North Carolina Newspapers

CARTERET COUNTY Astronomical Data Sun Sets Tonight 7:23 p.m. ' Sun Rises Tomorrow 5:04 s.m. Moon Rises Today 12:38 p.nt. Moon Seta Tonight at Midnight. A Merger of THE BEAUFOBT NEWS (Established 1912) and THE TWIN CUT TRIES (Established 1936) 38th YEAR NO. 17. BEAUFORT AND MOREHEAD CITY, NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, JULY 13, 1948 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS 10c A Hospital Committee Requests Increase in County Owner Terms Theatre Total Loss' Saturday morning's fire at the Roda theatre in Atlantic Beach has been termed "a total loss" by own er Alfred B. Cooper, who said also that part of the $200,000 loss was covered by insurance. Mr. Cooper added that rebuilding of the the atre is under consideration. The fire at the Roda. was first discovered at 3 a.m. Saturday mor ning and an alarm was sent by Gerry Norris, night clerk at the Ocean King hotel, to the More head City fire department, which responded with one engine. Norris first learned of the fire from two unidentified girls who discovered the flame while on a beach party. Mr. Cooper was phoned at his residence in Morehead City and he was at the scene by 3:15. The firemen were unable to play water on the blaze, however, since there are no fire hydrants at the beach. They tried to get water from a pressure tank and some from a booster tank, and by doing this the firemen were able to pre vent the fire from spreading. A huge crowd was present, in cluding Newman Willis, mayor of Atlantic Beach, but all were help less because of the lack of water. The Beaufort fire department was notified to stand by, but some time later the firemen there were advised -to the contrary because it was understood that they could in no way help for lack of water. The engine from the Morehead City fire department remained at the scene until 6 a.m. The fire apparently was of mys terious origin, but Cooper ventured the opinion that the blaze started backstage from the curtain motor, possibly because of low voltage. The fire traveled from back stage up to the lobby. Water was played on, thgKtiojfl U. build ing where the office was situated with the hope that the files housed there could be saved. AU the files of the Atlantic Beach, inc., wefe kept there. "Upon investigation after the fire, the files seemed i to be completely lost, but it was hoped that some thing still could be saved. Some other articles, such as lobby furni ture, were salvaged. See THEATRE Page 8 Teen-Age Club, Under Her Plan, To Use Center Three Uighis Weekly Newport Defers Budget Adoption At the monthly meeting of New port commissioners at the town hall Tuesday night, adoption of the new budget was postponed until the citizens of the town can meet Monday night, July 19, to discuss a rise in the Newport tax rate. The present rate is 35 cents per $100. Clarence Millis, street commis sioner who was appointed to head a committee to investigate the street lighting situation in New port, reported that he had not yet completed his investigation. This matter will be discussed at the next meeting. Among the things accomplished Tuesday was the making of the privilege tax list for the year May 31, 1948, to May 31, 1949. The commissioners also approved plans for temporary repairing of the jail. ' 0 Aside from this, routine -matters were considered by the, "commis sioners, such as the paying of monthly bills. Tide Table HIGH LOW Tuesday, July 13 1:11 a.m. 7:35 a.m. 1:02 p.m. c 8:27 p.m. - ' Wednesday, July 14 2:10 a.m. 8:32 a.m. 2:53 p.m. 9:35 p.m. Thursday, July 15 3:13 a.m. .v 9:30 a.m. 3:53 p.m. f : 10:39 p.m. . - ; Friday, July 16 , 4:15 a.m. 10:29 a.m. 4:51 p.m. . 11:36 p.m. Cafe Ownership Shared It wu erroneously reported in Friday's paper that Mrs. Ottis Jef ferson is sole owner of the Caro lina Grill, Turner street, Beaufort Mrs. Jefferson is part owner. Her ton-n-law,. Holden Ballou, who muiagci the cafe, holds the other lalf Interest Marine Air Reserves Begin Maneuvers at Cherry Point Ennett Says Polio Under Control No further outbreak of infantile paralysis has occurred in Carteret county, Dr. N. Thomas Ennett, county health officer, told the News-Times today. The condition of Jean Chadwick, 8, of Beaufort, is not good, accord ing to reports from the family. Jasper Lawrence, 5, of Morehead City, is reported to be in good condition. Both are in James Walker hospital, Wilmington. The Lawreice boy has only par tial use of his left arm but his condition is better than Jean's be cause his case is not as severe. The Lawrence boy has lost some function of his left arm. His pro gress is attributed to the fact that he Was less affected in the begin ning. In the meantime. Dr. Ennett warned the public against the many unfounded rumors being cir culated. He reiterated his pledge of last week that the public will be kept fully informed, and stated CM? fctt.