OLUME XXI NO. 23
SECOND JAIL BOND ELECTION
IN A YEAR TO BE JANUARY 28;
LEWARK ALONE IN OPPOSITION
Measure Defeated July 9, to be Submitted Again
to Voters on January 28th; Four Members of
Board Solidly For Both Jails, But Kill Devil
Hills Man Votes No; Board Wants to Spend
$85,000. Cost of Elections and Will
Reach $5,000.
With only a lone member voting
nay against them, four county
commissioners voted for holding
another election in Dare County on
January 28th, to decide if the peo
ple wish to bond the county for
money to tear down the jail at
Manteo building another and an
addition to the courthouse and a
new jail on Hatteras Island and
which they plan to locate at Bux
ton.
While the Commissioners were
getting ready to close their meet
ing, a young doctor anxious to be
gin practice in Dare County was
waiting to meet with a committee
to ascertain the extent of coopera
tion that might be expected in this
county should he locate here. He
called attention to the fact that
doctors are difficult to find for
practice in places without clinical
or hospital faciliies.
This same jail and courthouse
proposal, which would cost in addi
tion to the $35,000 it proposes to
borrow, any other unappropriated
funds the county may have, which
includes the $50,000 idle cash in
the bank obtained from the sale
of land—was voted down by a two
to-one vote of the people of Dare
County on July 9th. The county
had at that time spent some S7OO
on plans, and another $2,000 hold
ing an election, beside other ex
panses. Another S2OOO to hold the
January election will bring the cost
up to about $5,000. Next year there
were be three elections in Dare
unty, and maybe two more, if
.h Kitty Hawk and Manteo vote
. school bonds.
At Tuesday’s meeting, when four
members of the Commissioners de
cided to spend another $2,000 to
ask the people if they have
changed their minds, only one
member voted against both propo
sals. Capt. Will Lewark of Kill
Devil Hills recorded his vote in the
negative.
It is a costly way to ask the
people if they have changed their
minds during the past six months.
Although the proposal was beaten
in July, it didn’t stop the Commis
sioners from putting it on this
year’s taxes just the same. This
may be verified by checking the
printed tax notices mailed out last
month.
ABC Board Appointed
The Dare County Liquor Control
boat'd was reappointed by the Com
missioners for another three years.
This board now consists of M. L.
Daniels, Chairman and Guy H.
Lennon of Manteo, and Callie E.
Parker of Nags Head. The new
teim begins Jan. 5.
The Board voted to buy insur
ance on the buildings of the 4-H
camp at the Manteo Airport, and
instructed Bob Smith, county agent
to select another stenographer for
bis office and that of the Home
Agent, replacing Mrs. Lessie Til-
See ELECTION, Page Eight
FIRST ANNUAL LAYMAN'S
DINNER OF ST. ANDREWS
NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT
Ticket sales for the first annual
layman’s anniversary dinner of St.
Andrews by the Sea, the Protes
tant Episcopal Church on Nags
Head which began its year around
services last December, have been
very good, according to P. B. Zev
ely, in charge of the committee
on arrangements. The dinner, fea
turing roast turkey and clam
chowder, will be held at the Shrine
Club on Tuesday night, December
13, beginning at 6:30 o’clock and
continuing until 8:30 or as late as
ecessary. The committee in
harge stated that up to 250 din
ners had been ordered and ar
rangements have been made to pre
pare take-out plates for those who
will be unable to eat their supper
at the Shrine Club.
LJST TAKERS NAMED
Dare County list takers who
were re-appointed this week are as
follows: Atlantic Township, Mrs.
Zenith Perry, Croatan Township,
Mrs. Florence Jones; East Lake
Township, Mrs. Nina Basnight.
Kennekeet Township, Mrs. Rachel
Austin, and Hatteras Township,
Mrs. Edna Gray. Mrs. Lucy Mid
gett of Wanchese, for Nags Head
Township.
Tax listing dates will be an
nounced in this paper next week.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
DIFFICULT TO GET
COUNTY OFFICERS IN
DARE'S EARLY DAYS
Some Men First Named Resigned;
First Meeting of Board Sets
Up Fees
The difficulty of getting men to
serve in county offices is no new
thing in Dare County, for some of
the men appointed at the very
first meeting of the county’s first
Board, declined to serve, or soon
resigned. The first meeting of the
Board of Commissioners after the
county was created was held on
March 28th, 1870, which was more
than 85 years ago.
