PRIZE-WINNING
NEWSPAPER
of the l
TAR HEEL COAST
CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES ?x
4 5th YEAR, NO. 76. THREE SECTIONS TWENTY-KOUB PAGES MOBEHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT. NORTH OAROLINA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. 1956 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Large Fire Destroyed
Davis Building in 1927
By F. C. SALISBURY ?
Answering an alarm on the
morning of Dec. 21, 1927, Beaufort
firemen fought for several hours
a fire that destroyed the Davis
building at the southwest corner
of Front and Turner streets, one
of the oldest store buildings in
the town.
The fire started in the lower
section of the building occupied
as a fish house by Congleton and
Mann. Other occupants of the
building were Carolina Seafood
Co. and an oyater house and res
taurant owned by the Willis Sea
food Co. Most of the contents of
* the building were destroyed, as
well as a truck belonging to the
Carolina Seafood Co.
The building was the property
of the Simmons Construction Co.
which purchased it some two years
before the fire. At the time this
company was engaged in highway
construction from Beaufort to At
lantic.
There are two versions as to the
construction of the building which
was of solid wood material two
stories and a "jump" high. Credit
Is given for the erection of the
building to James C. and Henry
Davis who built it shortly after
the big storm of August 1879 that
washed away the Atlantic Hotel.
The Davis brothers conducted a
mcrchantile business in the build
ing for a number of years.
Built on Island?
The other story about the con
struction of the building, states
that it was built on Carrot Island
, opposite the town by the Federal
Government during the Civil War
for use as a Naval Hospital.
After the close of the war it is
said to have been moved to the
site it occupied at the time of the
fire, either by the Davis brothers
or other parties. Before the con
struction of the seawall, the build
ing stood partly out over the water,
permitting boats to dock at the
wharf for loading and unloading
supplies.
Of later years, before the prop
erty was purchased by the Sim
mons Construction Co. it was
known as the Hancock-Huntley
building. This firm conducted a
general wholesale business there
for several years.
In October 1925 when the Lof
tin Motor Co. was formed for Ui*
? ? -??*? . ?* - -? "i?hT
Set FlRK, Pa*e 2
Court of Honor
Date Changed
The date of the D?y Scout
Court of Honor, scheduled for
this coming Sunday night, has
been changed to Sunday, Sept.
30. according to Rudy Alexander,
district Scout executive.
The ceremony will begin at
7:30 p.m. in the First Methodist
Church. Morehead City. Ethan
Davis, Morehead City, district
commissioner, will preside.
liost troop will be 130, More
head City, E. G. McKinley, Scout
master. Mr. Alexander said he
hopes all troops in the county
will be represented. Boys will
receive merit badges and ad
vancement awards.
Roy Hutchins
Will Command
Cutter Chilula
Roy M Hutchins, USCG, for
merly attached to the Ninth Coast
Guard District, Cleveland, Ohio,
will be the commanding officer
of the Coast Guard cutter Chilula.
Morehead City has recently been
designated by Coast Guard Head
quarters in Washington, D. C\, as
the permanent station of the Chi
lula.
The Chilula is a 205-foot auxil
iary tug which was recently ac
quired from the Navy.
She is now being reactivated atj
the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay,
Md., and is expected to be com
missioned on or about Oct. 20, |
1956 when she will proceed to ]
Morehead City.
The Chilula was first commis
sioned April 5, 1945 at Charles
ton, S. C., and served in the Asia
tic Pacific War Zone in routine
towing operations for the Navy.
She also served on escort duty
from the Marshall Wands to Ja
pan in 1945, and was decommis
sioned in 1947.
be transferred to Cape May, N. J.
Farm Bureau D'ay Set
For Thursday, Sept. 27
Thursday, Sept. 27. will bo Farm
Bureau day in Carteret County.
That is when the annual Farm Bu
reau membership enrollment pro
gram will go into full swing, said
C. N. Stroud, chairman of the
county membership committee.
A kick-off meeting for the e?
rollnicnt program will be held at
7:30 Wednesday night, Sept. 26,
at Capt. Bill's Restaurant. Prin
cipal speaker will be Paul Shackle
ford. North Carolina field repre
sentative. All membership aolici
? tors will attend.
