PRIZE-WINNING
NEWSPAPER
?f Um
TAR HEEL COAST
CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES
46th YEAR, NO. 74. TWO SECTIONS FOURTEEN PAGES MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1957 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Beaufort Town Board Approves Halt
On Out-of-Town Mosquito Control
Cattle, Old Cars Now Move
Off Ocracoke Isle by Ferry
Sept. 9?With the state operated
free ferry in serviee at Hatteras
Inlet, something new is happening
at Oeracoke Island. Cattle and old
ears are being transported off the
island by truck. Formerly such
transportation had to lie by freight
boat to Washington, N. C.
This required the arduous task
of rounding "P the cattle, or the
junk, getting it by truck to the
freight boat dock here, then came
the long, hot eight-hour trip across
the sound and up the Pamlico
River, (didn't bother the junk, but
made the cattle uncomfortable),
then by truck to a final destina
tion. Lots of loading and unload
ing.
During the past month cattle
have been rounded up in the areas
where they graze north of the vil
lage, and loaded on the trucks
there and taken directly north to
Norfolk. Men in jeeps, boys riding
Banker ponies, and recently bull
dogs have aided in the round-up.
Several hundred cattle have been
deported; about sixty to eighty
remain. Deadline for the removal
of the cattle, sheep, and goats,
under 19,r>7 N. C. legislation is
July 1, 1958.
Trior to World War II, when junk
was in demand, a clean up on the
island was made and it was
shipped over to Washington, N. C.
Since then, however, a good many
more cars and trucks have been
brought to the island. Salt water
and salt air have deteriorated them
quickly and old chassis and rusted
motors have lieen left most any
where, particularly out on the
beach, eyesores for many a day.
until the blowing sands converted
them into dunes.
Last week as many as six large
truck loads of junk were hauled
northward over the new road and
via Hatteras Inlet ferry to Norfolk.
So a new day dawns in the sal
vage business on Oeracoke Island.
Death Claims
James Morrill
James R. Morrill, 71, Morchead
City, died yesterday morning in
the Baptist Hospital, Wintson-Sa
lem. The funeral service will be
held at 2 o'clock Saturday after
noon in St. Andrew's Episcopal
Church, Morchead City. The Rev.
E. Guthrie Brown, rector, will of
ficiate. Interment will be in Ocean
View Cemetery.
Mr. Morrill had been ill for sev
eral weeks. Death was attributed
to cancer.
Besides his wife, Ethel, he is
survived by two sons, the Rev.
Clinton L. Morrill. Concord, N. 11.,
James R. Morrill Jr., Winston
Salem, and six grandchildren.
Mr. Morrill was a native of
Michigan. He and his wife moved
to Morchead City from Winston
Salem about 20 years ago. He was
active in the Episcopal Church,
was a member of the Rotary Club,
and owned and managed Tire Ser
vice Co., Morchead City.
The family requests that no
flowers be sent, but that the money
be used instead to place a me
morial in the new parish house.
Mrs. Morrill and other members
of the family will arrive here to
day from Winston-Salem.
Flu Vaccine
Trickles In
Asian flu vaccinr has begun to
trickle into North Carolina.
Dr. Roy Norton, state health of
ficer, urged today that persons in
key positions take the shots along
with persons with chronic ailments
such as heart attack and TB vic
tims.
Kor the general public, getting
the vaccine will be a matter be
tween the patient and his doctor.
A very small amount of the flu
vaccine has been received In this
county. Persons interested lu tak
ing the vaccine should contact
their doctors.
People who arc not in key posi
tions have been asked to wait until
later in the winter to get their
shots.
Dr. Norton said that by the end
of the year there should be enough
vaccine available for everyone
who wants the shots.
"The big trouble is that it takes
six weeks for the vaccine's resis
tance" to reach full strength, the
health officer said. "It begins to
build up in 10 days to two weeks."
Next week, Sept. IS
will be observed as
Defense Week.
iV&US
Mrs. D. F. Merrill
Accepts Position
Mrs. I). F. Merrill, Beaufort,
has been named county Civil De
fense director, Moses Howard,
chairman of the county board of
commissioners, announced Wed
nesday.
