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THE NEWS-TIMES
NEWS-TIMES
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60th YEAR, NO. 21
MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1961
TWO SECTIONS TEN PAGES
PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
Beach to Have
New Street
Light System
• Board Refuses Permit
To Fix Bath House
• Portable Building
To Go on Ocean Front
Atlantic Beach will have the new
mercury vapor street lighting sys
tem in the near future. Installation
of the system was authorized at a
meeting of the town board at the
town hall Friday morning.
George Stovall, manager of the
Carolina Power and Light Co., at
tended the meeting. The cost of
the system is slightly more than
the system now in use, but the ef
fects are better, Mr. Stovall said.
C. T. Herring, Kinston, and his
attorney, John Larkins, Trenton,
appeared before the board relative
to the town’s refusing Herring a
permit to rebuild his bath house,
which was damaged during Donna.
The board continued to refuse,
after consulting with Kern Church,
deputy state fire marshal and state
building code official, who had
been asked to attend the meeting
by Mr. Larkins.
Herring then presented two coun
ter-proposals. He requested per
mission to repair with a promise
that a new building would be put
up in two years and that he would
post bond to assure the board this
would be done; or he would brick
veneer the bath house.
Mr. Church said that the build
ing could not meet the state build
ing code or wind code. The coun
ter-proposals were denied.
A letter from Mrs. Walter B.
Warren, Selma, advocating a non
denominational church for the
beach, was read. The attorney,
George McNeill, was asked to write
Mrs. Warren, outlining the efforts
being made to establish churches
in the beach area.
The clerk, M. G. Coyle, was ask
ed to write the State Highway com
mission, pointed out that the drain
age problem on the Fort Macon
road at Sound View Isles is a state
matter, since the town has no juris-,
d By a Site of 2 to 1, Free-'
man! Atlantic Beach, was given''
permission to build a portable type
(chuck-wagon) building along the
ocean front. The building will
house a refreshment and souvenir
stand.
the board specified that the
building must be at least 8 by 20
feet and meet requirements of both
the state and wind resistant build
ing codes. Such buildings will be
permitted only on the ocean front.
Mr. Church said the building will
meet code requirements if it is
properly constructed, but if so con
structed, it would cost more than
I an ordinary type building. The
building is designed so that it can
be put on wheels and moved in
case of storm.
Commissioner A. F. Fleming
voted against permitting construc
tion of that type building.
The clerk was given permission
to have the town hall floor tiled.
Mayor A. B. Cooper presided.
Commissioners present were W. L.
Derrickson, R. A. Barefoot, and
Mr. Fleming.
Mayor Requests
Support of Tax
Mayor W. H. Potter, a member
of the Committee of 100 for Better
North Carolina Schools, yesterday
asked that people support the sales
tax proposals made by Gov. Terry
Sanford. „
He asks al| people interested “to
contact D. G. Bell and Luther
Hamilton of the general assembly"
and ask them to support the sales
tax proposals “considered neces
sary and proper” to acquire ade
quate schools.
Mr. Potter said that representa
tives at Raleigh cannot act in the
best interests of their constituents
unless the people let them know
their opinions.
The mayor attended the meeting
of the joint, appropriations com
mittee it Raleigh Wednesday when
the board of education presented
its budget. He said the Commit
tee of 100 for Better Schools en
dorses jhe United' Forces for Edu
cation program.
CjMWty to Borrow Fund
To Buy Hospital Site
To meet the cost of paying for
a hospital stte the county will bor
row $100,000 on note. The legal
advertisement requesting bids ap
pears in-today’s paper.
J. D. Potto’, county auditor, said
Friday that the money will be used
also foa' paying the hospital archi
tect’s fpe when preliminary plans
are 'presented, which may be in
60 or 8Q days.
The county will refinance its
present debt July 1. Mr. Potter
estimates the debt'on that date with
be $481,000. ...
Firemen Burn Mill Creek House
To practice controlling house fires, Newport and Beaufort firemen set this house at Mill Creek afire
Saturday afternoon. Nearby woods also caught fire, but little damage was caused. In the foreground is
fireman John Holcomb.
