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VOL XXV NO. 34
SHOALS HAMPERING
FERRY OPERATIONS
AT OREGON INLET
Weather Conditions Over Week
End Result in Worsening Al
ready Shoally Channel
M. L. Burrus, Hatteras business
man, claimed this week that it wa c
“high shoals and not low water,”
which lias hampered the schedules
of Oregon Inlet ferry recently.
He mode the statement Wednes
day after reading an Associated
Press dispatch captioned “Oregon
Inlet Ferries Halted By Low Wa
ter.” Under a Hatteras dateline the
story follows:
“Low water Monday forced dis
ruption in ferry service across Ore
gon Inlet between Hatteras and
Nags Head.
“The Highway Department said
one boat (ferry) was docked on
each side of the inlet when service
was halted at 1 p.m. The boats
(ferries) are expected to be back
in service Tuesday morning.”
Burrus was one of the Hatteras
business ‘men who Was caught in
the delay' on the north side of the
inlet Monday.
At 4 p.m. Monday there were
37 automobiles and trucks in line
awaiting the ferry to begin opera
tion. There had been some indi
cation by ferry operators that at
tempts may be made to make the
crossing about 5 o’clock. Conditions
did not change, however, so the
trip Was not made.
“There were about 35 of us en
route to Hatteras who had to stay
overnight north of the Inlet Mon
day night,” said Burrus.
Ferry service was again inter
rupted Tuesday and Wednesday
afternoon, service being suspended
about 1 p.m. or after. Thursday
afternoon service was expected to
be nearer normal, tidal conditions
being better.
County Commissioner Edwards
of Wlaves was one of the Hatteras
men stranded north of the Inlet
as result of the ferry situation
Monday. He called the Governor’s
office to report the situation to
Harold Makepiece, secretary of
Governor Hodges.
Burrus Makes Suggestion
Burrus in his statement ex
pressed the opinion that since there
seems little likelihood that a dredge
could be sent to Oregon Inlet in
the immediate future to deepen the
channels, that perhaps the shoals
could be eliminated and a channel
opened by the use of dynamite.
“Farmers dig ditches with dyna
mite on dry land, so it seems rea
sonable to think that if dynamite
was properly used on the shoals
they could be eliminated and a
channel would be deepened,” said
Burrus.
“It is ridiculous to blame the situ
ation on low water. There is a rise
and fall of the tide twice daily
throughout the year and all over
the world. The Way navigational
interests are served and protected
is by the deepening of channels.”
"It is definitely not ‘low water’
but ‘high shoals,’ that is causing
the ferry trouble at Oregon Inlet,”
he stated.
William N. Spruill, highway di
vision engineer, here this week
stated that the situation at Oregon
Inlet following recent stormy
weather had reached an emergency
status.
Here with him was J. L. Norris,
highway hydrographic engineer of
Raleigh who has been investigating
the situation and making sound
ings at Oregon Inlet.
Asked if they thought dynamite
might be used to an advantage in
knocking the tops off the shoals,
each agreed that “while such a
procedure had never been tried by
the highway department it may
be of benefit in deepening the
channels.”
Norris indicated that he planned
to contact the U.S. Army Engi
neers to see if they had ever suc
cessfully used dynamite in elimi
nating channel shoals.
Spruill also stated that he
planned to investigate the report
that erosion resulting from winter
Hbonns had created a hazard at
the Dead End barricade of N.C.
346 on Roanoke Island’s North
End.
It was reported Thursday morn
ing that the barricade had been
moved to its new location, thus
eliminating such a hazard.
CHEST X-RAYS URGED
FOR HYDE CITIZENS
DURING COMING WEEK
lbw hundred and fifty three
people have had a chest X-Ray
made by unit in County from Feb
ruary 6 through February 13th.
