JME XX - NO. 33
1-iaZEL produced
CASH FOR PEOPLE
OF DARE COUNTY
Dike at Avon to Be Rebuilt At
Cost of $3,000; Net Loans
Total $7,177.97
A recent grant of $2,500 by the
N. C. Disaster Relief organization
added to SSOO which will be con
tributed by the Dare County Com
missioners, will make possible the
rebuilding of the sea wall at
Avon. The Dare Commissioners
got busy on the project of re
building the dike, which was built
in the thirties by the Avon citi
zens.
The Small Business Loan Corp,
also came to Dare County and re
ceived application for three loans,
but a report on these is not avail
able. However, the national Red
Cross did make outright distress
gifts of more than $7,000 to fish
ermen of Stumpy Point, Manns
Harbor and Hatteras. While the
latter community received some
S4OO only, Manns Harbor fisher
men got $2,663.88, and at Stumpy
Point $4,114.08 was donated. In
all, 11 people in the county re
ceived the money given.-
It is of interest, that the Red
Cross last year received a total
of $953 in contributions in Dare
County, and nothing was contri
buted from either Stumpy Point
or Hatteras in this drive. Which
shows that the Red Cross does not
See HAZEL, Page Four
• TAX VALUATIONS ON
OCRACOKE ISLE
INCREASE BY 120%
Hyde's New 1954 Valuations In
crease Only Half on the
Mainland Over 1953
An increase in the tax valuations
on Ocracoke Island under the 1954
re-valuation shows an increase for
the islanders of 120% over 1953,
as against an increase of 66.2% '
for the townships on the mainland.
These figures, forwarded us for I
publication by Ocracoke citizens,
show that the increase in valuation
$308,626 for 1954 as against
* for 1953. Last year Ocra
■/’ rs paid nearly $1,600 more
.es than in 1953.
A reduced tax rate gave some
relief; for the 1954 rate was $1.38
as against SI.BO for 1953.
In 1953 the valuation was $140,-
171, the rate SI.BO, the yield $2,-
662.89. In 1952 the valuation $134,-
113, the rate $1.90, the yield $2,-
662.40. In 1951, the valuation $124,-
371, the rate $2.05 and the yield
$2,549.15.
TAX VALUATION SHOWN
FOR 1951-54 IN HYDE
Increase of 66 Per Cent Under New Val
uation on Mainland Over 1953, But
Rate Has Been Reduced
Due to a .modest revaluation
program put into effect in Hyde
County during 1954, there will be
noted an increase in valuations
and in income, although the tax
rate has been lowered. Like in
most other counties, an adequate
valuation is difficult because of
the influence of large property
owners who have the influence
and ability to block any program
that will yield an equitable tax
income.
Year Valuation ■ Rate Yield
1951 4,665,415 2.05 97,655.38
1952 4,870,952 1.90 94,409.53
1953 5,019,560 1.80 92.744.78
1954 8,338,276 1.38 117,415.14
There has been a comparatively
heavy reduction in the tax rate,
• from SI.BO to $1.38. It will be
seen that the new valuation will
yield Hyde this year extra
$19,759.76, above what it got four
years ago. The increase in valua
tion on the mainland is 66.2% per
cent over last year. The increase
in valuations on Ocracoke Island
is 120%. But during the past four
years, large decreases in the tax
yield have been shown. The above
figures show the drop as being
(ver $3,000 in 1952 and an addi
ct >n drop of about $1,700 in 1953.
9 he $4,700 loss will be covered
by this year’s increased tax yield
of nearly $20,000.
DR. JOHNSTON SPEAKS TO
WANCHESE PTA ON HEALTH
A talk on Health was given to
the Wanchese PTA Monday night
by Dr. W. W. Johnston, county
health officer when the group met
in the Wanchese shcool building.