A practice fire at Newport Sat
urday turned into the real thing
and at the some time another fire
occurred at Newport Milling Co.
Newport and Beaufort fire de
partments were conducting a house
burning drill on the Mill Creek road
when the wind suddenly whooshed
from 6 to 8 miles per hour to 18
within 60 seconds.
Sparks, set the nearby woods on
fire, and firemen and the Forestry
Service fought the blaze for the
next two hours. Little damage was
People in Western Carteret
Pleased, Chairman Says
■4
Roland Salter
Heads Cattle
M^CMtter
By R. M. WILLIAMS
County Agricultural Agent
Roland Salter, Bettie, has been
named chairman of the County
Cattle-f o r-Slaughtcr referendum
committee. The statewide cattle
for-slaughter referendum will be
Saturday, March 25.
Chairman Salter will attempt to
inform all county cattle producers
of the purpose of the referendum,
and how the money collected will
be used.
This is the second assessment
referendum to be held by North
Carolina cattle producers. The
question at stake is whether they
wish to continue their present as
sessment program for promoting
the North Carolina beef industry.
Under the present program, the
producers contribute 10 cents for
each head of cattle that sells for
$20 or more. This applies to cat
tle sold through auction markets,
handlers or processors.
The program was started three
years ago. Some $70,000 had been
collected and put into promoting
the production, marketing and con
sumption of beef.
A two-thirds favorable vote of
all voting is required for the ref
erendum to carry. All persons
who share in proceeds from the
sale of cattle for slaughter are
eligible to vote. Polling places in
the county are Roy T. Garner’s
Feed and Seed Store, Newport;
Gaskill’s Feed & Seed Store, Beau
fort; and Julian Gaskill’s Store,
Sea Level.
Democrats Will
Meet Tonight
Ronald Earl Mason, president of
the Carteret County Young Demo
crats, announces that’the organiza
tion will meet tonight at 8 at the
courthouse, Beaufort.
Mr. Mason also announced the
appointment of precinct member
ship committee chairmen as fol
lows: Harry Fulcher, Atlantic;
Joyce Fulford and Mary Lou Wil
lis, Beaufort; William B. Golden,
Bettie;' Paul Smith, Bogue; Ron
ald Goodwin, Cedar Island; Don
Walston, Cedar Point; James Paul
Lewis, Davis; Mrs. Clara Yeo
mans, Harkers Island.
Fertile Willis, Marshallberg; Cal
vin Mason, Merrlman; Jerry Gar
ner, Newport; Colon Taylor, Sea
Level; Billy Smith, Salter Path;
Hedrick Salter, Stacy; Donnie Wil
lis, Williston; Howard Mason, Wire
Grass. ’ * . ’ * ’ • ' *
Precinct committeemen met last
night at the Biltmore hotel with
Bert Bennett, chairman sd the
State Democratic party, and Wal
lace Hodge, executive secretary of
l-the. party. ■ .
done to the woods because back
fires were set.
During the drill, the high winds
blew sparks from a burning saw
dust pile at the milling company
on to a pile of logs. An outbuilding
was destroyed. The standby crew
at the Newport fire station con
trolled the blaze.
Needham Garner, mill owner,
was at the drill taking moving pic
tures at the time.
The house which burned was
owned by tynion Bag and Paper
Co. In January it was damaged
h Moses Howard, chairman of the"
county board of commissioners,
said yesterday that constituents in
the western part of the county are
pleased with the site selected for
the proposed county hospital.
“I have received phone calls and
comments in person,” he remark
ed, “The people are gratified that
through oh
its intention to place the hospital
west of Morehead City. They
would be alarmed if it Were put
any other place.”
He also added that he was asked
about “secret meetings.” Mr.
Howard said there has been a
charge made that the county board
“met in secret” on one occasion.
“I have been asked by my
friends to either admit or deny
this. Frankly, I see no need to get
into an argument about it. I have
never attempted to call any kind
of secret meeting. I have always
attempted to inform the press of
our sessions, if the board convenes
at other than its regular times.”