Mr Stroud said the counfe Farm
Bureau will be aiming for a mem
bership record. The slatcwide drive
is called by the North Carolina
Farm Bureau a campaign to reach
"Big League* status in American
Farm Bureau membership totals.
This would entail a membership
sizable enough to rank North Car
olina among the top eight states
in the nation.
The county unit has set a quota
of 400 as the enrollment goal, but
t
Club to Observe
National Week
In observance of National Bus
iness Women's Week, the Carteret
Business and Professional Women's
Club will present radio devotional*
next week. Mrs James Smith, first
? vice-president of the club, has an
nounced.
Women's wear stores in Beau
fort and Morrhead City kave been
requested to decorate windows
along the business women's theme.
Posters arc also being distributed.
The week will be climaxed with
a tea Sunday afternoon, Sept. 30.
The club will hold its regular
meeting at 7 p m. Tuesday at the
Blue Ribbon club. A roast turkejr
dinner will be served.
Assisting in plans for the week
is Miss Georgie Hughes, public af
fairs chairman. President of the
club is Mrs. Roma Noc, Beaufort.
Two Andrew Robinsons
The Andrew Robinson listed by
the State Highway Safety Division
as having hli license revoked for
drunken driving is Andrew Robin
son, Negro, of Vanceboro, and not
Andrew Robinson of Morehead
City a* stated in Tuesday's paper.
The error was made by the clerk
of court at New Bern.
Chairman Stroud hopes to lop that
amount considerably. Last year's
membership total was 320. The
membership bead said community
captains would be depending on
the Farm Bureau women to aid
them towards a successful enroll
ment.
The following have been named
membership solicitors:
Morehead City: Mr. Stroud and
Robert Laughton.
Beaufort: Kearney Merrill Jr.,
H. W. Merrill, Brondell Gillikin,
John Felton, and Rogers Murray.
Newport: Guy Pridgin, P. M.
Garner, W. J. Hardesty, Gordon
Becton, Y. Z. Simmons, Sanimie
Garner. Carl W. Gamer, C. A. Mc
Cabe, Floyd Garner, Jack Garner,
Pernell Hardesty, Clarence Willif,
and Julian Weeks.
Gloucester: Osborne Pigott.
Stella: L. W. Pelletier, Iceland
Morris, John Young, and Milton
Truckoer.
Farm Bureau leaders met Mon
day night to consider a uniform
policy governing organizational
procedure la their localities.
The first couaty level report
meeting has been set for Oct. 12.
"We hope we will have exceeded
our quota by that time," Mr.
Stroud said.
County Will Open Bids on Health Center
At 2 Wednesday, Oct. 1 0, at Courthouse
Committee Sets
Centennial Week
For June 9-15
Group Names General
Chairman at Meeting
Monday Night
June 9-15 has been set as the
week for the Morehead City Cen
tennial. The dates were set at a
meeting of the centennial steer
ing committee Monday night.
Full moon, "necessary to the
success of the water parade,'' the
committee says, falls on Wednes
day, June 12.
Chairmen Named
General chairmen of ccntennial
week events were named. They
are Herbert Phillips, entertain
ment; Warren Beck, advertising;
Alfred Cooper, program; Mrs. D.
G. Bell and Mrs. Truman Kemp,
publicity.
John Lashley, parades and dec
orations; Chief Herbert Griffin,
parking and traffic; T. T. (Tom)
Potter, fishing and boating; Wal
ter Morris, commercial; the Nov.
A. G. Harris Jr., religious activi
ties; and J. R. Sanders, finance.
To Meet Monday
General chairmen will meet with
the steering committee at 8 p.m.
Monday at the chamber of com
merce office.
Attending Monday night's meet
ing were Charles Markcy, general
chairman; Grovcr Munden, Jasper,
Bell, Mr. Sanders, Bernard Leary I
and Joe DuBois.
Gloucester Club
Discusses Site
For Clubhouse
Selection of property for a club
house and park was discussed at
the Tuesday night meeting of the
Gloucester Community Club. The
club met with Mr. and Mrs. Wal
ter Stewart.
Richard Whitehurst, president,
was authorized to inquire about
likely sites.
The possibility of constructing
a public dock at the end of the
ferry dock road was also discussed.