Mrs. Merrill in 1953 won Hie
Carteret Business and Profes
sional Women's Club woman-of
the year award, is a member of
the Beaufort Woman's Club and
is active in church affairs.
She owned and managed a
dress shop in Beaufort for a num
ber of years and has taken an
active interest in government
affairs.
Mr. Howard said yesterday,
"I'm sure Mrs. Merrill will do a
splendid job as county Civil De
fense director.''
Morehead School
Receives Science
Library Books
The Morehead City High School
has just received its first group
of books from the Traveling High
School Science Library, according
to T Lcnwood Lcc, principal of
the Morehead City (Jraded Schools.
The Traveling Science Library
is sponsored as an experimental
undertaking by the American As
sociation for the Advancement of
Science and the National Science
Foundation. It has as its chief ob
jective the development of an in
terest in science from the cultural
as well as the technical stand
point, Mr. Lee said.
The Foundation hopes also to en
courage superior students to choose
careers in scientific fields and to
afford teachers an opportunity to
broaden and enrich their own scien
tific backgrounds.
The Traveling Science Library
consists of two hundred books di
vided into eight units of 25 books
each. Each school taking part in
See LIBRARY, Page 2
? The Beaufort town fathers ex
amined the cost of the town's mos
quito control program at their
meeting at the town hall Monday
night. They decided that it was
too expensive an operation to let
the truck go outside the city limits
to spray. Out-of-town spraying was
stopped two weeks ago.
"The expense of the sprayer is
met by Beaufort taxpayers and it
isn't fair for them to pay for a
service given to Uiose who pay
nothing," said town clerk Dan
Walker.
Name Commission
The hoard appointed the follow
ing zoning commission: llalscy
Paul, chairman. Earl Mason, J
O. Barbour Jr., D. F. Merrill and
Dr. David Farrior.
A planning board was also ap
pointed. Its members arc Tobc
| C'lawson, W. II. Muse, James II
| Davis, Mrs. Myrtle Duncan and
Rufus Scwcll.
Aiong with their appointments,
both groups were given jobs to
do. The zoning commission was
asked to study the zoning ordinance
and make recommendations for
changes that would make offensive
junk yards against the law in the
city limits.
To Study Cedar Street
) The planning board was asked
to make a study of Cedar Street.
The new highway proposed for that
route has caused problems that
can be handled best by a planning
board, the commissioners said.
Town engineer Gray llassell gave
estimates for two paving jobs. The
residents of Fulford Street between
Ann and Broad want to pave their
street. The people living on the
south side of Broad Street between
Gordon and Fulford want that side
of the street paved.
The property on the north side
of the street is owned by the B&M
Railroad. Thf railroad tracks run
through the middle of Broad Street
and it would be impossible to pave
one side of the street and leave
the other side unpaved.
Residents to Pay
Residents of the two streets in
question will be asked to sign pe
tit ions and agree to pay for their
share of the paving.
The town's ever-present drain
age problems came up at the meet
ing. Mr. Walker said that the.town
was going to have to do something
about thfr present sewer lines. He
said that the town was going to
be forced to build a sewage treat
ment plant even though they didn't
have the money to build one.
The situation was discussed at
some length but no action was
taken.
Fire commissioner Gerald Hill
Sec BOARD, Page t
Patient Remains in Coma
Vance Ward, 25, above, of Long
Reach, Cal., formerly of Morchcad
City, is still in a coma as the re
sult of injuries received Nov. 27,
1956 in an accident in downtown
Long Beach.
Mr. Ward is the nephew of Mr.
and Mrs. Henry L. Holt, Beaufort
Morchead City causeway, and the
son of Mrs. Louise Park, Walker
lown. N. C. lie lived with the Holts
tor seven years.
Mr. Ward was injured when the
motorcycle he was riding collided
with a delivery truck. Immediate
ly after the accident, Mrs. Holt
Dew to California and remained at
Long Beach aeveral months.
Mr. Ward has been in a coma
tine months while doctors, nurses
ind relatives keep a constant vigil.
Ilia wife, Grace, visits him daily.
Photo by Roy Bubanki
They have two children, John
Vance. 14 months, and Suaan
Louise, three months old.
The accident victim suffered mul
tiple hone fractures, injury to a
lung and extensive brain injury.
Except for the brain injury, the
other injurica have apparently
hrnlrd.
