North Carolina Newspapers

ME XIX NO. 39 INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION IN MANTEO TUESDAY NIGHT .. —• Representative From Department of Conser vation and Development Talks on Possible Developments; Only Eleven Dare County Citizens Attend The Meeting. Eleven Dare County citizens at tended a meeting in the communi ty building in Manteo Tuesday night, which was held for the pur pose of discussing the possibilities for industrial development in Dare County. Ed E. Huffman, a repre sentative from the State Depart ment of Conservation and Devel opment, was present to lead the discussion. Mr. Huffman, who did practically all of the talking, explained that for a more balanced economy it is desirable for a county to have sev eral year-round industries which would provide employment for a number of people. Several small industries would be better than one or two larger ones, he stated. Lawrence Swain, president of the Dare County Tourist Bureau, ex plained that the county’s biggest industry was tourists, and that much is being done to promote that industry. Nevertheless, Mr. Huffman pointed out that the State Department of Conservation and Development has -many inquiries for locating industries in North Carolina, and that by knowing the industrial potentialities of the var ious counties and communities the department can in many cases help bring an industry to a particular location. Mr. Huffman requested that one of the chambers of commerce, tour ist bureau, or civic clubs undertake a county survey and appraisal, which would include such items as available transportation facilities, local government, climate, existing '•istries, raw materials, markets, ■, community cooperation, local ses, power, fuel and recrea al facilities. He also gave ex amples of how wrong or right im preeefons can be made on an in dustrial prospect merely by the appearance of the community, and, the attitude of the people living there. Much of the information needed for an industrial survey can be supplied by the Dare County Tour ist Bureau, Aycock Brown brought out Tuesday night. The bureau al ready has much information about available labor, accommodations, weather, .- recreational facilities, power, raw materials and other things. , “North Carolina has a type of native-born labor that takes pride in their job,” Mr. Huffman stated, “and because of this fact two shifts in North Carolina in many cases produce as much as three shifts of labor-unioned northern labor.” Be cause of this, Mr. Huffman went on, “more and more industries are requesting information about fav orable locations in this state.” “One organization should be charged with promoting industrial development in the county,” he er plained, “and that organization i should be a good cross-section of the population.” Among the possible industries mentioned were those of boatbuild ing, seafood canning, wineries, cranberry growing, net making. A good deal of these industries, how ever, would be seasonal in nature. It was pointed out that there is a definite need for work which would employ female labor in Dare Coun ty, especially during the winter months. In the summertime most have a full-time job caring for the tourist trade. Mr. Huffman explained that one of the best ways to encourage in dustry to locate in a section is for the community to form an “Indus trial Development Corporation,” which would construct a building or whatever other structures might be needed in order to show the in dustry that the community is in terested in the industry itself, and not merely in what the community 'n get out of the industry. This t fl e of corporation should also pay stockholders a rate of around Jer cent, which is not bad con - sidering the additional trade that the enterprise would be bringing to the county. No steps were taken at the meet ing, and few questions were asked. And, as Mr. Swain explained to Mr. Huffman, “We are more or less attending school tonight.” Those attending the meeting were: E. E. Meekins, Chauncey Meekins, Wallace McCown, Bal four Baum, Jack Wilson, Lawrence Swain, Desmond Rogers, Ellsworth Midgett, Aycock Browq, Dick Jor dan, and Roger Meekins. I THE COASTLAND TIMES PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA CROATAN SOUND BRIDGE TO BE A FIXED SPAN Test Piles in April; Engineers ■Report 45-ft. Vertical Clearance Asked. Plans have been posted in the postoffices at Columbia and Man teo for the proposed bridge across Croatan Sound, and the Corps of Engineers, which has control over navigable waters has given notice that any objections should be filed with the Wil mington office before April 