FRIDAY. DECEMBER 18, 1959
HISTORIC SITES IN
OUR STATE CAN
PAY OFF WELL
A margin of less than 15 ten
thousandths of one per cent of all
the registered voters of North Car
olina was responsible for the de
feat of the Historic Sites bond is
sue on October 27, it was stated
Wednesday afternoon by Dr.
Christopher Crittenden in a talk
to the Durham-Orange Committee,
Colonial Dames of America. Most
of the towns and cities voted for
the issue, said the speaker, but
some of the rural areas caused its
defeat.
The Historical Sites program,
conducted by the Department of
Archives and History, said the
speaker, was assigned to the De
partment only in 1955—four years]
ago. Evidently a good many of our,
people do not know too much
about it—but they will, he stated.
At the present time, in the regu
lar appropriation of the Depart
ment, there is a total of $87,620
for Historic Sites -The Depart
ment is directly restoring and
maintaining a number of Historic
sites—Old Brunswick Town, his
toric port in Brunswick County;
the Birthplace of Charles B. Ay
cock, our great “educational Gov
ernor,” in Wayne County; Ben
tonville Battleground, site of the
largest battle ever fought in Nortll!
Carolina, Johnston County; Ala-,
mance County, where Governor
Tryon defeated the Regulators; 1
Town Creek Indian Mound, a sigty-1
ficant Indian religious center in
Montgomery County; and the
Birthplace of Governor Zebulon B.
Vance, our leader during the Civil
War, in Buncombe County.
In addition, the State has ap-j
preprinted funds for many other
Historic Sites including Fort Ma-|
con, Carteret County; Tryon
Palace, in the Town of New Bern;
the grave of Governor Richard
Caswell, Lenoir County; the home
of James Iredell, Edenton; tiro
Barker House, Edenton; Historic
Halifax, Halifax County; the Ben
nett Place where Johnston surren
dered to Sherman, Durham County;
Old Salem, Winston-Salem; Bunk
er Hill Covered Bridge, Catawba
County; the House in the Horse-]
shoe, Moore County; and others.
As has been conclusively proved
in the New England States, Vir
ginia, and elsewhere,, the proper
care of our Historic Sites can do
much to make us appreciate our
heritage. Likewise, this can play
an important part in the tourist
ti-ade. Tryon Palace, he pointed
out, excluding admission charges,
is bringing at least half a million
dollars to New Bern from tourists
to motels, hotels, filling stations,
department stores, and the like.
WHAT'S YOUR
PROBLEM p
S USE W
6V WE *
USED CARS
1959 Ford Victoria 2-dr., Ra
dio, Heater, Pr. Steering,
Ford-O-Matic
1959 Chevrolet Bel Air 4-door,
Radio, Heater, Power
Glide, Pow er Steering,
Loaded
1958 Ford 4-door
1958 Chevrolet Station Wagon
4-dr., VB, Pr. Glide, Ra
dio, Heater
1958 Ford Victoria 2-door
Loaded
1957 Ford Fairlane 500, -dr.,
R H, F-O-M Pr. Steering
1957 Chevrolet 210, 4-dr. Clean
1955 Ford 4-door, Custom, Ra
dio, Heater, O D
1955 Plymouth V 8 Station
Wagon $795.00 4-door
1955 Ford 2-door, 2700 actual
miles, O-D
1954 Mercury Hardtop Coupe
1954 Ford V 8 4-dr.
1953 Chevrolet 2-door
1951 Mercury 4-door, Radio
Heater, O D
1949 Chevrolet, 2-door, Cheap,
Good Tires
1949 Chevrolet Coupe
TRUCKS
1957 Chevrolet Pickup 5 cyL,
Clean
2 1955 Ford Pickups, 6 and 8
R. D. SAWYER
MOTOR COMPANY, INC.
Your FORD Dealer
Phone 11« Manteo
N. C. License No. 1999
WRECK
(Continued from Page One)
Milton McWilliams; and there were
Stanley, Clarence, Clifton, Lola and
Malsey Wahab. Stanley Wahab
then was a boy of 11 and a con
stant companion of ■ Ira Wyche.
