VOLUME XVII NO. 37
CHANNEL BASS
TAKEN IN NETS
NEAR HATTERAS
'he Old Red Drumfish Are
Showing Up, Promising
Happy April
Opening
Channel bass were being caught
n Hatteras pound nets this week.
Since they were the first of the
reason, the news was of particular
nterest to Dare Coast charter boat
skippers, operating from Manteo,
Mags Head and Wanchese, who
ake out hundreds of anglers daily
ifter the big run of big channel
>ass arrive at Oregon Inlet.
Taking channel bass in the
>ound nets set for shad in Pam
ico Sound usually begins about
hree weeks before the big game
ish strike in here at Oregon In
et. Last year the first of the sea
ion to be taken with rod and reel
it Oregon Inlet was on March 30.
The previous year the big run did
lot start until mid April, but
isually the first catch is made
luring the last week of March.
Channel bass fishing here after
he run begins is “big business.”
t literally means the beginning of
he vacation season on the Dare
oast because the run continues
intil May when early “summer”
acationists start arriving at Nags
lead and the other Dare beaches.
Channel bass skippers usually
harge $35 daily for an inlet char
er. There are approximately 50
'oats in the fishing fleet catering
o anglers, some of them being
rdinary commercial fishing boats,
yhen the big run is at a peak and
nglers have difficulty finding a
egular party charter craft.
About the same time the big
hannel bass start taking trolled
rtificia] lures at Oregon Inlet,
hey can be taken in a similiar
lanner by anglers at Hatteras In
st. But usually the most popular
>ay of taking channel bass in the
latteras-Buxton area is by surf
asting with cut bait along the
eaches.
In the outdoor sporting world,
hannel bass fishing at Hatteras,
>cracoke and Oregon Inlet is na
ionnlly famous. Anglers from this
nd Adjoining states and from all
ver eastern America come here
uring the big Spring run to match
heir skill against the copper
. Mored fighters.
I
>EyiONSTRATION ON
THE UTILITY ROOM
Wilkinson Club Members Looking
Forward to District Meet;
Music Appreciation
Stressed
The utility room, one room ev
ry woman should have in her
ome, was the demonstration very
ipably given by Miss Emma Mc
rthur, Assistant Home Agent, for
le February meeting of the Wil
inson Home Demonstration Club.
: was a very fitting demonstra
on, as the club met with Mrs.
ugh Crumpler in her new home,
>a details of which the Home A
ents had helped to plan. Mrs. Wil
am Russ was co-hostess. Mrs.
ernie Laughinghouse presided,
he group sang “America.” Mrs.
. H. Bishop, Sr., read the devo
onal. All prayed the Lord’s Pray
•, Several book reports were gfv
1. Interest was shown in the Dis
•ict Federation meeting, to be
eld in Washington in April. The
omen all want to become more
msic conscious and are making
lans to enable them to do so.
uring the social hour refresh
ents were served.
. W. DRINK WATER NAMED
ARE WRECK COMMISSIONER
A. W. Drinkwater of Manteo
ist week was appointed Wreck
ommissioner for the whole of
are County by Gopernor Scott,
e will have charge of the dispo
tion of marine wreckage, includ
ig ships and cargoes. A small
tmmission on sales is the only
iimbursement for this office. In
;e old days of wooden ships and
sany wrecks, the office meant a
reat deal, and there were several
immissioners along the coast. Mr.
rinkwater’s first responsibility
as the sale Wednesday of some
aterials that recently came a
iore from a ship wrecked near
atteras.
ANCER CLINIC O”EN FIRST
FRIDAY IN ELIZABETH CITY
The Cancer Clinic of Elizabeth
ity will be open to the public on
ie first Friday of each month at
5:30 p. m., Mrs. W. A. Hoggard
ivises. The next clinic will be Fri
ty of this week, March 7th, at the
ealth Department.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
MANTEO GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM TO COMPETE IN STATE FINALS
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GIRLS OF MANTEO HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBAL will g> to Southern Pines next week to
compete in the state finals, after winning 19 straight :■ n his ys -r, coming up with the rural Albe
marle tournament title. Sixteen teams have been pick i.i N , :.h Carolina to play in the games at South
ern Pines. These are the sixteen teams with the best records. Manteo will play Aberdeen on Monday night,
March 10, and excitement is running high among fan Coach Adrian O. Ayers has backed this team with
many years experience in coaching, and fans expect t e girls to finish up at Southern Pines with another
good record.
