PRISE-WINNING
NEWSPAPER
of Nm
TAR HEEL COAST
CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES
46th YEAR, NO. 86. TWO SECTIONS FOURTEEN PAGES MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1957 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Chamber Adopts
Christmas Plan
Beaufort to Feature
Pirate's Chest; Santa
To Arrive Dec. 4
The Beaufort Chamber of Com
merce has adopted for 1957 the
same Christmas program it used
last year. Chamber directors met
Tuesday night. A special meeting
of the Christmas committee pre
ceded the regular meeting.
Santa Claus will come to town I
Dec. 4 and lead a parade down |
Front Street. Bands from Newport.
Havclock, Morehead City, Beau
fort and Queen Street will be in
vited to participate. Boy and Girl |
Scouts. Cubs and Brownies wil
march in the parade.
The Pirate's Chest of Silver give
away will be conducted this year.
There will be four drawings. Bus
inesses that are members of the
chamber will give tickets to cus
tomers. Ticket stubs will be drawn 1
Dec 7, 14, 21 and 24.
The drawings will be conducted
at 2 p.m. There will be $100 in
cash and $50 in gift certificates
for each drawing.
The firemen will repair Christ
mas street decorations that the
town bought several years ago
They will put up lights as well as
other decorations.
Members of the Christmas com
mittee arc William Roy Hamilton,
chairman, Ray Cummins, Jim
Whcatlcy and Mrs. Ben Jones.
At the regular chamber meet
ing, president Ronald Earl Mason
introduced a plan to get a harbor
of refuge in Gallant's Creek, lie
said that the federal government
might dredge the harbor if it could
be used as a refuge during storms.
The harbor would serve a dual
purpose, lie pointed out. It would
relieve the crowded waterfront
conditions on Front Street and pro
vide a good harbor in storms. The
chamber voted to support the plan.
Directors present in addition to
those already mentioned were Nor
wood Young, Halsey Paul, C. W.
Stamper. David Jones, Gerald Hill
and Dr. David Farrior.
Atlantic Hearing
Hejd last Night
The hearing on water resources,
scheduled for tonight at Atlantic
was changed to last night, II. S.
Gibb*. chairman of the county wa
ter committee, reported yesterday.
In charge of the meeting was Clay
ton Fulcher Jr.
Dates of the other two water
hearings have been set. The hear
ing at Newport will be at 7:45 Mon
day night in the PTA Center, fol
lowing the Newport Rotary Club
meeting. Leon Mann Jr. will be in
Charge.
' The Beaufort hearing will be at
7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the court
house, W. 11. Potter in charge.
The water hearings arc being
conducted to learn, firsthand, what
residents' water problems arc,
such as drainage, flooding, lack
of fresh water, etc.
After the Beaufort hearing, in
formation obtained in the six hear
ings throughout the county will be
compiled and sent to the State
Board of Water Commissioners.
Hit-and-Runner
Damages Car
A 1946 Dodge belonging to Mrs.
Joe Beam, 2307 Arendell St., More
head City, was smashed in a hit
and run aecident sometime early
Tuesday morning.
Sgt. Bill Condie. Morehead City
poliee offieer. said the Dodge was
parked ip front of the Beam home
on the grass plot about midnight
Monday.
The next morning Mr. Beam said
he saw the rear end smashed in.
The ear was parked faeing west.
Its damage amounted to about
$123.
Sergrant Condie said that the car
that hit it was going east and that
it was either a 1955 or 1956 Olds
mohile, Holiday model. Investiga
tion is continuing.
Mrs. Leonard Safrit
Reports on Fund Drive
Mrs. Leonard Safrit, neighbor
hood ehairman of the Girl Scouts,
Beaufort, reported Wednesday that
the Girl Scout fund drive is near
ing its goal of $400.
Mrs Safrit said that over $200
was collected in a recent door-to
door canvass, and up to now the
total received is $320.
Assaults Woman
Charles Hester, Beaufort, was
peeked up on a warrant Wednesday
ntght by Chief of Police Guy Sprln
gle. Hester allegedly assaulted Or
garaae Garrison by pushing her out
of tte house and cutting her clothes
with ? knife on the night of Oct. 11.
Planning Board Acts
On Flowers-Way Issue
The Beaufort town planning
board met Wednesday night at the
town hall and granted Dr. John
Way an easement to build on his
lot at Front and Sea View Streets.