Bill Pigott was appointed chair
man of a committee to design a
community project for the county
fair next month. It was decided
that a miniature landscape of the
community would be constructed.
Less trash and litter along the
highway was noted, the club offi
cials laid they thought the Com
munity Club signK were important
factors in the improvement. The
signs were placed along roads and
have cleanliness slogans painted
on them.
A nominating committee was
named. Miss Josic Pigott, Mrs.
Gertrude Whitehurst. and Miss
Hilma Chadwick will nominate
candidates for club offices for the
coming year.
Elections will be conducted at
the next business meeting sche
duled for Oct. 9 it the home of
Miss Josic Pigott.
Saturday. Sept. 3d, is picnic day
for the club. Each member will
bring his own food and cook it at
the new outdoor fireplace. The
picnic is scheduled to begin at S
o'clock.
Officer's Grave Marked
Photo by r C Sallitoui y
The An Wmt Cemetery Annotation ku placed a marker hi the
Aaa Street Cemetery, Beaafort, where ? Britiah officer la allegedly
buried In upright poaitioa. The grave la Bear the rear ef Parvia
Chapel. The aurfcer reada, "Thla ate ae marka the grave of aahaawa
BrtUah Officer who died la Beaufort and repeated that Ua hody he
buried ataading ap la Ml droaa aaUorm. Keating Booth a foreign
groond. here ataada a aaDor of Mad Oe a?pa*a erowa, aame anhaooa
aad all alone, ataadlag hi the Kehei'a Ground." ? Braatley.
'Let's See, That Will be $1.50'
- - ?* .
Bin Red, ('apt. Ottis Purifoy*s cat, rings Bp another sale on the
cash register at the fish market ... or (o it seems. The whirling
numbers on the register fascicule him and be tries to catch them.
( Jl s T . P*M*?-oy Reginald l/wii
ftere ttw vfcrtiK^Hm qtttfil Mm In #ilt? ? businesslike position.
Ktg Red vows for his mjsffrSi{Sn>?raefcs. ??<i-bwr! That fish Is the
best!"
A. C. Blankenship
Heads Jaycees
Danforth Hill resigned as presi
dent of the Beaufort Jaycees Mon
day night at their weekly meeting
at the Scout Hut. Vice-president
A. C. Blankenship was promoted
to the presidency and will com
plete the term.
Mr. llill is returning to active
duty with the Army Sept. 29. He
is a reserve first lieutenant. After
a 14-week course at Fort Knox,
Ky., he will report to the Fourth
Armored Division at Fort Hood,
Tex.
The chairmen of the football
gate and concession stand com
mittees were not present to make
their reports, but Mr. Hill ??id
that the attendance at the Beau
fort-Camp Lejeune game was be
low the hopes of the Jaycees.
Billy Downum was appointed a
one-man committee to study an
"eye bank" project the Jaycees
have been asked to undertake. He
will advise the group as to the ac
tual operation of such a plan.
Cherry Point
Pilot Killed
Capt. LcRoy L. Hovde, 27, was
killed Tiirsday it Cherry Point
when his Marine Corpa Jet crashed
during simulated carrier landing
practicc.
A squadron pilot and training [
officcr with Marine Kighter Squad- .
rnn 122. Ilovde was scheduled to |
board the USS KorresUl with the
squadron next month.
Survivors include his widow, the
former Marjnrie A. Ilavenick of
Everett. Wash., who now lives at
Have lock; Ihcir daughters. Jill.
3. and Kim. 1; and his faUier.
Lloyd J. Ilovde of Route 4, Mount
Vernon, Wash.
James R. Sanders Named
At County Key Banker
James R. Sanders, cashier of the
Firat-Citizcns Bank and Trust Com
pany, has been appointed aa
"County Key Banker" in Carteret
County for Ihe next 12 months by
the North Carolina Bankers Asso
ciation.
Mr. Sanders will help coordinate
Banker-farmer activities to work
for a better balance between agri
eulture and other aegmenU of Ufe
state's economy, said NCBA pres
ident Louis 0. Brooks.
County Rural Population
Grows, Crop Acreage Off
While (he number of people liv
ing on farm tracts in Carteret
County was increasing during 1955,
the number of acres of crops har
vested dropped, according to the
1056 farm census. The rural pop
ulation of the county increased
from 3,050 to 3,420 during the
year, but the total acres harvested
dropped from 12,805 to 12,169.
