IN THIS ISSUE:
All About
SPOONER’S CREEK
HARBOR
COUNTY NEWS-TIMES
. 50th YEAR, NO. 81.
TWO SECTIONS
TWENTY PAGES
MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1961
PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
| Limits Defined
On Fishing
Around Piers
# Fisheries Committee
Meets, Winston-Salem
# Fisheries Regulations
Codified, Approved
A new regulation adopted by the
commercial fisheries committee at
* its recent meeting, states that no
one, except fishermen on the piers,
may fish within 500 feet of the end
of the pier or within 300 feet on
either side.
Fishermen in boats interfering
with anglers on piers have been
a source of contention along the
North Carolina coast.
The attorney general informed
the fisheries committee, in session
last week at Winston-Salem, that
• the commercial fisheries division
has no authority to supervise
sports fishing piers, but it does
have jurisdiction over waters sur
rounding the piers.
The regulation will be advertis
ed 30 days before it becomes effec
tive.
The committee decided that July
1962 would be the earliest a hear
ing on issuance of private oyster
leases in the South River area
could be held. The hearing, when
> the date is set, will be at More
head City.
The fisheries committee has re
quested Hargrove Bowles Jr., di
rector of the Department of Con
servation and Development, to ask
the governor for $2,500 to $3,000.
The funds would finance a survey
in lower Albemarle sound to de
termine the advisability of dredg
V ing oyster shells there for road
materials and poultry feed.
The survey would also report on
the effect of such dredging on fish
and wildlife and would be made
under the supervision of Dr. A. F.
Chestnut, director of the Institute
of Fisheries Research, Morehead
City.
The committee urged that the
survey be made as soon as possible
after funds are provided and say*
results of the survey will be the
. subject of public hearings before
a final decision is made on the
dredging.
Approved was the new codifica
tion of fisheries regulations. Or
ders for printing and advertising
them were given and the rules will
be placed on file with the secre
tary of state, Thad Eure.
C. G. Holland, commercial fish
eries commissioner, reported that
the vessel Atlantic, part of the
state fleet, had been sold. The
vessels Chowan and Roanoke have
■ been turned over to the fish and
See FISHERIES, Page 7
Toastmasters Conduct
Drive for New Members
A drive for new members is bc
v ing conducted by the Carteret
county Toastmasters, announces
John Baptist, president. He re
minds prospective members that
the club meets the second and
fourth Wednesday of each month
at the civic center in Morehead
City.
Persons interested in training
for public speaking are invited to
call James McLain, PA6-3300, or
Lecil Smith, PA6-4097. The presi
dents said previous speaking ex
perience is not necessary.
It's October!
News-Times Photo by MeComb
Show this picture to anyone who has never lived along the North Carolina coast and he would know
it’s October. The sea oats, golden and heavily laden, swing above the dunes, and on the shore surf-casters
are enjoying their favorite sport beneath a blue sky and an Indian summer sun.
Salvors Hope to Beach Ship,
Clear Way to Aviation Dock
Salvagers of the Potomac hope
to beach the charred hulk in shal
low water as soon as possible in
order to clear the way into the
Aviation Fuel Terminals dock.
" There is a possibility ”that the
remains of the tanker, which burn
ed in Morehead City harbor two
weeks ago today, will be beached
on Radio island. There, tanks
would be freed of gas fumes and
all of them emptied while further
salvage operations were undertak
en.
As the ship lies now, no tanker
can get to the Aviation Fuel termi
nal dock. This means that when
present tanks on land are empty,
the military bases, which have
been getting jet fuel from More
head City, would have to be sup
plied from Norfolk and Charles
ton.
A large amount of frozen food
was found in good condition on the
tanker last week. The refrigerated
compartment, heavily insulated,
was at the stern and low in the
ship, which afforded it maximum
protection from the flames.
Capt. C. L. Peterson, of Merritt,
Chapman and Scott, ship salvors,
is in charge of salvage operations.
He hopes to be able to float the
Potomac away from here. If this
can be done, the time required is
estimated at 30 days.
Depending on the amount of
damage to the interior of the ship,
it may also be possible that she
could be repaired. But this can
not be determined immediately.
Taken off the Potomac over the
weekend were 16,000 barrels of jet
fuel. It was pumped into a small
tanker. Standing by with fire
equipment was the Coast Guards
Lt. John Riddell, commanding
officer of Fort Ma«m group, said
the smell of gasoline and fuel oil
in the harbor area will be strong
on flood and ebb tides until the
ship is moved, because she is still
seeping oil.
