OLUME XX NO. 35
ONLY TWO MONTHS
BEFORE JAMBOREE
OPENS 1955 SEASON
Big Fish Fry on Hatteras Island
Opens Three-Day Series of
Events to Boost Tour
ist Trade
By AYCOCK BROWN
Committees continue with plans
for the first annual Dare Coast
Pirate Jamboree, beginning on
Friday April 29 and continuing
through Sunday, May I. It will
be the biggest festival-like cele
bration of its kind ever attempted
on the coast of Dare, and back of
it all is to give an official open
ing for the tourist and vacation
season, begin the season earlier.
Opening event of the Jamboree
will be on Hatteras Island where
citizens. have already met and
formed committees to have charge
of the beach buggy and pony
races, the three different fishing
contests and a fish luncheon near
the base of famous Cape Hatteras
Lighthouse on National Seashore
lands. Ocracoke Island is to send
many visitors.
An important role in the Hat
teras Island events will be played
by the Parent Teachers Associa
tion and the Hospital Auxiliary.
They, along with other civic and
fraternal groups will sponsor the
fish luncheon. First billed as the
“world’s biggest fish fry” the
luncheon in reality will feature
broiled and barbecued fish, potato
salad, and coffee. Preparations
may be made to serve as many as
2,000 persons at the luncheon.
George Fuller is Chairman of the
Hatteras committees.
Model Plane Contests
Following the events of Friday,
on Hatteras Island, the scene of
Pirate Jamboree activities will
move to the Kitty Hawk, Kill
Devil Hills and Nags Head area
on Saturday Apirl 30. Feature of
the morning program will be con
trolled and free flight model plane
contests.
Miles L. Clark, chairman of the.
board of directors, Kill Devil Hills
Memorial Society and Dick Jor
dan, general manager of The Lost
Colony will head the committee
ponsoring the model plane con
*sts. Manteo Rotary Club menr
>ers will also assist.
Jordan stated this week that it
seemed likely that several hun
dred model planes would be enter
ed in the contests. This phase of
the Pirate Jamboree will be held
under the auspices of the Acad
emy of Model Aeronautics.
Following the plane contests on
Saturday morning will be after
noon events including jeep and
nag races at Jockeys Ridge on
Nags Head. During the evening
at a Pirates Ball, April 30, results
of the current Pirate beard grow
ing contests and the election of a
pirate queen will be featured. The
ball will be held in Nags Head
Casino. On Sunday at Roanoke Is
land, (May 1) there will be speed
and fishing boat races.
SPEEDERS, LITTERBUGS,
RIFLES, AROUSE IRE OF
WANCHESE RURITANS
Some of the chief annoyances
of the citizens of Wanchese drew
positive action from the members
of the community’s Ruritan Club
Friday night, chief among them
being careless rifles in the com
munity, the litterbugs who throw
garbage and trash around indis
criminately, and particularly a
number of half-cracked or idiotic
speeders and drunken drivers who
are a menace on the highways.
The club voted to take action.
For one thing, signs or notices
will first be posted about the dis
posal of trash. The law will be
asked to do something about
rifles, and the State Highway
Patrol is going to be asked to give
some service in the area. Drunk
en and reckless driving by sporad
ic visitors is considered the top
annoyance.
J. M. Vannote of Manteo, direc
tor of Civil Defense for the area
was the speaker invited by the
club to make an appeal for more
interest in the program. President
Ml Melvin Daniels, prior to introduc
(ng him made most of his speech
for him, emphasizing the serious
threat that faces every person in
. event of enemy attack. Mr. Van
note urged the citizens to enlist
and serve as observers in this
cause.