The X-ray unit will be at Fair
field, February 18th, 19th and
29th and at Engelhard February
23, 24, 25, 26, 27th. Everyone 15
years and over is encouraged to 4
have a chest X-Ray.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
WITH WHICH IS COMBINED THE PILOT AND HERALD OF BELHAVEN AND SWAN QUARTER
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROUNA
NEW LOST COLONY MANAGER AND OFFICIALS DISCUSS 1960 OPERATION
I Job 1 I - fc'.
B. /ml” . JB
W A
J. SIBLEY DORTON, JR., left, Friday of last week was named Lost Colony manager at a board
meeting of Roanoke Island Historical Association in Raleigh. Shown here with Dorton, left to right,
are Mrs. O. Max Gardner, chairman of the board of directors; Paul Green, author of the drama; and
Mrs. Fred Morrison of Washington and Kill Devil Hills who recommended Dorton.
(Photo courtesy the News and Observer)
J. S. DORTON, JR.
ELECTED BY BOARD
TO MANAGE DRAMA
Son of State Fair Manager Will
Arrive in Manteo Soon to
Start Promotion
J. Sibley Dorton Jr., of Shelby,
son of the longtime manager of
North Carolina’s State Fair, will
manage the Lost Colony during the
outdoor drama’s 20th season.
Dorton,29, was elected by direc
tors of the Roanoke Island His
torical Association at a meeting
Friday at the Sir Walter Hotel.
He was recommended by a com
mittee headed by Mrs. Fred Mor
rison of Washington.
The new manager succeeds Dick
Jordan of Nags Head, who- has
been in charge of the outdoor pro
duction since 1952. Jordan resigned
because of other interests.
Opens In June
Doiton told the Association’s di
rectors he is prepared to go to
work immediately. The drama will
open in June anti has its 1000th
performance tentatively scheduled
for July 9.
A graduate of Davidson College,
Dorton served as executive vice
president of the Southern States
Fair at Charlotte from 1954
through 1958, was assistant man
ager of the Cleveland County Fair,
served this past year as admin
istrator <and public relations di
rector for the Brevard Music Cen
ter ,and now is exective vice
president of the Southern States
Improvement Company, a family
owned real estate corporation.
His father, Dr. J. S. Dorton, has
managed the State Fair for ap
proximately a quarter century.
Mrs. Mabel Evans Jones and Al
bert Q. Bell of Manteo and I. P.
Davis of Winton were elected hon
orary members of the Association’s
board. Mrs. Jones produced the
first Lost Colony play in 1921,
Bell designed and built the theater
where the outdoor drama now is
staged, and Davis has long been
active in the work of the Associ
ation.
Prior to the board meeting, a
public relations committee headed
by D. Victor Meekins, of Manteo,
met and discussed plans for pro
moting Lost Colony this season.
An executive committee meeting
is planned for April in Manteo.
LOST COLONY MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE TO BEGIN IN DARE
FOLLOWING SUNDAY MEET
Under the leadership of Mrs.
Burwell Evans, the Roanoke Is
land Historical Association’s an
nual Lost Colony membership drive
will get underway following a
meeting at the Community Build
ing in Manteo on Sunday after
noon, February 21, at 2 p.m. Mrs.
Evans was made chairman for
Dare during a kickoff luncheon pre
sented by Mrs. Lucille Winslow at
The Carolinian on Tuesday.
Mrs. Winslow, vice chairman of
the Historical Association was
named recently by Mrs. O. Max
Gardner to serve as statewide
chairman of the 1960 membership
drive.
“I believe,” she said, “ that be
fore we go beyond the limits of
Dare County for memberships in
The Lost Colony’s sponsoring or
ganisation that the people of this
area which receives the greatest
benefits from the drama should dis
play their interest by becoming
members.”