The Coast Guard inquiry into the
blaze, which destroyed the tanker
Sept. 26, ended Thursday night.
The inquiry was conducted at the
Reserve building, Fort Macon, by
a board headed by Capt. Joseph
Bresnan, chief of staff, Fifth Coast
Guard district.
Questioning of crewmen aboard
the tanker, and persons involved
in fighting the blaze, started last
Tuesday morning. The probe was
carried out to determine the cause
of the multi-million dollar blaze.
Results will be announced by the
commander of the Fifth Coast
Guard district, Norfolk, when the
investigation is complete.
This may not be until the end
of the year, according to Coast
Guard authorities.
Testifying Thursday was Capt.
Arthur Hunter, of the Potomac,
who told of his efforts to start the
Potomac’s engines and get her
away from the Aviation Fuel dock
when the fire started.
When it was seen that the tanker
couldn’t be moved because the
flames were already engulfing the
Yum-Yum! Fish Fry Tomorrow!
Capt. Ottis Purifoy, More head City, helps Miss Stella Propst select some luscious fat mullet for
morrow Bight’s fish fry at the National Guard armory, Morehead City. Tickets are only $1 each and
proceeds will go to the county cancer society. Sponsoring the fish fry is the Carteret Business and I
frit!teal Women’s club. At left is the dub president, Mrs. Frank Sample, with Miss Lyda Finer, who is
mMH'IUh Propst with the Mg event.
?£?
bow, he ordered the engines stop
ped. When the first explosion oc
curred, which was in a matter of
seconds after the danger was rea
lized, the captain gave orders to
abandon ship.
Captain Hunter was one of sew n
picked up by the Morchead City
partyboat, Bunny II. Capt. Arthur
Lewis, of the Bunny II, said when
he and three men on his boat de
cided to go to the stern of the tank
er, they thought there was only
one man there.
But when they arrived, the other
six, who had been clinging to the
dolphins, showed up. The captain
highly commended Lewis and How
ard Jones, BM1, Harkers Island,
a Coast Guardsman, for their he
roic rescue efforts. Jones and
three other men in a Coast Guard
30-foot 'r, picked up survivors.
The captain said all of his crew
followed orders in the crisis. He
especially commended chief engi
neer, N. E. Nations, second engi
neer W. F. Craig, and the chief
mate, W. L. Maholland.
The chief mate testified that aft
er the explosion he ordered the
men, some of whom were by that
time at the stern of the ship, to
“take to the water. Get out of here
as fast as you can!’’
Maholland said that he and the
captain assisted the men over
(there was at least one line down
from the stern to the water) until
they were of the opinion that all
the men were off, then they went
overboard.
Pete Salopek, the radio operator
aboard the ship, is still missing.
One of the crewmen died. Twenty
two suffered minor burns and oth
er injuries. Forty-four men was
the ship’s complement at the time
of the fire and two others, relief
men, were at Morchead City, ready
to take up their jobs when the
tanker left.
The board considering all the
evidence taken in the three days
of testimony consists of Captain
Bresnan; Lt. Cdr. L. W. Goddu,
Coast Guard Marine Inspection
Service, Wilmington, and Lt. Cdr.
Harry Gardner, Coast Guard Ma
rine Inspection Service, Wilming
ton.
Army Engineers Call
For Dredging Bids
Wilmington—Col. R. P. David
son, district engineer. Corps of
Engineers, has announced that
bids are scheduled to be opened in
his office Oct. 24, 1961 for main
tenance dredging at Manteo (Shal
lowbag) Bay, N. C.
The work to be done consists of
the removal and disposal of all
shoal materia) lying above the
plane of 12 feet below mean low
water in the channels between
Wancese, N. C., and the gorge in
Oregon Inlet. The quantity of ma
terial to be removed is estimated
to. be approximately 300,OdO cubic
yards.
Colonel Davidson stated that bids
under this procurement are solicit
ed from small business concerns
only ahd that the procurement 14
to be awarded only to one or more
am all jfflffififfff 4
Fisheries Official Predicts
'Normal Season for Oysters
30 Attend Good
Egg Breakfast
Friday Morning
Thirty people, representing poul
try producers, county agents and
city and county officials from
Beaufort and Morehead City, at
tended a Good Egg breakfast Fri
day morning at the REA building,
Morehead City.
