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ALL WHO READ
READ
THE NEWS-TIMES
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60th YEAR, NO. 74.
TWO SECTIONS SIXTEEN PAGES
MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA
rKlDAY, surra mjbuk id,
rUDliUDIlDL/ i U£*J1/A AM
Fire Destroys Mom
And Pop's at Beach
■ . ——i m —n ■ ii fff •
The kitchen at Mom and Pop’s is a charred shambles after yesterday morning’s fire. Damage was esti
mated at close to $10,000.
An early-morning fire yesterday
i swept through Mom and Pop’s
restaurant, Atlantic Beach, de
stroying the restaurant owned by
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.
The fire was discovered about
4:30 yesterday morning by Mr.
Smith, who lives next door. The
restaurant is located at the foot
of the old Atlantic Beach cause
John Jones, Street Commissioner,
To Check on Street-RR Problem
Atlantic Firemen
Report Success
The Atlantic Fire department an
nounces success in its 1961 fund
raising drive which ended Sunday.
Winston H. Hill, of the depart
ment, reports that the goal was
$500. The department received
$479.42 in cash, $13.40 in paint, and
$8.04 in gasoline for a total of
$500.86.
The money will be spent for in
surance and maintenance of the
trucks. The area of operation has
been changed to Atlantic only. The
department, originally organized
as the Down East fire department
at one time covered Sea Level,
Stacy and Davis.
The fire department thanks all
those who contributed, others who
helped in the drive and especially
Malcolm Fulcher for his assist
ance, Mr. Hill says.
The fire department will have
a special meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Monday for all persons interested.
Boys Booked
For Break-Ins
Apprehended for entering two
, places at Harlowe Sunday night
are two Negro boys, one 12 and one
15 years old. Deputy sheriff C. H.
Davis arrested the boys Monday.
They also said they had com
mitted another recent theft, ac
cording to the officer.
The boys went into J. M. Willis’s
service station Sunday night and
v ' Conner’s grocery.
At the service station they stole
a double-barreled gun, three flash
lights, flashlight batteries, cigar
ettes and gum. They entered the
garage and then got into the other
part of the budding by cutting
through a celotex ceiling.
At the grocery store they took
a .32 calibre Smith-Wesson revolv
er, $100 in cash, wrist watch, knife,
shells, cigarettes and gum. They
got into the store by breaking a
, window at the front.
The officer said everything stolen
was recovered, with the exception
of $30. The loot was stashed over
head in one of the boy’s houses.
Both live in Craven county.
They were charged with break
ing, entering and larceny.
way. Mr. Smith summoned the
Atlantic Beach fire department
which arrived on the scene with
two trucks at 4:45. One fire truck
from the West End station, More
head City, was also sent to the
blaze.
The kitchen of the restaurant,
where most of the fire was con
fined, was gutted. Extensive dam
age from water and smoke was
No representative of the Beau
fort and Morehead railroad appear
ed at the Beaufort town board
meeting Monday night. Mayor W.
H. Potter said he invited a repre
sentative of the railroad by letter
Aug. 9. The purpose was to dis
cuss the possibility of getting the
railroad operator to fix the road
bed through the town so that it
would not be hazardous to motor
ists.
The mayor read a letter from
A. T. Leary, Morehead City, who
leases the road, which stated that
a definite schedule of repairs is
being given consideration, also
that the mayor’s invitation to at
tend Monday night’s meeting “was
being given consideration.” ,
The upshot of two separate con
versations in the course of the
board meeting, is that John Jones,
street commissioner, is to investi
gate the street and railroad prob
lem and report back to the board
in October.
C. R. Wheatly, town attorney,
said that there was a right-of-way
agreement between the town and
Norfolk and Southern (which for
merly operated the present B&M)
in which the railroad agreed to
maintain the right-of-way in a
condition comparable to that of
the other streets in town.
Ammie Willis, Noted Guide
Dies; Funeral Wednesday
The funeral service for Capt.
Ammie Loren Willis, well-known
fishing and hunting guide of Davis,
was conducted at 2 p.m. Wednes
day at his home in Davis. Captain
Ammie, 69, died at Sea Level hos
pital Monday.
. Born at Davis April 4, 1892, he
took over the job as breadwinner
for his family at 13, when his fa
ther died. He worked in a fer
tilizer plant, hauled shells to Hyde
county in a sailboat, helped build
the road from Smyrna to Davis
and worked on fish boats for seven
years while providing for his moth
er, grandmother and five brothers
and sisters.