19. The State Highway Commis sion plans to sink a row of test piling sometime between April 15 and June 15 between Red stone Point near Manns Harbor and Weir Point on the North end of Roanoke Island, the bridge location. Notice is given to mariners to reduce speed in this area, and proceed with caution while pass ing floating plant while engaged in the driving of piles. The proposed bridge plans show a fixed bridge with a hori zontal clearance of 80 feet at the main channel, and a vertical clearance of 45 feet above the normal water surface and a ver tical clearance of 40.4 feet at storm tide. This type of bridge will re quire no bridge-keeper, as there will be no draw to open. TOURIST BUREAU DIRECTORS MEET HELD AT BUXTON Reports On Ferry Services, Publicity, and Inquiries Answered ' Dare County Tourist Bureau directors had their spring meet ing at the Cape Point Restaurant, Buxton, on Wednesday morning to hear progress reports of the promotional and publicity pro gram in behalf of Dare County and to discuss ways and means for continuing the work that is being done for the best interests of the area and the investors whose financial assistance makes it all possible. Lawrence Swain, chairman of the board held a discussion on matters of importance to the area since the last Board meet ing. This was primarily a report of the Oregon Inlet ferry facili ties. He reported that the Bureau had played a role in plans for improving the improperly con structed landing ramps, that new ramps were now ready for in stallation and that the work is scheduled to begin within the next few days. It was also brought out at the meeting that two new landing craft vessels have been acquired through the joint efforts of the National Park Service, State Highway Commis sion and Congressman Herbert Bonner and that these craft were to be converted immediately to ferry service for the Inlet. W. H. McCown, secretary and treasurer, read minutes of last meeting of the Board and then went isto a lengthy discussion about the financial aspects of the Tourist Bureau. Many persons and firms will be contacted dur ing the spring by special com mittees appointed by the chair man. with the thought in view of See BUREAU, Page Four EASTER SEALS SOON TO AID CRIPPLED CHILDREN Easter Seals will soon be sent out to people in Dare County, along with coin cards which will be distributed to the school children, according to Mrs. Woodson Fearing, Dare County chairman. "The folks around here are very nice about supporting the campaign," Mrs. Fearing says, "and it doesn't require expen diture of extra funds for coun ter display boxes like it does in other places." The campaign closes the week after Easier, and the funds go for the sup port of crippled children. "Dare County folks have been very generous in their past donations," Mrs. Fearing | stated. OFFICERS OF WANCHESE RURITAN CLUB I ... . . • in i ■ s i * 1 z JK. f \ f • 4 , *■ ■ 4 ' 1 LADIES NIGHT at the Wanchese Ruritan Club was Tuesday night, with supper in the Wanchese school building, and with Wade Marr as guest after-dinner speaker. Pictured here, they are, left to right: Dar rell Daniels, secretary; Willis Daniels, director; Arnold Daniels, vice-president; Steve Tillett, treasurer; Melvin Daniels, director and past-president; Wade Marr, speaker; Ralph Meekins, director; J. W. Davis, president; and H. O. Bridges, director. RURITANS HOLD LADIES NIGHT AT WANCHESE Wade Marr Speaker Friday to Growing Civic Club Mem bers and Wives S. Wade Marr of Elizabeth City, well known after-dinner speaker, addressed the Ladies Night meeting of the Wanchese Ruritan Club Friday night of last week in the school lunch room. More than 50 people attended, and five new members were ad mitted. The Ladies of the Methodist Church served a chicken dinner with apple pie and ice cream. Melvin R. Daniels, a past-presi dent, introduced the speaker. Mrs. Dallas Tillett at the piano accompanied the group singing.' The new members admitted were Earl Willis, Thos. Wilcox, Reuben Vanderslice, Chauncey and Vic tor Meekins. Club visitors included Geo. Wood of Elizabeth City and Roger Meekins of Manteo. James W. Davis is president of the Club, which is four years old and has more than 25 members. It is growing in membership and enthusiasm, and its members are behind many projects for com munity betterment. ONLY FOUR CASES IN DARE RECORDER’S AFTER MISSING WEEK Although Judge W. F. Baum was in the hospital and couldn’t be present at last week’s Dare County Recorder’s Court, only four cases filled the docket this week. A young woman from Wan chese pleaded guilty to the charges of creating a disturbance