-esst that arc evert so Reeled M feotio will be reported. Dr. Ennett said there is no causa for alarm, but that the wise course is to lead anormal life, for no res trictions will be placed on any of the populace at present. He cautioned the public, how ever, pgainst flies. Ocean and sound bathing are considered safe by most medical authorities if fa tigue and chilling are avoided. Teen-Agers, beginning Friday night, will use the Carteret Recre ation center three nights, a week, Mrs. Harold Sampson, director, an nounced today. At present they are meeting "at the center Tuesday and Saturday nights. They have decided, how ever, that the Friday night will be relinquished any time another org anization wishes to make use of the building. Junior Teen-Agers will be per mitted at Friday night's party from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Only seniors attend Saturday night's affair from 7:30 to 11. Chaperons this Saturday night will be Mrs. E. C. Ballou and Mrs. J. Dewey Willis. Chaperons will be Mrs. Mort Davis, Mrs. George Law.ence, Mrs. Leroy . Guthrie, Mrs. Morris Lewis, Mrs. R. C. Blanehard, and Mrs. Pete Block. The Margaret Rose dancing class will meet at the center at 9:30 tomorrow morning and the Wom en's club antique show will be held there Thursday and Friday. Pro ceeds from the Thursday luncheon will go to the' recreation center which will also receive a per cent age of the profit on antique sales, Mrs. Sampson said. For the Rotary club boat sail Thursday nfght, mothers of Teen Agers and others interested in see. ing the recreation center main tained are helping to prepare food. Among these are Mrs. Russell Wil lis, Mrs. Vernon Guthrie, Mrs. Blanehard, Mrs. , Block, and Mrs. Gordon Willis. The : Telephone Pioneers, ap proximately. 150, will meet at the recreation center at 9 o'clock Fri day morning. , In charge of this meeting is L. A. Daniels, manager of the Carolina Telephone and Tel egraph company here. , A home demonstration meeting Will be held there at 10 o'clock Friday morning, Mrs. Sampson al so reported. :v-.--;"-;-v:v Mothers of Teen-Agers who have donated food for dinners and luncheons at the center are Mrs. Leroy - Guthrie, Mrs. Ed Oglesby, Mrs. Bob Lowe, Mrs. R. T. Willis, Jr., Mrs. R. T. Bowers, Mrs. Ethan Davis, Mrs. Stamey Davis, - Mrs. Herman Guthrie, . Mrs. Milton Webb, Mrs. Linwood Brinson, Mrs. Bill Flowers, and Mrs. Buck Mat- v See- TEEN-AGERS Fag I r Increased aerial activity over the Carteret coast can bo expected this week and next as Marine Air Re serves assemble for their annual two-week maneuvers. Approximately 2,000 reserves were flown to Cherry Point Sat urday in the 59 planes of the com bined transport squadrons. Also flown in were more than 185 Ma rine Corsairs. While at the air station the Re serves will conduct stimulated com bat maneuvers, including dive bombing, rocket firing, and gun nery. The Reserves will work also with Marine ground troops at Camp Lejeune on close support problems during which mock landings will be conducted. Later in the two week maneuvers Rcspp'e pilots with antiaircraft batteries from Camp Lcjcunc will be defending the station, supported by other Re serve aircraft. The annual Marine Air Reserve maneuvers are conducted for the purpose of keeping the "weekend warriors" in top fighting trim, to keep them indoctrinated in the latest Marine corps equipment and tactics, and to determine the ra pidity with which the Reserve can be mobilized, officers explain. Brigadier General Christian Schilt, commander of the Marine Corps Air Reserve, who won fame and the Congressional Medal of Honor in Nicaragua, has brought his headquarters from the-Naval Air station at Glcnview, 111., to Cherry Point and will personally direct the maneuvers. Over 2.000 Reserves have been flown to this area from Glenview, 111.; New York, N. Y.; Miami, Fla.; Squantum, Mass.; Norfolk, Va.; Co lumbus. Ohio; Grosse He, Mich.; Washington, D. C; Atlanta, Ga.; and Willow Grove, Pa. Assisting Marine transport squadron 252 in the mass air movement was a Marine transport squadron stationed at El Toro, Calif., and Navy transport squad rons. Lt. Col. L. S. Reeve, command ing officer of Marine transport squadron, is leading squadron, while Lt. Col. Frank Payne, of the Marine transport squadron at El Toro is in charge of coordinating the movement of the