114 DATS ? And Beaufort's
Naw Wall !?
Stai Untapped 1
COUNTY NEWS-TIMES _
47th YEAR, NO. 70. EIGHT PAGES MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1968 PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Highway Official
Puts 'Must' Tag
On River Bridge
Prospects for a new bridge
acroas the -Newport River at More
head City brightened Friday when
W. K. Babcock, highway director,
put a "must" tag on the project.
Also tagged "must" by the direc
tor, was widening and Improving
highway 70 between Havelock and
the Carteret-Craven line.
Mr. Babcock said the work ia
being slated for construction in
1959 and 19?0. The State Highway
Commission, which studies the di
rector's recommendations, gave
Babcock's priority projects tenta
tive approval.
Cost estimates of the jobs will
be prepared and submitted to the
highway commission when it meets
in Waynesville Sept. 29 and 30.
Morehead City is in favor of a
new bridge across Newport River
at a location farther north of the
present one. Such a site, it is con
tended, would give access to a
larger portion of Newport River
for port development.
Interests east of Morehcad City
who favor development of the state
port eastward, rather than north,
say the bridge should stay at its
present location, but be widened.
The state hasn't committed itself
on anything.
Three Injured,
Same Corner!
Three visitors from Durham
were hospitalized as the result of
an accident at 24th and Arendell
Streets (beach road and highway
70) at 12:25 p.m. Sunday. Susan
Smith, 12, was treated at the
Morehead City hospital (or a bro
ken collar bone and injuries to her
left side.
James P. Smith Jr. had a
sprained neck and Joyce Hunt was
suffering from shock. All three
were riding in a 1951 Chevrolet
going east on Arendell Street. The
car was driven by M. H. Smith,
also of Durham.
Walter Wood, Kinston, was
charged wiUi failure to yield the
right of way. According to Police
Chief Herbert Griffin, Wood was
going south on 24th Street and ran
into the side of the other car.
Damage to the left front of the
Chevrolet was estimated at $300.
Damage to the front end of the
1949 Plymouth Wood was driving
was estimated at $400.
Chief Griffin said it was the sixth
accident at that corner in the past
year.
Rotarians See
European Slides
Robert McNeill showed slides he
took in Europe at the Morehead
City Rotary Club meeting Thurs
day night. The club met at the
Rex Restaurant.
Robert spent seven weeks tour
ing Europe this summer. He flew
to London where he joined a tour
igroup. After going through Eng
land and Scotland, the group went
to Belgium, apending three days
at the World's Fair.
From Belgium, Robert went to
Holland, Germany, Switzerland
and Italy. He took a ship from
Naples to Lisbon, Spain. On the
cruise home the ship docked in
the Azores and at Halifax, Nova
Scotia, and finally at New York.
Visiting Rotarians were Bob Bry
an, Goldsboro, Jennings Earn
hardt, Charlotte, and Jim Flem
ing and Lawrence Stroud, Green
ville. Guests of Rotarians were W.
H. Potter, Ralph Wade and A1
Archer.
Car Falls Through Bridge Opening
Photos by J. W. Syke?
After daybreak Sunday, wreckers went to work, above, to pull the car up and off the fender. In the
right background can be seen beach homes. Spectators gathered on the bridge to watch the operation.
A miraclc saved John Stuart
Murphy, 32, Greenville, from cer
tain death at 3:30 a.m. Sunday
when he drove his 1958 Chevrolet
through lowered gates on the At
lantic Beach bridge, and into the
drawspan opening.
Instead of going into the chan
nel, the ear eaaght and hung on
the fender at the bridge. Murphy,
who was charged with driving
drunk and driving after his license
Was revoked, was gotten out of
the car by military policemen, and
others at the scene. He was not
hurt.
Patrolman J. W. Sykes, who in
vestigated, said that Murphy was
headed toward Morehead City. He
veered from the right lane to the
left, and knocked down three gates
before disappearing over the end.
The draw, of course, was open to
allow a boat tb go through.
J, L. Humphrey, county road
superintendent, estimated damage
to the bridge at $250. Damage to
the car Wat estimated at $1,500.
Murphy was -the only one in the
car. He was. jailed.