in the Bridgeturn Case, and de stroying property of Alfred Martin. Judge Baum continued judgment on condition that she remain away from the case for a period of two years, and not ap pear in court for any offense during the period. Mr. Martin asked for no reimbursement on the property damages, broken drinking glasses. Harris Pledger, Negro, was found to be $204 in arrears on payments for the support of his children. The Judge required him to pay SSO immediately and make up the amount in arrears along with his regular payments dur ing the coming weeks. Alfred Burton, Negro, was giv en 60 days sentence, suspended on payment of $25 and costs, for driving without an operator’s li cense. ✓ Elbert Parker, Negro, paid a $lO fine for a stop sign violation. MRS. ARTHUR MEEKINS DIES AT STUMPY PT. - i Funeral services for Mrs. Lou isa Hooper Meekins, 81-year-old Stumpy Point resident were con ducted Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Stumpy Point Methodist Church by Rev. A. L. G. Stephenson. Mrs. Meekins passed away in Pungo District Hospital in Belhaven at 5 a.m. Saturday following a long illness. Surviving are her husband, Ar thur Meekins of Stumpy Point, two daughters, Mrs. Laura Ca hoon and Mrs. R. D. Wise, both of Stumpy Point; four sons, Hil ton and Vance, of Norfolk, and Carson and Spurgen, of Stumpy Point; and ten grandchildren. Active pallbearers were: Bob Midyette. Lit Meekins, Beaman Hooper, McKoy Hooper, Donald Midyette, and Garland Meekins. Honorary pallbearers were: Cal vin Payne, Tobe Wise, Melton Hooper, Ralph O’Neal, and Dan Burgess. MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1954 PRESTON DANIELS DIES SUDDENLY AT WANCHESE Maynard Preston Daniels, 64, lifelong resident of Wanchese, and a well known former mer chant and fisherman, died sud denly at eight o’clock Tuesday night at his home at Wanchese. He was stricken with a pain like heart-bum, and died in a short time, before medical aid could arrive. He was the son of the late Ezekiel Rollins and Eugenia Pugh Daniels, and husband of Sallie Montague Daniels. He is survived by his wife; three sons, Maynard and Richard of Wan chese, and Eugene of Nags Head, and a daughter, Mrs. Robert H. Midgett of Manteo; a brother, Ar thur S. Daniels of Elizabeth City; by two grand-children. He was a member of Wanchese Methodist Church. The body was taken to Twi ford Funeral Home in Manteo. Funeral services were con ducted Thursday afternoon at 3:30 from the Wanchese Metho dist Church, Rev. C. W. Guthrie officiating. Burial followed in the Cudworth cemetery. Active pallbearers were: V. G. Williams, L. V. Gaskill, Latse Etheridge, Ivey Evans, W. C. Saunders, Edward Davis. Hon orary pallbearers were: Spencer Daniels, Paul Daniels, Ryan Mid gett, Elton Gallop, H. L. Davis and C. S. Meekins. MRS. RICHARD GRAY, JR., WRECKS CAR AT SKYCO Driving a 1954 Ford with only 800 miles on it last Friday after noon, Mrs. Richard Gr#y, Jr., of Wanchese, lost control of her car, turned it over and was knocked unconscious near Skyco, while driving from Manteo to Wan chese. The road was slippery and a slight drizzle was coming down at the time, making conditions not too favorable. She lost con trol of the car on a curve, it skidded sideways, rolled over, hit a log, and came to a stop banked up against a dead tree on the w6st side of the highway. Mrs. Gray was still unconscious when she, reached Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, where she was taken in Twiford’s am bulance. She suffered a slight concussion of the brain and a slight back injury. Her condition was much improved on Tuesday, and she is expected home during the week end. | Fishing g B AS REPORTED BY AYCOCK BROWN fl The piscatorial news that ang lers over a wide area have been waiting to hear, broke at Cape Hatteras Friday afternoon, that, the first channel bass of the 1954 season had been landed with rod and reel. Lafayette Midgett, a retired coastguardsman of Buxton who spends most of his time surf casting or guiding surfcasting parties, chalked up the first catch of the season, a 43% pound fish that had struck his mullet baited hook shortly after noon. Two other local residents, Ray mend Basnett and Capt. Clarence Brady each accounted for a MANTEO LIONS TO SPONS’R WEDDING, BEAUTY CONTEST Miss Dare County To Be Chosen Saturday Night; Tom Thumb Wedding Also Miss Dare County will be se lected Saturday night, March 27, at the Manteo High School audi torium, when the Manteo Lions Club will sponsor the beauty con test and also a “Tom Thumb Wedding.” Awards will be given to the three finalists in the beauty con test. Number One will receive the