Newspapers / The Coastland Times (Manteo, … / Dec. 31, 1954, edition 1 / Page 1
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jOLUME XX NO. 27 ( RODANTHE FOLKS ALL SET FOR “OLD CHRIS’MAS” NIGHT Community Get Together For Good Time Planned for Jan. sth It’s going to be a busy period until January 5, when observance of “Old Christmas” takes place at Rodanthe. A committee of citizens of the vicinity are working on plans for a play, and the usual oyster roast. John Herbert is in charge of Old Buck, that frightful creature who parades around on Old Christmas night. Capt. Levene Midgett is chairman of the oyster roast com mittee. Old Christmas usually attracts a lot of people to Rodanthe, many of them coming from distant places. Its observance is handed down from the time when many de scendants of the first English set tlers, on all parts of the North Carolina coast, adhering to the old calendar, observed the date as Christ’s birthdate. Fact is now, none of the present generation attach any significance to the date or the legend, other than it offers an excuse for a get together, just as do numerous dates throughout the year. This occasion is most appropriately cel ebrated at Rodanthe, where for many years it gave the two neigh boring communities an extra oc casion for fellowship during the holiday season. Anyway, a big time is promised Wednesday night of next week when the committee lines up the program. This committee consists of Mrs. Julian Gray, chmn., W. W. Edwards, Cecil Midgett, Mrs. Nora Herbert, L. W. Midgett, J. E. Her bert, Mrs. Fred O’Neal, Mrs. D. A. Midgett. GOING-AWAY PARTY FOR MISS ELIZABTTH SAWYER Miss Elizabeth Sawyer, who has been a case worker for the Dare County Welfare Department for the last four years, and -who is leaving January 1 to take a simi lar position in Currituck County, was guest of honor Wednesday evening at a going-away party at the home of Mrs. Rennie William- M in in Manteo. Hostesses were Ire. T. S. Meekins, Jr., Mrs. Ben Jreef. Mrs. Clarence Butler, Mrs. G. G. Bonner and Miss Helen Far row. The dining table was decorated in keeping with the holiday sea son, with pine, pine cones, yaupon and lighted red candles. Refresh ments of punch, cake, mints and salted nuts were served and the honoree was presented going away gifts. Seventeen guests were present. MASQUERADE BALL A masquerade ball by the Jun ior Class of the Manteo High School is to be held Saturday night at the Dare County Shrine Club Hall, Whalebone Juction, U. S. A. Young people this week are busy, making costumes. QUINN EMPLOYEES ENJOY ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY When the Quinn Furniture Co. and Twiford Funeral Home held their annual Christmas dinner and party recently in Elizabeth City, employees from the Manteo business were in attendance. They enjoyed a bountiful dinner at the Carolina Coffee Shop, and receiv ed boxed candy and cartons of cig arettes as favors. From the Manteo store were: Mrs. Lyna Harbour, manager; V. G. Williams, Dick Scarborough, Walter Harris, their wives; Rol lins Tillett and girl friend Jean Bailey, who have since married. TILLETT-BAILEY The marriage of Rollins D. Til lett, son of Mrs. W. R. Tillett and the late Mr. Tillett of Manns Harbor, to Miss Jean Bailey, daughter of Mrs. Mary Camilleri f Brooklyn, N. Y., and the late . 'illiam Bailey of Goldsboro, took ' - lace in the Manns Harbor Methodist Church on Thursday, December 23, at 7:30 in the eve ning. The ceremony was perform ed by Rev. A. L. G. Stephenson. Following a short wedding trip the couple will make their home at Manns Harbor. Mr. Tillett is employed at the Quinn Furniture Company in Manteo. HAS HOLIDAY PARTY Lawrence Swain, Jr., entertain ed a number of friends Monday night at a Christmas party at his home in Manteo. The guests en joyed an evening of record playing and dancing and light refresh ments were served. About 20 peo ple were present. exc. THE COASTLAND TIMES PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA SERVED AS POSTMASTER 1 IN MANTEO 20 YEARS I dill ' Hk ' jJw W-? ■ CHARLES R. EVANS, after hold ing the Manteo postmastership longer than any other man, steps down January 1, having recently asked for his retirement under physical disability and will be come one of the first in Manteo named Evans, ever to draw re tired pay. Charlie Evans made Manteo a good postmaster, and throughout his career the office has maintained good service. He watched it grow from September 1, 1934 to a second class office doing a business of more than $200,000 a year. The office now has four clerks. In all his career as postmaster there were no com plaints until following the election of Eisenhower, when the Republi cans became clamorous for the office. Then from various interest ed sources, complaints, some of them