The Board consisted of R. S. D.
Holbrook, Cornelius Paine, Geo.
Washington Crees, and Thomas S.
Tillett, all Republicans. The county
was Republican and the state had
a Republican governor, who ap
pointed this board. They qualified
before R. S. D. Holbrook, who had
previously qualified and he was
elected chairman.
All other offices were vacant and
the first business before the Board
was to fill the vacancies. Walter
T. Dough was appointed Sheriff
and he was ordered to qualify and
give bond. He never served but
tendered his refusal at the meeting
of the board a week later. George
B. Bliven was appointed Register
of Deeds. Wilson R. Sutton was ap
pointed surveyor.
It was ordered that the Chair-
See OFFICERS, Page Eight
TO SPEAK IN DARE AT
K. D. HILLS EVENT
Rear Admiral R. E. Wood,
commandant of the Fifth District,
U. Coast Guard, will be the prin
cipal speaker at the 52nd anniver
sary celebration of the Wright
Brothers first flight of a heavier
than-air machine scheduled to be
held at the base of Wright
Brothers National Manument on
December 17, when homaage is
paid the intrepid airmen of Day
ton, Ohio, by the military general
ly, Kill Devil Hills Memorial
Society and the National Park
Service.
Representatives of the U.S. Air
Force will also be present and the
Air Force, co-sponsors of the an
nual celebration will also provide
a flyover of modern jet aircraft
during the ceremonies at the monu
ment. Musical features of the cele
bration will be provided by Eliza
beth City’s famous High School
Band which has annually taken
part in the first flight observances
for the past several years.
Announcement that a high rank
ing Coast Guard officer would be
the key speaker of the day was
made in Elizabeth City by Miles
L. Clark, chairman of the board
of directors of Kill Devil Hills
Memorial Society.
“The Coast Guard, or its original
organization, played an important
role in the first successful flights
52 years ago on December 17,”
said Clark.
“Three members of the crew of
the old Kill Devil Hills Life Sav
ing Station, Surfmen John T.
Daniels, W. S. Dough and A. D.
Etheridge went to the base of the
Hill to help place the crude flying
machine on the monorail from
which it took off on four success
ful flights that day,” he added.
Also present on that cold Decem
ber morning were W. C. Brinkley
of Manteo who had been visiting
on the beach and decided to re
main over to see the experiments
and Johnny Moore who lived in
nearby Nags Head Woods.
‘None of the witnesses to the
See EVENT, Page Eight
JOINT COLLECTION OF
FUNDS FOR THE NEEDY
Rev. L. E. Aitken and Rev. H.
V. Napier, Methodist and Baptist
pastors respectively in Manteo are
heading a joint committee of their
churches to raise funds to give
things to the needy, if there be any
on Christmas day. Boxes for the
collection of groceries which any
one may wish to contribute will be
placed in the stores of Manteo, and
also a box for deposit of coins. On
December 24 the proceeds will be
collected. The boxes are being set
up this week.
SIX ON LIST OF
CANDIDATES FOR
MANTEO P'MASTER
Civil Service Investigation Indi
cates Early Action in
Filling Office
An investigation this week to
gather pertinent information about
six candidates for postmaster in j
Manteo is being made by Horace
R. Lewis, Civil Service investiga-1
or, working out of Charlotte.
The list, which had been nar-i
rowed down to three candidates,
has now been brought back to six
as the result of efforts made by
some of the candidates who had
been previously eliminated.
The list of applicants is now as 1
follows: Ray W Jones, acting post
master; Ben Shannon, postoffice
clerk; Earl M. Green, Lawrence
L. Swain, Ralph L. Swain and Ray
mond E. White, Jr.
The interviews end investigation
that is being made will develop in
ormation as to the applicants as
follows:
1. Kind and extert of success
and experience in their occupa
tions. 2. Extent of public contacts;
3. Success in meeting and deal
ing with the public. 4. Industry,
resourcefulness and initiative; 5.
Community acceptability; 6. Per
sona! attribute.! und absence of dis
qualifying defects in character and
physical condition.