Corn accounted for 28 per cent
of all harvest crops, with soybeans
and tobacco second and third.
Truck crops made the only gain
in acreage among the top four
during the year.
Corn dropped from 3,527 acres
in 1954 to 3,451 acres in 1955. Soy
beans went from 2,072 acres tq
1,896 and tobacco acreage fell
from 1,869 to 1,757. Truck crops
increased from 1,506 to 1.629 acres.
The total number of livestock in
the county also decreased during
the year. Sows and gilts for breed 1
ing numbered 552 at the first of
the year but only 498 at the end !
Cows and beifers over two years |
old kept mainly for beef showed
the least percentage of loss. Jan
I, there were 1,175, and Dec. 31.
there were 1,130. Dairy cattle
showed a lost of 72 head, from
598 to 526.
Ifens and pullets of laying age
dipped some 3,000 in number
There were 19.211 at the beginning
of the year, but only 16,460 Dec.
31.
The N. C. and U. S. Departments I
of Agriculture, Crop Iteporting
Service, which released the above I
figures drew its information from
farmers who reported to their farm
census supervisors and township
listers during January 1956.
Chamber Presents.
First Radio Forum
The proponed bridge from L,en
noxville Point to Straits was the
subject for discussion on the Beau
fort Chamber of Commerce radio
program Wednesday night. The
program was the first of a scries
of radio forums on problems im
portant to Beaufort residents.
In the discuuion, J. P. Bctts,
Beaufort postmaster, represented
Beaufort citizens, and Glenn H.
Adair, Gerald Hill, and Holden
Ballou represented the Chamber
of Commerce.
Miss Pat Springle, chamber sec
retary, announced that the next
radio forum would be held Ilk
about a month.
Letters Request
Girl Scout Funds
Letters have gone out to busi
nessmen in the county requesting
their help in the Girl Scout finance
drive.
The drive opened Wednesday
and will close next Friday, Sept.
28 A door to-door canvass for
funds will take place in Beaufort
tonight, according to Mrs. W. 1.
Loftin, finance chairman.
Should some persons have failed
to receive letters, they may con
tribute to the campaign by mail
ing their money or check to Girl
Scout Finance Drive, Box 632,
Morehead City, N. C. Contributions
arc income tax deductible.
Mrs. Hugh Porter, district di
rector for Carteret and Craven
Counties, reported this week that
three women completed the 20
hour Girl Scout leaders training
course at Atlantic last week. They
arc Mrs. Bert Johnson, Mrs. Ruth
Fulcher and Mrs. Eva Hill.
Others who attended some of
the sessions were Mrs. Eunice
Paul, Mrs Alma Nelson. Mrs. Mary
Taylor. Mrs. Gerald Fulcher, Mrs.
Nadene Harris, Mfs. Mary Frances
Webb, Mrs. Reba Salter, Mrs. Ma
rian Rice and Mrs. Janice Smith.
The course scheduled for New
port this week was cancelled be
cause less than the minimum re
quired, eight persons, attended the
first session. Mrs. Porter said that
the course will be offered again
the week of Oct. 29 at Newport.
Mrs. Porter is leaving tomorrow
for a month's initial Girl Scout
training course a? Michigan State,
East Lansing. She will return Oct.
21.
Mayor Clarifies Status
Of Lot Near Hospital
Mayor George Dill, More-head
City, said thia week that the town
does not own the property neit
to the Morehead City Hoapital on
which ? trailer la tow located.
The property ia owned by Alfred
Pittman, he aaid, who permitted
the town to use it aa a parking
lot. Mr. Pittman and hia wife are
now living in a trailer ?o tba lot
Chemists to Hear
William Bridgers
William A. Bridgers, of Kinston
and Morchcad City, will be the
speaker when the eastern North
Carolina section of the American
Chemical Society meets tomorrow
at the Fish and Wildlife labora
tory, Pivers Island.
Mr. Bridgers, a chemist at Du
Pont, will speak on special prob
lems encountered in soil testing
William A. Brid(ers
...with Dul??at
and cottonseed grading. The meet
ing will start at 4 p.nv, followed
by dinner at 8 p.m. at the Sani
tary Fish Market and Restaurant,
Moreliead City.
