North Carolina Newspapers

SEND RENEWAL OF SUBSCRIPTION BEFORE EXPIRATION ' DATE ON ADDRESS VOL XXV NO. 30 APPEAL LOST FOR NEW BANK; BUXTON BRANCH GRANTED Small Population Excuse Empha sized By Banking Commis sion in Denying Request i The relatively small population given from census figures of ten years ago was the reason some members of the State banking commission in Raleigh dwelled on, prior to a decision Wednesday which by a vote of 5 to 3 denied the request of a group of some 400 Dare County people to estab iah a new bank to be known as the People’s Bank of Dare. The Bank of Manteo put up vigorous opposition to a second bank, and was given a permit to establish a tellers window at Bux ton, which will provide a much needed convenience in the locality. Other promises of expanded serv ice to tiie County, have come from the Bank of Manteo since the movement began over a year ago to get a new bank established. Raleigh attorney Mel Brough ton Jr, argued for the delegation which proposed to establish “The Peoples Bank of Dare.” Brough ton contended the Bank of Manteo “did not provide for the citizens of Dare County the services it is felt are needed in the communi ty." Broughton said there is a “wide spread strong feeling” in the coun ty for a “locally-owned, locally controlled, aggressive bank.” He said the Bank of Manteo is owned by seven people, but that one family—Mr. and Mrs. Frank Turner of Raleigh—owns 874 of the bank’s 1,000 shares. Mr. Turner an official is prop erty control officer in the State Department of Administration. He was present during the hearing but did not appear before the com mission. The State official’s wife is the former Huldah Brinkley, daugh ter of Vance Brinkley who bought control of the bank during the 1930’5.. Rep. Bruce Etheridge of Man teo told the commission, “we want a bank that can take care of the local people, and operated by citi zens who live here and are close to the citizens.” Victor Meekins said local citi zens go to banks in Elizabeth City and other towns to borrow money bedMise they can’t get sufficient loans at home. Survey Figures Wallace McCown, Manteo law yer appearing with Broughton, said that a recent survey showed that for every $3 borrowed from the Bank of Manteo, sl4 was bor rowed from banks outside the county. The banking commission was told that the proposed bank had pledges for stock subscription and deposits totalling $527,198. The bank’s proponents cited a rise in the county’s property val uation from $lO million to $25 mil lion in the last 10 years as indica tive of an economic need for anoth er bunk. Swelling tourist trade with the opening of the Seashore National Park was also listed as a factor influencing the county’s finances. Raleigh attorney J. K. Dorsett, representing the Bank of Manteo’s opposition, said the estimated pres ent population of the county is about 6,000. The Peoples Bank proposal “would substitute two struggling banks for one sound stable b<xnk.” he added. Smith’s Suggestion Willis Smith Jr, of Raleigh See BANK, Page Four MRS. LUCETTA WILLIS 67; FUNERAL TO BE SATURDAY Mrs. Lucetta Willis, 67, a long time teacher in the schools of this and other states, widow of the late Dr. Francis M. Willis, native of Dare County died in a Norfolk hospital Wednesday at 6 p.m. She was the daughter of Mrs. Caro line Midgett of Manteo and the late Ebenezer M. Midgett. She is survived by her mother and one sister, Mrs. Robert L. Munn of Bayside, Va. She had been for many years a prominent citizen of Manteo and had lived here several years, fol lowing her return from Philadel phia, with Dr. Willis on his re tirement She was a member of Mt Olivet Methodist Church and had been active in church work. She was born in Waves, Dare County, but moved here with her parents at Manteo at an early age, and in all had lived here 59 years. The body was brought to Twi fords Funeral Home in Manteo. