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VOL XXV NO. 36
RELIEF PROMISED
* FOR BAD SITUATION
AT OREGON INLET
Highway Engineer Says Dredging
Contract Shaping Up; Army
Engineers Visit Dare
Relief for the Oregon Inlet sit
uation whereby shoal water has
recently worked severe economic
loss to the people of Hatteras Is
land, was promised Thursday to
County Commissioner Woodrow
Edwards of Waves by Chief En
gineer Cam Lee of the State
Highway Commission.
Mr. Lee says proposals for bids
to dredge out the channel used by
ferry boats are in the making and
it is expected a contract will be
let this month. The estimated
cost is in excess of $30,000. Mr.
Lee said advice given the High
way Commission led them to be
lieve they should not do the work
before the stormy March season
is over, for fear the channel
might fill in again.
As promised last week, Col. R.
P. Davidson, District Engineer of
Wilmington and members of his
staff, met with the Dare County
Board of Commissioners Wednes
day to discuss the status of sev
eral waterways projects in Dare
County. Col. Davidson explained
that the channel needed for direct
use of the Oregon Inlet ferry
boats is not a responsibility any
longer of the Engineers Corps,
since legislation has established
another channel on which Federal
funds must be spent. He ex
pressed a desire to cooperate with
the state in any way possible
however within the scope of laws
which govern the operation of his
department.
Meeting with Col. Davidson al
so were Mayor Ras Wescott of
Manteo, Mayor R. H. Cook of Kill
Devil Hills, Dr. W. W. Harvey,
Jr. and Wayland Baum of the
Dare County Waterways Commit
tee and some other officials.
Col. Davidson was accompanied
on this trip to Dare County by
three staff men of the Wilming
ton District office of the Corps of
Engineers: D. A. Gardner, chief
of operations; L .C. McDuffie, Jr.,
Chief Engineer; and Cecil W. Hen
derson, Director projects operations
branch. The trip included an in
spection of the dredging work done
at Wanchese and Manteo and a
visit to the harbor at Hatteras
which has been the subject of a
recent dredging contract.
DEEP CHANNEL
CONSIDERED FOR
WRIGHT'S CREEK
Hie Corps of Engineers will hold
a public hearing at Belhaven April
1 to hear views concerning whether
or not there is a need for navi
gational improvements in Wrights
(keek.
The hearing will be held in the
high school auditorium beginning
at 9 a.m.
Col. R. P. Davidson, District
Engineer, who will preside, urges
all persons who have an interest
in the wtaterway to attend the hear
ing and express their views con
cerning the character and extent
of the improvements desired and
the adivisability of their execution.
It is understood that local inter
ests desire that a 12-foot stabilized
channel be dredged from deep wa
ter in the Pungo River and the
Intra-coastal Wlaiterway to the
main hard-surface highway be
tween Belhaven and Pamlico Beach,
a channel distance of some 2 miles.
No specific route has been indi
cated. Sponsors of the improvement
are urged to present pertinent
factual material bearing upon the
general plans of improvement - de
sired and to give detailed support
ing data on the economic justifica
tion of the undertaking. Opposing
interests, if any, are also urged to
state the reasons for their position.
Included in the factual informa
tion should be data on the type,
number, origin, destination, and the
light and loaded draft of vessels
expected to use the improvement,
if provided; the estimated benefits
from increased loads of fish and
shellfish and other commerce trans
ported over the project; and the
benefits from prevention of dam
age to boats, from reduction in
operating expenses and from simi
tar items.
Oral statements will be heard,
but.for accuracy of record, all im
portant facts and arguments should
be submitted in writing, in 6 copies,
as the records of the hearing will
be forwarded for consideration by
the Secretary of the Army. Writ
ten statements may be turned in
at the hearing or mailed to the
District Engineer here.
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 CAROLINA
CORNELIUS P. MIDGETT
DIES IN DUKE THURSDAY
ItSSi
BklbS
JORNELIUS PAYNE MIDGETT,
81, prominent Nags Head citizen,
and owner of the First Colony
Inn, died after an illness of six
months Thursday morning in
Duke Hospital, Durham. He was
a native of Rodanthe, the son of
the late John Allen Midgett, Sr.
and Mrs. Phoebe O’Neal Midgett,
and the husband of the late Daisy
Harrison Midgett. He is survived
by two sisters, Mrs. J. Frank
Meekins and Mrs. Lurania Midgett
of Rodanthe, and by numerous
nieces and nephews.