completely ridiculous began to pour into the postoffice depart ment, which upon careful investi gation the inspectors found com plete denials from all who lived nearby and knew the postmaster. But such is politics as many prac tice it in this Democracy. However, the postmaster sawed wood, and recentlv finding that his long hours had taken toll of him, and on advice to slow up, he asked for his retirement. Another veteran of the post office is retiring also. John D. O’Neal, one of Manteo’s finest men steps down this week, and his place has been temporarily filled by Frank White, long a member of the Tarkington Grocery ’•• Manteo. Postmaster Evans succeeded the late Roscoe Jones who held the office through the preceding Re publican administrations. O. J. Jones of Manteo, a brother of Roscoe also served as postmaster for several years before the elec tion of Woodrow Wilson. Ray W. Jones of Manteo has been appointed temporary post master to succeed Mr. Evans. He is a son of Roscoe C. Jones, and has been in business in Manteo for several years. After having served as post master since 1934, Mr. Evans was appointed Postmaster under Civil Service in May 1939. In his more than 20 years in the office he has handled many millions of dollars, particularly in the war years when there was much military activity in the area. The Evans family have always been active in the public life of Manteo and Dare County. His father, who came to Manteo in the eighties, the late Asa V. Evans, with his wife, Mrs. Celia Evans and three others, were the organ izers and long were active in the Manteo Mount Olivet Methodist Church. A. V. Evans was long active and a leader in politics, serving as County Democratic Chairman for many years, several terms as Register of Deeds, town councilman, etc. From early days , Charles Evans has been a hustler. As a school boy, he began working from early to late, and was the first in Manteo, when in his boy hood, to establish a newspaper route, and he supplied the Vir ginian-Pilot to the community each day. Back forty and fifty years ago, the Norfolk morning paper didn’t arrive in Manteo un til the steamer came in about 7 p.m. In the succeeding years, Mr. Evans established himself in a mercantile business which contin ued to operate successfully until wiped out by the fire which swept the Manteo business district in 1939. Along with other affairs, Mr. Evans has continued active in real estate development, and with his brother, H. W., have developed ocean front property and a mer cantile business at Nags Head. BUSINESS LOOKS GOOD FOR 1955 ON DARE COAST Bridge Project Winter Stabi lizer; Confidence in Coastal Realty The New Year is on us, and looking at it from this end, it looks pretty good in a business way for the Dare coast; and when busi ness is good on the Dare Coast, it helps all the counties around, for the commerce and travel headed for the beaches, must first come •through other places. The three million dollar outlay for the Croatan Sound bridge now under construction, with new work crews coming on the job in Janu ary, is proving a good business sta bilizer for Roanoke Island and Manns Harbor, in a season when business is usually poor. Local merchants and landlords with houses to rent already are profiting by the new business, and many cit izens in this dull season have found employment with the contractors. There seems to be no let up on the beach front, for business in the building trades goes on as usual, and appearances indicate as much construction as ever. There is lit tle loss of confidence as the result of Hazel, for through the years the Dare Beaches have been fortu nate indeed, and losses from storms were negligible while other places suffered more. General indications are that 1955 will be a year of great business activity and profit. Employment will be at top level, and wages good. Hence business will be good and this means tourist business will be good. So Dare County, now being largely dependent on the tourist business, may look forward to its greatest year to date in 1955. FREE TRIP AWARDED TO HYDE IMPLEMENT DEALER W. H. (Bill Harvey) Cox and his wife, of Engelhard, left this week on a ten-day trip to Califor nia, with all expenses paid by the manufacturers of Massey-Harris farm implements. Mt. Cox, one of the operators of the Hyde Im plement Co. in Engelhard, Massey- Harris dealers, was awarded the free trip for excellence in the sales of Massey-Harris tractors. Mr. and Mrs. Cox left Elizabeth City by plane Wednesday after noon. While in California, they will stay in a hotel in Hollywood. The company has provided them with free tickets to the Rose Bow) game on New Year’s Day. Swan Quarter Man’s Generosity Makes Santa’s Tour of Hyde County Possible For 22 Years, D. E. Tunnell Has Sponsored a