The players, left to right are: (kneeling) Loret a Midgett, Tracy Midgett, Annie Laurie Kee, Joyce
Stetson, Linda Gaskill, Marie Etheridge (standing) Jackie Forehand, Carolyn Gaskill, Betty Rae Rogers,
Jane Midgett, Betty Alice Skinner, Edna Dowdy, and rr dee O’Neal.
PTA MEETING HAS
LARGE ATTENDANCE
Fathers, Urged to Attend, Made
Up About One Third of Those
Present
Approximately 100 parents,
teachers and other Manteo citi
zens attended the March meeting
of the Manteo Parent-Teacher
Association, which was held
Tuesday night in the school aud
itorium. A special effort had
been made to get the fathers to
attend this meeting, and about
one third of the total attendance
was made up of men. The at
tendance banner went to the
twelfth grade, for having the
most fathers present.
A skit entitled “High Pressure
Area,” and dealing with the teen
age problem, was presented by
Mrs. G. G. Bonner. Those taking
part were Mrs. Bonner, Robert
Ballance, Betty Rae Rogers and
Marie Etheridge. This was pre
sented in the manner of a radio
program, with Mrs. H. K. Tug
well as director.
Hostesses for the teen-age cen
ter, which is a PTA project,
made a plea for additional vol
unteer hostesses. Several offer
ed their services, but a good
many more could still be used.
Mrs. Raymond Wescott, presi
dent, appointed the following
nominating committee to present
a slate of officers for election at
the April meeting: Mrs. G. G.
Bonner, chairman; Mrs. R. D.
Sawyer, Mrs. Amos Daniels, Mrs.
H. K. Tugwell and Mrs. Edna
Bell.
Mrs. A. Q. Bell was chairman
of the hospitality committee, and
was at the door to welcome
guests. She was also responsible
for stage decorations, which
were of camellias, jonquils and
flowering quince.
Open house was held, and par
ents visited the classrooms.
Mrs. L. D. Hassell was in
charge of the refreshment com
mittee, and with other members
of the committee served pie, ice
cream and coffee in the lunch
room.
EVENING OF MUSIC
FILLS AUDITORIUM
Enthusiastic Audience Hears Pro
gram By Local Musicians
A capacity audience filled the
Manteo School auditorium Sat
urday evening to hear the musi
cal program sponsored by Roa
noke Island Music Club. Charlie
(Dr. C. N.) Wright of Jarvisburg,
at the organ; and Dick Jordan
of Nags Head at the piano pro
vided the greater part of the en
tertainment, playing both sep
arately and together a number
of selections semi-classical and
popular. The Manteo Rotary
Quartette, John H. Long. Julian
Oneto, Ralph and Lawrence
Swain, rendered several novelty
numbers. Julian and Lima (Mrs.
Julian) Oneto sang “Indian Love
Call* and Mrs. Oneto in Irish
costume sang “Mickey.” The fi
nale was an Irish number in cos
ume, featuring the entire cast
with Mrs. Onetq as soloist.
KITTY HAWK P. T. A.
SPONSOR SQ. DANCE
The Kitty Hawk P. T. A. is
sponsoring a square dance Sat.
I nite, March 8, 1952 at 8:00 at
the Kitty Hawk school. The fig
. ures for the dance will be called
■ by the experienced callers, Mr.
! and Mrs. David Stick. There will
’ be refreshments for sale includ
l ing home made pies and cakes.
The feature of the evening will
f ’be C. O. D. packages selling for
1 a25 cents but worth much more.
! ISLANDER WHO MADE
J GOOD IN NEW YORK
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AMONG THE SEVERAL colored
men of Roanoke Island who have
gone away and made good is
Richard G. Pigford, who for 27
years has been in New York City
and holds a responsible position
in the Pbstoffice Department. He
has several brothers and sisters
in Manteo and vicinity, and his
father, the late Richard Senior
is well remembered as a Coast
Guard of Pea Island Station. In
October 1924 after finishing
1 school at Shaw University, Ra
‘ leigh, he went to New York and
got a job as a porter in the sub
way and attended New York
University at night; He had just
married and it was tough going,
but he finished a business course
in a year and in November of
1925 passed his examination for
postoffice clerk. He has worked
up to a salary of better than
$4,300 a year and is buying a
modern home in Jamaica, Long
Island. He is active in public af
fairs, and-last year took part in
a play or operatte to raise funds
for postal employees who got in
need through illness. The play
last year was called HMS Pina
fore, and Richard’s part was Bil
ly Bobstay, Boatswain, as he is
shown in the picture above. He
looks like a mighty salty charac- (
ter in keeping with the sur
roundings from which he grew
up. This group gave over $3,000
for their worthy cause last year.