DARE COUNTY 1 ftED CROSS ' "
FUND DRIVE UNDERWAY
The drive to raise Dare County’s
quota of SB4O for the American
Red Cross opened this week, ac
cording to Fund Chairman Mrs.
Virginia Davis of Wanchese. It is
hoped that during the month that
sum may ba raised, which is
slightly less than 1959 goal.
No established schedule has been
mlade for collections, 'bdt‘ during
March efforts will be made to con
tact all homes in the county. Those
wishing to contribute by mail may
send their checks to Mrs. Davis at
Wanchese.
BONNER SPEAKS FOR BELHAVEN "MAN OF THE YEAR"
CONGRESSMAN U. HvNNExc is snown at left on the
occasion of his speech in Belhaven last week at a Chamber of Com
merce dinner and “Man of the Year” award to Russell Johnston.
Next are Dr. J. T. Wright, president of the Chamber of Commerce
and Jule Purvis, Executive Secretary.
Russell Johnston was honored
as Belhaven’s “Outstanding Man Os
Yearly”, February 25th at-the an
nual Chamber of Commerce ban
quet, and Herbert Bonner, the main
speaker, addressed a large crowd,
using as his topic “Service and
Leadership”.
Dr. J. T. Wright, president of the
Belhaven Chamber of Commerce,
presided over the meeting, and
made the presentation of an en
graved plaque, to Mr. Johnston. He
told him that the .award presented
to him, represented the highest
recognition that can be bestowed on
la young man from the Chamber
of Commerce. It was given on the
basis of his contribution for out
standing achievements in Church,
School, Civic and Home Life. Also
for the many efforts he had made,
unsolicited, for the betterment and
welfare of his Community.
Mr. Johnston has proven that he
is a real leader in his church: as
Chairman of the Board of First
Christian Church, and has assumed
duties in the church in all capaci
ties. He holds the responsible po
sition of Postmaster in Belhaven,
and is District Chairman of North
Carolina Chapter of National As
sociation of Postmasters. He is
president of the Parent-Teachers
Association; for the past two years
has been Chairman of the annual
4th of July celebration; Chairman
of the Belhaven group that worked
for the school bond issue; treasurer
and active member of the Cham
ber of Commerce; was chairman of
Red Cross Bloodmobile visit here
for two years; and he is a member
of American Legion, serving last
year as Commander. He served in
the Navy for 8 years, attaining the
See PROGRAM, Psge Five
ENCOURAGEMENT
FOR ROTARY BY
NORFOLK EDITOR
"Kit" Larson Tells Manteo Group
They Are Doing Good Job,
and More Ahead
Encouragement from a good
source and praise' for the work
that has been done in Dare County
was voiced Monday evening at the
weekly luncheon of the Manteo Ro
tary Club when R. K. T. Larson
Norfolk editor spoke on the history
of this area, and how to continue
enjoying it. Larson was introduced
by Victor Meekins.
Mr. Larson, who is public re
lations editor for Norfolk News
papers, has been on this news
paper job since 1924 and had a
hand in the Williamsburg restora
tion and the raising of funds to
restore old St. Luke’s church at
Smithfield, Vo. He was accom
panied to Manteo by Stuart Row
ley of the Norfolk newspapers.
In recounting the long record of
the leaders of the area in making
capital of historical events, begin
ning in 1926 with the first nation
ly noted celebration held at Fort
Raleigh on August 18th. Larson
praised the energy and enterprise
of Dare County people, and en
couraged them to continue asking
for help from outside sources. He
mentioned in particular the job that
Aycock Brown has done to promote
the. tourist industry in the area.
Continued work without let up, he
pointed out, can only be depended
on for best results.
He mentioned also, the appropri
ate plans to dedicate an airstrip
at Frisco, near Hatteras in honor
of the late General Billy Mitchell.