Dr. Way's proposed house, he ex
plained, will be too wide to have
the ordinance-required 8-foot side
yard on each side. The lot is 50
feet wide.
The planning board insisted that
Dr. Way leave the 8-foot yard be
tween his house and the right-of
way of Sea View Street (on the
east), so his neighbor on the west,
W. ('. Flowers, signed an agree
ment to let Dr. Way build to with
in :? feet of the Mowers property
line.
Mr. Flowers agreed before the
meeting to accept any decision
reached by the planning board. Dr.
Way said that he had already cut
2 feet off his house and thought io
cut it any more would ruin it. He
said that he had been paying taxes
on the lot since 1920 and that the
law requiring 8 foot side yards was
working a hardship on him and the
town.
"If 1 build on the lot. the town
will get extra revenue through
taxes," he said, lie suggested thai
hftiivn nvtorwi a till If? hovond
the required building line on each
side.
lialscy Paul, chairman of the
planning board, said that if he
built too close to Sea View Street
people having lots facing that
street would feel that they were
building in his back .yard.
Mr. Paul asked building inspec
tor Gerald Woolard to find a map
of the area in question. Mr. Wool
ard found charts and maps of Car
teret County, Atlantic Beach, Front
Street extension from the city
limits eastward and a cemetery,
but none of Beaufort.
The planning board finally agreed
that three lots at the most would
be affected. They decided that the
8 feet should be maintained, but
that I)r. Way could build closer to
his west line if Mr. Flowers would
agree to it.
Mr. Flowers said that anything
the planning board decided was all
right with him and signed the re
lease. His only request was that
the doctor ask the contractors to
be careful while working near his
shrubbery at the property line.
Members of the planning board
attending the meeting were Dr.
David Farrior, J. O. Barbour Jr.
anrl I) K Morrill.
Fulchers Undertake New
Shrimp Packing Process
i>y n/ii'c. Liivno
Atlantic?llcro at this old and
picturosquc fishing village a de
termined effort is being made to
do what Gov. Luther II. Hodges
and others are strongly advocat
ing.
And thai is the processing, pack
aging and marketing of North
Carolina seafood products under a
brand name that leaves no doubt
the seafood was caught, processed,
and attractively packaged in the
Tar Heel State.
The Fulchers are using a pack
age developed by a New Jersey
concern. It is designed to keep
shrimp in the shell (heads off)
ocean fresh for two weeks or more.
New Type Pouch
"We shopped around quite a bit
before we found what we wanted
in what in known as a perforated
poly-eel pouch in which to package
shrimp and other seafood." said
Clayton Fulcher Jr., who is active
head of the Clayton Fulcher Sea
food Co.
Mr. Fulcher said fresh shrimp
caught in North Carolina waters
and processed and packaged in
the perforated, plastic bags at At
lantic have been found to have a
14-day life. Extensive fiacterialogi*
cal tests proved that. Refrigeration
does not impair the flavor of the
shrimp, either. Mr. Fulcher added.
Right now the big problem con
fronting the Fulchers is a lack of
shrimp. "Nor-easter weather." as
commercial fishermen call it, h^is
played havoc with shrimping and
other forms of commercial fishing.
N. C. Brand Name
Chosen as a brand name for the
Atlantic processed and packaged
shrimp is "Diamond Shoals", a
Sec PACKAGING, Page 2
Three Injured
In Monday Crash
Two women and a baby were in
jured in an automobile .accident at
6:15 p.m. Monday at the intersec
tion of Highway 70 and 70A west of
Morchcad City.
There were Mrs. Violet M. Acker
son, mother of one of the drivers,
Mrs. Ada Acklin and the baby,
Mary Virginia, all of Morehead
City. They were treated at the
Morehead City Hospital and dis
charged.
Involved in the wreck were a 1057
P"ick driven by Arthur O. Acker
son Jr., route I Morehead City,
and a 1946 I'ontiac driven by Willie
Acklin, who fishes for Beaufort
Fisheries. Acklin's car was owned
by A. Acklin, 1204 Fisher St., More
head City.
Patrolman J. W. Sykcs said that
Acklin was going east on Highway
70A when Ackerson, who was head
ed west on the dual-lane 70 pulled
out in front of Acklin.
Ackerson has been charged with
failing to yield the right-of-way.