Reserves. Collision Causes $U0O Damage An estimated $',300 damage was the result of an accident at 6:30 Friday night east of Beaufort on highway 70 when a Royal Crown Cola truck from New Bern and a '46 Chrysler collided. W. Wallace, 57, driver of the Chrysler, escaped with bruises aid Randolph Watts, 28, sustained a slight hand injury, according to M. V. Hooper, state patrolman who arrived on the scene shortly after the accident. The cola truck, following the collision, proceeded eastward on the highway until it overturned in a ditch, spilling a full load of soft drinks. Watts faces charges of drunken driving, hit and run, and careless and wreckless driving. Officers Make Three Arrests Sunday Horning ' M. M. Ayscue, ABC officer, and Deputy Sheriff Murray Thomas ar rested three men at 7:30 Sunday morning on route 101 and are hold ing them now on charges of violat ing the whiskey law. All three are being held under $100 bond each and are docketed for trial in this morning's record er's court. Sam Hedgemon is charged with transporting non tax paid whiskey. Matnew Collins and McKinley Smith, traveling with Hedgemon, are charged with aid ing and abetting in transportation of non-tax paid whisky. The men were driving a pulp wood truck belonging to Joe Bate man, who, however, said he did not know it was in the hands of the three Negroes who were on their way to Beaufort, according to Officer Ayscue. The three, defendants are resi dents of the Laurel road and North River section, : Negro Knifes Wife During Argument Hattie Miller, Negro, wife of Bennie Miller, migrant worker from Florida, was seriously knif ed by her husband at 10 o'clock Sunday night near Be?ufort can nery, according to reports from Beaufort police today. The woman is reported to be in good condition at Morehead City hospital where she was taken Sun. day night by Officer Carlton Gar ner. Miller, her husband. 25 years old. was being sought by police yesterday. The Millers lived in shack No. 1 on the old Webster ftibbs property. North River road. Neighbors said the knifing occur red during an argument. According to police. Miller used a sharp instrument, a knife or razor, putting a 10-inch gash in his wife's right shoulder. He also slashed her across the chest. Cbamber Labels Wursday if Day Thursday has been designated as "M" Day. MOVE AHEAD WITH MOREHEAD CITY, by the Cham ber of Commerce. Approximately 56 Chamber of Commerce members will meet at the Fort Macon hotel for break fast at 8 o'clock Thursday morn ing. George Ball, chairman of the chamber's membershiD committee, states that at this time two-man teams will be designated to con tact those who h8ve not yet filled in and returned their membership cards for the 1948-49 fiscal period of the Chamber of Commerce. Tt is estimated that each team will be asked to devote only a very short time to accomplish their goal and that by so handling the mat. ter, no great deal of time or ef fort will be requested of any one individual in order to complete the chamber's membership for the current year. Dr. John W. Morris. Chamher of Commerce president for this year reports that first tabulation of the returns of this year's cards and checks is highly satisfactory. Dr. Morris believes that the most excellent summer business season has been in no small part due to the efforts of the Morehead City Chamber of Commerce and that this fact, plus the gratifying busi ness enjoyed thus far this year will result in the most efficient and effective program yet under taken by this organization. Crops Wither In' Summer Heat Dry weather of the past several weeks has caused unestimated da mage running into thousands of dollars in Carteret county, R. M. Williams, county farm agent, re vealed today. Damage to tobacco alone amounts to at least 25 per cent he said because of lack of moisture. More damage -is being done to the nlants he said by the tebacco flea beetle. Farmers in the eastern section of the county where sweet pota toes are grown have been unable to set out plants due to dryness of the soil, Unless copious rain des cends within the next few days, plants not set by July 20 can not be set at all. - Army worm Is laying waste large ureas of the hay fields throughout the county, - Mr. Williams continued."'- " ?''''