“Just keep on asking, and you
will always be getting something,’’
wUs his advice, in a 30 minute ad
dress packed with effective humor
ous illustrations and encourage
ment for continuing with the
coastland’s progressive program
for a year’ of celebrations and
homecomings that has not yet been
matched in the 90 years of Dare
County’s history.
REVIVAL MARCH 6-lITH
AT KITTY HAWK CHURCH
Rev. Noah B. Hill, Jr., of Rober
sonville will be the guest minister
at the Kitty Hawk Methodist
Church during the Week of Revival,
March 6th through March 11th.
Services will begin each evening
promptly at 8:00 o’clock; beginning
Sunday; they will close on Friday
evening. Mr. Hill has preached in
Dare County before and is known
to many people. He graduated from
Pfeiffer Junior College with an A.
A. Degree and from Atlantic
Christian College with an A. B.
Degree. He has done graduate work
at the Duke Divinity School and at
East Carolina College.
Mr. Hill has been minister of the
Robersonville Charge since 1956
and has served the Methodist Con
ference since 1951. Besides his pas
toral duties, Mr. Hill is a District
Director on the Commission on
Town and Country Work in the
See REVIVAL, Page Five
D.\RE HEART DRIVE
MAY REACH ITS GOAL
Incomplete reports for Dare
County indicate a total of |560.20
raised to date, being boosted con
siderably by collections Heart
Sunday, February 28. Following
are areas and amounts as report
ed: Manteo and north end of
Roanoke Island, >280.01; Wan
chese >47.27; Stumpy Point
>82.97; Kitty Hawk >48.92; Hat
teras >23.90; Cape Hatteras
School >23.50; Manteo Elementary
School >43.73; Manteo High
School >15.60; Roanoke School
>5.40; and balloon sales >41.90.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1960
GASKILL WARNS
DEMOCRATS GOP
TICKET IN FALL
Dare Republicans Return From
Raleigh Pepped Up By
Nixon Unity
A warning of a Republican
ticket for the first time in more
than 25 qestrs in Dare County is
hinted this week by chairman
L. V. Gaskill, who returned from
•he convention held in Raleigh Fri
day, much pepped up by the unity
which surrounds Richard Nixon’
campaign, which was endorsed by
the Dare delegates.
Attending from Dare besides
Chairman Gaskill of Wanchese
were Dan Burgess of Stumpy
Point and Walter Gaskill of Man
teo. The Dare chairman said he
was pleased with the re-election
of State Chairman W. E. Cobb of
Morganton, although he said east
ern delegates out of loyalty had to
vote for the unsuccessful candidate
from the east.
With >a county pledged to Rich
ard Nixon, Mr. Gaskill says he be
lieves Dare can round up several
candidates for a county ticket this
year. Only county offices open for
election are boards of Commis
sioner.s Education, and the Rep
resentative.
Mr. Gaskill reported pleasure at
the speech of Senator Thruston B.
Morton of Kentucky, the keynoter
in Raleigh. He is convinced Nixon
will be elected and believes it is
important to Dare County to have
an effective working GOP organi
zation to protects the rights of
this area to Federal patronage.
“I am not looking for a job of
any kind for myself,” Gaskill said,
“but I do feel the wonderful job
Mr. Cobb has done in the state
merits some effort on the part of
all of us, even in a small county
like Dare.”
An estimated 1,000 delegates at
tended the session in Raleigh. The
convention endorsed Richard Nixon
for President, but did not instruct
the State’s delegates for him, Mr.
Gaskill said. The convention said
no party ever had a man better
qualified for president than Nixon.
Others from ‘ adjoiiUng counties
in Raleigh for the meeting were
Smith Harrell of Mamie, and Dr.
Henry Liverman of Engelhard.
For State Vice-Chairman, Miss
Frances Ratcliff of Pantego lost
to Miss Stella Rutledge of Wilon.
Four alternate delegates to the Na
tional convention were selected
from five nominees, the sth and
loser being L. E. Austin, a Durliam
negro editor.