Acklin claims Ackerson did not stop
at the stop sign just west of the
Shell Service station.
Damage to a state highway sign
was estimated at $20. The cars
were extensively damaged.
The Acklins were taken to the
hospital in the Dill ambulance.
Mrs. Acklin's left ankle was in
jured and the baby's mouth and
tongue were cut. Mrs. Ackerson
suffered bruises.
County Fair Week Nears End
? Photo by Bob Seymour
The couly fair wn la fall awhf Wdatrfiy alter aaon, chlldrea'a day. Thla a bat, takea Iron the tap
ef the terrta wheel, ahawa the midway with the twa exhibit halla la the hachfraaad. The lair eloaea to
Captain of Ship Who Picked Up
Melvin West Tells of Incident
Mrs. Melvin West Hopes
Husband Will Hurry Up'
Mrs. Melvin West anxiously awaits word from her husband who yesterday was believed on his way to
Bermuda. Their children are, left to right. Melva, Barry J. and Morty.
| Mrs. Mclvin Wist, wife of the
now-famous outboard motorboat
I pioneer, expressed the hopes of
most folks in the county ycster
! day. "I wish he would hurry up
| and get there," she said, "this
waiting and worrying is a pretty
big load."
Friends, neighbors and curiosity
seekers have worn a path to Mrs.
West's door. She and three chil
dren, Morty, 5). Melva, 2. and Bar
ry J., 16 months, have held up
under the strain very well.
Only on close observation can
one sec the circles under her eye*,
betraying lack of rest. Barry J.
still doesn't realize that his father
is gone and keeps running to the
door asking for his daddy every
lime someone comes in.
I'.ven though the Coast Guard
has not launched a second full
scale search for her husband, Mrs
West had high hopes that he would
either make the trip successfully
or be spotted soon.
The Coast Guard announced yes
terday that "further search plans
will he considered when situation
deemed urgent." James ilunnings,
Croup Commander of the Fort Ma
con Coast Guard station, said that
all shipping had been alerted to
he on the lookout for West.
All planes making duty flights
out of Bermuda have been ordered
to be on the lookout for him," Mr.
Ilunnings added.
Mrs. West firmly believes that
her husband can make the trip "'if
it can be made." She says, "lie
was so confident while he was
making plans for the trip that we
never doubted that he would make
it."
She says that Mel is on leave of
absence from his job on a Jack
sonville radio station. "So far as
I know he will go back to work
there as soon as he comes home,"
she declares.
If he makes the voyage, how
ever, his job may have to wait
for a while. He will undoubtedly
be the toast of Bermuda, where
thousands anxiously await him. His
publicity agent, Charles Markey,
hopes for big things after the re
turn trip A round of the top tv
shows is already being planned.
Honald Ilarpc, of radio station
WMUL, Morchcad City, talked yes
Foot Broken
In Freak Wreck
James F. 11 inkle Jr., 113't? Circle
Drive, Beaufort, suffered a broken
foot at 5 p.m. Sunday at Beach
View Esso Service Station, 24th
and Arendell Streets, Morehead
City.
According to Sgt. Bill Condic,
Morehead City police force, llinkle
was sitting in the service area with
his foot slicking out the door of
a car.
James Rogers, 10, of 200 N. 9th
St., Morehead City, driving a 1950
Studcbaker, was going west on
Arendell Street. He cut Into the
service station, but his brakes
failed, the sergeant said, and his
car caught Hinklc's foot.
There was no damage to Rogers'
car. Damage to the 1947 Pontiac in
which Hinkle was sitting was es
timated at $100. No charges were
filed.
-
Urd.ty morning with Mr. Markcy,
wiio is in Hamilton, Bermuda. Mr.
Markcy said that Loudon and Ber
muda newspapers are covering the
West trip, and that Knglish News
Film Inc.. a tv company, and the
British Broadcasting Co. have rep
resentatives covering the story.
Mr. Markey said Bermuda's
weather yesterday morning was
had. a strong northeast wind blow
ing. He added, however, that the
Bermuda Coast Guard people were
not worried. Since Mel weathered
the rough seas encountered right
after he left Morchcad City, they
had faith in his seamanship.
It is hoped that Mel will arrive
in Bermuda sometime today.
Theft Attempt Thwarted
Chief of Police Guy Springlc.