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday at 2 pm. at the Mt Olivet Methodist Church by the pastor, Rev. Harold Leatherman, and Interment in the family plot in the Manteo Cemetery. THE COASTLAND TIMES WITH WHICH IS COMBINED THE PILOT AND HERALD OF BELHAVEN AND SWAN QUARTER PUBUSHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA 3 MEN REMOVED FROM TRAWLER ON OREGON INLET BAR Three men were removed from a trawler sunk and grounded on a sand bar in Oregon Inlet Thurs day when a Coast Guard helicop ter from the Elizabeth City air station was called. The vessel, 84 feet long, named the Miss Pamli co from Carteret County went ishore in the early morning dur ing flounder fishing operations. The men were taken to Oregon Inlet Coast Guard station. The boat grounded on Outer Oregon Inlet bar, and in the breakers, with the port side awash, it soon sank. Upon fair weather prevailing there would be hope of saving the vessel. MAYOR COOK RISES TO SUPPORT HIS TOWN'S POLICEMAN Absent When Kill Devil Hills Board Suspended Jack W. Ballance Saturday Night Hon. Rudolph H. Cook, Mayor of the town of Kill Devil Hills has arisen in vigorous defense of his chief of Police Jack W. Ballance who Was suspended from duty by the town Board in a meeting held Saturday night, which Mr. Cook did not attend. Mr. Cook considers Mr. Ballance an efficient and valued officer and Says the com nlainant against Mr. Ballance has renounced his charges and claims for damages from the town. Mi'. Cook said that Henry Starr Everett, erstwhile motel operator of Nags Head had brought a complaint against the town and asked for damages as the return for damages to his pride, and some to his epidermis sustained in the process of removing a pair of handcuffs which he had been previ ously attached securely to Mrs. Ballance, by her husband, following a social evening at the Ballance home last week, when it was said the policemfaai was off duty for the day. Mr. Ballance had gone to Man teo to rouse the Sheriff’s office and bring two deputies and the highway patrolman to the scene, leaving the hand-cuffed couple to await his return with a key. Some how, the pair managed to drive a car to the home of Deputy Sheriff George Frank, and predecessor of Mr. Ballance as policeman. Mr. Frank is reported to have declined to interfere in the activities of a brother officer, and the couple went southward where they roused out Jim Scarborough in the mid nights hours, land who, with blow torch and liacksaw separated the couple. When news of Mr. Everett’s complaints and request for balm reached the town Board, it trickled out into the community, where dur ing a season with other diversions at a low ebb, it soon reached a mighty stream, perhaps magnified out of proportion by the confluence of the Manteo brooklets of gossip which followed the return to town of the Deputies, which made the reports more amusingly spicy. Members of the KDH town Board got into something of a dither as phone calls came demanding the officer be fired. The Board met and had their Policeman in con ference and tendered him an op portunity to resign. This was de clined. They met and decided to suspend him until a later date, for further hearing of charges. Mayor Cook gave this newspaper the following statement dated on the 18th. Statement by R. H. Cook, Mayor of Kill Devil Hills, N. C. This is in reference to Chief of Police Jack Ballance, and some pertinent facts I know concerning him. Mr. Ballance was on duty for a period of forty two days with out a single day off, doing patrol duty during the day and answer ing police calls and sleeping with a police telephone at his bedside every night. During the past eight months during which Mr. Ballance has been Chief of Police, we have had fewer break-ins and less trouble than in any other eight months’ period that I know of. Mr. Ballance is also the Building In spector and issues the building per mits and the town has no record of any improper building permit issued by Mr. Ballance. Mr. Bal lance has been most loyal and faithful in the performance of his duties and has not shown partiality to anyone. It is hoped that Mr. Ballance will be back at his old job within a few days, as all charges land complaints against Mr. Ballance have been withdrawn in the foim of an affidavit by the eomplaiiting parties and such af fidavit is in the mayor’s posses sion. / Mayor Cook also tendered this See INCIDENT, Page Few HATTERAS NATIVE ENDS 20 YEARS WITH NAVY ■yMr M - ' f ] WES L .. iTLita ■" : • HILTON AUSTIN, retired January Ist as a Chief Warrant officer from the Navy, after 20 years and two months service pus two years as a civilian employe before en listing. He had served on seven Navy vessels of various types; first among them the battleship Texas and completing his last two years of duty on the U.S.S. Ranger, ' a large Forrestal class Carrier. ; He was one of four brothers who was in active service during World War 11. He saw action, both on ; the North Atlantic patrol and participated in seven major cam paigns in the Pacific, for which he has eight campaign ribbons and several commendations. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Austin, now living at Frisco, Dare County. He is married ito the former Marjorie Downey of Boston, who with their two sons, Joe and Billy live at 10 Ferndale Road, Natick, Mass. He says, “The Navy is a wonderful career for any young fellow.” HYDE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR AGE PROGRAM County Steps In Line For Fast Action On New State- ,V wide Program An organization meeting on North Carolina Governor’s Coor dinating Committee on aging was held at the Health Department at Swan Quarter Tuesday afternoon with Tommie Gaylord, Superin tendent of Schools, temporary chairman. For general information, con cern for the growing number of older persons in population has ' ■spurred action on the national as 1 well as the State level to aid lo cal communities in planning for 1 their senior citizens. The first step in the planning ' meeting was the election of a permanent chairman and other of- ' ficers as follows: Tommie Gay lord, permanent chairman, Wil- < jliam A. Miller, chairman of local ; arrangements, Miss Nelda K. < Howell, Recording Secretary, Miss ■ Aleph Cason, Publicity chairman, < other members of the Hyde Coun- i ty Committee are Miss Elizabeth < Ball, Dr. W. W. Johnston and s Grover C. Teeter, Jr. 1 I A meeting is tentatively sched- : uled for March 29, at 7:30 o’clock i at West Hyde School, Swan Quar- i ter to liscuss the need and serv- 1 ices for the Senior Citizens of ; Hyde County. ] Invited are all civic clubs, , Home Clubs and ministers, to 1 ] help promote attendance and at- ; tention to the meeting. The meeting will be only two , hours long with a recess for re freshments. A panel will discuss the problems, needs and services of the Senior Citizens of Hyde County. There will be a principal speaker, a moderator, and follow ing the principal speaker, a panel of local people to bring out the different views held by the Senior . Citizens of Hyde County. In North Carolina, a statewide Governor’s Conference on Aging ! will bt held July 27-29, 1960, ; sponsored , by the Governor’s ( Committee. Its purpose will be ' twofold: to develop North Caro lina facts and recommendations ( for presentation to the White < House conference, and to coordi nate plans for meeting needs, and plan for broadening service to ‘ older people. BIG MOUTH BASS CAUGHT IN WINTER BY 808 PRESTON Bob Preston, professional surf < fishing guide of Nags Head took a “busman’s” holiday fishing in the legendary freshwater poifds in Nags Head Woods and proved large mouth bass may be caught in winter months therein and that it doesn’t take live bait to do it Ha used a spinning spoon lure to attract this five pound, 10 ounce ; fish, the largest of seven more he also caught to make his daily legal < limit. 1 MANTEO, N. C.. FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1960 UNHAPPY WOMEN VIEW EROSION OF THEIR GARDENS A Great Loss to A Valuable Coastland Project Comes From Lack of Funds » An unfortunate circumstance has brought unhappiness to the toiling women of the N.C. Garden Clubs whose pet project is the Eliza bethan Gardens at old Fort Ra leigh, the birthplace of the nation. A series of strong tides has eroded the siwYe line and brought in the water’s edge of Roanoke Sound, and the ancient and ornate water gate is about to be lost The state’s garden-club women themselves have raised and spent some $150,000 to develop the gar dens. Its statuary and fountains were provided by several philan throphists. The landcaping and planting of flowers and shrubs was financed from the funds that were raised. The maintenance of the gardens is financed by receipts from visitor's. The waterfront is the problem. To save it will require an invest ment of about $5,000. Unless a re taining wall is built along the shore line, erosion will continue, in a year tire brick columns and fence will be undermined, and no resist tance will be offered to the con stant wearing awtay of the sands. Much work on this garden has been supervised by Albert Q. Bell a sucessful nursery man of Roa noke Island. The garden occupies some ten acres of land adjacent to Fort Raleigh. The idea of the Gardens was conceived by Mrs. Charles Cannon and Mrs. Inglis Fletcher, both Life Members of The Garden Club of North Carolina, and Sir Evelyn Wrench, founder of the English Speaking Union. It was to be an appropriate memorial to the Eliza bethan era, so dominant in our early culture. The focM point of the Garden, near the water, is a fountain sur rounded by statuary and plants na tural to the area. The fountain, statues, steps, balustrades and well