title “Miss Dare County” and will represent Dare County in the Potato Fesival to be held in Elizabeth City later on in the season. She will also receive a trophy. Second and third will both receive a plaque. Girls from all parts of the county will com pete in the contest. The Tom Thumb Wedding, di rected by Mrs. Beverly Midgett, will have a cast of several dozen. Little Edna Earl Watts will be the blushing bride, and Little Charles Fearing will be the ner vous groom. Admission for both events, which starts at 8 p.m., is 25 and 50 cents. The young women who have been chosen from the various communities to compete for the title of Miss Dare County are as follows: Jean Daniels, Ann Etheridge, Ruby Gallop, Jewell Tillett, Carol Walker, Linda Gaskill, Margaret Jean Tillett, Annie Laurie Kee, Bubbles Wescott, Sara Alford, Betsy Midgett, Shelva Jean Payne, Carolee O’Neal, Ann Dan iels, Ruby Crees, Sally Alford, Edna Dowdy, Agnes Love, Mattie O’Neal, Thelma Jean Williams, Judy Smith, Annis Midgett, Mary Jones, Shirley Barnett, Sheila Gibson, Edith Jennette, Gwennie Gray, Eliana Midgett, Olive Hay man, Betty Tillett. For the past several years the “Miss Dare—County” title has gone to young Misses from Hat teras Island. They have been See LIONS, Page Four CATCHES BASS, SHAD BAIT Harold Ehrbar, a seaman of Mt. Vernon, N. Y„ who is attach ed to Hatteras Inlet coast guard station, landed a 15 pound chan nel bass in the surf near the sta tion late Wednesday. It was the first of the species to be landed in the Hatteras Inlet with rod and reel this season. Ehrbar was using a hunk of buck shad for bait when the fish struck. channel bass shortly after Mid gett had made the initial catch. Their fish weighed in at 43 pounds and 35 pounds. Although several days ahead of the first of the season in 1953, the catches here Friday afternoon were not entirely unexpected. Big shoals of channel bass had moved into surf and sound waters several days ago and Hat teras Island commercial netters had already many channel bass. First channel bass of the 1953 season was caught in the surf near Hatteras village by Charles Vaughn, outdoor editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. His fish weighed 56.5 pounds. DARE BEACHES SCHEDULED TO HAVE DIAL TELEPHONES IN SERVICE BY SUMMERTIME System To Be A “Direct Dialing Line”; Can Call Long Distance Numbers Automatical ly; New Cable Already Strung, Exchange Building Under Construction, Equipment Ready. The Dare Beaches will have dial telephones in service this summer, according to information from Miss Sarah Halliburton, secretary to the Nags Head Chamber of Commerce, and J. L. Murphy, mayor of Kill Devil Hills. A cable line has already been laid the length of the beach, ex cept for a short stretch of per haps two miles which is to be filled in with a special low resistance cable. This enclosed cable will help eliminate a great deal of the poor transmission which has been common to the beach telephones in the past. Also, a new exchange building is now being built at Kill Devil Hills, and the dial equipment is in Elizabeth City, according to information received by M. Mur phy from L. S. Blades, Jr., of the Norfolk and Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Co. The name of the new exchange will be Kill Devil Hills. Some people were considerably wrought-up about their phones being listed as Kill Devil Hills, which would be a change from their old listing of either Kitty Hawk or Nags Head. However, although the name of the ex change will be Kill Devil Hills, the phones will still be listed as they are in the directory now under the Manteo exchange, with Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, or Kitty Hawk preceding the number. One of the biggest features of this new system will be what is known as a “direct dialing line,” which means that anyone can call any long distance number on any other dial exchange in the country having the same set-up, without ever going through an operator. Charges are recorded automatically in the exchange. The only fallacy in this system is the fact that a child playing with the dial might accidently dial one of the code numbers for a long distance exchange, and run up a charge against the number he is calling from. The current issue of the Manteo directory shows a listing of Dare Beaches numbers as follows: Nags Head, 72; Kill Devil Hills, 48; Kitty Hawk, 46. The number of phones on the beaches is prob ably greater than the listing at present, and with the opening of the new exchange the number will increase even more rapidly. The situation which exists on the beaches now is one which has drawn