Visit of Santa Claus to Hyde on Christinas Eve For the past twenty-two years, the generosity of a Swan Quarter man has made it possible for San ta Claus to make a visit to Hyde County each Christmas Eve. And Santa always tries to give at least an orange or an apple to each child who comes out to see him. D. E. Tunnell, better known as Durwood, beg - n sponsoring Santa’s trips to Hyde County in 1933, when he decorated his billy goat and cart and lent it to Saint Nick so that the old fellow could come to see the boys and girls in Swan Quarter. Youngsters and old folks alike enjoyed the occasion so much that Mr. Tunnell and Santa repeated the visit again in 1934, this time with Santa Claus riding on Tunnell’s small wagon drawn by a horse. In 1935, a double wagon with two horses was used, and similar arrangements were made each year through 1946. By that time, Santa’s visits to Swan Quarter had become such a popular custom that folks from all over Hyde County were bringing their children to Swan Quarter to see the old gent. And so, as the result of a great demand, plans were made for Santa to take a swing around most of Hyde Coun ty in 1947. In order to make this possible, Mr. Tunnell provided his truck for Santa’s transportation and decorated it. That year, Santa made a big hit with the children in Fairfield and Engelhard also. Since then, Tunnell’s truck, bear ing Santa Claus and a gaily dec orated Christmas tree, has been a much looked-forward-to part of the Christmas Eve festivities in Fairfield, Engelhard, and Swan Quarter, and also all along the way between these towns. This year, hundreds of children were thrilled with the opportunity of seeing Santa Claus. And it was quite a day for Santa too; he was kept on the go from dawn to dusk. The crew which helped Santa this year met at Mr. Tunnell’s house shortly after 6:30 p.m. In MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1954 GOOD CHRISTMAS SEASON ALONG COASTAL AREA Happy Reports Favor People of Dare and Neighbor ing Counties It’s been one of the happiest of Christmases along the Dare Coast, in fact all through the Walter Ra leigh Coastland, with mild weather to bless the season, and a shortage of accidents. No tragedy has come to this area during the season, and only one or two minor instances of injury reported. In fact all through the year, no section has been more blessed than the Dare Coastland, free complete ly of disastrous damage in storms that harmed other communities. Through this Christmas season, there have been an unusual number of visitors back home, to old scenes of their childhood and old friends. There is a good reason why so many of them are coming back home. The Coastland was never more interesting, nor with more advantages for making life pleasant. It hqs become modernized and those who have become accus tomed to modern things away from home, may continue to enjoy them when they return to childhood scenes. Throughout the Coastland there have been parties and entertain ments, a few weddings. It has been an interesting and a pleasant sea son, and a most fortunate one. Because of its memories through the year, we may easily expect a finer holiday season next year. QUIET WEEK END IN MANTEO AREA D. A. Rogers, Jr. Receives Inju ries When Pickup Overturns at Wanchese The Manteo area observed a quiet holiday season, with no ar rests, and no disturbances of con sequence reported, according to Manteo Policeman D. L. Cannady. D. A. Rogers, Jr. of Manteo was bruised and shaken up pretty bad ly Saturday evening when the Ford pickup he was driving went out of control on a curve at Wanchese. He is now in the Albemarle Hos pital, Elizabeth City, where his condition is greatly improved. Damage to the truck was slight, which turned over on it’s right side. addition to Mr. Tunnell and his wife, this included a truck driver and two hired helpers, and a small group of Boy Scouts. The Christ mas tree, the decorations, and the fruit and small favors, which had been secured previously, were loaded onto the truck. The group then went to Piney Woods, be tween Hodges’ Fork and Fair field. The truck was decorated and when Santa joined the group, all was in readiness to start the journey. The truck, preceded by Mr. Tun nell in his car, moved along slow ly, blowing its horn at any house where children might be found. And whenever children came out, the truck stopped. All small babies were given a candy stocking, and all other children received a piece of fruit. After stopping a short while in Fairfield, Santa proceeded on around Lake Mattamuskeet to Engelhard, stopping whenever any children appeared. It was after noon when the truck reached Engelhard. Many children were waiting there for Santa. After each had gotten their little gift, Santa and his helpers took a short break