The doctor who performed the
brain operation immediately after
the arcident says there is a chance
that Mr. Ward will come out of the
eoma. At that time the extent of
damage to his mental capabilities,
if any. could be determined.
He receives nutrition sufficient
for the average adult through a
tube in hia throat. Nurses admin
ister daily physical therapy. He
was discharged from the Navy in
Southern President Comments
On Acquisition of A&EC Railroad
Governors Hope Will be Realized
Gov. Luther Hodges expressed?
the hope at the August meeting of
the Atlantic and North Carolina
Railroad Co. that the company's
"new officers will have the privi
lege of consummating the deal
with Southern."
The governor's hope wHI be
realized.
At the A&NC annual stockhold
ers' meeting at the Atlantic Beach
Hotel Aug. 9, H. S. Gibbs, More
head City, member of the board
of directors, gave a brief sum
mary of operation of the Morchead
City-Goldsboro railroad.
In 1939. Mr. Gibbs recalled that
he was named a director of the
A&NC, representing the private
stockholders. This was just prior
to the leasing of the road to II
P. Edwards of New Bern and Col.
E. R. Ruchan of Kinston, operating
as the Atlantic and East Carolina.
Norfolk and Southern had been
operating the road prior to that
time and had just turned the lease
back to the state. The state de
cided to operate the road, but was j
losing money, Mr. Gibbs said, sol
Jhey decided to lease it to the At ;
lantic and East Carolina Railway
Co. (Colonel Buchan is president
and Mr. Edwards chairman of the
board).
"They had it tough," Mr. Gibbs
related, "until the war started and
Cherry Point cainc in. Business
picked up and the railroad has
shown a profit every year since.
"Mr. Edwards and Colonel Bu
chan borrowed $500,000 at one time
for rehabilitation of the road." (Ac
cording to the financial report of
June 30. 1957. all of that money
has been repaid with the exception
of $185,000).
The state owns 72 per cent or
12.066 shares of the A&NC stock
and is represented by eight direc
tors on the board. Private stock
holders hold 4,006 shares and arc
represented by four directors on
the board.
Mr. Edwards, speaking at the
stockholders meeting, remarked
that sale of the A&NC to Southern
would be "one of the best things
that could happen."
Ho said that Southern expected
to spend $1,800,000 to bring the
road up to trunk-line standards
and that Southern had on file at
that time an application to equal
ize freight rates with Wilmington.
The A&NC chairman also pre
dicted that if Union Bag-Camp lo
cates near New Bern, the earn
ings of the railroad will increase
three times.
He pointed out that individual
citizens and firms should assure
Southern that Southern will gel
their freight business.
M. G. Mann, president of the
A&NC, after hearing a report on
the improvements that have been
made to the road during the past
year, declared, "Our railroad may j
not be as long as sortie, but it's j
just as wide."
License Suspended
The State ABC board has orderct
six-month suspension of the beei
license of Robert E. Lee, operatoi
of the Wagon Wheel, Morcheac
City. The board states that Lcc
failed to give proper supervision ol
beer sales and sold the beverage tc
intoxicated persons.
Leading Citizens Comment
On Transfer of Railroad
The reaction to Southern's de
cision to buy all of the A&KC
stock is reflected in the following
comments.
COL. K. It. BCCHAN, president
of the Atlantic and East Carolina
Railroad:
"A day long looked forward to
has arrived.
"A few years ago when the pres
ent operators of the A&EG Rail
road acquired the lease of the
AANC property, they looked for
ward to having to begin operating
a poorly-conditioned, short line
railroad running through a sparsely
settled agricultural territory to its
Morchead City terminus, where it
was Imped a substantial move
ment of truck and water products
could be added to its pay load
"By fortuitous circumstances,
shortly after the AAKC took over.
Cherry I'oint came into lieing and
things began to hum. Traffic bo
came heavy and light rail had to
be replaced Rolling stock was in
adequate and more powerful en
gines and sturdier freight cars be
came a must. Those needs were
met.
"Perhaps not as a surprise, but
certainly as a novelty, the state
began to collect its rent in full
E. R. Buchan
. . . comments on sale
and on time. Aside from Cherry
Point, other new business began
to develop on the line.