The Civil Service Commission
attempts to give careful and im
partial consideration to all appli
cants. After summarizing the re
ports received, it certifies to the
President the names of three with
highest qualifications for his se
iecti< n, with the approval of :he
Senate, of the one who will Di
appointed postmastci. The Civil
Service Commission's investigation
is limited to report.ng facts onlv,
and makes n> recommendations
abc it the eligiciliiy of any Candi
da e.
Lxcept in r i( rj in'-tgncis, the ap
pl’aant chosen a member of the
political party of the President.
In this case, if the Republican or
g.'nzation finds acting Postra.v. r
Ray W. Jones among the three eli
gibles, it is most likely he is the
man the President will recommend,
as he is the only professed rc
pullican among the six candi
ca«.es.
GREENSBORO DOCTOR IS
INTERESTED IN OPENING
OFFICES IN MANTEO
Dr. W. W. Harvey, a personable
young physician, who is now with
the Henry Grady Hospital in A
lanta, Ga., is interested in coming
to Manteo to establish a medic.,
practice next summer. He is a na
tive of Greensboro and a graduate j
of Duke Medical School. In Man-1
teo Tuesday, he met with a com- j
mittee which represented the civic
clubs of Roanoke Island and stated
that of the various communities
bidding for his services, he prefer
red Roanoke Island. He said that
two other communities had prom
ised to furnish him a clinic in'
which to set up practice, and that
it would be necessary for similar
facilities to be provided here. It
was his desire, he stated to give
first class medical service and
that in this day, it cannot be done
without clinical facilities or a hos
pital available in the community.
Members of the committee, most
of whom met with Dr. Harvey
Tuesday, are as follows: from the
Manteo Rotary Club, R. D. Saw
yer, Ralph Swain, and Lawrence
Swain; from the Wanchese Ruri
tan Club, Melvin R. Daniels; and
from the Manteo Lions Club, Keith
Fearing Jr. and Roy Wescott. This
committee has been working for
several months in an attempt to
locate a doctor to come to Roanoke
Island, and one or two others have
become interested and are expect
ed to look over the field at an
early date.
The committee having heard Dr.
Harvey’s views about the subject,
will make an investigation to deter
mine what can be done toward
meeting them.
TRAFFIC CASES NET NIGH
ON TO S2OO FINES TUESDAY
Three cases were submitted and
one dismissed by Judge Washing
ton Baum in Dare Recorders Court
Tuesday. Byron Sawyer paid $lO
and costs for driving 35 mph in
a 25 mile zone; James Overton, 19,
paid $lO and costs for driving 65
mph in a 55-mile zone, and Worlin
Aldridge Curies paid $l5O and
costs for driving while intoxicated,
and driving without a dirver’s per
mit.
A warrant brought against St.
Clair Midgett by his wife, charging
him with not contributing suf
ficiently to the support of the fam
ily, was dismissed by the Judge.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1955
BEAUFORT CO. MAY DRAFT
WARREN FOR HOUSE SEAT
*
Will Beaufort County be repre
sented in the General Assembly
next time by its most distinguished
citizen? Many of its citizens ans
wer in the firm belief that he won’t
resist a draft to run for the house,
and that if he is a candidate, no
opposition will be offered. After
38 years of public life, Mr. Warren
now living in his 102 year old home
on Main Street in Washington, N.
C., is being besieged daily by
neighbors who hope for his acquies
cense in this project of bringing
great leadership in a time of great
stress to our legislature. Lindsay
Warren represented his district in
the State Senate in 1917-19, after
five years as Attorney for Beau
fort County, and Chairman of the
County Democrat c Executive Com
mittee. He was quickly iecognized
for ability and leadership in poli
tics, and in 1920 was chairman of
the Platform Committee at the
State Convention. In 1923 he rep
resented Beaufort County in the
house. In 1925 he went to Con
gress where he represented the
First District for 16 years, and in
1941 he became Comptroller Gen
eral of the United States froi i
which post he retired last year. He
has served his state in many capa
cities, and has received several
awards and degrees of an honorary
nature. He was chairman of the
S'ate Democratic Convention in
1930, and temporary Chairman in
’938. Friday of next week, Decem
ber 16 th, he will be 66 years old.