.';- :' -V ' Corn, he said, while also suffer ing from lack of rain, is fairly free from parasitical attack. L D. Gore Heads Morehead Rotary Club Installs New Officrs, Will Go on Boal Trip Thursday Morehead City Rotarians install ed their new official family at their regular weekly meeting Thursday at the Carteret County Recreation center. Past President Alvah Hamilton turned the gavel over to Lou Gore, president for the current year and was in turn presented the past president's pin as a token of his accomplishments as president for the year just past. In presenting the award Harvey Joslyn called attention to the good works that the outgoing president had brought about during his tenure of office. The new officers include L. D. Gore, president, George McNeill, vice-vice-president, and Delfido Cordova, secretary treasurer. Di rectors for the 1948-4!) period are George R. Wallace, John Morris, H. S. Gibbs, H. L. Joslyn and Mayor George Dill. Committee chairmen are Stan ley Woodland, club service; W. C. Carlton, vocational service; John Axtell, community service; Ken neth I'rest. international service; Gordon Willis, fellowship; Dardon Kure, Boy Scout and classifica tion; Robert Taylor, music; Boh Lowe, program and public infor mation; Clyde Jones, youth serv ice; James Morrill, attendance; and Alvah Hamilton, Rotary in formation. John E. Bridgers is sergeant-at arms. To inaugurate a program of fel lowship and service, the Rotarians will be thfgttiMrCfirl N. Bennett at' its regular meeting next Thursday night for a cruise aboard his yacht. The group will board the craft at the yacht basin at 5 p.m. Thursday for an eve ning's trip and supper will be served aboard by; Mrs. Harold Sampson and the women assisting her in the interests of the Teen Age club. Rotary's jdinncrs for the month of July arc under the auspices of this group in order to help increase the funds for the benefit of Teen-agers. Aero Club Spends Weekend on Coast More than 50 members of the N. C. Aero club, their wives and I guests, descended upon Morehead City airport between 2 o clock Fri day afternoon and sundown Earl Taylor and his staff extended them a warm welcome, climaxed bv a cocktail Party in the late after noon. The guest roster included the names of practically all of the leading figures in private aviation in North Carolina. Tavlor and his associates pro vided transportation for those who did not have automobiles available. Some of the partv had arranged to visit with friends here, but the majority made reservations to spend the night at Atlantic Beach. The Carolina Racing association was hot o the ?rcup at the rce track Friday night. All of the facilities of the club house were made available to the party, gratis, and a cordial invitation was ex tended to them to the track Satur day night for another visit. Management of the Surf club. Atlantic Beach's leading night snot, likewise asked that members of the tour be their guests at any time during their visit to the Car teret coast. The group left Morehead Satur day morning to fly to Ocracoke where they were the guests of the Wahab enterprises for a noonday barbecue luncheon. Attendance far surpassed that of last year, which was the first such tour the association attempt ed. Plant are being made for an other next year. , j, ...I ' I. :. ... Commerce Eiredsrs To Heel si Koca Tcijy The regular monthly meeting of the board of directors of the More head City Chamber of Commerce will be held at the Carteret, Coun ty Recreation center today at 12: 45 p m. Mr. Harold Sampson, club director, will serve a buffet lunch. Proceeds -will go to the Teen-Age club. I County Charges Run Hospital Into Debt, Group Says S. A. Chalk, Sr., head of the Morehead City hospital board and a committee from the Morehead City Chamber of Commerce yes terday requested county commis sioners to increase the amount of funds for caring for indigent per sons who are hospitalized. The commissioners told Mr. Chalk and the committee that no increases could be made in this year's budget which was officially ad'-nted at yesterday's meeting. The only suggestion commis doners could offer for increasing the amount of funds was to ap nortion part of the Newport and Beaufort ABC revenue to the hos pital. Mr. Chalk declared that it was unfair for Morehead City taxpay ers to bear the expense of sup porting the hospital when patients unable to pay their bills come to the hospital not only from More head but all sections of the coun ty. Pr. K. P. B. Bonner, chairman of the board, in reply to Mr. Chalk's suggestion hat the tax Irate or evaluation be raised to meet costs of hospitalizing indig ent patients, replied flatly that the board would not consider such a move and offered two .sugges tions: change the ABC bill so that 2 12 per cent of each town's liq uor store revenue goes to the coun ty and the county will then divert it to support of the hospital, or make the hospital a county insti tution. James Totter, auditor, pointed out that