head were gifts from the John Hay Whitney estate in Georgia. Some of these pieces date beyond the Elizabethan era. The massive wrought iron entrance gates, hinged from the column set in the wall of ancient brick, add a true Elizabethan touch, as does the gatehouse with its hand-hewn beams and rough slate roof. The gates are a gift of Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Dillon of Washington, D. C. Some of the pieces of art were donated by North Carolinians. A more recent statue of white mar ble, and known as “Virginia Dare,” was presented by Paul Green, au thor of “The Lost Colony.” Part of the formal garden, en closed by a perforated wall of antique brick, displays the Knot Garden, planted with hollies, dog wood, crepe myrtles in geometric design. Also in the old English section is the Mount with its an cient wellhead and marble benches, and from here steps lead down to all parts of the Garden. In the far corner of the Garden, near the highway, is a plant nursery, named the Ruth Coltrane Cannon Nursery, made possible by the proceeds of a tour of Mrs. Cannon’s summer home. Here, through the fine co operation of State College in Ra leigh with tiie invaluable help of Dr. Fred Cochran, plants will be propagated and used for replace ments and further beautification. Among some of the gifts to the Garden are marble benches, bird baths, a sun dial, a planting of rare lilies by the North Carolina Lily Society, gardenias, hollies, crepe myrtles, and magnolia trees. The Water Gate, Wt the foot of the steps leading from the Terrace, is the only access from the Garden to the blue waters of Roanoke Sound. The fund for the gate was raised at a previous tour when Mrs. diaries Cannon’s home had been opened to the public. Also, the por trait of Queen Elizabeth I seen in the gatehouse was a gift of Mrs. Cannon. The building and planting of this Elizabethan Garden has been and is made possible through gifts of many individual members and garden clubs of The Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc., and from friends of the organization. It is the combined efforts of many toward a cherished dream of a fitting memorial for the Lost Col onists. SENIOR CITIZENS TO MEET AT KITTY HAWK There will be a meeting of the Senior Citizens Club at the home ■f Mrs. Gertie Baum in Kitty Hawk Saturday afternoon, Janu ry 23, from two until four o’clock. All those interested are invited to attend. $25,000 JUDGMENT AWARDED IN DARL COURT DAMAGE SUTi Three Days Superior Court With Judge Chester Morris Pre siding Held This Week A judgment of $25,000 per sonal damages, and for $2,500 damage to his automobile was '■warded to Marvin Daniels of Wanchese in an uncontested dam age suit against Charles Wroten i young Wanchese man, in Dare Superior Court this week. Daniels, a taxi-driver, was suing as the result of injuries which have in valided him since an auto col lision with Wroten’s car early last year. Judge Chester Morris of Curri tuck presided at the term which ended Wednesday afternoon. Thir teen actions were tried, continued, or settled by compromise judg ments. Eula Mae Quidley of Bux ton was awarded SI,OOO personal damages, and SSOO for car in a suit brought against Edward Lance (Billy) Gray of Avon. THREAT OF SHOALS TO INLET FERRIES DISTURBS CITIZENS Great Loss in Tourist Business Predicted For Hatteras Un less Road Is Recoated In order that the damage to the surface of the 50 miles of high day which is the lifeline of Hat teras Island’s seven villages, Com missioners George Fuller Jr., of Ruxton "nd Woodrow Edwards of Waves from the island with Board Chairman Victor Meekins on Wed nesday visited in Raleigh with W. F. Babcock, Director of Highways and returned with high hopes. The Board members believe the work of surfacing, as well as widening the road will be begun as early in April as weather tem perature will permit the working of asphalt, and that a plant will be moved in to prepare for the work in a short time. The Dare County men detailed the acute situation that can re sult in discouragement of tourist trade during this year if this work is not done. Tliey have asked for a widening of this road as well as new surface. For more than a ydar the Coun ty Board has been urging the im provement of the road and assur ance repeatedly given and has been evidenced that the highway com mission has been doing their part The delay has been due to the ne cessity of awaiting a build-up in the allocation of Federal highway fund allottments, since the job Is expected to cost upwards of a half million