Newspapers / The Coastland Times (Manteo, … / Aug. 23, 1957, edition 1 / Page 1
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VOLUME XXIII NO. 8 HEAVY RAINS DOUSE FIRES BUT DAMAGE AND COST HEAVY Cost of Manpower and Timber Inestimable After Three Weeks of Fury Heavy rains finally enabled fire fighters to bring under control Monday the state’s worst forest fire of the year, which, since it was started by lightning on August Ist, had burned over a vast area on the mainland of Dare and Hyde coun ties. While the exact acreage burn ed is still not known, William Ernst, local manager of West Vir ginia Pulp and Paper Co., owners of practically all the land involved, said Tuesday that the estimate of the area burned stood at between 75,000 and 80,000 acres. No at tempt has been made to estimate the monetary value of the fire loss. Towards the end, a force of more than 300 men was engaged in the fight against the fire. In addition to pulp company and forest service crews, these included 180 Marines, a National Guard company from Elizabeth City, and detachments of Navy and Coast Guard firefight ers; many of the military units brought in their own firefighting equipment. During the entire time, only four of the firefighters suffer ed injuries, and these were all minor injuries; there were howev er 10 Marines injured, some ser iously, in two separate truck wrecks that occurred while the Ma rine convoy was en route to join the battle against the fire. The fire began August 1, and firefighters thought they had it un der control two days later, but then two days after that it broke out again with strony and shifting winds sending it raging through tinder dry woodlands. At one time, it was seriously threatening the village of Stumpy Point, but rain fall on the night of August 10th served to ease this threat. The ef fects of this first rain did not last long however, and it was a heavy rain that began laU last Thursday morning and continued through un til almost dawn Friday that actu ally broke the back of the fire. In many places, ground fires still re mained however, ready to be kind led into larger blazes. The area was fortunate in getting other rains Friday night, Sunday afternoon, and throughout most of the day Monday to help in knocking out the remaining ground fires. Dense smoke from the fire caus ed the State Highway Department to have to close Highway U. S. 264 to traffic between Manns Har bor and Engelhard for a period of more than a week. The road itself was also in danger numerous times from ground fires, but was saved by diligent efforts of firefighters. Mr. Ernst stated that the pulp company also suffered extensive damage to about six miles of its private roads in the fire area due to ground burning and two of the company’s bridges were burned, •with others being saved only by ac tion of the firefighters. Another loss mentioned by Mr. Ernst was a 600-acre pine plantation near Stumpy Point. The pulp company is now sur- See RAINS, Page Six CAR. JULIAN D. BROTHERS DIES ARER LONG ILLNESS Capt. Julian D. Brothers, 65, died Friday afternoon in a Norfolk hospital. He was a retired boatman, hav* ing spent his life at the trade in N. C. and Virginia waters. He was a lifelong resident of Wanchese, the son of John and Mrs. Marcie Harris Brothers. He was the husband of the late Mrs. Sam Davis Brothers. He was a member of the Wan chese Methodist Church. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Lucille Brothers Ross of Vir ginia Beach; two sons, Julian D. Brothers Jr. of Wanchese, and John Meredith Brothers of Nor folk; six grandchildren, one sis ter, Mrs. Mary Brothers Harris of Wanchese: two brothers, Clayton T. Brothers of Avon, and Milton Brothers of Raleigh. Funeral services were held*Sun day at the Wanchese Methodist Church. Interment in Cudworth Cemetery. Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The Rev. C. L. Warren, pastor of Bethany Methodist Church of Wanchese officiated, assisted by the Bev. C. W. Guthrie. “Whispering Hope” and “Be yond The Sunset” was sung by the church ehoir. Mrs. Dallas Til lett accompanied at the organ. The casket was covered with a pall made of red and white car nations and baby breath. Active pallbearers were George Hale Quidley, Cliff Tillett, Her bert Tillett, W. C. Tillett, Steve Tillett and George A. Daniels. THE COASTLAND TIMES PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSOR AND WIFE ENJOY LIFE AT MANNS HARBOR DR. AND MRS. JOHN J. WRIGHT, shown on the porch of their sum mer home at Manns Harbor, say that the pleasant surroundings and friendliness of their Manns Harbor neighbors have caused them to make plans for coming to Manns Harbor to live permanently after Dr. Wright’s retirement. He is now professor of public health administra tion and head of that department of the School of Public Health of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. (Photo by Pratt Williamson, Jr.) Neighborly People of Manns Harbor Encourage Newcomers to Settle Chapel Hill Professor and Wife Enjoy Summer Home on Croa tan Sound; Dr. and Mrs. John Wright Praise Friendliness of People. Dr. and Mrs. John Joseph Wright four years ago purchased a summer home on the shore of Croatan Sound in Manns Harbor, and they