They are now working on an
operetta and will give “The Pir
ate of Pinzarus.”
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1952
POLITICS DRAG SLOWLY
ALONG IN DARE COUNTY
Two Candidates for House, One
for Commissioner; One Pros
pect for Education.
Few people are breaking their
necks for political office so far in
Dare County this season. First
candidate was representative R.
Bruce Etheridge who wants to go
back to Raleigh. He is being op
posed by Dewey’Ha-imon of Nags
Head who represented the county
in 1949. Mr. Hayman came out to
day. Mr. Etheridge has been in the
field for a month.
James Scarborough of Avon an
nounces for County Commissioner
again, to serve from Kennekeet
Townsh’p. That represents the crop
of candidates to date, save for
Dave O’Neal of Avon, who is cast
ing a wistful eye toward the Board
of Education post now held by El
lis Gray. Dave feels pretty sure
he will run, having served with
pleasure for 20 years as school
committee, Deputy Sheriff, police
man, registrar, etc. He is widely
known all over the Outer Banks.
Rumors have it that Chairman
Walter Perry of the Board of Edu
cation may run for the Board of
Commissioners. This post is now
held by Hallett Perry of Kitty
Hawk who says he won’t run any
more.
KILLER WHALE MAY HAVE
SLAYED STRANDED FINBACK
Duck, N. C.—A pack of killer
whales, most vicious members of
the whale family may have been
responsible for the death of a
giant finback of the species now
beginning to ripen on the beach
near Caffeys Inlet Coast Guard
Station.
That is the opinion of Dr. Henry
Kritsler, director, Duke Univer
sity JWarine Laboratory, Beaufort,
who came here this week to make
a scientific study of the 40-ton, or
more, carcass of a whale that
washed ashore during the recent
storm. More than half covered in
the gravelly sands of the area,
there is a very distinct wound on
the body, close to the right eye, of
the 54 or more feet still visible.
Woodson Midgett thought the
whale’s death was due to its having
been struck by a moving ship.
‘‘Killer whales usually attack
their larger relatives in packs, rip
ping at their tongues or in the vi
cinity of their eyes and great
toothless mouths,” said Dr. Krits
ler.
The Duke Marine Lab director
knows a lot about whales, but is
lan expert on the bottle-nose dol
phin or porpoise. For several years
prior to becoming associated with
Duke University he had been at
tached to Marine Studio in Marine
land, Florida—the place often nic
i tured showing porpoise eating fish
from the hands of tourists.
“Finbacks are the f»®*os‘ jm- I
ming whales known. I*' th” oH
days of sailing ships, whalers sel
dom killed finbacks with their
hand-harpoons thrown from slow
moving row boats. Today however,
this is one of the principal species
taken with modern harpoon guns
and fast attack boats operating
from whaling ships,” he explained.
See WHALES, Page 4
DEEPER WATER
FOR HATTERAS
AND ENGELHARD
Rollinson Channel and Far
Creek to Be Dredged At
Early Date
The dredging of Rollinson Chan
nel at Hatteras and Far Creek at
Engelhard is to be completed at an
eafly date. Congressman Herbert
Bonner, who has closely followed
these projects, advises that Col.
R. C. Brown of the Corp of En
gineers of Wilmington has notified
him as follows:
“Contracts have been let for the
maintenance dredging ... on both
projects . . . and it is expected the
the dredging will be started in
Rollinson Channel, within 30 days
and at Far Creek within 60 days.”
FRED GRAY FINDS
WOMAN’S LEG IN
SURF NEAR AVON
Salty Old Coast Guard Frigh
tened By Strang Relic He
Brings Drinkwater
Avon. —This picturesque village
of Hatteras Island has a first class
mystery story—which may never
be solved. It’s about a misplaced
leg, an artificial one, that was
found in the surf recently by Fred
Gray, retired Coast Guardsman.
Driving along the highwater
mark of the beach a few weeks ago
Gray saw what at first glance ap
peared to be the lower limb of a
human body. But the next breaker
brought the object ashore, and
while it was definitely a limb,
there was no body attached. Then
as he started to retreive the leg
he discovered it was artificial—
made of metal.
Asked what was the first thing
he thought after picking up the
leg, Gray said, “Well, I scanned
the beach to see if there might be
a one-legged body ashore nearby
and then I thought of Long John
Silver.”