Rev C. W. Guthrie led the devo
tional and Mrs. Vera Daniels asd
Joan sang ‘‘Have Thine Own Way,
Lord”, with Mrs. Dallas Tillett as
accompanist. During the social
hour the 56 members present en
joyed ice cream and a home made
birthday cake, the occasion being
the birthday of P. T. A.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
93 Years Have Rolled Over Us Since
The Battle of Roanoke Island in 1862
Great Changes Have Taken Place and Most All The Old Shore
Forts Are Now Overboard; Sound of Pile Drivers Shakes
Shores Where Ancient Cannon Roared, and Hard
Roads Cross the Old Log Causeways Soldiers Built
Os great interest to readers of
this newspaper is a reprint from
the London Illustrated News of
the battle of Roanoke. Island on
the 27th of February, 1862. This
account was written on February
28th and. published March 22,
1862, which shows the long time
necessary for news to travel from
America to England m those days.
Washington, Feb. 28, 1862.
At last the tide of fortune has
turned in favor of the North, and
the success attending the formida
ble preparations of the past six
months is now recompensing the
Federalists for the enormous ex
penditure which has weighed
heavily upon them. In former let
ters I have had occasion to notice
the improvement in the discipline
of the Union Army, which has
been gradually progressing to
wards a state of efficiency under
the new Commander-in-Chief. To
brigade regiments, form divisions,
and appoint division generals,
were among the first tasks which
McClellan set himself to accom
plish; and, having succeeded in
these, he published a series of
general orders for the better reg
ulation and conduct of military
matters, and providing for a more
thorough and perfect state of dis
cipline through every branch of
the service.
The -consequence is, that during
all these apparently idle months
the soldier’s taskmaster, the drill
sergeant has been aboard, and
now as the time approaches for
action the Federal Government
finds it has an army to rely on for
support or vindication, astounding ;
in its numbers as the growth of
only nine months, and wonderfully
efficient considering the short
period it has been in the field.
The combinations of the General
| in-Chief are now being seen and
understood, and those who have
arraigned him in judgment before
the court of their displeasure
HATTERAS ISLANDERS
SHOW MUCH INTEREST
IN PIRATE JAMBOREE
Hatteras Island residents will
give full support to the coming
Dare Coast Pirate Jamboree, ac
cording to Asa H. Gray of Waves,
member of the vacation launching
event’s steering committee. On his
trip to contact key personalities
in the various villages of the is
land were Allyn Hanks, superin
tendent, Cape Hatteras National
Seashore, W. W. Edwards, presi
dent, Rodanthe-Waves Civic Club
and Aycock Brown of Dare Coun
ty Tourist Bureau.
Temporary committeemen
named included in addition to Ed
wards and Gray of the Rodanthe-
Waves area, the following: Char
les Williams, Jr., Andrew Meek
ins, George Meekins and George
H. Meekins, Avon; George Fuller,
Raymond Basnett, Edgar Hooper
and Boyd Gray of Buxton; and
Steve Burrus, Willie Newsome and
Anderson Midgett, Carlos Burrus,
Frazier Peele of Hatteras. This
group will meet at a Dutch sup
per, Cape Point Restaurant, next
Tuesday night at 6:30 to complete
plans for presenting opening day
events of the gala Pirates Jam
boree.
The first day of the Jamboree
on April 29, will feature Hatteras
Island and events to be presented
according to tentative agreements
reached on Tuesday would be the
all-island fishing tournament dur
ing the morning, followed by a
mammoth fish luncheon at noon
with banker pony and beach
buggy races during the afternoon.
Following the meetin next Tues
day at which additional commu
nity workers will be named, vari
ous organizations will be asked to
lend their support to the event.
DARE BOARD POSTPONES
CONTRACT ON COURTHOUSE
The Dare County Commis
sioners Tuesday recessed their
meeting to February 25 to give
further consideration to plans and
bids for remodeling the Court
house. Bidj received this week and
craned '"i csday were cons':Sored
too high fur funds in hand, mak
ing it neel sary to borrow a lot
of extra money if the plans first
»ontempla<j u are pat m effect.