will not tell you that the place there, as well as the people of the community, has become very dear to their hearts. Dr. Wright, an outstanding public health physician, is now professor of public health administration, head of that depax-tment at the School of Public Health of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the couple say .thgjTjfillpwing his retirement they plan to move to Manns Harbor to make their home. In explaining their choice of the property at Manns Harbor, the Wrights tell of becoming in terested in a summer home in this area after visiting the Dare coast on their vacation in 1952. They began to investigate the available waterfront property, and through a real estate agent finally located the 13-acre homeplace of the late M. M. Sawyer; they immediately decided that this secluded old home at Manns Harbor was what they were looking for, so no time was wasted in closing the deal. The Wrights began devoting every possible spare moment to improving their new holdings. They were discouraged somewhat by the hurricane tides of 1954 and 1955, which ate away several feet of their shoreline; but the hurri canes did, however, prove to them the friendliness of the Manns Harbor people, who they say went •'ll out to assist the “un-experi enced” couple during these diffi cult times. The Wrights were also discour aged somewhat by the continual task of taking care of the proper ty, but they say that they were fortunate in this respect in devel oping a friendship with Jennings Twiford of Manns Harbor, whose home is on the pathway leading TYRRELL COUNTY VETERANS PROVIDE BIG RECREATION CENTER ON ALBEMARLE SOUND - •' SI Ok.JS&A. Mr. DOES ANY COMMUNITY of like size in North Carolina have evi dence of so large an investment on the part of Legionairres as may be found in ’Tyrrell County? The Norman Smith Post, American Legion, named in honor of a na- down to the Wright property. Ill ness had made it impossible for some time for Mr. Twiford to work, but Dr. Wright arranged for him to be examined and treated See WRIGHTS, Page Six OREGON INLET CHANNEL JOB LET FOR $191,900 Wilmington, Aug. 19. The Corps of Engineers awarded a $121,900 contract here today to the Norfolk Dredging Company for dredging a 6,600-foot channel in side of Oregon Inlet. It was originally intended to do this job with a hopper dredge, but the existing depth will not permit the use of a seagoing dredge, the smallest of which draw a minimum of 10 feet of water. This same condition exists with respect to the dredging of the 14 by 400-foot bar channel. Funds for this phase of the project, however, have not been allocated as yet. MONDAY'S PRESENTATION OF "SEVENTEEN" MARRED BY NORTHEASTER'S WINDS Despite unfavorable weather, the Roanoke Island School of Fine Arts production “Seventeen” was given on schedule Monday evening at the Waterside Theatre. Con siderable rain had fallen during the day and strong winds had been created by a northeaster, but despite this an audience of about 250 was on hand for the musical comedy, in which a num ber of Roanoke Islanders had im portant roles. Unfortunately, the strong wind made- it difficult for the audience to hear the speeches of the char acters, and this greatly blotted out otherwise excellent performances of members of the cast. tive son lost in World War 11, has utilized three acres on the sound shore eight miles from Columbia. A large club house has been built providing a banquet and dance hall, pool tables, etc. Outside, is a large shelter containing a barbe- MANTEO, N. C.. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1957 FREE FERRY FOR OCRACOKE ISLAND STARTED SUNDAY Difficulties Due to Inadequate Docking Facilities at Hat teras; Three Trips Free ferry service by state operated ferry with a recondition ed boat formerly used at Oregon Inlet, was undertaken Sunday. The vessel left the Hatteras side xt ten a.m. with six cars and re turned before noon with 11 cars. The boat has been worked over with a loading ramp which may be let down on the marsh, and loading and unloading without a dock is possible, although with some risk to cars, The Highway Commission re cently bought out the business established by Capt. Frazier Peele of Hatteras, consisting of a four car boat, which he operated on three regular trips a day, and at other times on call, the rate per car being $5 each way. The state paid Capt. Peele $20,000 for his ferry business and hired him to. run the boat as Cap tain, and assisted by Monroe Aus tin of Hatteras. The highway peo ple hope to get two new boats built for this Hatteras Inlet run. The boat now used is the Governor Umstead, from Oregon Inlet. Capt Leslie Hooper has also been taken from the Oregon Inlet run to as sist this week at Hatteras Inlet The ferries leave Hatteras for Ocracoke Island four times daily as follows: 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. 