The group of beach and island
See DRIVE, Page Four
HORTICULTURE EXPERT
TO SPEAK IN MANTEO
rs I? ’''
IB ~ t
JOHN HENRY HARRIS who will
conduct demonstrations on shrub
bery planting and landscaping with
an accompanying lecture in Man
teo Tuesday, February 23. His ap
pearance is under sponsorship of
Dare County Home Demonstration
Clubs, and Mrs. Beulah Gaylord,
Dare agent, will assist. Tht meet
ing is scheduled for 10 a.m. til
noon in the Community Building
and all interested persons are urged
to attend, states Mrs. Gaylord.
Harris, 46, is a native of Chat
ham County. He has been with N.C.
State College since leaving his po
sition as superintendent of city
parks in Greensboro in 1938. He is
a 1937 graduate of State College,
receiving his B. S. degree in land
scape architecture. In his present
status, Harris is in.charge of horti
culture activities for the N.C. Agri
cultural Extension Service. Hax-ris
is la member of Alpha Zeta, national
honorary agricultural fraternity,
American Society for Horticultural
Science, and the Mens Horticultural
Club of which he was president
in 1947.
He has had many circulars and
bulletins published. His weekly
newspaper column “The Tar Heel
Gardener” is one of the most pop
ular articles of its type in the state.
He also has a weekly radio pro
gram of the same name.
EROSION CREEPS NEAR
WATERGATE FOUNDATION
OF ELIZABETHAN GARDEN
Stormy weather has resulted in
considerable erosion at various
ocean and soundside locations on
the Dare Coast recently.
During the northwester this
week sound waters almost under
mined the water gate foundations
at Elizabethan Garden near Fort
Raleigh. Just north of the garden
on private property the rough wa
ters resulted in a live oak tree
being washed down in an area
where several dead trees also lay
along the shore. Other recent tides
have been eroding this shore line
steadily.
Rough waters at the barricade
of NC 345 on the North End of
Roanoke Island washed away soil
of the embankment and made a
cave under one aide of the dead
end fencing. If the barricade is
not moved seveial feet south of its
present location there could be dan
ger of an automobile making the
turn and caving through the as
phalt Highway officials have been
advised of the predicament
No additional damage tn shore
property was reported in the
beaches area where cottages were
damaged by high surf and seas
during a northeaster several days
•go- I
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1960
ARMY CRAFT PLAN
A RETURN VISIT TO
ROANOKE ISLAND
Fifty Ft. Eustis Craft Numbering
600 Men, Expected to Re
peat Landing Drills
The assault landing practice par
ticipated in by some 500 men from
the 159th Transportation Battalion
from Fort Eustis, Va., was so suc
cessful in Croatan Sound the first
week in November that Col. Jos.
D. McNally is planning to send
his men hack soon.
Col. McNally’s advance officers
in town a few days ago, said their
men were treated so royally here
they are looking forward to
another visit. Citizens of Roanoke
Island and vicinity made it a point
to treat the boys fine, to welcome
them in the community’s churches,
and our people were delighted with
the courtesy and good order mani
fested by this large group. They
stayed four- days.
The fleet will be based at the
Manteo Airport.
On their visit in November many
sightseeing trips were made to the
Airport, and young people got a
great kick out of seeing how the
soldiers living under conditions
which simulated modern warfare.
Boats stood off in the sound,
and the soldiers made landings on
the beach nearby drove their equip
ment ashore, end “conquered the
country.”
Plans now are to send 600 sol
diers as compared with less than
500 on the first visit, and they will
make their headquarters off tire
Manteo airport for ten days, March
Bth to 18th. There is also prospect
that a larger assault landing drill
will be conducted by this detach
ment during the course of the
Pirate Jamboree about April 29th.
KITTY HAWK SHOW
WHOPPING SUCCESS;
COMING TO MANTEO
Despite inclement weather, the
Variety Show staged at Kitty
Hawk School last Saturday night
was considered a complete success,
with about SIBO reported raised for
the Girl Scout troop.
Featured performer was “Cousin
Tibble” of WTAR-TV fame, who
has agreed to return to Dare Coun
ty on March 19, for a repeat per
formance lai Manteo High School
auditorium. The March program
will be under sponsorship of Man
teo PT A, and reports are that tic
kets will soon b e on sale
event Several additional acts will
be included in the March show.