It has been charged further that
the board made no decision rela
tive to its preference for a western
hospital site until “the night be
fore the . election,” which would
have been Nov. 7, 1960.
The board made its decision rela
tive to the general locale of the
proposed hospital Tuesday night,
Oct. 18. This was announced in
the press Oct. 21, 1960.
t Another newsstory, known in
newspaper parlance as “the lead
story,” elaborated on this an
nouncement Oct. 25, 1960. In THE
NEWS-TIMES Oct. 28 another ref
erence was made to the decision
by the board.
This was followed in the issue
of Nov. 1 with another article in
THE NEWS-TIMES as to the area
of the county in which the board
planned to build the hospital.
These newsstories are open to
public inspection in the files at
THE NEWS-TIMES office.
Meeting Cancelled
Because of a conflicting engage
ment at Blue Ribbon restaurant,
where meetings are held monthly,
the Veterans of World War I will
not meet tonight as scheduled.
They will meet next Tuesday,
April 1.
by fire and the owners wanted it
burned completely. The first of
two test fires were controlled well,
according to Newport firemen.
What was supposed to be the
third test, prior to complete burn
ing, turned into the real thing
when the wind suddenly increased.
The films taken at the fire will
be used at future training meet
ings of fire departments in this
area.
Two Newport trucks and one
Beaufort truck participated in the
drill and forest fire fighting.
Car Hits Bus,
Says Official
H. L. Myn, county superinten
dent of schools, commenting Fri
day on an accident involving a
school bus, said that the school bus
was struck by the automobile.
The accident happened Wednes
day morning on highway 101. Mr.
Joslyn said that the car ran into
the right front side of the bus and
the bus did not run into the car,
as reported in Friday’s paper.
Craig Dudley, bus driver, on his
written report, said he swerved to
try to avoid the collision when he
saw the car, driven by Myrtle F.
Weaver, pull out on to the highway.
No one was injured in the acci
dent and no charges were prefer
red. Mr. Joslyn said the driver of
the car has agreed to pay for dam
ages to the bus. Patrolman J. W.
Sykes said a parked car blocked
the driver's view of the oncoming
bus.
Court Receipts
Up Last Month
Morehead City recorder’s court
cash receipts last month totaled
$1,856.05, or $671.99 more than
court disbursements for the month.
A financial report on the court
was given town commissioners at
their meeting last week. February
receipts exceeded January receipts
which were $1,367.50.
Salaries paid the judge, solicitor,
clerk and assistant clerk totaled
$617.99. Paid to officers for court
duty was $124.
The bank balance Jan. 31, 1961
was $251.94. Total recorder’s court
funds at the end of February were
$1,020.81.
There was no indication on the
report that $3,485.50 in fines and
forfeitures, owed to the county as
of January, had been paid. These
funds are owing for two quarters
in 1959.
Blowing Spark Causes Loss
Of Large Home at Gloucester
Roger Williams, whose home at Gloucester burned Fri-'
day morning, estimates his loss at $20,000. Insurance is
expected to cover about a fourth of it.
The Williams home, formerly owned by the late Capt.
John Nelson, state fisheries commissioner, caught fire
Beaufort Mayor
Says He Doesn't
Want Injunction
W. H. Potter, mayor of Beaufort,
denied yesterday that he intends
to get a court order to stop con
struction of the proposed county
hospital. In private conversations
Saturday, the mayor stated that he
intended to take legal action.
“I told Moses .Howard (chair
man of the county board of com
missioners) that unless all sites
were examined, I would use every
resource at my command to see
that they carry out their duty.”
When Mr. Potter further assert
ed he was not contemplating an
injunction, he was asked what "ev
ery resource at his command”
was.
The mayor replied, “I hope an
injunction will not be necessary.
I want to sec a hospital built in
the county.” He insisted, however,
that in his opinion the board has
to take borings on the three sites
they mentioned at the March 6
county board meeting.
“I think that the board has not
acted legally and in the best in
terests of the county. I believe a
miscarriage of justice has taken
place in the manner in which they
(the board) arrived at their de
cision. The site is not in the best
interest of the county,” the mayor
said.