for lunch. The journey was soon resumed; all along highway 264 other chil dren were waiting eagerly for a glimpse of old Saint Nick. Long before the truck arrived in Swan Quarter, the crowd began to gather there. Some began to grow worried when the truck did not arrive when they expected it. However, Mr. Tunnell soon drove up in his car and said that Santa was just behind him. The truck parked, and, for al most an hour, the Scouts assisted Santa in giving away a good deal of fruit along with some other small favors. And so, that’s the story of how one man brings so much joy to so many folks, young and old, each Christmas Eve. It’s not often that you hear of men with such a gen erous heart as this. / NEW FIRM PLANS OPERATION OF BIG BELHAVEN PLANT New Yorkers Buy “Cooper age” Mill and Expect to Employ Over 200 Belhaven received the good , news yesterday that the lumber mill owned by Belhaven Lumber Industries, idle since early in ! 1953, has been sold and will be re- ■ activiated early in January. In a telegram to Mayor W. T. Ralph, Dr. G. Hodges Bryant of New York City, general manager 1 of the purchasing group, an -1 nounced the completion of nego- ■ tiations for the purchase of the 1 mill by a group of New York in vestors, who are to form a North Carolina corporation. The reopening of the mill will I be a great boost to employment in I the Belhaven area. According to , the available information, the , plant will employ three shifts of ’ seventy men each, as well as an t office force of ten. It is believed , that the mill will engage in the I manufacture of all types of lum ber products, including processing ( sawdust and shavings, woodwork ( ing, and making doorframes and I doors. According to Dr. Bryant, the > facilities of the mill are to be con verted to electricity and modern ! ized. Dr. Bryant himself will come . to Belhaven to supervise getting the mill into operation. i Mayor Ralph was contacted by i Dr. Bryant last week, and he as sured Dr. Bryant that the town officials, civic clubs, Chamber of Commerce and townspeople will cooperate with the new corpora tion to the fullest extent possible. ' The telegram from Dr. Bryant yesterday expressed the buyers’ appreciation for this promise of cooperation on the part of the town. 1 The sale of the mill was the re sult o f efforts by George Schaefer, Jr., a real estate agent 3 from Washington, D. C. Mr. Schaefer came to Belhaven early ’ in December. Last week before leaving for New York to close the j deal, Mr. Schaefer told a repre t sentative of this newspaper that the buyer was planning to have ‘ the mill in operation in ninety 3 days. The mill was originally built by the Interstate Cooperage Com t pany, and was a part of a much larger operation. While in opera - tion it was Belhaven’s largest in . dustry. But, it became uneconomi cal and impractical to operate its present battery of boilers, and it was closed. Several attempts to reopen the mill have been unsuc cessful; the last was the one by the Belhaven Lumber Industries, which closed down after operating two years. The recent completion ! of Virginia Electric and Power Co. • power lines into Belhaven will I make possible the electrification ■ of the mill. OBSERVE 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY JBKL WF - s -\ J BK fed 1 v M Jfw SHtakJ J? r MR. AND MRS. D. V. MEEKINS, who celebrated their silver wedding Tuesday evening with Open House at their home near Manteo. YOUNG NAGS HEADER MAKES GOOD RECORD CADET MICHAEL HAYMAN, son of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Hayman of Nags Head, is this year attend ing McDough Military School, Mc- Donough, Md. This is his second year at the school, where he is a member of the 6th grade, and a member of the drill team. Young Hayman is recognized for his high abilities, and recently made first honor roll in the middle school. In order to receive this honor, one must average 85 on all subjects, and make no less than 80 on any. In the year and a half in which he has attended the school, he has received no demerits. He is now visiting his parents over the holidays and will return to Mc- Donough early in January. GLIMPSES OF THE PAST By CAROLYN LLOYD 1954 is slowly slipping away. To some of us who are no longer six teen it seems to be galloping away, as years now have a habit of doing. It was a good year in | many ways, but taking a back- I ward look at it, I find that there were several features us it that 1 can easily do without in 1955. In cluded in the list are the fall months that seemed like midsum mer; “Hazel” and her lesser sis ters; the antics of Senator J. Mc- Carthy; all the fuss about the “Flat Look”, which didn’t seem to change women’s looks much after all; Marilyn Monroe publicity; the increasing output of “cowboy and injun” pictures. And