several years ago a bill was drawn whereby the three towns would share in support of the hospital. Beaufort and New nmt f flr but Morehead CMjf balked, he said. In recent legislatures, II S. Gibbs, Sr.. Carteret county's rep resentative, declared that he would not Introduce any similar bill unless the mayors and boards of each town approved, Dr. Bonner said. Dr. L. W. Moore, representing hospital interests, wanted taf'know why Mr, Gibbs took that stand on the matter. No answer was im mediately forthcoming and it was finally ventured that the repre sentative evidently didn't want to "jeopardize his political career." Mr. Chalk said that within the past 20 years $40,000 in uncol lected bills has piled up. Poor patients did not pay their bills find relatives of patients won't pay them, he declared. Dr. Bonner pointed out that within the 12 months prior to May of this year, the hospital received $7,400 from ABC funds, or ap proximately $15,000 in the past two years. The chairman of the hospital board pointed out, however, that '. the cost of treating a patient has risen tremendously, until now it averages $11.88 per day. The group decided that revision of the ABC bill would probablv be the most likely solution. They See COMMITTEE Page 8 Lack of Water Spelled Destruction at Roda Fire By John Havas The whole tragedy of the Roda 'theatre at Atlantic Beach can be summed up with the words lack of water. Firemen were at the scene and others were standing by, but all were helpless as the leaping flames gutted the once-beautiful theatre because firefighters were unable to obtain sufficient water to keep the damage at a minimum. They were, however, able to keep the fire from spreading. The scene of the fire after the engine of the Morehead City fire department left was a pathetic one. Charred walls stood ruined. The theatre was a shadow of its for mer beauty a miniature Pompeii Roofless, the structure gave en trance to a brilliant sun which highlighted the costly and hand some murals that had enhanced the Interior. The murals now had a different beauty. Expensive upholstery had given way to licking flames, but the charred frames of seats stood firm as before, empty and awaiting a phantom audience, Outside, bills on coming atlnc- tlons that will never be shown still clung- to the wall, determined to await the final destruction. The ruins presented a striking contrast to the remainder of the Funds Mobile Wade Rates Unique Nomination Levi Knowles, of Rose Hill, N, C, was a sick man until about the middle of yesterday after noon. On Sunday's visit here he had 28 one hundred dollar bills in his wallet but on his way home he discovered that the wallet and $2.81)0 were gone. Teday hn's deeply indebted to M b I- Wade, Morehead City, who found the wallet at Atlantic, I'.iach, and turned it over to Mayor Newman Willis. Several Moreh-ad Citv citizens, and un doubtedly, Mr. Knowles, who gave Wade a handsome reward, are ready to nominate the wallet finder for the year's top honors in honesty. Mayor Dismisses Accident Cases Two motor vehicle accidents headed the docket yesterday aft ernoon in mayor's court, Morehead Citv. Both were dismissed. One case was an accident that took place Friday afternoon at 12:15 in front of the First-Citizens Bank and Trust company on Aren dell street. A truck backing out of a parking space collided with an automobile driven by Mrs. Beatrice Hamid, a visitor from Massachusetts. Mayor George wV pllT Jtomid reasonable doubt of negligence on the part of the defendant, Law rence Vickers, the driver of the truck, and so dismissed the case and advised the principals that the case would have to be taken to a civil court for payment of damages. The other accident took plBce on the corner of 8th and Bridges streets 8 a.m. Friday morning. An automobile driven east on Bridges street by Roy Thomas Dickerson collided at the Sixth street inter section with a car driven by Law rence Gates. Mr. Gates' son, Bobby, 8, had his front teeth knocked out and his lip split. Mayor Dill could find no neg ligence on the part of either party and told both that the case would have to be settled out of the mu nicipal court. Thomas Andrew Liston, Cherry Point, and Eric Tillev. Jr., Hills boro, both paid $15 fines and $5 court expenses for speeding. Both pleaded guilty. The case against James Harold Wade, accused of peeping, was continued until next week because the principal witness, Paul Cle land, had not been notified to ap pear in court and was not present at the proceedings. beach, which on the morning fol lowing the fire, was beginning to hum with activity. The area -round the