Mrs. Frances Lamm, egg con
sultant with the North Carolina
market association, delivered the
main talk. She spoke on the nu
tritional value of eggs and discuss
ed the growth of the egg industry
in North Carolina.
Guests at the breakfast included
mayors George Dill 'and -William
H. Potter of Morehead City and
Beaufort; county commissioner
Gaston Smith; county agriculture
agent R. M. Williams; home eco
nomics agent Floy Garner and W.
C. Carlton, manager, Carteret
Craven Electric Membership Corp.
Musical entertainment was pro
vided by Bertie Robinson, Phyllis
Youngblood, Brenda Cox and Ann
Lockey of the Newport senior 4-H
club.
Coast Guard
Aids Two Boats
Engine failure of two boats
brought out the Coast Guard Sat
urday afternoon, according to re
ports from Fort Macon.
The first assist was to a 14-foot
rented outboard that developed en
gine trouble off the Fort Macou
state park beach. The boat, oper
ated by H. M. Garmy, Atlantic
Beach, was towed to docks on the
Atlantic Beach causeway by the
Coast Guard 30-footer.
Later the same afternoon, Fort
Macon dispatched the 40-footcr to
Core Creek to aid a 33-foot pleas
ure boat, Plymouth Rock.
Causer Arthur, Cherry Point, was
the owner of the boat. It was tow
ed to Cannon Boat Works for re
pairs.
Coast Guard crewmen on the
two assists were Howard Jones
Jr., BM-1; Frederick Hurst, EN-2;
Wilson, SN; Harold Snipes, EN-1;
Adams, DC-3; and Coty, SA.
Tide Table
Tides at the Beaufort Bar
HIGH
LOW
Tuesday, Oct. 10
8:23 a.m.
8:36 p.m.
2:27 a.m.
2:53 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 11
8:52 a.m.
9:07 p.m.
2:59 a.m.
3:28 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 12
9;22 a.m.
9:41 p.m.
3:28 a.m.
4:02 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13
10:00 a.m.
10:26 p.m.
3:56 a.m.
4:37 p.m.
Port calendar
Morehead City State Port
American Miller—Docked yes
terday to load tobacco for Eu
rope.
Fernmoor—Due Saturday to un
load cargo of tapioca flour.
Heidelberg — Due Saturday to
load tobacco for Europe.
Marit Maersk -*• Due Sunday
for tobacco for the Far East.
Sylluni—Due Oct. 18 to load to
bacco for Europe.
Erlangen—Due Oct. 20 to pick
up tobacco and lumber for Eu
rope.
Ships in a military movement.
Landformed, will dock at the port
during the three-day period Oct.
11-13.
Board Adopts
Resolution
The board of county commission
ers adopted at their recent meet
ing a resolution expressing thanks
to those who assisted during the
burning of the tanker Potomac in
Morehead City harbor. The resolu
tion 'ollows;
"The board of Carteret county
commissioners Wishes to express
its appreciation to all governmental
and civic units and individuals who
contributed so generously of their
time and facilities in helping to
prevent a more serious disaster
than that which actually occurred
when the motor vessel Potomac
burned in Morehead City port on
the night of Sept. 26, 1961.
"We most heartily commend
those who, with personal risks and
under adverse circumstances,
worked so hard in what we be
lieve was an act that saved many
lives and many thousands of dol
lars in property. Since all who
took part are not known, we are
using the media of newspapers as
bearers of this message of appre
ciation.”
Coast Guard Looks
For Missing Boat
The Coast Guard has been
searching for the past several days
for the trawler, Thomas J, out’of
Bclhavcn.
Tne trawler was last reported
seen going through the Beaufort
drawbridge last Monday, Oct. 2,
headed north.
Lt. John Riddell, .commanding
officer of Fort Macon Coast Guard
station, said Elizabeth City Coast
Guardsmen have been searching
1 amlico sound from the air. Sur
face craft have also been looking
for the vessel.
The lieutenant said the search
is being handled by district head
quarters, Norfolk. Names.of per
sons aboard or the owner are not
known here
Person Injured
Martha Gunn, Newport, was re
portedly injured in an auto acci
dent Friday night. Details of 'he
accident were not available at
press time. The accident victim
was treated at Morchead City hos
pital and then transferred to Cher
ry Point.