Captain Willis guided his first
party in 1922. Heading the group
was Bob Fitzsimmons, then heavy
weight champion of the world. One
of his best-known clients was base
ball’s Babe Ruth, who went on
three expeditions with Captain Am
mie.
The Rev. T. O. Terry, pastor of
Davis Free Will Baptist church,
conducted the funeral service. He
was assisted by the Rev. Clifton
Styron and the Rev. Donald Mor
ris. Burial was in the Murphy
cemetery.
done to the dining areas. Mr.
Smith reported yesterday that the
loss was covered by insurance.
Firemen battled the blaze for
an hour before bringing it under
control. They were aided by a
rain falling at the time and a wind
blowing from the ocean that kept
the fire confined to the kitchen,
where the blaze apparently start
ed.
He said that Mr. Leary, lessee of
the road, is the “sole obligated
party” to do that.
He suggested that the town state
specifically what it wants done
and set a deadline for doing it and
submit it to Mr. Leary. He said
if Mr. Leary refuses to do it, the
town could petition the utilities
commission "to arbitrate between
the town and the railroad regard
ing the right-of-way” and if the
utilities commission ruled that the
railroad should “care for the
right-of-way, the commission would
say how to do it.”
Mayor Potter then went into a
tirade over a NEWS-TIMES edi
torial of Tuesday, Aug. 15, object
ing to its statement that both the
town attorney and mayor have
personal interest in the railroad.
He then detailed what that interest
is. He said, “Mr. Wheatly repre
sents the Wheatly estate which
owns one-fifth of the B&M and
my father has an interest in the
railroad.”
He termed the editorial “a deg
radation of editorial policy.”
He said he personally didn’t care
if the railroad tracks were “torn
up from one end of Beaufort to
the other,” even though the rail
See STREET-RR, Page 2
Ammie Willis
. . . popular guide
He is survived by his wife, Mrs
Ruth Davis Willis; one son, Wii
liam Carlie Willis; one daughter
Mrs. Ira Davis; two sisters, Mrs
Frances Murphy and Mrs. Cartha
genia Davis; three brothers, Car
lie, Elmer and Theodore Willis, all
of Davis; four grandchildren and
one great grandchild.
State Moose to Meet Next Week
At Morehead for Convention
William A. Moon
.... state director
Shoaling of Port Channel
Could Affect Ship Loads
By RUTH PEELING
Unless the dredge Gerig gets to
Morehcad City channel before Oct.
14, the draft of ships coming in
may have to be reduced to 28 feet.
This means, according to harbor
pilots, that vessels can make port
only if partly loaded.
The Gerig, the Army engineers’
hopper dredge was last here in
December. According to the pilots,
the dredge was originally due here
prior to Oct. 14, but has been de
layed.
A. T. Piner, pilot who brought
in the fully-loaded Esso Chatta
nooga Monday, said that at one
point the channel has filled in 5
feet in the last 30 days. Authoriz
ed channel depth is 35 feet.
In dead center of the channel
between No. 7 and 9 buoys “the
best we have is 27 feet at high
tide,” Mr. Piner said. .
“Whep conditions get so yov’
can’t run the channel, all we'd
get is criticism if we run aground;
nobody would understand the con
ditions under which we're operat
ing,” the pilot remarked.
Four hundred feet is the author
ized channel width, but because of
shoaling, buoys 7, 8 and 9 have
been moved toward the center of
the channel, thus making the chan
nel almost an obstacle course.
A loaded ship coming into port
with a fair breeze blowing and the
tide pushing it, has a hard time
maneuvering through without strik
ing a buoy.
The Coast Guard moved the
buoys because of the shoaling. The
pilots make it clear they’re not
criticizing the Coast Guard.
“They’re trying to help us, but it
would be easier if those buoys were
out of the way because we know
where the deep water is and could
maneuver accordingly.”
It’s a revelation to see how
skillfully a pilot brings in a ship,
as I did Monday morning when
Mr. Piner guided the Chattanooga.
It was an ideal day, calm sea and
hardly any wind.
Clifton Nelson piloted the pilot
boat which took the pilot, “Teen”
Piner, and 1 out to the sea buoy
to board the tanker. The Chatta
nooga was carrying gasoline bound
for Morehead City’s Esso terminal.