From South America Captain Howard Sends
A Desperate Pica That Banker Pony Remain
Free And Unfettered On Ocracoke Island
Now In Venezuela, the Man Who Loves Horses, Will Pledge
Anything io Save Them; Cites Them As Savers of Human
Life, Salvors of Boyhood; Preventive of Juvenile
Delinquency and Promoters of Morality.
By CAPT. MARVIN W. HOWARD, Master Dredge Chester
Harding, Maracaibo, Venezuela, South America.
We can read in the Coastland Times dated
’October 28, 1955, No. 17, if we wish among
the Editorials, namely: "The facts of Death",
"Pogrom of Persia", "Change proves Con
fusing", "Carteret Chicken Story", "Novem
ber in the Coastland" and "Sunshine on the
Scuppernongs". Also in another issue dated
October 14, 1955, No. 15, "The story of
another ship that never returned, lost off
Kinnakeet 45 years ago", and still another
entitled "Storms today not sa bad as some
recorded more than 100 years ago"; yet
still another by Mr. Latham, now deceased,
and how much he is, and will in the future,
be missed.
We still find another "Chicamacomico's
Great Record," and last but pot least in
October 21st issue No. 16 in letters not
quite so large the words: "To Launch Albe
marle Boy Scout Drive Tuesday."
This article I am to write will
deal particularly on two subjects
ot which one will be the Boy
Scouts while the other will be of
the “Wild Ponies” of the Outer
Banks and while writiing this, I
thought perhaps mention of the
subject above may in some way
stir someone or many to the plight
of the Outer Banks wild pony and
their relation to the only mounted
Boy Scout troop in America.
The National Park Service has
taken over our land to preserve it,
as I understand, in its natural state
if that can be done. I was sort of in
favor of the Park Service taking
over as a natural Shrine and to
provide a place for the public to
play. The only reason that I, along
with some others, was willing that
it be taken over was because it
appeared that some owners were
willing to sell their property to
whosoever may come for a price,
thus eliminating our freedom that
we had always enjoyed and cherish
ed, besides it takes our right and
our land.
This land will probably never
be owned again by individuals. This
is the reason I mentioned the edi
torial “Facts of Death” and the
write up of Mr. iLatham’s death.
This land of Ocracoke, so precious
to many owners, so dear to their
hearts, their heritage, so rich to
our way of life, so free from land
sharps, because all but one or two
FIRE DESTROYS
MAIN BUILDING
OF COLONIST INN
Tourist Building at Fort Raleigh
Total Loss Early Wednesday
Morning
Fire Wednesday destroyed the
main building of the Fort Raleigh
Moto/ Court, which when operated
alone, was first known as the Col
onist Inn, opposite the entrance to
Fort Raleigh. The fire broke out
after midnight or about 2 a.m.
The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Mann, slept in one of the buildings
nearby, and were awakened by the
smoke and flames.
The motor court consisted of
several cottages. The building de
stroyed was worth an estimated
$20,000 and was equipped with
rooms and baths. It was original
ly built about 20 years ago by the
late Carl Meekins, and operated
by W. S. Meekins for several
years. It was then called the Col
onist Inn. Mr. Mann bought the
property after World War 11, and
built some eight cottages sur
rounding it.
HEARING SATURDAY AT
COURTHOUSE TO CONSIDER
BEACH SANITARY SYSTEM
A hearing will be held Saturday
before the Dare County Commis
sioners at ten a.m. in the court
house in Manteo to discuss the
proposal to vote on a sanitary sys
tem for the Dare Beaches, and
which will be principally concern
ed with the feasibility of establish
ing a safe and adequate water sys
item to serve the area from Whale
bone eßach to Southern Shores.
If sufficient interest is shown, it
is contemplated that an election
will be held to determine if bonds
shall be issued to provide funds to
establish a water system to serve
the area, which is some 15 miles
long. The growing population and
congestion resulting in some areas
have long given concern to many
people about an early shortage of
safe water. A water system is also
looked upon as an essential to ade
quate fire protection.