Waterfront Brings Thrill
Leslie Bryaa,
Mike CUpsadi, la
Prices Start Off Well,
Expected to Hold Up
' At the end of the first week of the 1961-62 oyster sea
son, it looks as though there will he a “normal oyster sea
son this year,” according to C. G. Holland, state commer
cial fisheries commissioner.
Prices have been quite good, but the oysters have not
been shucking but too well. “It’s still too warm,” commis
sioncr Holland remarked. The tat-’
lest oysters come in cold weather.
In Newport river hand tongers,
numbering between 30 and 40, are
working. They were getting from
$3:50 to $4 a tub (five pbeks) and
; averaging $4 a bushel, according
to reports last week. The price
has dropped slightly since then.
In Pamlico, Hyde and i)are coun
ties, where most of the oysters are
harvested by dredging, boats are
averaging 10 to 15 tubs per day.
David II. Wallace, Annapolis,
Md., executive director of the Oys
ter Institute of America, predicts
' an “exceedingly high price for oys
ters" this winter. He attributed the
, expected highs to shortage of oys
ters in former highly productive
areas.
There has been a heavy kill-off
: of oysters in Delaware and Chesa
peake bays.
Dr. A. F. Chestnut, shellfish spe
| cialist and director of the Institute
of Fisheries Research, UNC, More
head City, says that Chesapeake
bay ovstermen will be harder hit
this year than in recent years.
However, the Delaware bay area
seems to be pulling out of the
slump.
An unknown disease is killing
oysters in those waters, Dr. Chest
nut says. It generally is referred
to as “MSX.” A spore believed to
cause the mortality has been
found, but where it comes from or
how to prevent its toll of oysters
is still a mystery.
Dr, Chestnut says that kill-off of
oysters for several years has oc
curred in various parts of the
world, England, Canada, and Aus
tralia. But the oysters have al
ways made a comeback. He said
scientists believe that some oys
ters develop a natural immunity to
the disease and it is from these
that the beds are eventually re
plenished.
When Virginia, which produces a
third of the US oyster supply, is
hit by a catastrophe like MSX, this
naturally ups the price of oysters.
Other oyster-producing Sreas enjoy
the higher profits. Mr. Wallace, in
a recent interview with a Rich
See OYSTER SEASON, Page 7
Firemen Will
Visit Air Base
Cherry Point—Seventy-five slate
volunteer firemen will tour the air
station and view a crash fire-fight
ing demonstration this afternoon.
The group will visit the station
as part of the quarterly meeting
of the Eastern Carolina Volunteer
Firemen’s association, which will
be held at 7:30 tonight at Newport.
Firefighting teams from the sta
tion fire department and the crash
crew will demonstrate crash fire
fighting techniques at 4 p.m. at
the crash crew training area ad
jacent to MEMQ. Included in the
demonstration will be displays of
the latest hand extinguishers and
dry chemicals used for fighting
fire.
The visiting firemen will also
tour,the overhaul and repair de
partment here during the after
noon.
Committee Turns Down
Land Transfer Request
The commercial fisheries com
mittee has denied a request that
a portion of its land at Camp
Glenn be transferred, without cost,
to the National Guard of North
Carolina.
The committee acted at its re
cent meeting at Winston-Salem. If
the land transfer had been effect
ed, it was proposed that the Na
tional Guard armory, planned for
Morchcad City, be built on it.
The committee suggested that
the Board of Conservation, in the
interest of future development,
might consider selling some of the
land after a "fair appraisal” is
made of its value.
Eastern Rulane, Beaufort, has
moved into its new store on high
way 70 east of Beaufort near the
intersection of highways 70 and 101.
The store is having its grand open
ing all this month.
Photos by Reginald Lewis
This is the “thing” that got
away just as it was gaffed at the
bow of the trawler, Little Sister.
By ELLEN MASON
A big one got away Tuesday aft
ernoon even though two 15-year
old Morehead City youths put up
a valiant battle. Leslie Bryan and
Mike Clapsadl took turns trying to
land whatever it was Leslie hook
ed, but lost it just as they got it
to the lop of the water after a two
hour fight.
About 100 onlookers watched the
boys as they waged their battle
against the water creature. Of
those who glimpsed it as it neared
the surface on the final pull, most
thought it was a skate that would
easily have Weighed 75 pounds.
The boys were using a live spot
l See EXCREMENT, Pa#e I
4 ■ !