now comes a new year. New Years resolutions? Not I. Why add extra burdens to the con science; that still, small voice keeps me uncomfortable enough as it is. Instead I should like to suggest a few for others, who might be stronger characters than I: for my husband—to wash the dishes every night; for my friends —to invite me out to dinner once a week (then there wouldn’t have to be so much dishwashing at my See GLIMPSES, Page Four Single Copy 7# ROANOKE ISLAND NEEDING GREATER FIRE PROTECTION Support and Encouragement Demanded by Present Property Growth Roanoke Islanders might as well look up to the facts and make plans for a fire fighting unit that can be effective in case of a bad fire. The rapid growth of property on thia island, the growing congestion of homes, makes any fire threat more costly and disastrous each year. For many years the people of Roanoke Island have grown to de pend on the Manteo Fire Depart ment to aid in case of a fire. For some 17 years, a tax collected from Roanoke Island taxpayers has been paid over to the town of Manteo to assist its fire department, to buy a new truck. In all from $15,- 000 to $20,000 has been paid into the town funds. The town of Manteo is likewise in the same fix as Roanoke Island, and needs fire fighting equipment and men, perhaps worse, because houses are closer together in town. Fortunately the town has a water system, and since it has been in stalled, the limited fire department has managed it well. Not a home has been burned down since thia system was installed in the town, about 21 years ago. The Manteo Fire Department consists of a volunteer company. At one time there were about 22 active young men taking part in the work. As the years have rollel on, some have died, some moved away, some have grown much old er, and some are in employment that prevents their participation «n time of fires. Ivey Evans is the fire chief and a good hand at fighting fires, and he has given a lot of time to the work. But the department has shrunk until there is a mere handful of men ready at the first alarm to bolt to a fire. Three readily come to mind who are the most faithful of the lot: Raymond Wescott, Edwin Midgett and George Crees. There are prob ably others, but these are usually seen along with the chief at every fire. A review of the property that has been saved by this depart ment, including Nags Head beach and even Currituck County will run into several hundred thousand dollars in value. Amazing it is when we consider that these men do the work without pay, and in fact, they seldom get any sign of appreciation. People take fire serv ice as a matter of course, and nev er give it a thought that the fire men have dropped their work, us ually at considerable personal loss, and are going to fight fire for other people, who in many cases do not help and in other cases hinder the work. It is not reasonable to expect any group of men to work a long time for nothing. Nor is it reason able to expect fire fighting service without an expenditure for equip ment and operation. This is what the people must soon face, and work out plans for equipment to replace what is now either inade quate or obsolete. At any rate it is not sufficient. Important still is the need for a plan to create interest among those who would be members of a fire company. In many towns, the fire men organize into an enjoyable, social, or semi-fraternal organiza tion. In this town, features that usually belong to the fire depart ment are found only in a number of other organizations. It is high time that those who would benefit by their services should plan for the future so that there will be some rewards for these free hearted fellows who work for the public. In this age no one man should give all, in order -hat some others may receive all. Fire Chief Ivey Evans says he thinks a meeting will be called early in January to discuss these problems. If it is, the whole com munity should turn out, and help do a good job for the future. RETURN FROM FLORIDA Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Newman and son, Lance, of Nags Head, and Mrs. Newman’s mother, Mrs. H. C. Smith of Manteo, have returned from a visit of several weeks in Florida. They visited many points of interest in Florida, including Key West. MIDNIGHT SNACK PARTY ON CHRISTMAS EVE Mr. and Mrs. M. K. Fearing and Miss Mollie Fearing entertained on Christmas Eve at a midnight snack party at their home in Manteo. Christmas decorations were used throughout the house and refresh ments of punch, coffee, party sand wiches and party cakes were serv ' ed. Approximately 30 guests were present.
The Coastland Times (Manteo, N.C.)
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Dec. 31, 1954, edition 1
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