The county has $55,000 given it
by the National Park Service in
exchange for a tract of land on
Bodie Island donated to the peo
ple of Dare by the late David
Lindquist of New York. It was
proposed to spend this money on
the courthouse, but from bids re
ceived it is estimated it will take
upwards of $75,000 for the job.
| are now compelled to acknowledge
, their error confuted by the suc
cesses that have inaugurated the
firgt part of a new campaign.
The victories in North Carolina,
Kentucky, and Tennessee, have
dealt a staggering blow at seces
sion; while the Federal troops
hitherto depressed by their early
discomfiture, are now elated and
confident, placing implicit reliance
in their General, and being eager
to carry the flag of the Union into
the heart of Secessia. I am no “Sir
Oracle,” so I will not attempt to
prophesy a triumph for the Fed
eralists; but seeing the improved
condition in the morale of the
Union forces, and feeling some
what competent to give an opin
ion, I am inclined to believe that
these first successes are not to be
their last.
I have watched the Northern ar
my almost from its first appear
ance in the field. I have seen it a
stripling, and known it in its boy
hood the prey of bullying politi
cians, who by their pernicious
counsels are responsible for its
earliest defeats. I now see it ar
rived at man’s estate, and it
should or ought to achieve for it
self an honorable future.
On a Battleship In Pamlico Sound
My last letter was dated from
Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, on
the eve of the departure of the ex
pedition to which I was attached
to attack Roanoke Island. The ru
mors of an impending advance of
the army of the Potomac and the
distant sounds of victory from the
west reached us even there, and I
determined, immediately Roanoke
was taken, to hasten back to head
quarters, ready to witness what
must be the most decisive and im
portant movement of the cam
paign—the attack on the Confed
erate centre at ■ Manassas. And
here I am, after a delay of some
days, caused by the prevalence of
fearful storms on the coast,
heartily sick of combined naval
and military expeditions, and
thoroughly determined to have
nothing more to do with them, un
less I can first of all make a sat
isfactory arrangement with the
clerk of the weather.
General Burnside Captured The
Island
The telegraphic accounts of the
success of General Burnside reach
ed New York, and thence were dis
patched to England long before I ]
could send you sketches in connec
tion with the capture of Roanoke,
so I will not attempt to give any
elaborate details, and will simply
confine myself to a brief descrip
tion of the incidents which from
the subjects illustrated by my pen
cil.
On the .morning of the 7th the
fleet of transports and gun-boats
which had laid off the entrance of
Croatan Sound during the previ
ous night weighed anchor, the lat
ter forming into line of battle in
three divisions. The entrance into
Croatan Sound is by a narrow
channel scarcely more than one
hundred feet in width, the naviga
tion of which is exceedingly diffi
cult, as a sandbar lies immediate
ly off the mouth. However, the
entire fleet, with one exception,
were safely through by 10 a.m.,
and at halfpast the first gun was
See BATTLE, Page Four
HISTORIC PICTURE OF SEA BATTLE OFF ROANOKE ISLAND
[“ ; ’ ;
-—** i ■ &
. ... ■ '
■HF"
111 Kw*’ •
K* _ ■ —i i . j■. in .A,,..
This picture sketched on the scone by the correspondent of the Illustrated London News in 1862, show how
the vessels line up in Croatan Sound. In the top picture will be seen the pines standing on Fleetwood
Point near Manns Harbor. The vessels are bombarding Roanoke Island. The large vessel is General
Burnside’s ship, the Spaulding. The bottom scene shows Fort Bartow at Pork Point, after being captured
by the Federalists. Tents may be seen lined up along the shore under the trees. General Burnside com
mandered the home for his headquarters, which in later years was the home of the late John Berry family.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1955
ACTING HOME AGENT
FOR DARE COUNTY
K
-i
-
MRS. RAYMOND WESCOTT of
Manteo, who will take over the
duties of home agent in Dare
County on March 1, on which date
the resignation of the present
agent, Mrs. George Staton, be
comes effective. Mrs. Wescott ac
cepted the position temporarily
when the county commissioners
met Tuesday and will act in the
capacity of home agent until
July 1.
She is a 1939 graduate of
Greensboro College, with a .major
in home economics and formerly
served as home agent in Bertie
and Durham counties, after teach
ing vocational economics for some
time in Cumberland and Wilson
counties.