PLYMOUTH GETS
BIG INDUSTRY TO
MAKE CORNSTARCH
Eight Million Dollars To Be Invest
ed in Plant Using 4,000,000
Bushels of Corn a Year
When the Southern Albemarle
Industrial Committee met in Bel
haven this week at River Forest
Manor, it had one of the biggest
pieces of news before it that has
ever come out in this area. For
years, P. D. Midgett of Engelhard
has preached that industries should
be encouraged to utilize home proj
ects. Chairman W. M. Darden of
this committee in Belhaven this
week says one is coming to use
home products. His town will get
it.
Plymouth, has been chosen as the
location for an $8 million corn
starch manufacturing paint, first
of its kind in the entire South,
Governor Luther H. Hodges said
this week. Southern Starch In
dustries, Inc., a North Carolina
corporation founded for the pur
pose of producing corn starch, has
joined Dixon Chemical and Re
search, Inc., which has headquar
ters in New Jersey, in forming
Dixon Southern Chemicals, Inc.
Company officials said present
plans call for the Plymouth plant
to produce 80,000 tons of industrial
com starch per year from the ap
proximate four million bushels of
com the concern plans to purchase
annually in Eastern North Caro
lina.
Pointing out that the new plant
in Washington county will be the
only one of its kind outside the
Midwest, Governor - Hodges said
“the decision to construct this
plant at Plymouth is not only ex
citing and wonderful news for that
section, but for all North Caro
lina."
Governor Hodges said he was de
lighted that this plant was going
to Eastern North Carolina, which
has a surplus of labor and needs
new plants and other job opportuni
ties.
Ootqpany officials said the Di
vision of Commerce and Industry
of the North Carolina Department
of Conservtion and Development
and local people in Plymouth have,
been of considerable help to them*
Sea INDUSTRY, Page Five
Mg* l“* \ * ■ 2,’ •I*’’ ■ ■
OP OFFICERS IN NORFOLK COAST GUARD DISTRICT OFFICE
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REAR ADM. PETER COLMAR CAPT. CLIFFORD R. MacLEAN
SINCE the old days when some 15 shore stations of the U. S. Life
Saving Service constituted the bulwark of the economy of Coastland
Dare County, and during the years since the consolidation of this
service with the Coast Guard, it has been of much interest to pur
citizens to know all about the top men in command of the District
in which our lifesavers served. Now Dare County has only seven
stations; Ocracoke Island has one instead of two; Currituck County
has none left of seven, but those remaining stations are considered
mighty important, and instead of serving close at home, tlere are
far more men than ever from this coast enlisted in this service—
but they are away in other ports or on ships of the Coast Guard.
It is a pleasure to present here two fine men who have succeed
ed a long recent list of heads of the district in recent years. Rear
Admiral Peter V. Colmar is head of the district, and his next in
command is Capt Clifford R. Mac Lean.
Peter Vincent Colmar, was bom
on July 17, 1908 at Sodus, New
York. He was graduated from
high school at Newark, New York,
in 1925, and entered the United
States Coast Guard Academy at
New London, Connecticut, in Aug
ust 1926.
Graduated and commissioned
Ensign on May 15, 1929, he sub
sequently was promoted in rank
as follows: Lieutenant (jg), May
15, 1931; Lietenant, May 15, 1933;
Lieutenant Commander, June 26,
1942; Commander, September 15,
1942; Captain, August 5, 1949;
and Rear Admiral, February 1,
1959.
From July, 1929 to August,
1931, he was assigned to the du
ties of watch officer aboard the
cutter Modoc stationed at Wil
mington, N. C., then was given
command of the CG-214, a 75-
foot patrol boat stationed at New
York City with a Coast Guard In
telligence Unit. In August, 1933
he was assigned as instructor in
radio and engineering at the
Coast Guard Academy where he
remained until June, 1937. He
then moved to the cutter Galatea
stationed at New York City to
serve a year as her executive of
ficer.
In June -1938 he was assigned to
post-graduate studies in electrical
See COLMAR, Page Five
UNCLE DOCK FROM DUCK WRITES:
Can't Discover The Reason For Any Great
Change In The "Facts of Life" These Days
Dear Mr. Editor:
I don’t know why you left my
last two letters out of the paper
unless they weren’t interesting
enough. It’s got so nowadays un
less we do something radical no
body notices it We make a great
to-do about everything, and that
makes me think about all this rip
roaring talk in our neighborhood
about the self-appointed task of
one of our teachers to give her
young pupils all the facts of life
at once.