Beaufort, said yesterday that an
attempt to steal a car was thwart
ed Sunday night at 108 Pollock St.,
when persons noted a man in a
car attempting to start it. lie
jumped out and ran and two men
chased him, hut he could not he |'
identified. Police were notified of, t
the incident. i
By LOCK WOO I) PHILLIPS
In a telephone interview Wednesday night Capt. Elias J.
Mayis of the tanker which picked up Mel West, said that
West requested only water and matches.
Captain Mavis, whose ship, the Aldebaran, docked Wed
nesday night at Bayway, N. J., said he tried to convince
West to go to New Jersey with
them, but Mel refused.
West, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
West, who operate the Triple Ess
fishing pier near Morehead City,
set out for Bermuda Thursday. Oct. j
17. in a 15-foot 3-inch outboard
motorboat. He had hoped to arrive
at Bermuda sometime Saturday,
Oct. 19.
People Concerned
When nothing was heard from
him. people became worried A full
scale search by Coast Guard ships,
planes and flying box cars was
under way when the Coast Guard.
Norfolk, was no
NEWS TIMES
EXCLUSIVE
tified Monday
afternoon that
West had l?een
picked up by the
Aldcbaran 2 4 0
miles from Capo
Lookout. T h a t
point was 342 miles from Bermuda.
Until THE NEWS TIMES contact
with Captain Mavis, no one knew
why West was still so far from his
destination.
Captain Mavis, who spoke broken
English, explained: "He was fight
ing high seas and he was also hav
ing trouble with his kerosene pipe
[fuel line)."
Needed No fuel
Captain Mavis said West <1 id not
need any fuel and he did not take
any with him from the tanker, lie
also added that there was nothing
wrong with either his motor or the
tinll of the boat.
The Coast Guard dispatch from
Norfolk Monday said that West's
boat had been "repaired" aboard
the Aldebaran.
The Aldebaran's captain said that
bis second mate saw a little signal
Nag West had hoisted. This was
about 3 p.m. Monday (which prob
ably would have been about 2 p.m.
our time here).
The Aldebaran stopped and Mel
brought his outboard alongside. He
came up a ladder the tank crew
lowered for him. He was in good
health.
In Good Health
"lie looked in fine health to me,"
the captain said. "I offered to pull
his boat up and take him to New
York, but he said no, he was going
on to Bermuda."
"I told him I think you're
craz-ce,' " Captain Mavis related.
The crewmen offered him food,
lie said no, he didn't want food,
because he could fish. He just
wanted some water and matches.
"But the steward finally forced
him to take some food anyhow,"
Captain Mavis added. "I also gave
him a bottle of whiskey."
At the lime of the pick-up, the
skipper said two Coast Guard
planes were circling overhead and
Ihe Aldebaran signaled to them
that they had West.
Mel Continues
After getting a new fix on course,
West went overboard, got in his
skiff and set off. Bermuda bound.
A Coast Guard plane flew over him
bir a short while.
The Aldebaran was carrying fuel
nil from Amuay. Venezuela, to New
York. The tanker is under charter
lo Panama Transport, a subsidiary
>f Esso Shipping Co.
Contacting Aldebaran's
Captain Was Some Job!
Contacting Opt. Klias J. Mavis
of the Aldebaran was not easy.
Radiotelephone was tried, but
the Aldcbaran was not equipped
with radio telephone. With the help
of Robert Hick* Morehead City,
Walter Kriederic.; and Mrs. Rob
ert Hicks at the state port; Sidney
Weir, public relations director,
Ksso Shipping Co., New York, and
a personal friend of the editor's in
New York, the Aldebaran's dock
ing point was finally learned.
The Morehead City long distance
Tide Table i
Tides at the Beaufort Bar
IIKUI I.OW
I riday, Oil. 23
9:34 a.m. 3:20 a.m.
iti:9S p.m. 3:57 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28
10:27 a ill 4:03 a.m.
11:02 p.m. 4:43 p.m.
Sunday, Ort. 27
11:23 a.in. 4:51 a.m.
11:58 p.m. 5:35 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 28
5:42 a.m.
12:16 p.m. 6:32 p.m.
Tueaday, Oct. 2*
12:52 a.m. 6 44 a.m.
1:08 p.m. 7:35 p.m.
operator did a splendid job in
getting in contact with Captain
Mavis at Bayway, N. J., Wednes
day night.
When information of the call was
gotten to him. he said he was not
going to talk, he said he was going
home!