Mr. Daniels called on the com
mittees for the deepening of Mill
Creek and approaches, and they
See RURITANS, Page Five
ONE CASE IN COURT
Judge Wash Baum heard one
case this week in Recorders Court
in Manteo. Osear Midgett, a
young colored boy was fined sls
and costs for cutting Jerry Bell
McGease, resulting in a $3 doc
tor’s fee.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
Published weekly in the interest of the Walter raleigh coastland of north Carolina
MANTEO SCOUTS PAUSE DURING LONG HIKE
ran
HERE’S a fine crop 61 youngsters from Manteo, coming in from a long
hike to the North end, maybe as much as ten miles there and back. They
stopped beside the road to be photographed Saturday. Several of the
group were elsewhere when the picture was made, but we show the
following here:
Left to right, front row: Andrew Clark, Joseph Boyce, Phillip Tillett,
Roy Wescott, Jr., and Dennis Midgett; second row, Charles Edward
Webb, G. G. Bonner, Lloyd Wescott, Jimmie Basnight and Danny Moul
son; third row, Gary Meekins, Melvin Twiddy and Fleetwood Mitchell.
MASONS FED TUES.
AT WANCHESE BY
EASTERN STAR
An exceedingly enjoyable eve
ning Tuesday was the result of
the generosity of members of the
Eastern Star who were host to the
Masons of Roanoke Island’s
lodges. About 150 were fed at the
Wanchese Hall. Features of the
dinner were stewed chicken, and
pie.
A short address of welcome was
given by Melvin R. Daniels, and
applause and thanks extended the
ladies for the fine dinner. Robert
Midgett of Manteo led the singing
of two numbers. Following the
dinner, the group inspected the
newly decorated lodge room, and
sang a number of hymns at the
piano.
FOX HUNTING NOW
AN INSTITUTION ON
DARE CO. COAST
It All Adds Up to More Publicity
and More People For The
Walter Raleigh Coastland
By AYCOCK BROWN
With participants from North
Carolina and several other eastern
states following the hounds, the
Nags Head Valentine Season Fox
Hunt ended Saturday bight with a
gala dance in The Carolinian
Hotel. On the preceding night,
following hunts in the wooded
dunes of Nags Head an oyster
roast had been held on the beach.
How this mid-February event
has gained national recognition
during the past seven years is an
interesting story. Largely respon
sible for the success of the events
each year are the Watkins
Brothers of Oxford and Mrs.
Lucille Purser, managing owner
of The Carolinian.
“Our original idea was to have
a country style informal hunt dur
ing the late winter season when
there is a minimum of activity at
Nags Head,” said Mrs. Purser.
“The increasing success of the
hunts each year, we believe, has
been due to the fact that we have
kept them informal.”
Instead of mounted horsemen
following the hounds, jeeps are
See FOX HUNT, Page Five
OFFICER R. C. HOLT
LEAVING FOR MARTIN
To Bo Replaced March I By Arthur
Fields, Johnston County Native
R. C. Holt, State Highway
patrolman stationed in Manteo
for the past four years, has re
signed effective March 1 and is
now spending a vacation period
before leaving for his new post in
Martin CUnty. Holt, who has
gained scores of friends dicing
his service among Dare Countians,
,is sure to be missed by many,
especially the motorists. He is go
ing to Williamston to join the
prisons department as superin
tendent of the Martin County
Prison Camp.
Arthur Fields, a veteran of 11
years with the highway patrol, is
to replace Holt. Fields is a native
of Kenly, Johnston County, but
is coming from LaGrange, where
he is now stationed. He and Mrs.
Fields and their children are
planning to locate in Manteo. He
is to begin his new duties March 1.
THE WHALE ASHORE AT
KITTY HAWK IS GOING
A 90-foot whale which drifted
ashore north of Kitty Hawk the
past week is being carried away
by a tallow firm in Norfolk. The
whale was highly objectionable
because of its odor, to cottage
owners in nearby Southern Shores.
Through the years, several whales
have been stranded in this locality.