Considerable interest has been
manifested in the proposition, al
though it was defeated about two
years ago, but many people who
opposed it then, now admit it was
a bad mistake to do so.
would not consider selling it at any
price, has become as we may say,
“Dead”. It is no more ours regard
less of how we look at it. Perhaps
people elsewhere like a very few
of our people never cared for their
land only from a commercial
standpoint, but the majority of
people of Ocracoke thought of their
land like they do of their own
self or their fore-fathers or their
children, they wanted to keep it,
to know it was theirs and would
not let anyone buy it, because the
money would soon disappear. The
people of Ocrracoke are poor fi
nancially, however money would
not, nor could not buy their land.
They wanted the land to remain
so, that whoever wished could
camp and fish or catch clams or
crabs or hunt without molesting
any other thing on God’s green
earth, yet no one cared if another
person trespassed because they felt
as if it was God’s will to make it
like it was and let us live there
then; let us share with our fellow
man. Oh no! We didn't mind pay
ing taxes that were for the good
and the state and the Union.
It may be better that the Gov
ernment took the land before some
owners sold it to land-sharks or
promoters or jealous owners; per
haps they will allow us certain
freedoms that we always had, but
they cannot give to other people
more freedom than they have al
ways had there.
The Pony is Left Out
It is interesting to note all of
the above; for the wild pony, if
the National Park Service has its
way, which it is presumed it will,
will also be dead and forever gone.
God no doubt, made all living
things and creatures to be able to
live and multiply. This of course
reminds us of “The Progress of
Persia", where a highly respected
religion, Baha’i is supressed. Even
See HOWARD, Page Five
FAILURE OF SIOO,OOO OF STATE
MONEY TO MATERIALIZE MAY
BLAST HOPES FOR SCHOOLS
State Board of Education This Week Grants Dare
$75,442.59 as Its Last Contributon From 1953
Bond Issue; Blow to Plans for Schools at Kitty
Hawk and Manteo; More Than Thrice State
Average, However.
Troubles pile on troubles in Dare
County. This week some of the
hopes of advocates of bigger and
better school buildings at Manteo
and Kitty Hawk got a heavy blow
in the announcement from Raleigh
of Dare’s allottment from the re
maining $25 million of the 1953
bond issue for schools. Dare County
had counted its chickens too soon.
It had based its hope on this new
money coming in on the basis on
which Governor Scott’s 1949 bond
money was distributed. Therefore
it looked forward to getting about
SIOO,OOO more than it got this
week; something like $193,000 was
hoped for.
When word got around that this
money was expected, advocates of
schools in both the Manteo District
and the Kitty Hawk District devel
oped high hopes for new buildings
and increased facilities. Plans were
set in motion to hold elections to
vote higher taxes in the two dis
tricts. The Commissioners appro
priated $25,000 to buy schol sites.
This week the State Board of
Education announced its final al
lottments of bond money for the
various counties. It gave Dare
$75,442.59 instead of more than
double this sum that had been ex
pected. It’s going to mean that a
lot of school plans will have to be
revamped or abandoned. There is
not hope of getting more money.
Announcement was made that
Dare’s sum represents .more than
three times per pupil the money
allotted throughout the state. The
average allottment per pupil in the
state is $54. Dare is getting an
allottment of $169 per pupil.
Those familiar with the work
ings of the State Board and the
manner in which money is appor
tioned are of the opinion that Dare
did not get the money because it
is felt that Dare is not putting up
its just share for schools. In other
words, it has not been carrying
its fair share of the burden in
comparison with other counties.
See SCHOOLS, Page Eight
25 ACRES TENDERED FREE
FOR KITTY HAWK SCHOOL
ON COLINGTON ISLAND
To save the county some $15,-
000 and to offer a sheltered loca
tion with ample grounds forany
size school, a 25-acre site has been
tendered free of cost to the Kitty
Hawk School committee, David
Stick of Kill Devil Hills said this
week. The property is on Coling
ton Island, and is owned by Mr.
Stick and associates, and is offer
ed for the site for a school which
the people of the Kitty Hawk area
are interested in building, provid
ed they can get sufficient taxes
voted to build it. State school au
thorities disapproved a high school
for the district, but favored an ele
mentary school. “We would like to
see the school at Colington,” a
cittizen of that community said,
and it would be ‘turnabout is fair
play,’ for Kitty Hawk took our
school away and didn’t mind it,
but I doubt if they will agree to
coming to Colington.”