"The Port at Morehead City be
gan to operate and to overcome
many obstacles placed in its way.
"The A&KC prospered and the
Southern railroad became interest
ed in it to the point that it ac
quired an option to buy the A4KC
lease that it might take it into the
great Southern system ? though,
mind you. despite the fact that
only a few years ago the A&NC
was offered to the Southern, rent
free, if it would but operate the
line. This was a sure sign of the
upgrading of the road under its
present management.
"The Southern coming into this!
territory can mean much to the |
entire slate. The chief drawback
to the Moreheari City port has
l>ocn the fact that no rate struc
ture existed and that every effort
to equalize the rate to Morchead
City was vigorously opposed. The
Southern, ratewise, cart ? accom
plish much more in a much shorter
time than could the short line <
A&EC.
"Industry seeking a home here |
can now Ik* assured of all the ad-;
vantages of a trunk line railroad l
touching deep water at a strategic !
point in an area where labor is j
both abundant and friendly and j
where living conditions are unsur
passed
"To the Southern, we say good i
luck and i*?h1 Speed. To North
Carolina we extend our heartiest i
congratulations "
CONGRESSMAN GRAHAM BAR
DEN. via telegram to THE NEWS
TIMES Tuesday: "Have learned
thai Southern Railroad has de
? cided to proceed to acquire and
operate AAEC Railroad in accord-|
lance with recent ICC order. This'
j appears to be a culmination of
. many years' effort to secure main
trimkline rail service to the port
of Morchead. It is extremely grati-j
I Tying to learn of this important'
development."
| l>R. BEN F. ROYAL, Morchead
City: "I heartily approve of Sou
j them's move. If Southern lives up
I to the full potentialities in this
[area, everybody will be happy."
MOSES IIOWARI), chairman of
the county board of commission
ers: "1 think it is mighty fine.
Carteret appreciates the faith Sou
tliern has shown in this area, and
I'm sure all involved will dcrivg.
great benefits.4'
MAYOR GEORGE DILL, More
head City: "So many things for
so long have hinged on whether
Southern acquires the A&EC that
we've lost score. The grain eleva
tor folks have been waiting to see
what Southern would do.
"But in the main, this lists More
See COMMENTS, Page 6
Judge Sets Bond
For Arthur Taylor
In Car Theft Case
W. Arthur Taylor was hound
over to superior court yesterday
to await trial for stealing a car.
Lambert Morris, judge of county
recorder's court, set his bond at
$1,000.
Taylor took a 1057 Pontiac owned
by S. T. Vick, Beaufort, last Thurs
day and drove to Morehead City
where he wrecked it. He was
charged with stealing the car by
Beaufort police and with speeding,
driving drunk, damage to city
property and damage to personal
property by Morehead City police.
Taylor drew a six month sen
tence in Morehead City recorder's
court Monday when he was unable
to pay $150 and costs plus dam
ages to city and personal property.
Nearly Four Years Lapse After
Southern Made Offer to Buy
It has been three years and ten
moaths since announcement was
first made by THE NEWS-TIMES
that Southern Railway had made
a definite offer to buy the Atlantic
and East Carolina Railroad.
Since that time, negotiations
have been under way behind the
scenes and in public, to bring
about transfer of stock from the
A4EC owners to Southern.
The decision of Southern to ac
quire all of the AfcEC stock was
made Tuesday, just one month
after Morehead City celebrated its
one hundredth anniversary. Opera
tion of the AlcEC line from Golds
boro to Morehead City means that
the North Carolina coast now has a
direct rail link with major cities
and shippers in the middle west.
This is the goal that former Gov.
John Motley Morehead dreamed of
when he founded Morehead City in
1857.
Southern will now serve the
ocean port of Morehead City, put
ting this port on a competitive foot
ing. railroad freight-wise, with
other cast coast and southern
ports.
Several Roads Interested
The Atlantic and East Carolina
Railway Co. has been eyed by eev
eral major railroads in recent
years, but ideas of buying never
materialized. The A&EC leases the
road from (he Atlantic and North
Carolina Itailroad Co., whose ma
jor stockholder is the state of
North Carolina.
Prior to 1950, the Norfolk South
ern. which leased the road from
the state, was considered a pros
pective buyer. Then the Atlantic
Coast Line, which serves the port
of Wilmington, put out feelers.