ENGLISH MANOR HOUSES DONE IN WOOD ON CAROLINA COAST
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WHO AND WHERE is the Lord of Ocracoke, the visitor might inquire these days upon beholding on his
approach the bold yellow shingled mansions recently erected by Sam Jones, Hyde County native and mil
lionaire industrialist of Norfolk. They dominate the Ocracoke skyline from afar; greater than the ancient
lighthouse which shows up poorly because it is white. With variations of his own, Mr. Jones has trans
planted to the sands of North Carolina, replicas of the old English manor houses where opulent lords
once held power, and which were the center as well as ruler of the village and countryside. The Lord of
the manor in the old days held great sway, and at intervals would hold field days and feasting times and
invite the peasantry to foregather for fun and to b ■ impressed by the Master’s opulence and power.
In the past three years while these gigantic houses were being built, many working men on Ocracoke had
had jobs, and vast sums flowed out to benefit the island track'. One of these large houses, Berkley Manor,
has five floors, a dozen chimneys, many. fir. places. The smaller house, Sajo Manor, which is a contraction
of the name Sam Jones, is also liberally studded with chimneys. It is the smaller house with lighthouse in
background. The building was completed during th past season, and proved so interesting that the ar
chitectural style has been copied in the village of Hatteras in the laigest residence ever buiit there.
Were it not a misnomer on a free island where there is so much of rugged independence, this benificent
man might win and hold the title of “Lord of Ocrac< ke”. With two such manor houses, he surely has
earned it.
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MANTEO. N. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1955
GROUP IN RALEIGH
ASKS TOLL BRIDGE
AT ALLIGATOR RIVER
A delegation in Raleigh Wed
nesday asked Governor Hodges'
support for a toll bridge over Alli
gator River to cost a probable
$3,200,000, including approaches.
This is what Highway Commis
sioner Emmett Winslow’ said i
might cost. Mr. Winslow appeared
with a delegation headed by Rev.
A. Corey of Jamesville. Rep. R.
Bruce Etheridge of Dare was with
the party.
Mr. Winslow stated that the
Croatan Sound Bridge now under
construction, and which will be
completed next year, will cost
with approaches, $2,750,000. He
said he hoped the brige might be
started over Alligator River by
the time the Croatan Sound bridge
is finished.
ROTARIANS HEAR A
NATIVE SON SPEAK
ON LADIES NIGHT
P. D. Midgett of Engelhard Offers
Exposition of Rotary and Its
Ideals, at Nags Head
“Ladies night” was a complete
success at Nags Head Monday as
the Manteo Rotary Club heard P.
D. Midgett of Engelhard at the
Carolinian Hotel in the closing
feature of the evening deliver an
interesting exposition of Rotary
and its ideals. Mr. Midgett, an im
mediate past-District President is
a native of Wanchese, and a for
mer Dare County teacher.
Steak was served in the dog
wood room of the hotel. Several
numbers were sung by the group,
with Dick Jordan at the piano.
Ray Jones, Jr., hotel manager was
toastmaster. President Johnny
Long introduced the speaker.
See MIDGETT, Page Five
FOUR BOYS CAUGHT
WITH STOLEN CAR
IN CURRITUCK CO.
Escapees From Reform School In
Delaware Bound Over in
Federal Court
Four youths charged with
taking a stolen car across State
lines were bound over to Federal
Court under $1,500 bonds in Eliz
abeth City Wednesday.
After a hearing before United
States Commissioner Lloyd Saw
year they were sent to jail at Wil
son. The next term of court here
opens April 4.
Following a tip off, Sheriff
Frank Cahoon of Manteo set out
if ter the four, on Roanoke Island
Tuesday, and followed them over
Currituck bridge where he was
met by State patrolmen, and the
boys were forced off the road near
Point Harbor.
Officers said three of the boys
recently escaped from the Ferris
School for Boys at Marsh Allton,
Del. They were identified as
Mitchell George, 16, Richardson
Park, Del.; Thursman O’Neal, 16,
Richardson Park, arid Anthony
Amato, 17, Wilmington, Del.