Captain of the tanker was Nels
Poulsen, a native of Denmark who
has been a citizen of the United
States since 1932. The tanker had
come up from the Gulf of Mexico
and had put in at Tampa until the
captain learned what hurricane
Carla was going to do.
When the storm passed off to
the west, the Chattanooga continu
ed its trip and averaged 19 knots
up the coast to Morehead City.
The captain was marvelling—the
fastest they usually average is 15
knots. The speed was attributed
to a surge of water pouring out of
the Gulf behind Carla, which push
ed the tanker northward.
Captain Teen looks as though
he’s ready for church when he
goes out to bring in a ship—gleam
ing white shirt, pressed trousers
—no sloppy “work” clothes. He
See CHANNEL, Page 2
Tide Table
Tides at the Beaufort Bar
HIGH LOW
Friday, Sept. 15
11:13 a.m. 4:46 a m.
11:31 p.m. 5:25 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 16
12:04 a.m. 5:21 a m.
.... 6:19 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 17
12:27 a.m. 6:10 a.m.
1:02 p.m. 7:54 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 18
1:31 a.m. 7:39 a.m.
2:07 p.m. 9:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 19
2:44 a.m. 9:22 a.m.
3:21 p.m. _ 10:17 p.m.
Frank Ray
. .. regional director
Fish Fry Will
Launch Crusade
To announce the 1961 Cancer
Crusade in the county, a gigantic
fish fry will be sponsored Wed
nesday night, Oct. 11, at the Na
tional Guard armory in More
head City.
The fish fry will be open to
everyone and will be sponsored
by the Carteret Business and
Professional Women’s o 1 u b,
which is in charge of the Cru
sade.
Chairman o£ the supper is Miss
Stella Propst. Miss Propst an
nounces that tickets will be on
sale county-wide in the near fu
ture. All proceeds will go to the
cancer fund.
Congress OK's
Laws Providing
Education Funds
Extension by Congress of laws
which provide federal funds for ed
ucation will mean $114 million a
year (under public law 874) to
counties of the third congressional
district, according to David Hen
derson, congressman.
Mr. Henderson announced Tues
day that the Senate had approved
on that day two-year extension of
public laws 874 and 815 and a two
year extension of the National De
fense Education act.
j All counties in the third district
'(includes Carteret) receive bene
fits under the NDEA, Mr. Hender
son said. All except Sampson
county receive assistance under PL
874.
As a result of the approval of the
funds, four new classrooms instead
of two, will be added this year to
Beaufort school, according to H.
L. Joslyn, county school superin
tendent.
Mr. Joslyn said that $90,000 was
put in this year’s budget as the
amount anticipated from the fed
eral government. Last year the
amount received ran close to $100,
000, he said.
At the recent boat'd of education
meeting it was reported that
school enrollment this year is
slightly more than a hundred in ex
cess of last year’s enrollment. This
means that total enrollment this
year may be close to the 7,000
mark.
School treasurers were appoint
ed. They are Mrs. Grace Fodrie,
Beaufort; Mrs. O. G. Duke, Camp
Glenn; Mrs. Blanche Comer, New
port; Mrs. Delores B. Rose, Atlan
tic; Mrs. Louise Wiggins, Smyrna;
Mrs. Vera May Davis, Harkers
Island; Mrs. Betty Tillery, Queen
Street, and Miss Dorothy Carra
way, W. S. King. (The teacher
slated to be treasurer at Morehead
City resigned.)
A letter from the Morehead City
PTA was read, asking for covered
walkways at the school. It was
pointed out that the school has re
ceived a new floor in the audi
torium, new stair treads in the au
ditorium, new window sash to re
place rotted sash, and all floors
have been refinished.
A letter to this effect was writ
ten the PTA.
Two Sessions
County recorder’s court held two
sessions this week. Court was
held Thursday in addition to its
regular day Tuesday, because two
sessions were missed during the
recent superior court term.
Cecil I). Webster
. . . . Supreme councilman
Harkers Island
Boat Rescues
Fisherman, Boat
What could have been tragedy for
Lt. Col. Newton I). McDowell Jr.,
52 Bassett, Fort Bragg, was avert
cd Tuesday when the colonel, cling
ing to the bottom of his overturn
ed outboard, was rescued by the
Eva Martin, a Harkers Island fish
ing boat.