dollars, and there have ( been demands for road improve ments. making a heavy drain on state funds. The heavy traffic that has un-' expectedly resulted where nearly a See ROADS, Page Four LATE REPORT ON THE OREGON INLET PROJECT WILMINGTON. Jan. 20—Invi tations for bids have been issued for the dredging of new inside ap proach channel at Oregon Inlet, "nd are scheduled to be opened here February 16. Allowing the successful bidder the usual 30 days to get in position, this means that the dredging will get start ed about the middle of March. Gross yardage is estimated at 662,000 cu. yds. and, weather con ditions being normal, the job will take from two to three months to finish. Meanwhile, Col. R. P. Davidson, District Engineer, says he is glad to report that the maintenance dredging at Far Creek at Engel hard has been completed and the dredge has moved to Hatteras for similar work in the channel and basin there. Upon the completion of this work, the dredge will go to Edenton for channel and basin dredging. , «=IRE SEVERELY DAMAGES ROSSER NIXON RESIDENCE A fire was discovered in the resident of Rossor Nixon in Man teo in early afternoon Thursday, and the house was saved by the nrompt work of the Mianteo fire department which had considerable difficulty in confining the blaze and getting it under control. Sup posedly arising from a flue, it re sulted in several thousand dollars damages. The house is located on the corner of Lodge and Road Streets and was formerely the Forbes homeplefce. Mr. Nixon’s daughter and her two small chil dren, who have been living in Ger many, had recently come to live with her parents while her hus band is in the service as an of - in the Army. BONNER TO ADDRESS DARE YDC GROUP TODAY it/ |b <• 1 I H MMHEm ■ ’ HERBERT C. BONNER, Congress man from the First District is to I speak tonight, Friday, the 22nd at the Dare County courthouse by I invitation of the Young Demo crats of the county on the occa sion of their annual oyster roast and election of officers. Dr. W. W. Harvey, Jr., is the retiring president, and other officers now ending their term are: Mrs. Dotty Fry, vice-president, Charles Mid gett. secretary; and Henry Arm strong, treasurer. r DAVIS ELECTED RURITAN PRES'T WANCHESE CLUB Plans Made for Expansion During Year; Manns Harbor Invited To Join Hands James W. Davis of Wanchese, a former president, lias been named head of the Wanchese Ruritan Club for the year 1960. and some plans ’ are being made for a progressive year. Mr. Davis has served the club faithfully, even doing all the work of preparing one of the meals when plans went astray. He lias given it more time than anv' other member, taking part in Ruritan programs away from home and has been a District President. i Harry Baum was elected Vice- Presidertt of the club and his fa ther, Wayland W. Baum, another loyal member was named Secre tary-Treasurer at the regular meet ing in Mac’s dinner in Wanchese Friday night. Rev. J. M. Carroll was named Chaplain and Gilbert Tillett, Sergeant at Arms. Beside the officers, directors named are Melvin R. Daniels, who served several terms as President; Jesse Etheridge and J. T. Daniels. Officers serve as ex-officio di rectors. I The club voted to extend an in vitation to Manns Harbor club members to join with Wanchese, I with some likelihood of holding an occasional monthly meeting at Manns Harbor. It is felt that more can be accomplished by creating one large club, since in small com munities it is difficult to main tain a large organization, due to the occupation of people who fol low a water for a livelihood, caus ing many members to have to miss meetings, or drop out entirely. OCRACOKE DELEGATION SEEKING IMPROVEMENTS A delegation representing the Ocracoke Island Civic club in Ra leigh Thursday at 11 a.m., met with the Governor, Highway Chairman Broughton, and Director Bill Babcock, John Swain, Secon dary Roads officer, and others to point out the importance of two new projects needed now for the island. First, they wish a perma-l nent ferry landing built near Ocra-1 coke Island to make for improved ferry traffic. Second, they want an airport built some three miles from the village, and have an of-| fer from a cottage owner to grade the land without cost. The addi tion of an airport can mean one of the most important things for the island’s rapidly rising tourist business .Everywhere the Ocracoke I folks receive sympathetic and co operative interest The Highway! department will make a survey and furnish estimates of the cost of the ferry landing at an early