12:15 and 3 Returning they leave Ocracoke Island one hour later. The boat is temporarily leaving from Hatteras Harbor while the road is being completed to the Hatteras Inlet C. G. Station from where it will dock on the north side of the inlet. AN OLD HAND CAPTAINS THE OCRACOKE FERRY r I’Sww*Sc’ Br ! ■Bkvi l / FRAZIER L. PEELE of Hatteras, who is Captain of the ferry boat over Hatteras Inlet, connecting the islands of Hatteras and Ocracoke, is an old hand in the business. He grew up in a boat, and has boated all his life. For many years he ran a freight and passenger boat across to Engelhard in Hyde County, which also carried auto mobiles. The new road on Hat teras Island put this boat out of business, but it opened up a new commercial venture, making pos sible establishment of the Ocra coke ferry, althogh there was no See PEELE, Page Seven que pit This shelter is equipped with sliding doors, whereby groups being served may be protected against rain or wind from either direction. Large playground space for children is provided. As shown in the picture, there is a wharf TRAVEL COUNCIL TO VISIT OCRACOKE AND NASS HEAD Business Meetings at Carolinian and Ocracoke on August 30-31 The spectacular tourist boom on North Carolina’s Outer Banks is being recognized by the first meeting of the Travel Council of North Carolina on the coast. President Voit Gilmore an nounced that the summer meeting of the council will be held at Nags Head August 30-31 and include a tour of new highway, bridge and ferry developments from Roanoke Island to Ocracoke. Business meet ings will be held Friday at the Carolinian Hotel, Nags Head, and another on Saturday at Ocracoke following a tour of the Cape Hat teras National Seashore. Delegates will attend “The Lost Colony” on Roanoke Island Saturday night as the guests of General Manager Richard E. Jordan. Representatives of the tourist industry, one of North Carolina’s largest and fastest growing, will attend the meeting from as far away as the Great Smoky Moun tains, more than 500 miles distant. A large attendance from the Outer Banks is expected. Importance of trained personnel See MEETING, Page Seven LIGHTING OF STREETS FOR WANCHESE IS PROPOSED Ruritan Club Working on Project; Gan bags Dump Becomes Problem; Ball Team Praised Street lighting for Wanchese may result from efforts initiated by the Wanchese Ruritan Club. The subject was discussed at the regular monthly meeting Friday night of last week. A representa tive of the Virginia Electric & Power Co. attended the club by invitation and explained the* cost. His offer to make a survey of the situation was accepted by the club, and he was asked to begin it soon. The plan, which will be offered the people is to collect, in advance the cost of the lighting for a year. This money will be paid to the County Commissioners who will in turn pay it to the power company. Because Wanchese has no munici pal board with which to deal, this is considered the only method of advantage now available. In this manner the lights will cost $lB per year each, but if handled otherwise would cost an additional $9 per year. The first discussion of the proj ect called for only 20 lights, for a total cost of $360. Opinion gen erally, is that upwards of 80 lights will be needed to satisfactorily cover all areas of the community. This may be the better determined after a survey has been made. The need for attention to the garbage dump used by the com munity was brought up. An effort has been made to get the State Highway Commission to push the heap back. The owner of the land is complaining about the condition. Praise was given the young ball team of the community which was sponsored and aided by the club’s contributions. It is reported as proving a great success with the young members. The team will be guests of the club at an early date. The community teach ers will be guests at the Septem ber meeting. from which bathers find enjoy ment in the cool, clear waters of the sound. There are also swings and games. Floyd E. Cohoon, who among the older heads and vet erans of World War I, have kept the Droiect coins', says that most TO PRESIDE SUNDAY AT CATHOLIC DAY SERVICES X- ' ( WHO. BISHOP VINCENT WATERS Catholic Day will be solemnly observed at the Roanoke Island Waterside Theatre at Manteo, Sunday Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. when His Excellency Vincent S. Waters, D. D., Bishop of Raleigh, will pre side at a High Mass, which will be celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Herbert A. Harkins, rector of the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Raleigh. The Rev. Francis M. Smith, pastor of St. Ann’s Church, of Edenton, will deliver the sermon on “The Lit urgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” The master of ceremonies will be the Very Rev. Peter Mar tin Denges, dean of the Outer Banks and pastor of Holy Redeem er Church of Kill Devil Hills. As sisting the Bishop will be William Walsh and Richai’d Newdick of The Lost Colony. The services will be the ninth in a series of Sunday worships held under sponsorship of The Lost Colony during the summer See SERVICES, Page Seven NINE MEN RESCUED WHEN NAVY BLIMP CRASHES IN SOUND Nine Navy reservists whose blimp crashed into Pamlico Sound approximately 5 miles southwest of Oregon Inlet about midnight last Thursday were rescued un hurt Friday morning about 7 a.m. when their two liferafts were spotted by fishermen. Dan Baum of Currituck and Charles Outlaw and Kenny Lee Daniels of Wan chese, who had spent the night mullet fishing in the sound, picked up the