He said that before the hospital
referendum he said he “didn’t care
if they hung the hospital up a
tree,” that he was in favor of the
hospital. "When the bond issue
passed, I felt that the hospital bond
referendum was a break-through
in an effort to, get better schools.”
He said that he believes $75,000
is too much to pay for the hospital
site (cost of Webb waterfront prop
erty, which has been selected for
a site) and that the “traffic pat
tern” by the site is not desirable.
He mentioned use of the highway,
which goes through the Webb prop
erty, by Marine Corps traffic.
Relative to a meeting conducted
at the Beaufort town hall Sunday
afternoon, mayor Potter said, “I
called,” and then altered the state
ment, saying, “I attended a meet
ing for further discussion on the
hospital.”
When asked what was discussed,
he said, “You’ll have to get that
information from those who at
tended.”
A doctor on the staff of the More
head City hospital said that doctors
met Saturday afternoon to talk
over the proposed hospital site.
When asked if he had heard
about an injunction, he said that
an injunction would merely be a
delaying action and it would mean
that the county would lose the
money now available to it for a
hospital.
He said, “We’re most anxious to
see that the hospital is built. We’ve
already delayed too long.”
Tide Table
Tides at the Beaufort Bar
HIGH LOW
Tuesday, March 14
6:08 a.m. 12:35 a.m.
6:39 p.m. .
Wednesday, March 15
7:03 a.m. 12:54 a.m.
7:30 p.m. 1:26 p.m.
Thursday, March 16
7:53 a.m. 1:46 a.m.
8:18 p.m. 2:14 p.m.
Friday, March 17
8:41 a.m. 2:36 a.m.
9:06 p.m. 2:59 p.m.
'when a spark from burning dried
cedar trees blew on to the porch
roof.
Beaufort and Morehead City fire
trucks answered the call for help,
but arrived too late to save any
thing. The house is a complete
loss.
Mrs. Williams said that they had
trimmed limbs from trees damaged
by Donna. They had been put in a
field to dry and Mr. Williams was
burning them Friday morning.
A daughter, Linda, 17, was clean
ing second-story windows in the
house when she noticed smoke
from the porch roof at about 10:30.
Beaufort firemen said they got a
phone call from a neighbor at 11:40
a.m. Bill Pigott, who lives across
from the Williams' home, helped
Mr. Williams get a rug out of the
house and one or two other items,
but everything else was burned.
At home at the time, in addition
to Linda, were her two baby
brothers, Andy, 2, and Joey, 1. An
other boy, 12, was at school.
Mrs. Williams said a complete
remodeling job on the house, which
they bought five years ago, had just
been finished. The home consisted
of 10 rooms. “We had just, for the
first time, gotten a house large
enough for us and the way we
wanted it,” Mrs. Williams said.
"Then 25 years went up in smoke.”
They are undecided about rebuild
ing.
The Williams are, at present, liv
ing with friends in Morehead City,
but are looking for a home to rent.
They need a two-bedroom furnish
ed house. If anyone has one for
rent, they arc asked to call PA
6-3959.
Clothing and household furnish
ings are also needed. Ages of the
children are listed above. Mrs,
Williams wears a size 20'/2 dress.
Mr. Williams happened to have a
suit ot dottles at the cleaner's, so
lie can get along all right, Mrs.
Williams said.
The Williams operate a small
store in Beaufort in the space for
merly occupied by the Beaufort
Department store, Front street.
Their store was formerly located
at Front and Craven streets, but
was damaged by smoke and water
in the fire which destroyed nine
businesses and offices in Beaufort
in December 1959. Hard luck seems
to be dogging their path. Mr. Wil
liams said that since coming to the
county from Arkansas, they have
had two fires, a car stolen and two
burglaries.
Mr. Williams is a retired Navy
man. The Williams moved here,
they said, because they wanted to
be near the water.
Supreme Court
OK's Decision
The state supreme court on Wed
nesday upheld superior court de
cisions in four lawsuits filed by G.
T. Gillikin, Otway.
The lawsuits had been dismissed
in Carteret court by judge W. H.
