W. Meiggs, R. A. Griggs, of' be transported to the hill, brought Coin jock; Mi's. Adrian Mathias. • back to Manteo to the dinner, andi Mrs. 'W. B. McClannon, of Baxco; (then'to-the airport for departure. Mrs. Alton Taylor, Maple; Mrs. I Many ot the visitors plan to Norman Ballance, of Currituck; I leave Manteo to take in the Ban- Pierce Qarrlngton, Charlie Doz-' quet at the Statler 'Hotel in Wash ier, of Jarvisburg; Mr. and Mrs. Ington at night when Ondll* Ralph Midgett, A. B. Midgett, of Wright is to foe guest of honor, and Virginia Beach; Mr. and Mrs. E. President R'oosevelt Is on the pro- M. Midgett, Mr. •and Mrs. Curliss gram. ' ' Basnight, Mr. and Mrs. MUvill Horace A. Dough ot Kill Devil Poole, of Norfolk; Mrs. Orlando Hills is arranging tor 'the speakerg Burrus £nd Mrs. Raymond Wes- and broadcasting facilities, cott of Portsmouth, Va., and Miss Many of the visitors will comd' Wilma Jones of Norfolk. into Elizabeth City several days WOODARD’S RELATIVES FIND ^ ahead, and some will take in hunt- tag- tripBr'-'Ottiers" will -come to Manteo before hand. Due to HUNTING GOOD ^*’0'''ded hotel facilities, ■ reserva- , tions for rooms must be made early. ' Aeronautics Commission Meets December- 15 The North Carolina Aeronautics Commission -which is collecting Hyde Farm Agent’s Brother And Brother-In-Law Kill First • Deer There are many deer, geese and DARE SCHOOLS WILL quail this year. Some hunters say, never have they seen so much gome or so many birds. There CLOSE ON FRIDAY arc lew shells available, -however. cia«. To Be Resamed MoMay, and this curtails the shooting Our-4ferchant..Ma.r/ne Our armed merchant ships bore the brunt of sea warfare \n th(= Revolution. Buy War Bonds And Stamps These privateers carried, our ambassadors, dts- patches;snd gold to J Europe, under the en- * emy’5 guns, and brou}hc back arms and ammu.> . riitipn for our troops.; CM JfMHWMI NMUMM I.0(X) merchantmcn.'commiss- ioned as privateers, capt ured at least 3.000 enemy % ships. The greatest transport ation job in history i is now being done by the American Mer- cfia.'-jt Marine,moving i i-nc'.n, equipment and..,.^;^ materials oF war to m"'" 3l( Dsrfcs of the world,, /nfara-Atlo.i cettrtcsyofAnJsn'can y^/xhnrft InsUtulg.Uew >6r^,.. v COPVOICHT 1943 J.V. CLARKS. KITTY HAWK HONOR ROLL THIRD MONTH January 3; Stumpy Point Will Not Close Until December 22 Second grade: Anges Toler, Tan ya Dawn Tillett, Stanley Beach- am, Vonita Haskett. Pourtii grade: Kenneth Clay Til lett, Roy Dale Sowers, Fannie Aus tin Edith Rogers. Fifth grade; Jimmy Chilpepper, Zelda Gamiel, Pemell Perry. Sixth grade: Patricia Miller, Violet Keller, Jean Best, Elaine Stewart, Boyd Midgett. Lindsay Midgett. Sev-cr.th grade; Jennette Tillett, Evelyn G.i.Tilel, Eighth •'-■’.ce; Rhoda Tillett. N'lntii ^rade; Gloria Midgett, Carolyn' Culpeper, Doris Perry. Ten'th "-ade: John Baum, Bur- well Eeacham. MORRIS OF LEECHVILLE GETS PURPLE HEART MEDAL Machinist’s Mate First Class Cornells Morris of Leechville, who suffered ■wounds during the Jap anese sneak attack on Pearl Har bor, was recently awarded the Purple Heart for liis part in that battle. Presentation of the medal was made at an East Coast port. The Weekly Journal of the North Carolina Coastland —Devoted to the Interests of the Lost Colony Country, Embracing the Cape Hattgras National Seashore? t ' >-( .“1 ut- 'in Clarence Woodard, brother of data 'for a state aviation program,- county agent J. P. Woodard and will ho-d a hearing in Elizabeth Yeates Creech, a brother-in-law. City, December 15th, Chau-man who \dsited Mr. and Mrs. Woodard Burgaw. has £U- at Swan Quarter last week took to , ,, . ' . The fields and woods in Hyde Fri-' ^^embers of the commission will day afternoon and Saturday morn- o\er until the 17th and _ go ing and found the hunting good. down partici- Both of the men. who are from Pate in the 40th flight observance' Kenly, killed their limit of geese ^ both days, and each of them killed! ^ (hearing at a deer while here. They enjoyed t'l^6 '*rginia Dare Hotel at 10 ani. their trip very much and found mayors, chair- htmtlng in Hyde County to be' turn to page 4) everytlring claimed for it. All schools in Dare County. -R-lth the exception of Stumpy Point, will close Friday. December 17, for the Christmas holidays, asco.-cling to an announcement this week by Supt.' R. I. Leake. Stumpy Point will close Wednesday. December 22.- remaining open the extra days in/ order to make up some of the timJ lost at the first of the year whea the school was without teachers. Classes will be resumed Monday, January 4, in all the schools. Plans are already in prepara tion for observance of the Christ mas season in 'most of the schools pome time before they close on tl a 17th. LIMIT YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTING THIS YEAR Christmas lighting decorations Eihould be confined to Christmas trees and such attractions as can be fixed up in the home. That is the information received by the Pamlico Ice -and Light Co., at En- gelliatd, and also released 'to newspapers by OWl. The 'following is a sto/tement by J. A. King, Director of tilie Offios of War Utilities: “I am asking the American people to refrain from their Cliristmas lighting custom .. (street decorations, community Cliristmas trees, exterior home home dccoraticns). No mandatory order .is contem plated, it is said, •becau'se it is fell/ that mo.st people realize the need of conserving electric power, as has been suggested before by the Pamlico Ico & Light Co., and othier" utilities advertising.