In 1950. Southern Railway looked
over the line, but made no definite
Tide Table
Tldei at the Beaufort Bar
(Kastcrn Standard Time)
HIGH LOW
Friday, Sept. 11
10:24 a.m. 4:13 a.m.
10:30 p.m. 4:42 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14
11 IN) a.m. 4:34 a.m.
11:14 p.m. 5:12 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 15
11:46 a.m. 5:04 a 111.
5:55 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 16
12:08 a.m. 5:45 a.m.
12.41 p.m. 7:16 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
trio a.in. 6:50 a.m.
1:42 p.m. 1:51 p.m.
offer to buy. Then in 1953, a defi
nite offer was made.
In a by line story by l/ockwood
Phillips, publisher of THE NEWS
TIMES, on Nov. 6. 1953, Col. E. R.
Buchan. part owner of the A&EC.
said. "If Southern buys, it will
mean great things for every com
munity along the 96-mile A&EC
route from Morehead City to Golds
boro because Southern has the fa
cilities, the wide-flung connections,
the capital, and the reason for de
veloping the Morehead City port."
"The reason," Colonel Buchan
continued, "is that Southern has
only lease facilities at Norfolk
which can be reached only over
leased trackage of the Atlantic
Coast Line from Selma. This is ex
pensive all around."
Marine Line
In the latter part of 1953 when
Southern's interest in buying the
A&EC was made public, the gov
ernment's 28-mile rail link between
Cherry Point and Lrjcunc was
ncaring completion. Southern is in
terested in operating this link too,
but under the Interstate Commerce
Commission ruling permitting
Southern's acquisition of the A&EC,
operation of the Marine line was
not allowed.
bee YEARS LAPSE, Page I
H. P. Edwards to Give
Up Position as Manager
Fallowing announcement Tuesday that Southern Rail
way would buy the remainder of the Atlantic and East
Carolina Railway stock, llarrv A. DeButts, president of
Southern, said that II. T. Edwards, New Bern, chairman
of the hoard and general manager of the A&KC "express
ed tlie desire to be relieved of op- *
crating responsibility of the rail
road".
Otherwise. Mr I)eButts said, de
tails of personnel had not been
worked out.
lie added. "We are very optimis- |
tie about the future industrial po- !
tential of the Atlantic and Kast
Carolina area. Southern will make |
every possible effort to bring in
dustry into the area and changes
and additions to the physical prop
erty of the railroad will l>e made
whenever and wherever it is neces
sary to take care of expanded in
dustrialization.
"The acquisition of the A&KC
will naturally be a welcome addi
tion to trie Southern Railway sys
I
II. P. Edwards
. . . plans to retire
torn lines." he continued, "and at
the same time it will provide much
needed trunklinc operation and ser
vice to this section of the state."
Remainder of the A&EC stock
which Southern will buy is owned
by Mr. Edwards and Col. E. R.
Buchan, Kinslon. The purchase
price is $350,000. The stock is di
vided equally between Mr. Ed
wards and Colonel Buchan.
March Purchase
In March Southern purchased
the third interest in the road held
by J. C. (I,on) Bolich, Winston
Salem. for a sum reported to be
$175,000. Mr. Bolich was vice-presi
dent of the A&EC. Acquisition of
that stock was not revealed until
May.
Purchase of the A&EC by South
ern was authorized by the Inter
state Commerce Commission Feb
18, 1057. Mr. PcButts explained
that Southern had been reluctant
to purchase majority control be
cause the ICC had imposed drastic
conditions as to how Southern
should operate and manage the
A&EC.
lie said that the general public
interest in favor of Southern's con
trol of the railroad helped influ
ence the decision to complete the
purchase. Details on completion of
the sale arc expected to be con
cluded within a very short time.
Marine Railroad
It has been predicted that South
ern's action will lead soon to lease
to a private company of the gov
ernment-owned railroad between
Camp Lcjetinc and Cherry Point.
Southern proposed to operate the
Marine Corps road along with pur
chase of the A&EC, but the ICC
said no.
In July the Marine Corps invited
railroads in the southern area to
bid on operating the road. The
Beaufort and Morchcad Railroad
submitted a proposal and it is be
lieved that other roads have also
made offers.