AUTO-HORSE COLLISION
BRINGS MINOR INJURIES
Painful injuries came to Miss
Roxy Etheridge daughter of M.r
and Mrs. Gus Etheridge of Manteo
late Wednesday afternoon, the re
sult of collision between an auto
and Miss Etheridge’s horse which
she was riding. She is presently
being treated in Marine Hospital,
Norfolk, for knee injury, and un
dergoing x-ray exams.
The accident occurred in front
of Manteo Baptist Church at inter
section of Main Street with the
state highway. Driver of the auto
mobile, a 1955 Chevrolet, was Miss
Raye Reepess of Manteo. Approxi
mately sls damage resulted to the
car. No ill effects were reported
to the horse.
BONNER SPEAKER
AT GATHERING IN
BELHAVEN ON 24TH
Chamber of Commerce Banquet
Will Also Present "Man of
Year"
Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, Repre
sentative of The First District,
will be the main speaker for the
annual banquet of the Belhaven
Community Chamber of Commerce,
Wednesday night, February 24th.
7:00 o’clock, at River Forest
Manor.
A large crowd is expected for
this event. Since only approxi
mately 100 people can be accom
modated, members and the general
public who are planning to attend,
are urged to buy their tickets, or
make reservations for their tickets,
at the earliest possible date. Tic
kets may be purchased from Cham
ber of Commerce members, or res
ervations for tickets may be made
by calling the Chamber of Com
merce office at WH-32951. The
price tickets is $2 per person.
Belhaven’s “Outstanding Man Os
The Yelar” will be announced and
recognized at this banquet.
INLET DREDGING
BIDS TOO HIGH;
LETTING DELAYED
Bids Will Be Called Again Later
in Month; LaPorte Low Bid
der at $190,360
The first phase of Oregon Inlet
dredging under the Corps of Engi
neers plan for deeper water serv
ing Wanchese and Manteo, suffer
ed delay this week as bids were
opened on the 16th and found con
siderably higher than government
estimates of $140,000. Low bidder
was reported to be J, A. Laporte
at $190,360.00; Atkinson Dredging
Co., was about SI,OOO higher.
Col. R. P. Davidson, district engi
neer, stated Thursday that bids for
the 12-foot-deep by 100-foot-wide
inside channel would be called for
again about the last of February,
and hoped there would be no fur
ther delay. Assinning the contract
is let at this time, the project com
pletion date Would remain un
changed, July 31.
Meanwhile, involving the bar
channel, Col. Davidson advised that
the Corps of Engineers’ hopper
dredge “Hyde” can’t operate in the
shallow water through which the
ocean bar channel from deep water
to the inlet near Pea Island will
be cut.
The dredge needs a 10.5 feet
depth in which to operate, and the
bar is only 8.6 feet deep.
As a result, the engineers will
ask for bids on two different plans
to get the 14-foot deep bar chan
nel dredged. Whichever method
gets the cheapest bid will be used.
Colonel Davidson said either a
pipeline dredge will provide a nar
row pilot channel across the bar
12-14 feet deep, allowing the Hyde
to complete the job, or a pipeline
dredge will be used to dredge the
entire 400-foot wide channel across
the ocean bar.
BALL GAMES WILL
AID HEART FUND IN
HYDE NEXT WEEK
Hyde citizens are promised some
interesting basketball games next
week, as the All-Star basketball
tournament aids the Heart Fund
in reaching its goal.
Tuesday night, February 23 at
Sladesville gym, Belhaven team
will match abilities with Slades
ville. The second glams will be be
tween Engelhard and Fairfield,
immediately afterward.