Prior to the meeting He chem
ists and their families have been
invited to Mr Bridgrrs' home It
230ft Evans St. and hia summer
cottage at Ocean Jlidge.
Fifty members of the society are
expected. The chemists also held
their first meeting of the year,
their fall session, at rivers Island
last year.
1IH.H
LOW
Friday, Sept. II
8 42 a m.
8:66 p.m.
2:27 a.m.
2:57 p.m.
Salarday, Kept. 22
9:18 a.m.
9:33 p.m.
3:01 a.m.
3:36 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23
9:57 a.m.
10:13 p.m.
3:36 a.m.
? . 4:18 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 24
10:41 a.m.
10:57 p.m.
4:16 a.m.
6:04 p.m.
diun on me county neaun
center will be opened at 2
p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, in
the court room of the court
house. The county board of
commissioners will review
the bids and have the right
to reject any or all of them,
according to Moses Howard,
| chairman.
j The health center, to cost ap
proximately $33,000, will be built
ttith county, state and federal
funds. It will be located at the
southeast corner of the intersection
of Turner and Cedar Streets, Beau
fort.
Interior floor space will cover
approximately 2,000 square feet.
The main entrance will be at the
west end of the building on Cedar
Street. (Cedar Stieet will be the
new Highway 70 through town
after the bridge is built).
A 13 by 25-foot assembly room
ttill be at the west end of the
building on Turner Street.
On the south side, facing the
present courthouse annex where
health offices are now located, will
be an office for the clerk, office
for the health officer, treatment
rooms and laboratory.
Across a 5 foot corridor on the
north side will be the sanitarian's
office, nurse's room, X-ray room,
dark room, storage room and lava
tories.
Three contracts will be let ? ?
general, plumbing and heating and
electrical.
The architect is William Moore
Weber, Raleigh.
Full details on submitting bids
for the health ccnter appear in
the legal section of today's paper.
The health center represents the
second major building project un
dertaken by the county in a year.
The new jail is now under con
struction on the east side of the
courthouse square.
Vice-President
Conducts JC
Session Monday
Jaycee vice president Brit) Davli
presided at Monday night's meet
ing of he Morehead City Jaycors
at the Hotel Fort Macon. Mr Da
vis conducted the meeting as a
part of the Jayccc leadership
training program.
Prcsdient Herbert Phillips re
ports that work on the field would
be completed next Wednesday af
ternoon.
Several new projects were dis
cussed at the meeting, and reports
lrom standing committees heard.
Among the new projects are the
Voice of Democracy speaking pro
gram supervised by Tommy Cor
dova; Fire Prevention Week under
Ralph Styron; and National Bible
Week, Paul Cordova and Bill Sin
gleton.
Bob Mcl,can was named chair
man of the Get-Out the Vote com
mittee. The committee will operate
on a nonpartisan basis and em
phasize the fact that every vote
is a vote for democracy, Mr. Phil
lips laid.
Reports were heard from the
football committee. The crowd at
? Friday night's game between
Morehead City and Swansboro was
estimated at 1,300.
The advance ticket sales com
mittee gave a preliminary report
and said that about *000 had been
expected *? morC
OS Rocket Rocks
Man to Hospital
Guy Van Avery. Route 10J, Beau
fort, rocketed his Olds west on
Arcndell St., Morehead City, about
4 o clock yesterday morning
At press time last night he was
in Morehead City Hospital still
?n~??cious It was quite a rocket
*dc took down Aren
dell St. as Patrolman Murphy Jen
kins can testify. He saw it all.
At 33rd St. Avery veered off the
road, bounced against a big gas
sign at J & I, Tr*?eo station then
tore back across Arcndell into the
railroad track ditch and followed
"E i ' *i,d of Jounces
until he got opposite the old Sec
tion Base.
,. The7 he practically flew across
the railroad tracks, up through the
ditch on the other side and plowed
into the staci fence. The blow
knocked him out of tlx car
When Patrolman Jenkins got to
mm Avery via unconscious u.
"moved to STiEjSEi.
Police chargca against him are
2ZXX-* Z