Little did those two dream of the
futures in enterprise and military
service that lay ahead of them.
Heart of the settlement was of
course the station itself, shingled
building of one large room with
beds for the men, a smaller room
for the Keeper, a. kitchen and a
mess hall, and most importantly
the tower, where someone kept
watch day and night. There was the
home of the Keeper, James How
ard, with its little parlor, two small
bedrooms, and kitchen. There was
the duplex home where the McWil
liamses and the Fulchers jived.
Captain Howard had been Keeper
since July 1883 at a salary of S7OO
per annum. His daily Journal en
tries had to give the direction and
force of the wind and the state of
the weather and surf at midnight
at sunrise, at noon, and at sunset.
They also logged the number of
passing ships sighted, with their
type of rig. They recorded that at
intervals an “Inspector” visited the
Station and drilled the men with
the surf boat, with resuscitation,
and with the beach apparatus. A
daily exercise was the attempt to
throw a rope as to a vessel offshore
235 yards; the extent of accom
plishment was always noted in the
Journal. Evidently the Keeper had
to play the part of doctor. “One of
the crew of this station was taken
sick suddenly. I gave him from the
medicine chest an ounce of castor
oil and a half ounce of whisky.”
Os course the Journal recorded the
wrecks, and they were frequent
enough in those days: the S. A.
Reudolph on October 6, 1883, the
Sarah J. on November 30, 1883, the
J. W. Parker on January 17, 1884,
the Glassalt on May 26, 1884, the
Richard S. Spofford on December
27, 1884 . . . and so on and on
through the years.
The year 1899 had been normal,
Keeper Howard had as usual taken
his own vacation from mid-July to
mid-August, being replaced by his
Assistant, Dave Williams. During
the summer months the Keeper and
|his Assistant could handle the
i needs of the Station by themselves,
1 but in the fall and winter addition
al men -were required. It was late
in August that the Keeper and
the others with their families, had
i moved to Cedar Hammock. This
i gave a patrol of six men. Their
[duties consisted during the night
iof four-hour “tricks” —patrols or
I watches. During the day they work
'ed at filling in around the Station
!and kept regular drills going. Just
routine.
On December 23 rd Stacy and
John had gone off duck hunting;
Clifton, Needham, and Milton were
out in a sailboat on the Sound;
Stanley and Ira were riding their
ponies up and down the beach,
hoping to sight some valuable ob
ject washed ashore from a passing
ship. Lola, Maggie, and Malsey
were “playing house” in the parlor,
having been told by their mother
not to bother her while she was
baking Christmas pies. Her hus
band, Hatton, had remarked earli
er: “who in the world are you bak
ing all those pies for?” and her,
reply 'had been: “Maybe for folks
from overseas, Who knows?” Elsie
was playing the organ in the How
ard home.
Supper came early and the chil
dren, as we said, were tucked into
bed about eight o’clock, and were
quite unaware of the drama un-j
folding off-shore. Keeper Howard [
had noted the rising wind and the
rough waters and had admonished
the beach patrols and the tiwer
watch to keep a sharp look-out
toward the sea. It was the patrols
riding old “Lou” and “Sal” about
three miles south from the Station
that first caught the glimmer of
flares from the wreck off-shore.
Captain Baines had been sudden
ly awakened by the ringing of a
bell. He hurried to the deck, meet
ing the First Mate on tire way.
When they reached the bridge he
noticed that his ship was entirely
surrounded by “white water”. She
was aground, no question. Where?
Probably on the Diamond Shoals
off Hatteras. Her starboard boats
had been swept away by the heavy
seas. It seemed best to launch the
port side boats at once, and the
Captain ordered this done. It was
his big mistake; had the crew stay
ed with the ship, all might have
been saved. Eleven men boarded
one of the boats, with instructions
to “get away and clear and then
lie by until daylight.” Fifteen
other's climbed into the remaining
boat. The Captain and another
three remained with the ship. Both
boats were upset a short while
after they cleared the steamer.