crash victims, who were later transferred to a Coast Guard boat and taken to Oregon Inlet. They were then taken to Manteo airport and flown from there to Norfolk by a Navy transport plane. Based at South Weymouth, N. J., for temporary active duty, the crew had spent most of a two week training stint uneventfully in Cuba. The blimp, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Ross Dempsey of Burlington, N. J., was on its way to Lakehurst, N. J., when it ran into the terrific Atlantic storm that tore open the helium-filled craft and dumped it into the sound. y Thursday night the airship left the Naval Air Station at Glynco, Ga., for what was to be a routine flight. As it neared Cape Lookout, radar showed what appeared to be a rain shower. See CRASH, Page Six Interest in developing the project now comes from the old vets. The ground was donated by Henry Smith, the father of Norman Smith, in memory of his son. The facility is being operated by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Yerby Jr. Photo by W. R. West, Columbia. Single Copy 70 MONROE FIRM GETS $184,000 CONTRACT FOR PARK ROADS Pea Island and Cape Point Areas to Get Additional Im provements Awarding of a contract for $184,196.50, for an unspecified mileage of roads, to Dickerson, Inc. of Monroe, was announced this week by Gustaf P. Hultman, Act ing Supt. of the Cape Hatteras Seashore project. This was the lowest of five bids received for additional parking space on Hat teras Island. In this connection we note that there is still no indication of im provent in the area bordering Hatteras Inlet, one of the prime fishing areas of the coastland, and which suffers in comparison with those areas which have benefited by the more intensive develop ment. Mr. Hultman said that this con tract will further develop the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area and is in line with the MISSION 66 program proposing preservation and ade quate development of the National Park System by 1966 when the National Park Service will observe the golden anniversary of its establishment. The contract represents several Ifrojects, one of which is to pro vide access roads and parking within the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge at Oregon Inlet by •ooperative arrangement with Fish and Wildlife Service. Additional parking for bathers near the his toric Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and, perhaps, most important a campground near the Cape with eighty individually improved sites. Stone base, bitumious surface with concrete curbing, where need ed, is specified throughout the contract scheduled for completion in 300 calendar days in order to be ready for the 1958 visitor sea son. DR. GRAHAM SPEAKS ON 370th BIRTHDAY OF VIRGINIA DARE Former Senator and University President at Fort Raleigh Sunday night, Aug. 18 By AYCOCK BROWN Dr. Frank Graham, United Na tions Representative, former U. S. Senator from this State and for 20 years president of the University of North Carolina paid homage Sunday night at The Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre, to Virginia Dare, first child of * English-par entage bom in the New World that would become America. It was the 370th anniversary of the birth of the little child that has become a “symbol of heritage and hope ... of us all in the atomic age to universal brotherhood.” She was bom on August 18, 1587. For Dr. Graham it was a return visit to play the leading role in commemorating the memory of Virginia Dare. Twenty years ago today President Franklin D Roosevelt was here to pay homage to the famous baby and to see Paul Green’s majestic Lost Colony “which has pioneered historic symphonic dramas in many Ameri can states.” It was Dr. Graham who introducd the President on August 18, 1937, at The,Lost Col ony’s 23rd performance. Virginia Dare Day this year marked the 862nd performance of the drama. Roanoke Island Historical Asso ciation’s Chairman Robert Lee Humber of Greenville, N. C., in troduced Dr. Graham to The Lost Colony audience, describing him as a great humanitarian and states man. Dr. Graham’s brief talk fol lows: “On Roanoke Island, 370 years ago today, a little child, Virginia Dare, conceived in England and bora in America, became the his toric symbol of the great heritage and the humane hope of the people on the move from the little Island of Britain to the vast Continent of America and from the trammels of the Old World into the freedom of the New. North Carolina, in which was born the first English child in the New World." is also the home of the first English settle ment in America, the first authori zation of the American Declara tion of Independence, the opening of the first State University, of Fessenden’s pioneering experiment of wireless over water from Roa noke’s shores to Hatteras and to ships at sea, on yon Kill Devil Hill was born the infant aviation which today encompasses the earth. “The men, women and children lost on Roanoke Island, rose from fA'Was; of the pioneers with their axes, rifles and Bibles, biased the trails
The Coastland Times (Manteo, N.C.)
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Aug. 23, 1957, edition 1
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