At Engelhard gym Friday night
the 26th, the losers of Tuesday
night will play the other losing
team, followed by a test of strength
between the winning teams of Tues
day night Game time is set for
7:30 each night
Proceeds from these events will
be turned over to Hyde County
chapter of the Heart Fund. Jimmy
Cox of Belhaven and Mrs. Odes
sa Jarvis of Engelhard have played
a large hand in arranging the
games. Mrs. Ada Harris of Fair
field is general chairman of the
drive, and urges all to support this
and other phases of the drive as
liberally as possible. Heart Sunday
will be observed February 28 at
which time a house-to-house can
vass will be underway throughout
the county.
BARBECUE SUPPER SAT.
FOR SOULE CHURCH FUND
The Soule Church is sponsoring
a barbecue supper, chicken or pork,
on Saturday, February 20th from
5 to 7 o’clock p.m. in the agricul
tural building at Swan Quarter.
The prices are adults SI.OO, chil-J
dren 50 cents. Proceeds will ba
used as a building fund. '
FELLOWSHIP AND FESTIVITY
TO RISE TO GREATEST HEIGHT
ON OUR COASTLAND IN 1960
Many Circumstances Combine to Make This a
Year of Consequence in the Coastland, With
a Series of Events to Touch the Heartstrings
of People From Afar; Tremendous Increase in
Visitors Expected.
IN HIS 31 ST YEAR AS
DARE COUNTY JUDGE
I ’ am?
B Ji
■■ ** JI
By a jgj
JUDGE WASHINGTON F. BAUM
is believed to hold a record for Re
corder’s Judge in Carolina. He was
appointed by the Dare County
Board of Commissioners in July
1929. In April the Board had auth
orized establishment of the Re
corders Court as sanctioned by the
Legislature, and unanimously ap
pointed Dewey L. Hayman of Man
teo to fill the office of Judge. At
that time, Mr. Hayman was em
ployed by the State Highway Com
mission as supervisor of road main
tenance in Dare County, and' his
Superiors advised him that under
the Highway policy then in ef
fect, he would not be able to hold
a public office and continue in the
employ of the state. The salary of
Recorder Judge at that time only
paid about SSO a month, but it took
only an hour or so a week, if court
See BAUM, Page Four
BEN DIXON MACNEILL
IS RECOVERING FROM
HIS RECENT ILLNESS
Be.n Dixon Mac Neill of Buxton
on-Cape Hatteras is recovering
from a recent serious illness which
made it necessary for him to be
rushed to the U.S. Veterans Hos
pital at Kecoughtan, Va., by Coast
Guard Helicopter several days ago.
He was suffering from a heart
condition, pneumonia and hiccups
when flown to the hospital.
The former newspaperman who
turned author when he wrote the
best-selling Mayflower Award book
“The Hatterasman,” wrote a friend
in Manteo this week as follows:
“It has ben a murky two weks,
about half of it in delirium. I’m
not used to fever, pneumonia, plus
some other ailments but I seem
to be on the mend now. Hiccups
' lasted 1114 days. I have been clear
I closer of fever four days. I’m off
■ the serious list now.”
He will probably be confined to
. the Kecoughtan hospital for sev
’ eral days.
BLUE MARLIN TOURNEY
PLANS FOR HATTERAS
DISCUSSED IN RALEIGH
Preparations are now underway
: for an International Blue Marlin
i inter-team tournament in Cape
Hatteitais waters on June 12-16 this
' year. It will be sponsored by Hat
teras Marlin Club. About 20 teams
I from the United States, Venezuela,
' Puerto Rico, Mexico, the south and
r west coasts of the United States
- and possibly from as far away as
I South Africa are expected to com-
> pete in the piscatorial attraction,
- largest of its kind ever to be held
> between Wedgeport and Ocean
i City, and, Florida and the Ba
i hamas.
’ Members of a committee from
t the tournament’s sponsoring Hfet-
■ teras Marlin Club met in Raleigh
; last week to complete initial plan
ning for the event. Among those at
tending was chairman Charles F.