“I believe I sort of remarked to
myself, ‘it couldn’t be Long Jbhn
Silver’s artificial leg, because his
was a peg-leg.’ ”
(Long John Silver in Steven
son’s “Treasure Island” was the
one-legged pirate who sailed as
sea-cook aboard the Hispaniola,
but appeared in his true colors
later when he headed the mutiny
and ran up the Jolly Roger.)
“A lot of things have been found
washed ashore on our beach, but
this was the first time myself and
neighbors had ever heard of an
artificial leg washing ashore,”
declared Gray.
“It was a right leg and shapely
—something like some of those
shown in photographs you have
made of bathing beauties,” he said.
“What did you do with it?” I
asked.
“Since no one around here had
any use for it, I left it at Drink
water’s house in Manteo. He col
lects things, you know.”
LAST CONFEDERATE
WIDOW DIES IN DARE CO.
f Mrs. Olive Frances Barnette,
f 84, died Sunday afternoon at the
i home of her daughter, Mrs. J. D.
> Hayman, at Wanchese at 3:15
' o’clock after a lingering illness.
> She was a native of Buxton but
1 had been living at Wanchese for
the past 14 years. She was the
’ daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
■ Abner Gray and wife of the late
> James J. Barnette and a mem
’ ber of the Wanchese Methodist
Church.
- Her husband, who died in his
' late nineties about 15 years ago.
1 had served in both the confeder
• ate Army and Navy. He was a
distinguished citizen of Dare
County.
She is survived by two daugh
ters, Mrs. J. D. Hayman of Wan
chese and Mrs. Mary E. Hackert
of Charlotte; two sons, Horace
Barnette of Corolla, and Samuel
L. Barnette of Blumes Island,
Md.; four grandchildren and one
greatgrandchild.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o’-
clock at the Wanchese Metho
dist Church by the Rev. C. W.
Guthrie, pastor. Burial was in
the Cudworth Cemetery at Wan
chese. The body lay in state at
the church one hour prior to the
service.
'CAFE NOW OPEN AT
MANTEO AIRPORT
To serve the flying public .in
particular, and tourists travelling
by ferry across Croatan Sound, the
Manteo Airport Case has been
leased by Bill Meekins of Manteo,
and opened for business on March
1. The case will be in position to
serve seafood, barbecue, steaks
and chops.
END COMES THURS. FOR
WELL KNOWN SALESMAN
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\ *■ -
CHARLES R. FULCHER, 66, of
Manns Harbor, one of the best
known salesmen along the North
Carolina coast for many years,
died Thursday morning at the
home of his daughter, Mrs. Ray
Ives in Elizabeth City, following
a severe illness of several months.
He had been in poor health for sev
eral years, and was first stricken
about four years ago while on a
visit to Hatteras, campaigning for
Governor Scott. He was a lifelong
member of the Methodist Church,
and a member of the Red Men and
the Ruritan Club of Manns Harbor.
He had served as Sunday school
Superintendent, helped in the
choir, and took part in all commun
ity endeavors. He had made his
home variously in Elizabeth City,
Manteo, Engelhard, and in Manns
Harbor where he ran a store busi
ness for some time. He had travel
led for wholesale grocers, and
wholesale fish dealers, and for
several years worked for Jones
Wholesale Co. in Manteo. His par
ents were the late Stanford L. and
Cynthia Tillett Fulcher of Manns
Harbor. He is survived by his wife,
Mrs. Lizzie Burrus Fulcher, two
daughters, Mrs. Ives and Mrs. Rus
sell Langley of Norfolk, and by one
son, Woodrow T. Fulcher of the
Coast Guard, now stationed in Cali
fornia. Also by three sisters, Mrs.
Allan Gibbs of Elizabeth City, Mrs.
Elma Mann of aMnteo, Mrs. Fred.
Johnson of Manns Harbor; several
grandchildren, nephews and nieces.
OIL SOAKED GANNETS
' IN PITIFUL IPLIGHT
A dozen or more oil-soaked sea
gannets were hobbling along the
beach between Jennette’s Pier and
Oregon Inlet early this week. They
had been washed ashore during the
stormy weather last.
Harry Davis at the State Mu
seum was notified about the situa
tion but there was nothing he
could do.
The gannets had probably got
ten soaked with oil while diving
for herring or menhaden in the
wake of some ship that had pump
ed its bilges off the coast.
These seafowl, once known as
Solan Geese, which early writers
averred were hatched from bar
nacles, are solid white except for
yellowish neck feathers s »qd black
wingtips. They have awing Spread
of six feet or more and they art
the only North Atlantic members
of the Booby family.