Only one of the men, Seaman El
sing, succeeded—miraculously—in
swimming to the shore in safety.
Two others were hauled back
aboard the “Ariosto” by means of
the boat tackle which hung along
side. Later another two, Henroth
and Anderson, were dragged from
the surf by the Life Saving Crew
on the beech.
As soon as Keeper Howard could
establish the location of the wreck
ed vessel he sent out the interna
tional code signal “M.K.”, which
means “remain on your ship.” He
also got through by telephone to
Keeper Zora Burrus at Durant’s
Lifeboat Station nine miles north-
Miss America Says "Bonds for Christmas!"
’ -
y. . ■
1 • B vB
' '''' f
Ah.
~ ' ■ JMMum
<
.<* . V “
Al! honor to Mississippi, which twice in a row has given us Miss
America! For 1960, she is Lynda Lee Mead, of Natchez, an under
graduate at the University of Mississippi, who intends to continue her
education when her “reign” is over. The earlier years were financed,
in part at least, by United States Savings Bonds accumulated for her.
She says: “I know what it means to have Savings Bonds helping to
finance the big things in life. They've always been a wonderful invest
ment—and now, with their improved terms, they’re even better. There's
even greater satisfaction in owning the new Bonds, and the joy of
giving them is greater too. It’s more than ever ‘the present with a
future’!’’
east on Hatteras Island. Keeper
Burrus immediately set out, but 'be
cause of rough seas he could not
make it to the “Ariosto” on the
ocean side. He was obliged to use
the station supply boat and go
down byway of Pamlico Sound. It
was a two hour trip, but they ar
rived in time to render valuable ;
service. The Life Saving crew
found it difficult to bury the sand
anchor because of the heavy surf.
It was also hard to set the Lyle
Gun out of the water since the tide
was running high. The “Ariosto”
was about 600 yards distant but,
was constantly working toward
shore. Shortly before noon the
crew were successful in getting a
j line aboard, and those on the ves- ,
sei were hauled in on the breeches
buoy. Captain Baines was the last
man to leave the ship, and he .
brought with him his pet dog, “Bel
gium”.
Long since, news of the wreck 1
had spread and people from Ocra
coke and Hatteras villages had j
come by pony cart or boat. Three
bodies were recovered that day;
others were not found until sev
eral days later, and a full ten days
after' the wreck Stanley and Ira
came upon two more bodies washed
up five miles south. All were buried
in the dunes along the beach. The
Rev. Wyche added to the duties of
, his circuit a special memorial serv
ice not planned as part of his
Christmas visit.
Eight of tire crew were housed
at the Lifeboat Station, four of
them named Charlie, three of them
I Alex. The children were particular
ly impressed to learn that one of
i the older men had not been home;
■jsince he was fifteen year old! Cap-'
tain Baines became a guest at
Keeper Howard’s home and stayed
several days. He would eat a hearty
■ supper and then sit down at the
little parlor organ and play hymns.
His oft-repeated favorite was “Hold
the Fort for I am Coming”. When
the storm abated he was able to
get out to the wrecked vessel by
skiff. He brought in several per
sonal belongings and other items.
He presented Mrs. Howard with
some of tile “Ariosto’s silver nap
kin rings, beautifully engraved,
and he gave little Elsie a pair of
folding embroidery scissors, which
she has kept to this very day.
Christmas dinner was happy in
spite of the tragedy. One of the
sailors had brought in an English
plum pudding. The women folk
marvelled that a pudding baked in
July, as he claimed, was so good
in December. Long after the wreck
I Elsie found a blurred letter lying
J on the beach. Judging from what
she could read, and read between
1 the lines, it was a love letter to
‘ someone’s sweetheart in New York.
; At the vendue, which was not held
until the following March, Stanley
' and Ira earned pocket money as
! water boys, and Stanley even sold
‘ some flotsam he had picked up on
’ the beach.