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE BY
LOST COLONY BEGUN
Roanoke Island Historical Asso
ciation’s annual membership drive
is underway; more than 5,000 invi
tations to take a membership will
be mailed by Lost Colony’s General
Manager, Dick Jordan.
An invitation letter over the
signature of Governor Luther H.
Hodges is to be enclosed with cards
to be filled out by those who join
The Lost Colony's sponsoring or
ganization. In his letter Governor
Hodges makes the appeal to po
tential members that it is an op
portunity to help preserve our his
tory and perpetuate our heritage.
This year for the first time
there are four types of member
ships: Regular at $3 per person
per year; Sustaining, at $lO per
person per year; Sponsoring at
$25 per person per year and Patron
at SIOO per person per year.
Each member who joins before
May 1, 1956 will receive a seasonal
membership card good for any or
all performances of The Lost
Colony during its 16th season in
1956. Likewise each member will
receive a free copy of the 1956 Lost
Colony Souvenir Program, and the
member’s name will be printed in
the program.
Single Copy 70
DIKES ESSENTIAL
TO SALVATION OF
STUMPY POINT
Waters Which Once Yielded a
Rich Harvest, Now Menace
The Village Homes
The waters which once yielded
a rich harvest to the industrious
fishermen of Stumpy Point, where
everyone depended upon the fish
ing income for their livelihood,
now appear in the form of a men
ace—a dreaded enemy. Through
the years constant erosion of the
waters of Stumpy Point Lake, or
Bay as it now is, has eaten away
the shore line, until just about all
protection is gone.
The wide area covered with
small pines and myrtles which
broke the force of both wind and
water from the Lake is gone. The
land that supported them has been
eaten away, and the few trees re
maining on the narrow ledge have
been killed by the salt tides of the
several recent hurricanes.
The community of Stumpy Point
and its highway are both in a posi
tion so precarious that a strong
dike or break water be provided
to save this community is essential.
In a very few years, if assistance
does not come, the residents must
move away. There is no room for
retreat from the lake. There was
only a narrow strip of land to be
gin with, but 150 years ago and
further back, when the community
was established, there was a lot
of room between this high ridge
See DIKES, Page Sight
NAGS HEAD AND TWO OTHER
STATIONS MAY BE SCUTTLED
Three Coast Guard Stations un
der the Norfolk district may be
discontinued next year. Although
no decision has been made, a sur
vey will be made durirg the week
of January 9th, 1956, according to
advice from Norfolk headquarters.
The survey will deal with Little
Island, Nags Head and Atlantic
Life Boat Stations. Hearings will
be he'd at Manteo, Virginia Beach
and Morehead City about these
stations. Rear Admiral H. C. Per
kins of Headquarters in Washing
ton, Capt. H. C. Moore of the Nor
folk office, and four others will
make the survey. If the survey
shows there is not further urgency
to justify the active status of
either of these stations, it is likely
they will be no more after next
July.
SUSAN CHARLES GRICE 65,
DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS
Miss Susan Charles Grice, 65,
for some months a resident of
Manteo, where she lived at the
Roanoke Nursing home, died Fri
day afternoon in Albemarle Hos
pital after a long illness. She was
the daughter of the late Henry C.
and Mary Jane McCabe Grice of
Elizabeth City, and a member of
Christ Episcopal Church. She had
resided in Elizabeth City all her
life. She is survived by a niece,
Mrs. James B. Vason of Union, N.
J. and by several cousins.
Her funeral was conducted from
the Episcopal Church by Rev.
George F. Hill, the Rector, Sunday
afternoon at 2 p.m. and burial was
in the Episcopal Cemetery.
LOST COLONY TO HAVE
BEACH TICKET OFFICE
The board of directors of Roa
noke Island Historical Association
has authorized and instructed Lost
Colony Manager .R. E. Jordan to
establish a ticket office on the
beaches of Dare during the 16th
season beginning on June 30 and
extending through September 2,
for the first time in the history
of the drama.
The new beach service is ex
pected to attract a greater num
ber of Lost Colony patrons. The
general thought in recent years
has been that while beach patron
age has increased, Lost Colony at
tendance has remained at an aver
age level of between 45 and 50
thousand persons during normal
seasons, and that more persons
visiting the beach would attend
performances if tickets were made
conveniently available.