See BOYS, Page Five
REPORTS GOVERNOR WISHES
TO BUILD OCRACOKE ROAD
Melvin R. Daniels, Dare County
Register of Deeds, reports this
week the receipt of a cordial letter
from Governor Hodges expressing
a desire to do something about
building a road on Ocracoke Island
and a free ferry over Hatteras In
let. The Governor’s letter was in
response to a recent request for
this impovement, by the Dare
County Board of Commissioners.
Mr. Daniels believes he will soon
visit the area with a view to doing
something to relieve the island
people of the handicaps of isola
tion.
THOS. CHEARS, JR. ATTORNEY
LOCATES IN DARE COUNTY
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THOS. CHEARS JR. Edenton na
tive, this week opened offices in
Manteo for the practice of law.
Mr. Chears has been in law prac
tice in Charlottesville and Rich
mond, Va. since World War 11,
through which he served with
rank of Lieutenant Commander in
the Navy. The first year and half
of the war he wap in command of
a Patrol Craft in Anti-Submarine
warfare between Norfolk and the
West Indies, and for two and a
half years, he served with Ad
miral Bull Halsey’s Third fleet in
the Pacific aboard the battleship
Alabama. Mr. Chears graduated
from the University of North
Carolina in 1935 and from the
University of Virginia in 1937.
His wife is the former Miss Nel
son Powell, daughter of Dr. and
Mrs. J. A. Powell of Edenton.
During and after the recent war,
she spent nine years overseas,
working with the American Red
Cross and Other organizations in
Italy, Austria and Germany. Mr.
Chears’ father, Thos. Chears, is a
retired businessman in Edenton.
The lawyer’s new office is located
in the former Coastland Times
building opposite the Fort Raleigh
Hotel.
MANTEO, NAGS HEAD RAISE
MORE THAN S9OO FOR POLIO
Other Committees To Be Heard From;
Tops Last Year's $513.30
More than S9OO has been raised
for the 1955 March of Dimes by
the coiqmittee working in Manteo
and Nags Head, according to a
repor this week by Mrs. Raymond
Wescott of Manteo, chairman. The
following amounts have been
turned into the county chairman
and other amounts raised are yet
to be added to this total.
Business firms, $207.00;
Methodist Church, $121.22; Man
teo Baptist Church, $52.21; Roan
oke Island Baptist Church, $34.70;
Coin Containers, $70.91; School
Containers, $53.31; Pioneer Thea
ter, $19.46; Long vs Short ball
game, $66.55; House to House,
$67.88; Human Fly, $25.00; V. F.
W. Auxiliary, $35.00; Rebekahs,
$22.00; Manteo Masons, $15.00;
Shrine Club, $13.95; Lions Club,
$2.95; Manteo-Wanchese Home
Demonstration Club, $3.00; Col
ington Home Demonstration Club,
$10.00; Nags Head business firms,
$52.00; Nags Head containers,
$20.84; Miscel. Containers, $7.02.
Total, $900.00.
Mrs. Agatha Gray has reported
S3O raised by her committee, of
which amount $20.71 was raised
by the Roanoke School. W. E. Hall
is principal of the school.
Mrs. Wescott said this week:
“Again the committee wishes to
express appreciation for the gen
erosity of all the people for such
a successful campaign.” One-half
of the funds remain in the local
bank to be used by any Dare
County person becoming a victim
of Polio. Those planning and car
rying out the Drive were Mrs. M.
L. Daniels, Jr., Mrs. Leo Midgett,
Mrs. Camille Podolski,, Mrs. Ray
mond Wescott and Nevin Wescott.
METHODIST REVIVAL
SERVICES MARCH 1 TO 6
The Rev. T. Z. B. Everton
Methodist minister of McCormick,
S. C., and formerly a resident of
Dare County is to hold revival
services at the Manns Harbor
Methodist Church beginning Tues
day evening, March 1 and continue
through Sunday evening, March 6;
services each night including Sat
urday. Monday night proceeding
the meeting a prayer service is
to be held at the church. The pub
lic is invited to attend.