Now I just don’t see the point
of going hog-wild on the idea that
school teacher, maybe an old maid,
can’t find enough to do without
considering it her duty to get her
pupils together and tell them that
the awful consequences of mother
hood is going to batter them down
before they get to be sophomores
in high school. It may be that a
few of them gals go hog wild on
the idea that they should coax
some green boy into giving them a
little assistance in achieving their
supreme function ahead of time.
We always have had a few girls
so far as I can recollect, who had
less above the neckline than they
had below it, but how to get the
country to realize that all people
are not created the same seems
an impossibility in this age.
One of my neighbors thought it
was time to give her daughter some
good advice, so one day she called
the girl in, and as is usually the
case, she began to stammer and
turn red, and finally told the girl,
'“I hope you realize it is my duty :
to give you some good advice about
the facts of life.” Much to her
surprise the girt said:
“Why mother, I’ve been knowing 1
ill about that for several years. ’
Save they changed any rime you '
vas a girl!” '
Now all this ruckus that is being
I I' if
T .'
s jh| ;
Clifford Rolston Mac Lean was
bom on October 5, 1907, at Sault
Ste. Marie, Michigan, and was
graduated from Sault Ste. Marie
High School in 1926. His military
career began with an appointment
as a Cadet at the U. S. Coast
Guard Academy, New London,
Connecticut, on August 2, 1927.
Graduated with a Bachelor of
Science Degree and commissioned
an Ensign in 1930, he thereafter
advanced in rank as follows:
Lieutenant (jg), June 1933; Lieu
tenant, June 1936; Lieutenant
Commander, July 1941; Com
mander, July 1943; and Captain,
August 1951.
On his first assignment |rom
the Academy, he served on the
Coast Guard Cutter Mojave on
International Ice Patrol out of
Boston, Mass. His next assign
ment from 1931 through 1933 was
aboard the Cutter Seminole based
at his home town of Sault Ste.
Marie, Michigan. From 1933 to
1934 he served aboard the Coast
Guard Destroyer Herndon based
at New London, Conn. In 1934 he
came back to the Great Lakes, this
time to the Cutter Tahoma of
Cleveland, Ohio. He served on this
icebreaker for 18 months.
From 1935 to 1939 he served on
engineering duty on the Cutter
Tampa, based at Mobile, Alabama.
See McLEAN, Page Five
raised about this teacher that
wants to start a new course with
mixed classes seems to me a mat
ter for our school officials to take
in hand. If our school officials think
it is all right to turn some teacher
loose with radical ideas, then we
should look over our school of
ficials carefully, and if they are
not doing the right job, we should
try to find some others who will
do better; that is, if they are to
be found. After all, in my opinion,
the whole trouble begins with the
folks at home who don’t give their
children enough of the right up
bringing when they are little.
People don’t share enough of their
time with the children who are
their responsibility.
We don’t pay enough attention
to picking good teachers, and we
are too prone to turn all our re
sponsibilities over to the all teach
ers, whether they are good or bad.
Sometimes w-e get stuck with
teachers we wouldn’t allow in our
doors, but it looks like we are will
ing for them to. have full charge
of training the minds of our chil
dren.
Now Mr. Editor, I don’t think it
will do any good to say anything
about this class in sex education
in our school. But I don’t see the
point in rushing the thing along,
and getting the young folks think
ing about such things ahead of
time, when they ought to be work
ing on something more important
It’s a subject on which everybody
else, so far back as I can remem
ber has been anxious to volunteer
information. I guess we shouldn’t
complain too much when teachers
take it on themselves to get in
there also and go to pitching. Mhy
be some of them are sore about
missing out on something they
think the young folks are getting
a lot out of.
Yours for more commonsense,
UNCLE DOCK FROM DUCK
MAIL SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO BOX 428
MANTEO, N. C.