The day came with Captain
■ Baines thanked his host and hos
j tess and said farewell But a few
. years later he remembered Keep
( er Howard with a book HEROES
, OF THE GOODWIN SANDS. In
r it were recounted tales of live-sav
ing on a particularly dangerous
I coast in Europe.
- So life resumed its normal
- trend at Cedar Hammock settle
i men. There were other wrecks that
i winter, but none quite like the
> Ariosto. And certainly none that
s mingled the joys of children's
- Christmas, the sorrow of death, the
THE COASTLAND TIMES, MANTEO, N. C.
excitement of high human endeav
or, and the warmth of human love,
as did the Ariosto.
(Editors Note—Most of the
children mentioned in the above
story are elderly citizens now liv
ing at Ocracoke; Mrs. Murray Tol
son (Elsie Wyche), Needham
Simpson and his wife (Martha
Wyche), Mrs. Maggie Simpson
O’Neal, Mrs. Z. S. Williams (Lola
Wahab), Mrs. Will Willis (Malsey
Wahab), and their brother R. Stan
ley Wahab. Resident at Pinehurst,
, N. C., is Ira Wyche, now Maj. Gen
eral (Ret) U. S. Army; and at
Hampton, Virginia, Mrs. Margaret
McWilliams Smith and her broth
er, Milton McWilliams; and at
Morehead City, N. C. Mrs. Alvah
L. Hamilton (Eliza McWilliams);
and at Sea Isle City, N. J., John
Simpson.
“Cedar Hammock’’ settlement
and the first Ocracoke Lifeboat
Station are gone; in 1915 a new
structure replaced the old Station,
but this in turn was washed away
in the hurricanes of 1955. On a real
calm day the hulk of the “Ariosto”
can be barely seen off-shore in
the breakers.)
DARE LEADS IN NUMBER
OF REAL ESTATE SALESMEN
Os some 3,000 registered and li
censed real estate bi-okers and
salesmen legally authorized to do
business in N. C. ,24 of them are
in Dare County, more than the
combined total of Pasquotank and
■ Beaufort, which have the cities of
Washington and Elizabeth City. Os
I the 24 in Dare, three are women.
Pasquotank has 15, including two
’ women, and Beaufort seven, includ
. ing one woman.
In the counties of Tyrrell, Hyde,
Pamlico, Camden, Gates there is
i no licensed agent to legally handle
real estate sales. Perquimans
( County has four, Washington, two,
Bertie one; and the big county of
Pitt has less than 30.
Chateaux
GRAPE
FLAVORED
VODKA
0
gflb $320
4/5 pt.
$2.10
Pint
?t IW MMEMR RMB M>
hbmo m conus n m cum mm
MUMCMMNY MSM VME
MB I. KM WtUM W.. CUMM, D.
CATFISH CORNER PERSONALS
Tortilla Taylor and Waxstrax
Willis of Bay Level have returned
home after a hunting trip and a
visit to Ajax Austin.
Bulkhead Bailey has returned
from a northern business trip.
Delco Dowdy and Furlong Ful
cher are making plans to build a
tourist court near Gar Creek.
Miss Sireen Simpson and Miss
Mary Trisha Marshall have been
visiting Miss Sal Amanda Sawyer
and Miss Cassie Rola Carter of
Low Bush.
Miss Corsica Culpepper of Cat]
Cove has returned after visiting
Miss Di nali Flo Dowdy.
Miss Payola Payne of Cat Cove
is visiting Miss Flotilla Fulcher.
Miss Aurora Dawn Davis has re
turned from a visit to Miss Honey
Bee Beasley of Gar Creek.
Miss Vignola Vendor of Frog
Fork School spend the week end
here with Miss Tootsie Tucker.
Miss Mandoleen Mann recently
visited Miss Hortense Hooper of
Carp “Creek.
Miss Blessing Berry, Miss An
chilada Ambrose and Miss Eppie
Dermis Everett of Carp Creek
visited friends here Sunday,
Bassoona Bell of Gar Creek
called here Sunday on Miss Glis
sereen Gibbs.