Patrolman Sykes expressed his
appreciation' io Sheriff Hugh Sal
ter and Deputy Bruce Edwards
for their . assistance at the scene.
Two wreckers, one from Parker
Motors and the other from Sound
Chevrolet cooperated to pull the
ear bark on the highway.
Due to the accident, the bridge
could not be opened to highway
traffic again until 7:30 a.m. Sun
day.
Driver Hospitalized
After Saturday Crash
James (Hallet) Styron, Sea Lev
el. wai in the Morehead City Hos
pital yesterday morning, recover
ing from injuries received when
the 1957 Ford he was driving failed
to make a curve two miles east of
Beaufort on Highway 70 shortly,
after midnight Saturday.
Patrolman W. J. Smith Jr. said
Styron was headed east.
Had the ear been Doing faster than It was, the speed would have
harled It clear of the fender and into the deep channel spanned by
the Atlantic Beach drawbridge. This is the angle at which it stopped.
The driver escaped uninjured.
Crowds Flock In
After Daisy Goes
Atlantic Bench, Fort Macon
beach, and fishing piers yester
day reported big I.abor Day
weekend crowds. A. B. Cooper,
Atlantic Beach, said that the
crowds were as big. if not bigger
than on any previous Labor Day
weekend.
Daisy put the beach busines
sea in the doldrums Monday
throufh Friday, but business
picked up Saturday.
Highway patrolmen said that
traffic has been heavy. There
were several auto accidents, but
no fatalities.
Carteret's First Class of Student
Drivers Honored at Exercises Friday
The first clan of Carteret stu
dent driven "graduated" Friday
morning. In exercises in the court
house, Beaufort, the students were
congratulated and presented with
cards certifying that they had suc
cessfully completed a six-week
driver training course.
H. L. Joalyn, county superin
tendent of schools, presided. He
pointed out that the cards tbey re
ceived would be helpful in obtain
ing a driver's license, and that the
fathers of boys who held suck
cards would receive car insurance
rebate*.
Mr. Joelyn thanked Paul Motor
Co., Parker Motor* and Sound
Chevrolet for lending car* tor the
program and expreaaed his appre
ciation to the instructors, John
Duncan, James Fodrie and Stew
art Daniel*.
' Mayor C. T. Lewis, Beaufort,
told the student driven that safe
driving must be practiced all the
time, not just until the operator's
license is obtained. He urged them
to practice courtesy, self-control
and warned them not to be a "bel
ligerent driver".
The mayor reminded them that
25 per cent of the licensed drivers
are not good drivers. He' remark
ed that the instruction they re
ceived will be "beneficial to all of
us".
Mayor George W. Dill warned
the students that they should not
drivtr faster than they can think.
He said each one at them may
think that he has learned to con
trol his impulses, but "then is al
ways mechanical failure and the
Other fclidw".
Mr. Duncan presented card* to
his students who were the follow
ing: Linda Dickinson, Victor Rey
nolds, Reginald Lewis, Becky San
ders, and Perry Brown, all of New
port.
From Morehead City : Jerry Bow
ers, Ashley Jarman, Mary Phillips,
Patricia Nelson, Elaine Miller,
Doris Phillips, Nancy Jcfferis,
Jonice Parker.
Jo Ann Whitley, Benjamin F.
Whitley. Lacy Wr?y, Herman
WetheringtoD, Evelyn Morris,
James D. Terrell, Donald Fox.
Mary Louis Hanes, Joan Guth
rie, Leroy Lewis. Noven Mason,
Jackie Roberts, Mart Bell, Jimmy
Lee WhlUey, Thomas Avery Gil
bert.
Alton Parker Robinson, Cecil
Hyatt, Pamela Atkinson. John II.
Crowe, Mike Crowe, Michael Leon
See STUDENT DRIVERS, Pip 7
State Reports
On Federal Funds
Raleigh ? The Slate Highway
Commission reported today it hai
let to contract over $8 million in
work under the federal emergency
highway allocations made by the
Congress last April Under the
anti - recession legislation, . North
Carolina is set to receive a total
of almost $14 million.
Congress stipulated that all
emergency funds must be applied
to contract projects before Decem
ber of this year and the project*
completed by December of next
year.