NOT TO INDIVIDUALS
Single Copy 70
LESSONS FOR THE
COASTLAND FROM
THE FAR SOUTH
We’ve Got What It Takes to Do
With By Providing Prime
Ingredient: "Work"
By VICTOR MEEKINS
COLUMBIA, S. C., Feb. 23.—Two
weeks ago when I stalled on this
trip with Catherine to visit Roger
in La., it was a spirit of resignation
and submission. This spirit came
out of a long desire to see our son
more often than he was able to
come home. Resignation came of
my age, and my dislike of either
riding or driving on long trips. At
my age I doubted I would ever get
there and as far back toward home
as this point, without the assistance
of an ambulance. Now I have never
felt better. Since then I have vis
ited old friends after looking for
them. I have missed a few of those
dear coastland people who are
scattered all through this South
land but I have found on this trip
something more valuable, and that
is the renewed conviction that I
still owe a lot to my homefolks,
and that no matter now how weary
the day finds me, I must keep on
working to make up for the time
I have lost in the long ago past. I
have renewed encouragement; a re
newal of a spirit of dedication; a
conviction that everything one does
must be with the first motive to
benefit all the people.
During all this trip I have fol
lowed my resolution to forget busi
ness at home. I have not seen a
North Carolina newspaper, nor any
N. C. news in other papers save
references to the paid negro stu
dents, who while being supported
by the white citizens of our state,
have allowed themselves to the
made monkeys by northern agita
tors in order to stage demonstra
tions at white lunch counters. As
I view it, we whites ought to drop
the business of coddling these nit
wits, and sacrificing our money to
support them so-long as they are
not willingto take advantage of it.
I can’t see the point of them liv-
See LESIONS, Page Four
MRS. ANGES MIDGETT DIES
AFTER YEARS OF ILLNESS
In the death of Mrs. Anges Mid
gett, wife of Willie E. Midgett of
Manteo, who died in a Norfolk hos
pital Sunday morning, the town lost
a citizen who until her illness be
gan 16 years ago had been a faith
ful, helpful community worker, citi
zen and neighbor. She was born at
Buxton 61 years ago, of a promi
nent family, but had lived in Man
teo more than 40 years. She was the
daughter of the Late Seymour and
Mollie Tolar Miller. The recent
years of her illness had been spent
at the nearby home of her sister
in-law, Miss Eulalia Midgett be
cause site had been a shut-in, but
withal she had maintained an in
spiring spirit of cheerfulness de
spite her afflictions.
She was a member of Mt. Olivet
Methodist Church, in Manteo,
where funeral services were con
ducted Tuesday at 2 p.m. by the
Rev. Harold F. Leatherman, the
pastor, assisted by Rev. C. R Ol
sen.
Surviving her are her husband,
Willie E. Midgett, retired Coast
Guard station commander; a son,
Milton M. Midgett of Norfolk;
three sisters, Mrs. Carlos Peele of
Hatteras, Mrs. Jarvis Midgett of
New Smyrna, Fla., and Mrs. Jua
nita Parker of Manteo; a brother
Donald Miller of New Smyrna, Fla.,
and two grandchildren.
COORDINATION PLANNED FOR
DARE’S HISTORICAL EVENTS
At a committee meeting held
Monday night in Manteo, plans
shaped up for coordination of the
several celebrations scheduled to
take place in Dare County this
summer. W. H. McCown is chair
man of the committee, and the
meeting was attended also by Mrs.
Leo Midgett, of the Manteo Gar
den Club, Mrs. Beulah Gaylord,
Home Agent, Jim Rea, Agricultural
Agent; Bob Gibbs of the National
Seashore; Aycock Brown, Victor
Meekins, Mrs. Bertie Ward, Allen
Mann, Jr.
Celebrations are contemplated in
several other Dare County com
munities, and perhaps in some com
munities in the neighbor counties
of Hyde, Tyrrell, and Currituck
which gave the arete to create Dare
County 90 years ago. The impor
tant happenings to be noted in
Dare during this year include the
Annual Pirates Jamboree; the dedi
cation of the Billy Mitchell Air
strip near Hatteras and the Wright
Aviation Museum; the Blue Martin
fishing tournament; the 1000th
performance of the Loot Colony,
the completion of deep water chan
nel from the ocean into Roanoke
Isalnd harbors, the beginning of
constructing a throe million dol
lar bridge connecting Tyrrell and
Dare over Alligator River, eto.