S. Burgwyn. They were filed
against (1) Leslie D. Springle, for
mer coroner of Carteret County;
(2) Gene Bell, a commercial pho
tographer; (3) the United States
Fidelity and Guaranty Co., and
(4) the Ohio Farmers Indemnity
Co.
Gillikin was administrator of the
estate of Louie Elmer Gillikin, 24,
who with Charles Lewis, 25, both
of Otway, were killed in a collision
with a potato truck owned by Mr.
Springle.
The accident happened on high
way 7fl west of the North River
bridge July 2, 1956.
District Trophy Accepted
O. P. Johnson, superintendent of Duplin county schools, presents
the district trophy to the Beaufort Seadogs after the tournament at
Kenansville. Accepting the trophy is team captain Pud Hassell.
Curtain to Rise Saturday
On Hi-Y Follies at School
Drum Inlet
Hearing Set
For April
A bearing in connection with im
proving navigation conditions at
Drum inlet will be conducted at 10
a.m. Friday, April 14, in the court
room of the courthouse, Beaufort.
The hearing has been scheduled
by the Corps of Army Engineers.
A public hearing on navigation
problems at the inlet was conduct
ed June 10, 1957 at Beaufort. The
outgrowth of that hearing was a
recommendation that further study
be undertaken.
The second hearing is a part of
“further study.” The project au
thorized for Drum inlet calls for a
channel 12 feet deep at mean low
water and 200 feet wide from the
gorge in the inlet to the federally
improved channel in Core sound.
The engineers point out that no
changes in the project, as author
ized, have been made.
The 1957 and coming hearing are
to determine whether “as an emer
g e n c y measure” unsatisfactory
navigation conditions in the chan
nel from Core sound to the gorge
in the inlet, stabilizing the inlet,
and deepening the channel, should
be undertaken.
Oral arguments will be heard
April 14, but the engineers prefer
testimony in writing, six copies.
School Superintendent
Comments on Money
H. L. Joslyn, county superinten
dent of schools, said Friday that
Carteret county has received
$229,278 under the federal law
which provides federal funds for
school construction.
According to information from
congressman David Henderson,
which appeared in Friday’s paper,
Carteret’s share under that law
was $736,727.91.
Mr. Joslyn said $736,727.91 was
received under another federal
law (PL 874), which provides funds
for school operation.
f The Morehead City Boys’ Hi-Y
and the Alpha and Sigma Chapters
of the Girls’ Tri-Hi-Y will present
a variety show Saturday night at
8 o’clock in the high school audi
torium. Admission will be 50 cents
for students and $1 for adults.
The show will consist of musical
numbers, both vocal and instru
mental; dances, pantomimes and
humorous skits. Approximately 25
Students will be" "featured in the
production which is under the di
rection of Fred Willis Jr. and Rob
bie Lou Murray. Emcees will be
Jerry Bowers and Joe Bailey.
The production staff is headed
by Mike Lewis, stage manager;
Duncan Lewis, scenery, and Jerry
Bowers, sound. Assisting these
boys are Jon Vickroy, Noven Ma
son, Jimmy Ross and Jimmy Mor
an.
Natalie Kilmon is in charge of
publicity; Doris Phillips, costume
and makeup and Johnny Crowe,
photography. Barbara Nichols and
Elizabeth Taylor arc student co
ordinators and script girls.
The sponsors of the three clubs,
Mrs. Ruby Parker, George Jack
son and Miss Hortense Boomer arc
serving as advisors to the student
staff. They are assisted by Mrs.
William Lockard and Miss Renee
Kemp, faculty members. Ralph
Wade, music instructor, is helping
with the musical numbers.
Among the groups which will be
presented are the Dixiccats, an
outstanding combo among the stu
dent musicians; the majorettes,
who will do one of their liveliest
routines; the Girls’ Ensemble from
the high school chorus; and sev
eral groups doing pantomimes.
Linda Mitchell, Maxine Jones,
Shirley Frederick, Marie Blanch
ard and Carolyn Meigs will do
dance or twirling routines. Penny
Taylor will do a ballet number.