theatre was roped off and charred debris cluttered the sands within hundreds of feet of the scene. Everything was quiet and solemn, and curious passers by stopped and made their own observations and comments about the smoldering remains. Workmen appeared soon on Sat urday morning and began the task of taking the theatre a $200,000 wreck away in sections. Nothing pointed up the tragedy more than did a lone fabric sign, hanging . askew from the ruins with its ironic message, "It's Cool Inside." Jail Crowded Sheriff Gehrmann Holland cas nally announced to county commis sioners that he had 14 prisoners In jail over the weekend and that the board better think about build ing an addition to the place. Court Receipts Total $4,651 A. H. James, clerk of superior "wirt. told the county hoard in its July meeting yesterday the receipts in the clerk's office during June totaled $4,651. From recorder's court receipts were $3,876, super lor court. $678, and probate fees totaled $95. Power Survey Reveals Problem In Transmission Company Plans lo Install Larger Transformers, 'Adequate' Wiring Spasmodic power service in the county has been traced by Tide Water Power company officials to a transmission problem rather than a shortage of power, according to a report received late Thursday from the company. The most urgent need, it wes dis covered during a survey last week, is 'or larger transformers. These arc available, the report continues, and will he installed immediately. Commecial and resident in! con sumer problems have been the rei suit also of inadequate wire. A. E. Jones, vice president of the company said in the report and correction of IJiis condition should go a lont; way in solving the volt age problem, he commented. Mr. Junes again described the company's plans for installation ol a 33,(M)0 volt line from Cherry Point by way of route 101. This line, to be completed in March, will terminate at Beaufort where specifications call for a sub-station equipped in the same manner as the present Morehead Ci y plant. The line from Cherry Point via the Steel Bridge road will be link ed with the line which now comes through Newport by a 33.000 voW line across the causeway between the two towns. Either arm of this loop circuit will be capable of sus taining the full load for both com munities and the eastern part of the county. The power company has suggest ed that Morehead City hospital In stall auxiliary equipment to pro vide emergency power for the op8 ratihg room, exits, and tticubatorsl pointing out that this is standard ' practice in hospitals throughout the country. As soon as transformers are available, a 33,000 volt substation will be constructed near Newport, M Jones said. This will relieve the present Newport circuit of about 450 KVA which can then be. diverted to other uses. At present . this power is supplied, from the Morehead City sub-station. The company's vice-president Stated that Tide Water will con1 tinually strive to improve its ser vice in this area. ' r Davis Legion Post To Repair School The county board of education at its monthly meeting Tuesday granted the Willis Murphy post No. 295, Davis American Legion, permission to repair the schoajj house at Davis and supervise Itl use until otherwise notified by the board. 'Lt The Davis school house will nq 'onger be used because of a redac tion in teacher allotment. Pupils which would have gone to the Da vis school this fall will go to Smyr na. ;.V Frank Hunt, commander of the Willis Murphy post, and Irvin Da vis, both of Davis, appeared be fore the board and requested per mission to use the building. The Legion post, according to Commander Hunt, plans to hold its meetings there. It will also be used for other community func tions at the distinction of Legion naires. , It was agreed by the board that unless repairs were made imme-, diately the building would soon become worthless. ,v Elections Board Abolishes..; Long Pine Precinct 'V. The widely-scattered Long Pine voting precinct in the Open Grounds section of the county kill be abolished, according to a recent decision by the Carteret County Board of Elections. .8. The highest number of votes, tilt by Long Pine residents in the May primary were 14 and in the last five primary and general elections so few votes came in that the board has determined the cost hot, justified by the results. Thus Long Piners have been asked to transfer their registra tions to Wire Grass, Beaufort or Bettie. Officials, Committee to Dine Tide Water Power company of ficials will entertain the Beaufort, power committee at a luncheon at the Blue Ribbon Club at 12:30 to day, ,,,