Before marrying Mr. Wescott
and moving to Manteo, she was
Miss Virginia Patrick of Durham.
She is a capable and gifted woman
and has given generously of her
time and effort in behalf of many
civic programs since coming to
Dare County.
OVERTURNING AUTO
KILLS NAVY MAN IN
DARE SUNDAY NIGHT
Belvie T. Edwards, 23, of Emporia,
Va. in Car Driven Near Duck
by W. H. Smith
Belvie T. Edwards, 23, of Em
poria, Va. was fatally injured Sun
day bight when a car turned over
several times after it swung to the
left while proceeding northward on
the Duck road in the north end of
Dare County.
The car was a 1951 Ford driven
by Wm. Hugh Smith, 22, of Mur
raysville, Ga., and ran into sand
that had drifted on the road,
swung tb the left and went into the
woods.
Both men were Navy enlisted
men attached to the detail main
tained at Duck. An investigation
by Patrolman R. C. Holt is being
continued.
GARY AUSTIN OF HATTERAS
SERVING IN WEST INDIES
Gary A. Austin, airman, USN,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence
Austin of Hatteras, is aboard the
support aircraft carrier USS Val
ley Forge.
The carrier is taking part in
the Atlantic Fleet winter training
exercise “Operation Springboard.”
She will engage in anti-sub
marine air operations and visits to
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands;
Kingston, Jamaica and Havana,
Cuba.
HYDE BOARD HEARS
DELEGATION OF 16
FROM OCRACOKE
Makes SIOO Contribution to Mos
quito Control Project of All-
Seashore Highway Ass'n.
Ocracoke, Feb. 7.—A delegation
of sixteen citizens from this town,
representing the committees of
Ocracoke Civic Club on Hurricane
Aid and Roads, made the cross
sound trip to Swan Quarter Mon
day to present their causes to the
Hyde County Board of Commis
sioners. Travelling on the Wm. G.
Dryden, local shrimp trawler, the
group left Ocracoke at 6 am. to
reach their county seat at 10 a.m.
They were in fog the entire trip,
lost once, grounded once, but de
layed only one-half hour. In
charge of the boat was Wallace
Spencer, aided by many another
pilot and navigator,, notably E. S.
Tolson, Elmo Fulcher, B. E. Spen
cer, Wahab Howard, and Thurston
Gaskill. Other crew and passen
gers were, Jack Willis, Junius
Austin, Edgar Thompson, C. F.
Boyette, Chris Gaskill, T. Rond
thaler, Murray Spencer, Charles
Ahmon, Owen Gaskill, and Danny
Garrish. R. S. Wahab joined the
group at Swan Quarter.
Both missions of the group were
carefully consideed and fully ap
proved by the Commissioners of
Hyde County. There were, desig
nation of the Hurricane Aid com
mittee at Ocracoke to act as agent
of the county in negotiating for
Federal help in restoring the pro
tective level of the ocean beach
at Ocracoke; and the allocation of
12.9 miles of any highway mile
age allotted by the First High
way Division for the purpose of
constructing an all-weather high
way with ferry connections from
Hatteras to Ocracoke. Resolutions
making these actions effective
were considered, voted favorably,
signed, and delivered to the Ocra
coke delegation fothwith.
R. S. Wahab, district vice-presi
dent of the All-Coastal Highway
Association, presented a plea to
the Commissioners for their moral
and financial support of the move
now under way in which 21 Coast
al counties are banding together
to obtain legislative aid for Mos
quito Control in coastal Carolina.
It is the intension of these peti
tioning counties to press upon the
legislature a really comprehensive
program for all-out mosquito con
trol similar to that which has ■
been achieved by other Atlantic
states.
A most timely key to the town
was presented to the delegation
by an anonymous donor in the
form of a heaping dinner at the
O’Neal House. The delighted and
hungry sailors, unfed since 5 a.m.,
consumed the feast with gusto, de
parting thereafter for a fogless
voyage back, docking at the home
pier in Silver Lake at 5:05 p.m.