Relative to Southern's acquisition
of the A&EC. A. T. I*cary Jr.. of
the B&M said yesterday. "I be
lieve the change will help eastern
Carolina a lot over a period of
years."
Joe DuBois Addresses
Beaufort Rotary Club
Beaufort Kotarians learned how
they could help promote the All
Seashore Highway at their meeting
at the Scout building Tuesday
night. Joe DuBois. manager of the
Morehead City Chamber of Com
merce, listed some of the prob
lems confronting backers of the
highway.
Mr. DuBois was the guest of pro
gram chairman Glenn Adair. Other
guests were Buck Matthews Jr.
and Truman Kemp of Morehead
City. Ralph Thomas was welcomed
as a new member.
Kilrhfi Burns
About $300 damage was caused
Tuesday by a fire in the kitchen
of Mr. and Mrs. K. N. Riggs' home
on the causeway. The fire started
at 6:45 p.m. at the hot water
heater in the kitchen. Morehead
City firemen kept the fire from
spreading, but smoke and heal
caused damage in the kitchen and
other rooms.
Jaycees Elect
Frank Langdale
As President
Frank Langdalc was elected
president of the Beaufort Jaycees
Monday night, lie succeeds James
Steed who has been transferred to
Hocky Mount. Mr. Langdale was
elected at the regular club meet
ing ;d the Seoul Building.
George Murray Thomas was
elected to fill Mr. Langdale's va"
cated position of first vice presi
dent. John Duncan will serve on
the board or directors to fill the
vacancy left by Mr. Thomas
Beaufort football coach Hugh
Gordon attended the meeting and
gave a report 011 the progress of
the football team, lie said that the
Scadogs had won their first game
by a 21-0 margin and were look
ing forward to a successful sea
son.
Mr. Gordon represented the foot
bail team and agreed that the
boys 011 the team would work on
Saturdays to help pay for their
insurance The boys will be at the
farm labor office in Beaufort
(phone 2 0411) and will be avail
able for work every Saturday.
Team members are also selling
$3.50 season tickets. They will
keep $2 of each ticket sold to help
pay for their insurance. Jaycees
and several Beaufort businesses
are selling the tickets as well.
Football chairman Bonald Earl
Mason reported that plans were
nearly complete for a back to
school dance. The dance will be
conducted to help support the foot
ball program.
The dance, open to all county
high school students, will be Sept.
21 at Harvey Smith's hangar on
the west Beaufort road. Mr. Ma
son said tickles would be $1 stag
and $1.50 for couples.
Final arrangements will be an
nounced later.
Theatre to Give
Bishop's Mantle'
The Bishop's Mantjr, a three-act
play revolving around the major
figures in an Episcopal parish, will
he presented in November by the
l-artcrct Community Theatre.
Miss Ruth Peeling, More he ail
City, will be the director. The de
cision to stage the play was made
at a theatre meeting Tuesday night
at the recreation building.
Tentative plans were made to
present the play one night and
give a matinee for school children.
Baby-sitting service will bo avail
able for parents attending the eve
ning performance and soft drinks
will be sold by the theatre at both
showings.
Kenneth Fischler, president, pre
sided at the meeting. The group
observed a minute of silence in
memory of Ed Walston, former
president, who died last month.
Minutes of the last meeting were
read by the secretary, Thomas
Respess, and the treasurer's re
port was given by Jimmy Wheat
ley. Since Mr. Wheatlcy has re
turned to college, his duties have
l>ccn taken over by Miss Lillian
F. Giddcns.
Red Cross Offers
Instructor Course
At New Bern
An instructor's course in home
nursing and care of the injured
will start at 8:30 a.m. (EST) Mon
day at the recreation center. New
Bern, announces the Craven County
rhaplcr of the American Red
Cross.
"It is hoped that at least several
Carteret residents will take this
?nurse so that they can give ii
ilruetion in this valuable family
ind eommunity service," says Mrs.
Hector Mclean, chairman of home
nursing, Craven County Red Cross,
further information can be ob
ained by phoning Mrs. McLean,
Sew Bern 4243.
Persons need not prc register.
rhcy may go directly to the rec
-cation venter, New Bern, Moo
lay morning.