Single Copy 70
PECULIAR OBJECT
SIGHTED AT SEA
AROUSES RUMORS
Jagged Framework Sticking Up
From Ocean Off Kitty Hawk
Creates Excitement
The discovery by Mrs. Orville
Baum of Kitty Hawk Tuesday
afternoon, of a peculiar object at
sea, some four miles east of her
home, has resulted in quite a bit
of excitement in these parts, and
widespread publicity has followed.
The world is full of gullible
souls who think the sea is full of
Russian submarines, even in shal
low waters where subs can’t
operate. Thus many people who
neither saw and heard little,
did their jolly part in keeping the
rumor going that it was a sub
marine.
This writer saw the object. Mrs.
Baum called his attention to it.
She said she first observed it
earlier in the day, in an apparent
ly stationary position. Not know
ing but it might be wreckage of
a ship, she called the Coast Guard
to notify them. After a time it
began moving, and by five o’clock
in the afternoon, it had progress
ed up the coast some eight or ten
miles, and then appeared to be
moving at the rate of seven or
eight miles an hour.
The objects seem to stand up
in the water, as if part of a struc
ture on the deck of a vessel which
could not be seen, and consisted
of a number of vertical standards
such as might have been part of
the staging used while weather
boarding or painting a building of
about three stories in height.
There were two sections of this
framework a short distance apart,
and aparently moving northward
at equal speed. The objects ap
peared to be from three to four
miles off shore.
Some observers contend it was
simply a mirage, bordering on
the supernatural, other long unex
plained things that have mystified
people for ages. Some think it was
wreckage, caught in the tide and
drifting northward on some tidal
current. At any rate, speculation
continues.
The mystery is all over. Because
it was a holiday, the information
wasn’t readily forthcoming. The
Navy Department advises it was
an American submarine, which put
up its radar equipment in plain
sight of everyone.
But anyway it caused a lot of
time and money to be spent by
other Government agencies, which
sent out aircraft to look for it.
NO MORE SHIPWRECKS;
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
WENT WITH DEMOCRATS
By FRANKLIN COCHRAN
Cape Hatteras.—You can be
lieve the Republicans all you want
to, about times being prosperous
and the stock market going up,
but what have they done for us
here on the Outer Banks?
They haven’t, for example,
given us one single shipwreck this
year!
Now, if your living depends
upon showing visitors the spec
tacular old shipwrecks in the
graveyard of the Atlantic, you are
naturally expectant, if not hope
ful, of new material. But, since
the Republicans started running
the show, coastwise shipping has
stayed so far out to sea that we
hardly ever see the smoke from
their funnels. Not only that, but
the rising column of hot air, or
thermal, located near Washington
has caused such a meteorological
reversal that all storms that used
to occur on the ocean, now break
over dry land. Even the one ship
that hit the beach here last year
didn’t stay very long. Someone
informed McCarthy that they
used red breeches on the breeches
buoy, so they hauled her away up
north for an investigation.
The tourist trade is a pretty
good means of making a living,
but you’ve got to be alert for op
portunities to show off something
that appeals to the imagination.
For instance I have a friend who
is part owner of some beautiful
clear water springs in Florida
where glass bottom boats are fea
tured. These springs have enough
natural beauty without all the
legend that goes with them, but a
good story does wonders to stir
the imagination. I was particular
ly attracted to an underwater
cavern called “Bottomless Pit”
Gazing down into the depths of
this crevice one day I suddenly
was struck by an inspiration:
“Hugh,” I said, “let’s get the
diving bell and I’ll go down there
and find the bottom of that hole.”
His answer was not meant to
be poetic:
“You do, and I’ll sue you.”
You see, there are a few people
who’d pay money to see a bottom
less pit after some clumsy, but
well meaning curiosity box had
See SHIPWRECK, Page Five
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