McDowell ran on Cape Point
shoals and his motor quit. The
breakers swamped the boat, but he
managed to flip it over and hang
on to the bottom of it.
He said he had been in the water
about an hour when the Eva Mar
tin came along at 12:30 p.m. He
was about two miles from shore
and drifting back toward the
shoals.
When he capsized, the tide was
running out and carried him off
the shoals, but by the time he
was rescued, the tide was carrying
him toward them again.
He had a 15-foot fiber-glass boat.
Aboard the Eva Martin were Capt.
Donnie Lewis, Abbott Paul Rose,
Willie G. Willis and Preston Ful
cher.
They were returning from a fish
ing trip to the outer reef. They
saw something white floating on
the water and thought it was a life
preserver. They ran to it and dis
covered it was the top of fish icing-,
box. They looked around to see
where it might have come from,
because it looked new, and saw
the box itself floating.
After looking some more, they
spotted the overturned boat and
McDowell. They rescued him and
towed his boat back to Harkers
Island.
Had McDowell not been seen and
had been washed back on the
shoals, it is extremely doubtful
whether he would have survived.
Fishermen say the tide rips across
the shoals so fast that you can’t
stand up against it. Whether a
good swimmer could make it to
shore, from there, on an incoming
tide, is a question.
The New Bern Farmers Home
Administration office announces
that Clinton C. Griffin has been
employed as emergency loan su
pervisor for Craven and Carterel
counties.
Regional 1Urban Renewal' Official
To Meet Beaufort Officials Sept.25
To discuss urban renewal, Lyn
wood Purcell, Atlanta, Ga., will
meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept.
25, at the Beaufort town hall with
town commissioners, the planning
board, merchants association and
other civic leaders, announces W.
H. Potter, mayor.
He said that a representative of
the Local Government commission
will also be invited.
Mr. Purcell is acting regional di
rector of the Housing r.nd Home
Finance administration.
C. R. Wheatly, town attorney,
told commissioners at their Sep
tember meeting Monday that he
felt permission from the Local
Government commission would be
needed if Beaufort were to enter
a new program requiring a major
investment of funds.
“We are a bonded town. We’re
not privileged to take on new obli
gations until we straighten out our
Gathering Will be Largest
Here in Recent Years
Members of the Loyal Order of Moose of North Carolina
will convene at Morehead City Thursday for the 35th an
nual state convention. Earl Holt, governor of Morehead
City Moose lodge No. 1069, host lodge, says this will be
the biggest convention ever to be held on the' Carteret
coast. Headquarters will be the'
Biltmore hotel, west of Morehead
City.
Reservations at the hotel and
nearby motels already number 600.
Between 800 and 1,000 are expect
ed. William A. Moon, state direc
tor ol North Carolina for the
Moose, estimates that the conven
lion will bring $50,000 in new money
to the area.
Mr. Moon is enthusiastic about
the prospects of bigger conventions
for Morchead City. He said this
convention was originally sched
uled for Asheville, but convention
goers have run into some difficul
ties in that city this past season,
so the Moose decided to switch to
the coast.
But the major reason for coming
here, he explains, is because the
■ Biltmore has expanded its dining
facilities to care for a big conven
tion.
The Moose are going to have $10,
000 in $2 bills at the registration
desk and ask each registrant to
! take $20 to $.10 in $2 bills to spend
in and around Morchead City dur
ing the four-day convention.
“This is one way to prove to local
business people that, conventions
are helpful to them,” Mr. Moon
said. “Morehead City is in posi
tion to be the outstanding con
vention city in eastern North Caro
lina. The sooner we can get peo
ple apprised of the convention dol
lar, the better off Morehead City
will be,” he remarks.
Speakers at the convention will
include Frank Ray, Asheboro,
Moose regional director for Vir
ginia, North and South Carolina,
Georgia and Alabama; Cecil D.
Webster, Burlington, a member of
the Supreme Council, top elective
body of the Moose, and Mr. Moon.
Among the resolutions expected
to be adopted at the forthcoming
convention arc the following: re
dedication of the Moose to the
American way of life as opposed
to Communism; endorsement of
the Girl Scout program, which will
observe its 50th anniversary next
year; and encouragement of high
way safety.
Banners will span streets and
highways of Morehead City publi
cizing the convention. Mr. Moon
says pictures and publicity on this
area have been distributed by the
lodge throughout the entire state.