Since June, when the Commis
sion launched the program called
"Emergency D", 41 project! have
been let in 30 counties on a total
of 235.16 miles of road work. Con
tract estimates on the projeeta
total $8,836,910.53. Several of these
projeeta have already been com
pleted and opened to traffic.
In releasing the report. Highway
Director W. F. II a brock aaid he
feela the commission has made ex
cellent progress in the emergency
program and can easily place the
remaining $5,000,000 under eon
tract before the Dec. 1 deadline.
FsbFish to Meet
Fabulous Fishermen will attend
a fish fry and business meeting at
6:30 p m. Wednesday at Captain
Bill's Waterfront restaurant, More
head City. The dinner is being pro
vided by Capt. Ottis Purtfoy.
The state driver licenae division
has reinstated the licenses of L.
Cyrus Dickinson, Beaufort, and
James C. Perry and Williaa F.
W?ftt . Mor ahead City.
Odell Merrill,
Gaston Smith
To Go on Slate
# Democratic Committee
Chooses Candidates
? Hour-Long Session
Held Saturday
Representatives of 26 of the
county's 27 precincts on Saturday
morning chose Odell Merrill. Beau
fort. as Democratic candidate for
register of deeds in the November
election. Gaston Smith. Atlantic,
was chosen as Democratic candi
date for county commissioner. He
will replace Mr Merrill, who was
running for coiinty commissioner.
A. H. James, chairman of the
county Democratic executive com
mittee, presided at the hour long
session at the courthouse, Beau
fort.
Irvin Davis Resigns
The necessity for choosing a
register of deeds candidate arose
when Irvin W. Davis, register of
deeds for 28 years, resigned His
resignation took effect yesterday.
When a candidate withdraws fol
lowing a primary, the executive
committee of that candidate's par
ty is authorized to fill the vacancy.
Candidates elected Nov. 4 will take
office in December.
Mr. Merrill has served as a
county oemmissioner since March
1956 when he wai appointed to suc
ceed E. H. Potter, Beaufort. He
was renominated for county com
missioner in the May 1958 primary.
He owns and operates Merrill's
men'a furnishings store, Front
Street, Beaufort.
During recent sessions of the
county board of commissioners, in
the absence of Mr. Davis, who
was ill, Mr. Merrill served as
clerk to the board. The register
of deeds also has that duty.
Although a resident of Beaufort
haa usually held a post on the
county board, the Democratic com
mittee apparently reasoned that a
Beaufort man as register of deeds,
who also sits in on the county
board meetings as clerk, would
provide Beaufort with represent
tion.
N>Hm ml illulL,
Mr. Smith, who will run for of
fice In November, is a graduate of
Atlantic High School. cla? of 1929
Prior to going into the net bus
iness, which he operates now, he
was owner and operator of a 40
foot fishing trawler, the Olena. Mr.
Smith's wife is the former Matilda
Davis of Davis. They have two
sons, Michael and Fred.
Mr. Smith ran for county com
missioner in 1934. Members of the
county board now are Harrell Tay
lor. Sea Level; Skinner Chalk Jr.,
Morehead City; Mr. Merrill and
Moses Howard, Newport. Walter
Yeomans, who died last month was
also on the board. He was from
Harkers Island.
David Yeomans, Harkers Island,
was nominated as a county com
missioner in the May primary. Re
ceiving nomination as a Demo
cratic candidate virtually assures
the candidate of election in Novem
ber.
? r ? i r~
Odell Merrill
... to rut In a ew slat
Movie Ads Arc Bark
THE NEWS -TIMES welcomes
the movie ids and the stories
about movies back in its pages.
By mutual agreement, the movies
and the newspaper will endeavor
to give Carteret County the best
in movie coverage, both in ads
and stories.
(Eastern Standard Time)
Tldea at the Beaafort Bar
Tide Table
HIGH
LOW
Tuesday, Sept. 2
10:49 a.m.
10:55 p.m.
4:28 a.m.
4:41 p.m.
Wedaesday, Sept 1
11:25 a.m.
11:30 p.m.
4:54 a.m.
5:25 p.m.
Thmrsday, Sept. 4
12:02 a.m.
2:15 a.m.
?:04 p.m.