Johnson president of Hatteras
' Marlin Club, Ross H. Walker, Rich
mond, Walter J. Wilkins, Norfolk,
’ Earl N. Phillips and WiUis Slane,
, High Point, Joe Morton, Greens
i boro, Dr. William W. Haesler, N.
C. State College, Dr. J. E. Morrow,)
Yale University, Woodrow Price,'
Raleigh and the club’s managing
i director “Bounce” Anderson of Hat
teras. «
MAIL SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO BOX 428
MANTEO, N. C.
NOT TO INDIVIDUALS
Single Copy 70
The year 1960 is shaping up as
a memorable one in this Coastland
from the standpoint of fellowship
and festivity. Beginning with the
Pirates Jamboree in April, there
is a series of events planned which
will center attention on our coasJ*
and bring many more visitors than
usual.
The movement for a Coastland
Homecoming during the summer
season in connection with the 90th
anniversary of the creation of
Dare County as a sub
division, will mean much also to
the neighbor counties of Currituck,
Tyrrell and Hyde from which
counties Dare was created. These
counties have been invited to join
with Dare in making a great suc
cess of the event.
A celebration is planned for Hat
teras in May to dedicate an air
strip in honor of the late General
Billy Mitchell, who based his op
erations in air strategy from this
locality. In June, the first inter
national Blue Marlin tournament
will attract world attention to Hat
teras.
Dedication of the new memorial
museum at Kill Devil Hills is ex
pected to take place during this
summer.
As always, the 18th of August
which will be the 373rd anniversary
of the birth of Virginia Dare at
tracts wide interest on the part
of the historically and patriotically
minded. History records Virginia
Dare, born on Roanoke Island in
1587 as tlte first child of English
parents born in the territory of
the 13 original United States.
Actually, English explorers had
landed on Roanoke Island three
years earlier, and the expedition
bringing Virginia Dare’s parents
was the third one to the North
Carolina coast by English explor
ers.
The Pirate’s Jamboree April 29-
30 is expected to be one of the
prime attractions of the tourist
season, as usual, with a big out
door fish fry at Hatteras, and two
days of outdood festivities in the
Kitty Hawk to Manteo area.
A new addition this year to the
Pirate’s Jamboree attractions is
expected in an assault landing drill
by the 159th boat battalion of Fort
Eustis, Va.
A district conference of Rotary
clubs will be held at the Caro
lianian at Nags Head May 13-14th.
Establishment of automobile
feny service between Ocracoke and
Sea Level is expected during
Marell.
On the completion of the Oregon
Inlet, Manteo, Wanchese, deep
water project this summer, ded
ication ceremonies are expected to
be held at Wanchese. This project
will bring to the Raleigh Coast
land larger vessels than have been
enabled to make port here north
of Beaufort.
On June 25th, the Lost Colony
will open for the 26th season, and
shortly afterward the I,oooth per
formance will be held. Many dis
tinguished guests will be invited.
See 1960, Page Four
PIRATE KING JULIAN
PLANS CARAVAN SOON
TO RICHMOND VA. AREA
Dare Coast Pirate Jamboree
King Julian Oneto announced this
week thiat a full fledged caravan
of Dare Coast pirates would in
vade Richmond and the Virginia
sector during early March.
A smaller group including the
Rotary Club’s Pirate Quartet will
be guests of the Ahoskie Rotary
Club on March 10.
King Julian anounced that plans
(are developing for additional -cara
vans to Raleigh and North Caro
lin* cities and possibly to Wash
ington, D. C., in advance of the
sixth annual Pirate Jamboree on
the last week end of April this
year.
Various Jamboree committees
are now working on additional
plans for the Spring Vacation
launching event
Lawrence L. Swain is overall
chairman of the Jamboree this year
and his co-chairman is Herbert
Van Vleek of Kitty Hawk. A gen
eral meeting of the Jamboree
groups is planned for late February
at which time additional plans will
be announced along with the prog
ress that has been made by the
Hatteras Island group who will
all-county event