The Moose number in North Car
olina 75 lodges and 26,000 members.
Their four-point program is Moose
hart protection (insurance), Moose
haven security (home for retired
Moose members), community ser
vice, and fun, fellowship and fra
ternalism.
The convention will be highlight
ed by a banquet Saturday night at
the hotel when the “queen of spon
sors,” the woman has sponsored
the largest number of members
during the past year, is crowned.
. Heavy Floods Reported
In Gulf During Carla
Persons of this area who have
relatives in the Gulf section where
Carla hit report that there was ex
tremely heavy flooding in Sabine
Pass, Tex., and Cameron, La.
There was little wind damage,
but waters are receding, leaving
the usual muck and debris.
house,” he remarked. It is esti
mated that Beaufort would have to
put up $2,500 to $3,000 to finance
a long-range planning program.
Federal funds equalling or exceed
ing that amount would be added
to meet the total cost of planning.
Asked to give his advice on the
proposal, Mr. Whcatly said that
$2,500 as the town’s share of the
cost is not a budgeted item. He
added that the expenditure is not
“in keeping with administrative
expense and it’s not part of our
authority to spend funds for it.”
He remarked that governmental
functions include sewage, street
maintenance, police and fire pro
tection. Although he said that the
item might be included in next
year’s budget, he didn’t think that
type of expenditure is authorized
by the people.
The mayor suggested that the
people vote in a referendum to levy
a 5-cent special tax to finance the
Mayor Wants
Group to Find
Site for School
• Chief to Investigate
Horse Problem
# Supreme Court Gets
Annexation Case
Mayor W. II. Potter, Beaufort, at
a town board meeting Monday
night at the town hall, appointed a
committee which he said will look
for a site for a new Beaufort school
and recommend the site to the
county board of education.
Members of the committee are
Frank Morning, commissioner in
charge of civic affairs; Glenn
Adair, Mrs. C. R. Wheatly Jr.,
Mrs. James H. Potter, Mrs. George
Huntley Jr., Halsey Paul, Mrs.
Charles Hassell and Dr. Theodore
Salter.
Mayor Potter also announced that
Mrs. Wheatly has been named
chairman of United Nations Day in
Beaufort Tuesday, Oct. 24.
Chief of police Guy Springle was
asked to investigate complaints
about a horse being stabled in the
900 block of Front sjroet. A town
ordinance prohibits livestock with
in 40 feet of any residence or with
in 25 feet of a street.
At the request of Dr. David Far
rior, fire commissioner, the board
passed a resolution that radio
equipment in the fire department
be used for business only and for
testing. He said some people have
been using it “as a plaything.”
The question was raised as to
whether Beaufort firemen would be
covered by workmen’s compensa
tion if they were fighting a fire be
yond the area covered by the fire
department. C. R. Wheatly, town
attorney, said they would not be
covered.
Gerald Woolard, building inspec
tor, reported that letters have been
sent to three property owners who
are allowing buildings to remain
in a hazardous condition. He said
one of the property owners, Russell
Manson, has made arrangements
to eliminate the hazards; and the
other two buildings are on Cedar
street, owned by Lottie Mae Gas
kill, and next to the old tomato
canning plant on Lennoxville road.
Mr. Wheatly reported that the an
nexation law suit was argued be
fore the state supreme court Wed
nesday, Sept. 6. He said he had no
idea what the outcome would be.
He said the judge’s major question
was, “Would the town of Beaufort
be able to finance services in the
annexed areas?”
Mr. Wheatly expressed the hope
that the board never ceases its ef
forts to carry through annexation.
He suggested that annexation
might be effected through amend
ment of the town charter.
The board authorized the police
chief to shoot any dog roaming at
See BOARD, Page 2
cost of planning. Commissioner w.
R. Hamilton said he doubted if the
proposal would be approved. Ron
ald Earl Mason, town clerk, said
that the money could be found if a
man were cut from the street de
partment Jan. 1.
The commissioners questioned
the advisability of doing that and
thus cutting the services now being
received by the people.
Mr. Wheatly said, “Where are
we heading?’’
Commissioner John Jones re
plied soberly, "To a dead end.”
Th.e town attorney said, “Our
greatest interest should be towh ex
tension.”
Mayor Potter said if the town
couldn't find the. money to finance
the planning, he wanted each com
missioner to personally give the
money for the job. This was not
met with loud hurrahs from the
commissioners.