Miss Daffylean Daniels has re
turned after visiting Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone Garrison in Vinegar:
Hills.
Miss Heronia Harris of Cat Cove!
and Mrs. Braggadoshia Bragg of
Sappy Sedge have returned home
after visiting Miss Shalimar Shan
non and Mr. and Mrs. Bistrow
Beasley.
Miss Margerine Morris and Sal
vadora Sawyer visited Miss Man
dalay Midgett and Miss Blessing
Berry in Carp Creek.
Sweetrose Simmons and Condol
ence Cooper of Carp Creek have
returned home after visiting Miss
Mandoleen Mann. Miss Oxalis
■ Owens of Foggy Bottom accom
. panied them.
Carter Cartwright of Baltimore
recently visited his mother, Mrs.
Caddie Lack Cartwright.
The greatest stumbling block in
any man’s path is not laziness or
fear, but a low-necked, short-skirt
! ed, rose-scented, diamond-necked
, hussy named “Procrastination.”’
Specializing in
Wholesalers and Producers
for handling your O' . . crai inpc
KuuU o/
8.& 9 Fulton Fish Market New York City
/ 111 IH /
' / /
V
Lowest price—
your first saving with
MriEmomy inen
Priced $35 to $156 below other leading half-tonners!*
And that’s just the start! You save on gas with Ford’s WF
modern Six. You save on tires with Ford’s truck-type
front suspension. In independent tests, front tires showed
less than half the wear of those on trucks using car-type B
wheel suspension. See all the certified test results now! rHBIVR
" FORD TRUCKS COST LESS " _
•Bo$»d on o certified comparison less to buy... less to run •.. ■Bl H
of the latest available manufac- built to last longer, tool M ■ ■■■MH
svgp* sted delivered M M MM
prices, including Federal excise tax, M fflf M MM
excluding dealer preparation and V M M * bLm U BwL 4
conditioning and destination charges WaiaT,/ KJ*V/V# o M MwMBWBMwMB
SEE YOUR LOCAL FORD DEALER
Soo "FORD STARTIME" to Bring color on NBC-TV
R. D. SAWYER MOTOR CO. I
Phono 116 YOUR FRIENDLY FORD DEALER Manteo, N. C.
KITTY HAWK PERSONALS
Weekly Prayer Meeting was held
at the home of Mrs. Eva White
[Tuesday night.
The Senior Citizens of Kitty
Hawk met Monday night and org
anized what is called the Golden
Age Club for those over the age
of 50.
A piano recital was held at the
Kitty Hawk school Tuesday even
ing for the parents of the young
students who are under instruc
.tions of Mrs. Mayberry.
Mrs. Mattie Wescott, who has
been in Walter Reed Hospital is
expected home this week.
Ms. Bertie Beacham is in Nor-
SEABOARD FISH CO.
Wholesale Commission Dealers
in All Kinds of
FISH SHRIMP CRABS
CLAMS, ETC.
ROCK-FLOUNDERS
A SPECIALTY
Telephone LE-9-4643
SECTION V. WHOLESALE FISH MARKET
BALTIMORE 2, MD.
Consignments Solicited Daily Returns
PHONE DEWEY 6-1414
Highest Market Prices
PROMPT RETURNS FOR ALL
NORTH CAROLINA SEAFOOD
HUFF FISH COMPANY
WHOLESALE DEALERS
NO. 5 SEAFOOD MARKET
PHILADELPHIA 48, PA.
68 YEARS OF SERVICE
folk this week with son Glen and
his wife Jean who is the proud
parents of a new baby girt.
Joseph Lawson of Hackettstown,
N. J., is expected to spend the
Christmas holidays with Mr. and
Mrs. L. J. Henley and Mrs. Jennie
Beasley.
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley Glen Beas
ley and children Deborah and
Glen spent last week end in Nor
folk with Mk and Mrs. M. J. Beas
ley.
Christmas holiday students re
turning home from Meredith Col
lege include Susan Sandexlin of
Kitty Hawk. She is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar C. Sandcr
lin.
PAGE SEVEN