Instrumental and vocal selections
will be given by Georgia Mizesko,
Betsy Shanor, Betty Ruffin Gar
ner, and Anne Marie Lewis.
Other numbers will be a boys’
quartet, a trumpet solo by Jimmie
Terrell, a duet with Fred Willis
and Joe Bailey and a can-can by
the Boys’ Chorus Line.
The stage band will play before
the curtain goes up at 8 o’clock.
Proceeds of the show will be given
to the band to help defray their ex
penses to the Cherry Blossom Fes
tival in Washington, D. C.
County Board Decides on Hospital Site
If farter borings on the Webb
waterfront property on highway 24
prove satisfactory, the county will
exercise its option to purchase -the
property, a total of 82 acres locat
ed on either side of highway 24,
this week. The cost is $75,000.
At a special meeting of the coun
ty board at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at
the courthouse, the commiaaioners
voted 3 to 1 to put the hospital on
Bogue Sound. Chairman of the
board, Moses Howard, did not vote
officially, but he informed a NEWS
TIMES reporter that he was in
favor of the move.
Commissioner; David Yeomans
voted against the motion, explain
ing that he was not opposing the
site, he thought it was a “good
site,” he added, but it was bis in
tention that subsoil tests would be
made on three sites before a de
cision was made.
Thursday’s meeting was called
by chairman Howard after be re
ceived a 'written report from
George Watts Carr, architect, on
results of borings made on the
property. ,
Mr. Carr's report follows:
March 9,1961
Mr. Howard—
We have finished two (2) test
holes on the Webb property facing
Bogue Sound. In each hole we
have found a strata of material
that is entirely satisfactory for the
foundation support of the hospital
building.
If the commissioners will ap
prove this , site, we will coaplnU
our investigations on Monday and
Tuesday next.
George Watts Carr
Luther Hamilton Jr., county at
torney, said Saturday that the
county board has requested he wait
until six more borings are made
this week on the property, before
taking final legal steps to close
the transaction with the property
owner, Earle Webb.
The property consists of about
2§ acres between highway 24 and
the water, where the hospital will
be built, then runs in a rectangu
lar shape across the highway, ex
tending toward highway 70 for a
distance of about 2,000 feet.
A big to-do developed over site
selection after commissioners met
last Monday, March 6. Persons
tom JteaitfortiMtfd they thought a
motion naming three hospital sites
meant that borings would be taken
on all three sites.
The majority of commissioners
said they were under the impres
sion that the motion was to bore
on the first site, the Webb water
front location, and if borings were
satisfactory, the hospital would go
there.
Commissioner Gaston Smith said
Thursday, “Interpretation of the
motion is causing the problem.”
Chairman Howard said the ac
tion of the board, as printed in
The News and Observer “was the
same way as I meant it. It was
my understanding that if No. 1
bore would hold the hospital, that’s
where it would go. That was my
interpretation of the motion.”
ed to restate his motion of Mon
day. Mr. Yeomans said, “If you’ll
remember, Mr. Potter (mayor Pot
ter of Beaufort) had the floor. He
said he would like us to select sites
and whatever we decided, he would
go along with it. I made it clear
that I had not talked to Mr. Pot
ter before the meeting, at any
time.
“Based on a discussion the com
missioners had at Bud Dixon’s mo
tel after we looked at the -sites
(March 1), I made the motion I
did. A previous motion by Mr.
Chalk failed to get a second, and
I figured it was time to make my
motion.
“I moved that we select three
sites so that borings could begin
without delay. They were the
Webb site oa highway 24 as Me. 1,
the Webb site on highway 70 as No.
2 and the Gibbs site as No. 3.”
He said no preference was intend
ed.
Commissioner Skinner Chalk
then reviewed conversation at the
Monday, March 6, meeting. “I
asked you,” he said to Mr. Yeo
mans, “if, in the light of a state
ment you had made at a meeting
Wednesday, March 1, to the effect
that you did not intend to go back
on your word to put the hospital
west of Morehead City, if you in
tended to change your opinion, and
you said you did not.”
Mr. Yeomans then said, “No
matter what the findings are, so
far as the borings go, I would still
feel that we have to select one of
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