I Cerern0,1r^51
ForrT,a Beaufort Span
OPen b
+
Mosquito Control Hearing
Will Begin at 2 Today
Southern Makes
New Try fo Get
Marine Railroad
Southern Railway, continuing ef
forts to acquire the right to op
erate the federal railroad between
Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point,
filed an application with the Inter
state Commerce Commission Fri
day, Aug. 22.
The application was made by the
Camp lejeune Railroad Co. and
Southern Railway. It requests for
the Camp Lejeune Railroad Co. a
"certificate of public convenience
and necessity authorizing operation
of a line of railroad . . . known as
the Marine Corps Railroad, ex
tending from Havclock to Jackson
ville, approximately 35.6 miles, all
in Onslow, Carteret and Craven
Counties . .
The application also requests
permission to issue a thousand
shares of capital stock without par
value and permission by Southern
to acquire control of the railroad
through stock ownership.
Previous attempts of Southern to
acquire operating rights to the Ma
rine line have been blocked by
other railroads. Southern at pres
ent operates the Atlantic and East <
Carolina road, which passes
through Cherry Point at a terminus j
of the Marine railroad.
Lions to Sponsor
White Cane Drive
During September
The Morehead City Lions Club
will sponsor its annual White Cane
drive this month. Last year the
Lions sent $300 to the state asso
ciation for the blind. Publicity
chaimran O. N. Allred says the
club hopes to improve on that
figure this year.
The club met Thursday night at
tbe Hotel Fort Macon to discuss
plans for the drive and to conduct
other business. The Lions voted to
give $25 per month to the welfare
department to be used for buying
glasses.
President Elmer Watson appoint
ed Eugene Espy, A. N. Willis and
Cliff Edwards to assist Grayson
Bullock in getting restrooms built
for the new city park.
Deputy district governor James
Crowe reported on the zone meet
ing at New Bern earlier in the
week. The meeting was a training
course for club officers.
Licenses Revoked
Four county drivers have lost
their licenses for a year. Tbe state
revoked the licenses of Wesley
Brown, Beaufort, and Hilda G.
Lewis, Morehead City, for driving
drunk. Andrew Midgett, Morehead
City, and Ronald Cowles, Atlantic,
lost theirs for driving after their
licenses had been revoked.
io determine wneiner mere is
sufficient interest in holding a ref
erendum on a mosquito control
tax, there will be a hearing at 2
this afternoon in the courtroom of
the courthouse, Beaufort.
The hearing will be conducted
by the board of county commis
sioners, Moses C. Howard, chair
man, presiding. Also present will
be a representative of the state
board of health.
To Answer Questions
At the hearing, the commission
ers and the health representative
will answer questions on the mos
quito control act which gives a
county (or district) authority to
levy a tax to spray to get rid of
mosquitoes, to drain stagnant pools
or take other measures to decrease
the mosquito population.
It is contemplated that if a mos
quito control tax is approved in
referendum, that the tax would be
10 cents per hundred dollars of
valuation.
35-Cent Limit
The law permits, however, a tax
as high as 35 cents per hundred
dollars valuation. The amount of
tax is to be determined by a board
of mosquito control commissioners
which would be set up if county
property owners approve a mos
quito control program.
A mosquito control district could
comprise several counties, and the
cost of control would be appor
tioned among them. As proposed,
however, Carteret alone would
comprise a mosquito control dis*
trict.
Persons at Sea Level interested
in mosquito control report that
they contacted adjoining counties
and found no interest in those
counties for mosquito control.
Special Registration
If, after the hearing today, the
county commissioners deem it ad
visable to hold a referendum on
the question, a special registration
will be required and a date set for
the election.
A special registration means
that each person who wants to
vote on the issue will have to regis
ter his name with a registrar in
his precinct prior to the referen
dum. Being registered now for
town or general elections will not
be sufficient to qualify a person
to vote.
The new bridge across Gallants
Channel, Beaufort, will formally
open with ceremonies at 10:30 a.m.
Monday, Sept. 8.
The bridge was opened in traffic
Friday and the old bridge raised
to stop highway traffic across it
and allow clearance for veasels.
The formal opening ceremony
will be conducted on the west sida
of the drawspan. William Roy
Hamilton, town commissioner, and
Dan Walker, town manager, have
announced the program for the
ceremony.