ENJOYING WEST COAST TRIP
Word comes from Capt. and
Mrs. C. P. Midgett of Nags Head
who are seeing the country by
train, were having a grand old
time in California, in late January
and last week were in New Or
leans. They visited the ranch of
Mrs. Arnold, wife of the General,
H. H. Arnold, who ofte.l visited
the Midgett’s, and Julian and
Lima Oneto at Angel’s Camp, Cal
ifornia. They spent' two days in
Denver, and two in San Francisco,
and were going for one week end
in Hollywood.
COMMANDER BEACHAM AT
QUONSET, RHODE ISLAND
rah
COMMANDER SHELTON RAY
BEACHAM USN of Kitty Hawk
who is now Commander of the Air
Anti-Submarine Squadron 31 at
Quonset Point, Rhode Island, is a
grandson of the late Capt. Harris
Midgett and of Decatur Beacham
of Kitty Hawk. His two grand
mothers, Mrs. Mary Midgett and
Mrs. Doll Beacham are now living
there. His father is Shelton
Beacham now living at Arlington,
Va. and the late Sadie Rae Mid-'
gett Beacham. In last week’s pa
per we gave an account of his
new assignment. He is a young
man in whom his community takes
pride.
A COMICAL GAME ENDS
MANTEO MARCH OF DIMES
Saturday Night’s Jollity Adds $66 To
Total Running Up Towards SBOO
The long-looked for game of
Longies vs Shorties came to pass
Saturday night and the Manteo ;
March of Dimes is $66 the richer
as the result of the evening’s en
tertainment.
The Longies, attired in red
flannels vs the Shorties, in more
brief suits furnished hearty
laughs as they met and tied the
gapte score at 18-18. Shorty
Sidney Shaw met Long Albert
Dillahunty at center. Wally Mc-
Gown, Ellsworth Midgett, Bur
well Evans, and Earl Green play
ed forward position for Shorties |
while Coy Tillett, Raymond Wes- |
cott, Gus Haltman, and Warren 1
O’Neal vied for the Longies’
points. Starring as guards were
shorties Allyn Hanks, Gordon
Kellogg, Ralph Davis, Fred Wes
cott and Longies Woody Fearing,
Nevin Wescott and Eddie Brown.
Referees were Jack Wilson and
Donnie Twyne. Salesmen for
drinks and candy were Roland
Sawyer and Pete Capps.
The Town Girls, Dotty Fry,
Linda Mann, Betty Fearing, Marie
Etheridge, Doreen Midgett and
Carolyn Gaskill won over the
school girls by one point, 28-27.
The Swinging Brothers made
their first public appearance in a
dare-devil swing from the rafters
high in the gym ceiling. Protected
by helmets, life savers, special
boots and clothing Raymond and
Nevin Wescott startled the crowd.
House to House calls on Sunday
netted $67.88. Collections from
school grades was $53.31 and from
the town coin containers $70.56.
Total amount deposited with coun
ty treasurer to date is $765.81 but
contributions continue to come so
that a complete figure for the
local drive cannot be stated this
See GAME, Page Four
MRS. DESDI A W. DANIELS
DIED WED. IN NORFOLK
Mrs. Desdia Willis Daniels, 75,
a native of Dare County, and a
resident of South Norfolk for the
last 10 years, died Wednesday
at 2:24 p.m. in a Norfolk hospital.
She was the daughter of James
Isaac and Mrs. Rebecca Hayman
Willis and wife of the late Charles
M. Daniels. She had been a mem
ber of the Wanchese Methodist
Church for the last 40 years and
taught a Sunday School class at
the church for 23 years prior to
pioving to South Norfolk. She re
sided at 101 Swain Avenue.
Surviving are a son, Reuben M.
Daniels, of South Norfolk; a sis
ter, Mrs. Iva W. Hatsell, of Beau
fort, N. C., three grandchildren
and a great-grandchild.