But finally, he got on the phone.
Probably Scandinavian, he ex
plained that it was very difficult
for him to talk on the phone and
he didn't want to say anything.
When he was told that the phone
call was from Beaufort, North
Carolina, he was impressed and
willingly answered the questions
asked.
THE NEWS - TIMES sincerely
hopes that Mel gets to his desti
nation. But if he doesn't, personnel
aboard the Aldebaran would be
the only ones who could clear up
the mystery about the first four
days of his trip.
To Go to Grand Jury
Mary Packs' case will go to the
grand jury In the November term
of court. Mary, a migrant worker,
is charged with killing her com
mon-law husband, Robert Lee
Thompaon, at Crab Point June 23.
She is being held in tltie county
Jail.
Beaufort Rescue
Squad Elects
Officers Monday
Beaufort's rescue squad met
Monday night at the fire station
and elected officers.
Charles llarrell, as chief of the
lire department, heads the squad.
Its other officers are Virgil Wool
ard, assistant chief; Kugonc dar
ner. captain, Ronnie Smith, lieu
tenant, and Clarence Davis Jr.,
recording secretary.
The squad is the only ono in the
county affiliated with the North
Carolina Association of Rescue
Squads, Assistant Chief Woolard
said.
Mr. Woolard and Captain dar
ner attended the .organizational
session of the state association at
Laurinburg. and more recently the
state convention at Greensboro.
They gave a report on that ses
sion at Monday's meeting Mr.
Woolard was elected a state direc
tor and Mr. darner was a delegate
from this region, which includes
10 counties. The only rescue squads
affiliated with the state association
in this 10-county area, Mr Woolard
said, are dreenville and Beaufort.
Rules and rescue squad regula
tions were reviewed Monday night.
The Beaufort rescue squad. Mr.
Woolard explained, is available
for service in all parts of the coun
ty
The duly of tin* rescue squad is
to save life, he >aid The squad is
available in any case where there
is bleeding, stoppage of breathing,
or other injuries from an accident.
Its members are trained to give
first aid until a doctor arrives.
At present, plans are being made
to have the squad see movies to
be shown by the Navy Relief As
sociation at Cherry Point.
The squad checked its equip
ment and had a short drill before
adjourning. Meetings will be held
at 7 p.m. the first Monday of each
month at the fire station.
Drivers Appeal
Fines Monday
William J. Carter and Hazel B.
Small appealed judgments in More
head City recorder's court Mon
day. They were convicted of racing
and speeding 70 miles per hour.
Judge Herbert Phillips fined each
$100 and costs. Their bonds were
set at $200.
The defendants declared that
they had never seen each other
before. He is from Beaufort and
she is from Beaufort RFD. They
rntered pleas of guilty to speed
ing but said that they were not
racing.
Tommic Lewis Rose was fined
$125 and costs for driving drunk,
careless and reckless driving and
driving on the wrong side of the
road.
William Henry Jones was fined
$1(M> and costs for driving drunk.
Others getting fines were William
Thomas Wade, $10 and costs,
speeding; Myrtle Willis Lawrence,
costs, running a stop sign; and
Herbert W. Rhodes, costs, speed
ing.
Two cases were not tried. Cal
vin Fenner was not tried for re
reiving stolen money from Clay
Ion Fenner since the $11 involved
liad been recovered. Lucicn Bren
ton was not tried for hit and run
due to lack of evidence.
Cases were continued against
Otis Simmons, Ira 1). Settle and
l,on J. Perkins.
Inspection Team Visits
Fort Macon CG Station
An inspection team from Fifth
Coast Ciuard District headquarters,
Slorfolk, visited the Fort Macon
Coast Guard Station Tuesday. The
learn inspected all equipment and
acilities of the station.
Members of the team were Capt.
ft. E. Mroczkowski. operations of
ficer, Fifth Coast Guard District;
['apt. G. F. Schumacher, chief of
Fifth Coast Guard District en
gineering division; Cdr. O. G.
Cowic, Chief of electronics section,
Fifth Coast Guard District.
Cdr. R. S. Feola, chief of civil
engineering, Fifth Coast Guard
District; Lt. Cdr. W. J. Quamme,
comptroller, Fifth Coast Guard
District; and Lt. W. S. Schwob
Jr., communications officer, Fifth
Joast Guard DialricL