The invocation will be followed
by introduction of members of the
town planning board, town com
missioners, and Mayor Clfford
Lewis.
Mayor to Speak
Mayor I-ewis will make a brief
welcome address, followed by an
acknowledgment by J. M Brough
ton, chairman of the highway com
mission. Mr. Broughton will in
troduce W. K. Babcock, director of
highways.
Engineering and construction
personnel will be recognized, a rib
bon designating opening of the
bridge will be cut and then parti
cipants in the cercmony will drive
into Beaufort where they will at
tend a commissioners' luncheon at
the N. F. Eure building.
Gov. Luther Hodges has been in
vited to the ceremony. If he ac
cepts. he will introduced by Ce
cil Morris, Atlantic, chairman of
the state commercial fisheries
committee, and his address will
precede the cutting of the ribbon.
The program as now outlined is
subject to change, but Mr. Walker
said it is planned that the cerc
mony will last no more than half
an hour.
Engineers Help
Assisting Mr. Walktr and Mr.
Hamilton with the plans for the
ceremony were Jack Burruss, resi
dent engineer on the bridge pro
ject, and R. Markham, division
engineer.
Eighty highway officials have
received invitations to the formal
opening. The bridge and ap
proaches were built at a cost of
$852,168.52.
J. L. Humphrey, county road su
perintendent. said that work has
started on tearing down the old
drawbridge. The contractor is Mc
Meekin Construction Co., Cheraw,
S. C , the firm which built the new
bridge.
Any parts of the old bridge that
can be used will be salvaged. The
old bridge was seriously damaged
in the hurricanes of 1955 and 1958,
a factor which hastened plans to
build a new one.
Swansboro to Stage Sixth
Mullet Festival Sept. 27
Swansboro's sixth annual Mullet
Festival to be held Sept. 27 ia ex
pected to surpass all five previoua
festivals in events and numbers
of people attending.
The "Friendly City by the Sea"
has gone all-out this year to Insure
that everyone from loddltr to
grandpa has an enjoyable time.
The idea of a Mullet Featival
originated in 19S2 as a good-will
program. What had started out as
a community fish-fry has grown
far beyond original expectation*.
The firat festival drew 300 towns
people and guests. Over 3,500 are
anticipated thia year.
Kicking off the day's events at
to tu tW
1 p.m. will be the biggest parade
ever held in Swanaboro. In addi
tion to numeroua floats represent
ing various civic and buaineaa or
ganizations, there will be three
marching bands: Camp Lejeune'a
2nd Marine Diviaion Band, Jack
sonville's High School band and
the band from Swanaboro High.
Highlighting the parade will be
a float bearing the Mullet Featival
Queen and her court.
At 2:30 p.m. activities ahift to
the waterfront where a colorful
"pirate show" takea place. As in
previous years there will be free
boat rides around Swanaboro and
on the Inland Waterway.
Refreshments will be served,
starting at 3:30 p.m., at the local
community building, giving towns
people and visitors a chance to
relax and get together.
Many high-ranking military and
civilian dignitaries have accepted
invitations aa guests of Swanaboro.
For $1 (30 cents for school age
children) hungry spectators will
be served an old-faahioned mullet
and shrimp dinner, complete with
huah puppies and cole slaw. The
dinner beginning at 3:30 p.m. at
the high school, will be followed
by a fireworks display on the
school athletic field at 7:30 p.m.
Topping the evening's entertain
ment ia a scheduled "sock dance"
at t p.m. in the school gymnasium.
The meal ticket will serve aa
admission to the dance.
Two Cars Damaged
In Bridge Wreck
Harry L. Oswald III, Wallace,
waa charged with failing to main
tain a proper lookout and follow
ing too closely. after an accident
at 3:33 p.m. Sunday ob the At
lantic Beach bridge.
OawaM waa driving a 1933 Ford
and the other car Involved waa a
1958 Cadillac driven by Daniel L.
Stallings, New Bern. Both can
were headed toward Morehead
City. Patrolman J. W. Sykes said
the Ford rammed the rear of the
Cadillac.
Oswald cut his Up against hia
teeth. Damage to the Cadillac waa
estimated at MOO and damage to
the Ford at (300.