RETURNS TO DUTY
WITH AIR FORCE
' v ' i 11- - ;
Aw. Maw
JgL
CORPORAL KENNETH CLAY
TILLETT, of the U. S. Air Force,
left Monday for Randolph Field,
San Antonio, Tekas after spend- .
ing the weekend with his grand- i
parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Til
lett, at Kitty Hawk. Young TH
let graduated from Kitty Hawk
High School on June 6, 1951, and
on June 7, went to Raleigh for
induction into the Air Force.
Stationed for a time in Texas,
Corporal T.iJett was later sent to
Denver, Colorado. Being trans
ferred from Denver back to Tex
as, he came hotne for a short
visit.
Single Copy It
FISHING INDUSTRY
SHOWING PROFITS
THRU FEBRUARY
Manns Harbor and Wanchese
Report Good Catches;
Few Rigs Active
Commercial fishing would be
mighty good in most sections that
usually depend on pound nets,
judging from the record up
through March 3. The trouble is,
not many people are engaged in
commercial fishing, as compared
with the good old days.
Shad fishing at both Wanchese
and Manns Harbor has been ad
mittedly good, according to fisher
men of these communities. Catches
in pound nets have tun up to more
than 40 shad a day in many in
stances, including Monday of this
week. Ralph Meekins of Wanchese
caught over 500 shad Monday in a
long net rig.
But the trouble is now that
where there were once 50 rigs
fishing out of Wanchese in Pamli
co Sound, there are now barely a
half dozen. In Stumpy Point, fam
ed as the shad capital, there are
now less than a dozen rigs work
ing, as compared with more than
50 rigs 12 or 15 years ago. Decline
of income from the commercial
fishing business, followed then by
the entire community, has caused
most of the fishermen to engage
in other work.
Stumpy Point fishermen along
with Hatteras fishermen says the
season with them has been poor.
Good catches of shad have been
reported from Albemarle Sound in
the region of Columbia and Eden
ton. Os course there are six more
weeks of fishing, the season is not
half over, the prices have been
good so far. As the season pro
gresses, shad are expected to fall
rapidly in prices. If a few of the
fishermen don’t go haywire again
and ask for an extension of the
shad season right at a time when
the fish are not worth catching,
but would be mighty valuable if
allowed to spawn, they may hope
for a big increase in shad output ‘
. in a year or two. This being A j»eli
tibal year however, it may be for
sake of a few votes the wasteful
catching of shad after the usual
season, will be permitted again.
■
SPRING FEDERATION
FOR DARE HD CLUBS
Kitty and Duck Hostesses to Coun
ty Clubs on March 19 at
Kitty Hawk
The Kitty Hawk and Duck Home
[ Demonstration Clubs will be host-
• esses to the Dare County Spring
. Federation Meeting on Wednesday,
March 19, at Kitty Hawk High
. School. Lunch will be served by
. the two clubs at 12:00 noon at 75tf
. per plate and the meeting will be
gin as soon as lunch is served.
Mrs. Corinne Grimsley, Family
• Life Specialist at State College,
■ will be the guest speaker. Many
club women in Dare already know
Mrs. Grimsley and will be happy to
; hear her again.
A bus will be chartered to Kitty
Hawk for the women from the
Outer Banks. It will leave Hat
teras at 8:00 a. m. and return on
the 4:45 p. m. ferry.
- members are urged to attend
the~'meeting at. Kitty Hawk.
PORPOISE ROUNDUP
ATTRACTS ATTENTION
Kitty Hawk.—When commercial
fishermen appeared before Kitty
Hawk Civic Club recently and ask
ed that something be done to 'rid
Currituck Sound of a school of
porpoise, they really started a
story that gains momentum from
day to day. Within two weeks after
the first story about the porpoise *
was published, the State Wildlife
Resources Commission officials be
gan riding herd on the herd of sea
mammals.
In the meantime LIFE Maga
zine sent two photographers here
to cover the story—which has not
developed into much of a story
from a photographic standpoint
yet. That, is because the porpoise
and unfavorable weather combined
have been able to evade the hunt
ers who would drive them south of
Wright Memorial Bridge. On
Thursday, National Broadcasting
Company’s TV cameraman in the
Norfol|r area, was assigned to the
story
50 YEARS OF WEATHER DATA
COMPILED BY R. B. DAILEY
A summary of weather informa
tion for the past 50 years by Rich
ard B. Dailey of Hatteras has re
cently been completed, and is a
valuable source of information for
anyone who wishes a handy refer
ence for month by month tempera
ture and rainfall tables. It will
come in handy to settle disputes
about the mild weather that pre
vails on the coast at Hatteras.