much criticism and brought about expressions of disgust for a long time. If one wants to call a next-door neigh bor, it is a long distance call, be cause the call has to go through the Manteo exchange and back to the beach again. Too, the num ber of phones on a party line has made it almost impossible to call when most convenient, j And then when one is able to get j a line, the reception is generally so poor that it is worse than useless to even make the call. The new cable should eliminate this unfortunate factor, which is believed to be caused, to some degree, at least, by the atmos pheric condition near the sea. All of the old phones will have to be taken out and replaced with the new equipment, but the lines will remain intact. The exchange building is be ing built of brick, estimated to cost in the neighborhood of $5,500, on the H. C. Foreman property on the west side of highway 158. ACCOMMODATION LIST FOR LOST COLONY CAST All persons who desire to offer accommodations for members of The Lost Colony cast during the coming season are asked to get in touch with Dick Jordan right away, Mr. Jordan said today. "A list is being prepared to send to the cast members, and we don't want to leave anyone off who desires to have their name on the list," he said. This is en tirely separate from the list prepared by The Lost Colony housing office, as it is for cast I members only for the whole season. Single Copy 70 ROTARY CLUB IN MANTEO BACKS SCOUT PROJECT Sponsors Collection of Fund to Buy Lot and Build A Good Home. Manteo Boy Scout troop is to have a good home, at a suitable location. The Manteo Rotary Club Monday night unanimously gave the club’s backing to a plan to buy a suitable lot near Manteo, and to raise a fund to erect a brand new building approxi mately 20 by 40 feet in size, where the troop may meet, and plan their activities. A committee within the club led by Roland D. Sawyer has been working for some time on the project, along with Scout master Theo. H. Noe. This com mittee was re-appointed this week, and consists of three others beside Mr. Sawyer: J. E. Fere bee, Dr. W. W. Johnston and Bob Smith. Next week, the committee will present a definite plan with estimated cost of the project, and the drive will begin shortly after ward, to raise sufficient funds for the job. More than 40 boys are now on the roll of the Manteo troop, and interest is at an all time high, it was reported. SO. ALBEMARLE MEETING APRIL 15th, PLYMOUTH Six-County Executive Com mittee To Hold Its First Meeting of Year The date for the first Executive Committee meeting of the year is to be held in Plymouth Thurs day April 15th at 10:30 A.M. followed by a dinner in the Agri cultural building as the guests of Washington County, Dr. W. T. Ralph, Association president said this week. He had been notified by Washington County Vice- President, Harry W. Pritchett, who with Frank L. Bringley of Plymouth, are working up plans for the meeting. This meeting is being looked forward to by some 50 members of the committee representing the six counties of Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington. Mrs. Wilton Smith of Bath, the Association Secretary is pre paring notices this week to send all committee members. The meeting is open to the public, which is invited to attend the morning business session. The following, who are com mittee members are being noti fied of the date. Beaufort: Mrs. Scott Topping, Vice-President; Pantego; Vann Latham and Mrs. James Younce |of Belhaven; Wayland Sermons, | Washington; Luther Paul, Pike Road; A. D. Swindell, Pantego; Mrs. G. W. Marsh, Bath; Mrs. Dan iWindley, Aurora; Mrs. John Win field, Yeatesville. Dare County: Melvin R. Daniels, Vice-President; L. L. Swain, M. K. Fearing, D. V. Meekins, Mrs. Donis White of Manteo; W. S. White of Manns See MEETING, Page Four LARGEMOUTH BASS TAKING LURES AT KITTY HAWK Large mouth bass have started taking artificial lures in Kitty Hawk Bay waters. Gordon Ses sions and his wife of Washington, D. C., spending a spring vacation at Nags Head made the first catch of the season this week. The Sessions were fishing with Capt. Lee Perry of Kitty Hawk when they made their initial catch, two largemouths that had struck the silver spoon and pork rind combination lures. Large mouth bass here m the Nags Head region are caught from early spring until mid winter. As a matter of fact, they have been taken during every month of the year but in winter they will usually only take live bait. Most of the anglers coming to this salt water region to fish the fresh water ponds and bays for bass are usually those who prefer artificial lures.