The body was brought to Twi
ford funeral home in Manteo
pending arrangements for funeral
services by Rev. C. W. Guthrie in
Bethany M. E. church, Wanchese,
and burial in Cudworth Cemetery.
Single Copy 70
OCRACOKE OFFERED
GLAD HAND BY THE
DARE COMMISSI'NERS
Resolution Tuesday By County
Board Would Welcome Ocra
coke Island Into Dare County
Ocracoke Island people who
have been wishing their Township
were a part of Dare County re
ceived the glad hand of welcome
Tuesday from the Dare County
Commissioners, who passed a res
olution favoring their entry into
Dare County, if they wish to
come. Pursuant to sentiment ex
pressed to Board members by
many people of Ocracoke Island,
a motion was offered by Commis
sioner James W. Scarborough of
Avon, and seconded instantane
ously by E. P. White of Buxton,
and L. L. Swain of Manteo, and
was carried unaimously.
Reasons given for desiring to
become a part of Dare County
were assigned as convenience,
now with better transportation to
the north, whereby the citizens
might get to Manteo to do busi
ness with the county seat. At
present, the trip requires three
days to make the round trip to
Hyde’s Swan Quarter, and Ocra
coke people are prohibited by the
great inconvenience of travel in
participating to the desired ex
tent in county affairs. It has
leached the point where seldom if
ever are Ocracoke citizens called
for jury duty, it was stated.
The resolution adopted by the
Dare Board Tuesday is as follows:
“W’HEREAS, several citizens of
Ocracoke Township, Hyde County
have advised this board that con
siderable sentiment prevails
among the people of this township
favorable to removing from their
present county and joining an
other county for the convenience
of their citizens, due to changes
in transportation and other fac
tors, and WHEREAS interest has
been indicated in become a part
of Dare County, and they desire
to know the sentiment of the Com
missioners of Dare Coiinty, Now
therefore be it
“RESOLVED, that the general
expressions of the people of Dare
County heard by this Board is
Ocracoke would be welcome in
Dare County; it is the sentiment
of this Board they would be wel
come in Dare County; and in
event they wish to join Dare
See OCRACOKE. Page Four
WOULD MAKE A BIRD
SANCTUARY OF R. I.
AND OCEAN FRONT
Commissioners Asking For Legis
lation Aimed at Reckless Users
of Rifles In This Area
The Dare County Commis
sioners voted this week to ask
legislation to make of all Roanoke
Island and the area of Nags Head
Beach to Currituck County Tine
east of the highway, a bird sanc
tuary where no hunting of any
kind is permitted. The object is
not protection of birds but the
hope of stopping the reckless use
of firearms by small boys who
are damaging a lot of property
due to immunity from regulation
at home and laxity of law enforce
ment. The Board gave their en
dorsement to a neighbor, O. L.
Woodhouse of Grandy for reap
pointment on the State Wildlife
Commission. A. H. Ward, Jr. was
appointed by the Board to serve
on a committee with L. L. Swain
and M. R. Daniels for the Oregon
Inlet betterment program.
J. W. Scarborough, C. T. Wil
liams and Fred Gray of Avon
were named to supervise the re
construction of the sand dike
around their village, which is
made possible by a grant of State
and county funds.
The Board recommended that
Representative R. Bruce Ether
idge be requested to use all ef
forts to get the present non-resi
dent fishing licenses relaxed.
The sum of SIOO was given to
the mosquito control program of
the All-Seashore Highway Asso
ciation.
The County Commissioners of
Dare Tuesday passed a resolution
asking the State to improve the
road running around the Austin
Cemetery at Kitty Hawk, and also
asked the widening of the road by
way of the Bob Perry home. The
Southern Shores roads were rec
ommended for State upkeep.
It was agreed to pay to Mrs.
Jethro Midgett of Nags Head
$69.87 in tax penalties and costs
for* the five-year period 1949 to
1954. The county Health Depart
ment was authorized to trade in
two typewriters on a new one.
A motion was carried to pay all
back taxes when collected, into the
general fund of the county, ex
cepting sanitary district taxes and
Roanoke Jsland Fire Tax.