date. Construction of an airport hinges' on several factors. First it has to be sponsored by the County Board of Commissioners since there is no other municipal agency to deal ■ with; the right to use the land must be acquired; and, for suitable t recognition from the Federal Avi i ation Agency whereby the flying i public KdU be directed toward it, ■ it must be constructed in accord ! with existing standards set up. This i may require more time than achievement of the ferry landing with which only the Highway Com See OCRACOKE, Page Right MAIL SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO BOX 428 MANTEO, N. C. NOT TO INDIVIDUALS Single Copy 70 MANY NETS- HAVE BEEN SNAGGED ON WRECKED AIRPLANE Several Fishermen Have Raised Parts of 111-Fated Craft in Croatan Sound The big propeller recovered recently from a wrecked airplane one mile southeast of Roanoke Marshes light station in Croatan Sound by William Tillett of Man teo is not the only part of this ill-fated ship to have been found by fishermen. Publicity concering the craft has brought information that many other fishermen have lost nets which have become entangled in the wreckage, which is in some 12 feet of water at an important fishing stations. James Earl Cox of Engelhard in the “Clark Brothers,” out of ’ Stumpy Point before Christmas brought ashore one of the motors ! and turned it over to the Navy station nearby. Having a hoisting gear on his vessel it was not dis . ficult to raise. Another wrecked plane is said 'to be seven miles off Engelhard ; near Pingleton Shoal beacon. , Another near Gibby Shoal beacon near Gulrock, also in Hyde County waters. Other wreckage, yet undeter mined has snagged nets north of the Roanoke Marshes lighthouse. During World War II there was much practice flying on our coast and while the Manteo airport was a training station. When planes were lost, no announcement was given the public. Occasionally local people learned of daytime crashes, as for instance when one fell in the woods near Manteo and burned some persons to death. Such hap penings at night far off on the water were unknown to civilians. It was only known at their com mand when they failed to return, that they Civilian fliers were lost in the ocean when small planes of the Civil air patrol went down near Hatteras. These were based ; on Roanoke Island. Publicity concerning the wrecked plane subject of this article has brought forth considerable discus sion abuot whose responsibility it is to remove it from the fishing grounds where it has been costly to fishermen. It has been reported to the Coast Guard, and opinion is ex pressed that one of the buoy tend ers should take it from the water. HYDE-BEAUFORT RURITANS ACTIVE; NEW PONZER CLUB Ruritan activity during the past week in Hyde and Beaufort Coun ties including organization of a new club at Ponzer and an award at Pantego to B. G. Carowan as the “Outstanding Young Farmer,” of the community. The Ponzer club received its charter Thursday night with 28 members enrolled. Ashley Futrell was principal speaker, and O. J. Gaylord, former District Governor, and from the Bath Club, the spons ors, was master of ceremonies. Bill Smithwick is president; Lay ton Perry, vice-president; Delphine Ratcliff, secretary; and directors were also named. Hyde has chibs also at Sladesville and Fairfield. A fourth dub at Engelhard was short-lived. In Pantego, Femie Laughing house became Club president; Jack Van Guyzen vice-president; Charles Reardon, secretary; Andrew Stoop, treasurer; Charles Benson, chap lain; Joe Windley, song-leader; D. C. Lee, Sgt at Arms; K. P. Pat rick, Daniel Ratcliff, and Braxton Brooks, directors, PIRATE JAMBOREE PLANS AT NAGS HEAD MEETING ' Co-Chairman L. L. Swain, Man teo and Herbert Van Vleek, Kitty Hawk, have announced there would be an important Pirates Jamboree meeting on Sunday aft ernoon, January 24. The meeting will be held in The Anchor Club , Room at The Carolinian Hotel starting at 2 o’clock. Announcements about the Sun day meeting have been mailed many persons but Chairman 'Swain and Van Vleek emphasized that all persons, especially those engaged in the vacation business of the Dare Coast are urged to meet with the group. Pirate King Julian Oneto has announced that refreshments would be served at the conclusion of the meeting. Oneto also stated that persons from Hatteras Island who come to the meeting and are unable to return home on the last ferry south would be lodging guests of . The Carolinian overnight at no charsre. A small charee would be made for meals.