iH
THE HYDE COUNTY HERALD
i^E NEWS OF THE RICHEST AGRICULTURAL COUNTY IN THE FUREMOST HISTORICAL AND RECREATIONAL AREA OF NORTH CAROLINA
No. 47
SWAN QUARTER, N. C., THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1945
Single Copy 5 Cent
Carolina coast folk
HAVE MORE CASH NOW
THAN EVER BEFORE
in Bank Deposits in Hyde, Tyrrell and Dare
^as Been Rapid Since Start of War; Total Now
Weeds $3,500,000; Many Hold War Bonds
LT.-COMDR. MIDGETT A. W. DRINKWATER
RETURNS TO PACIFIC ^ HONORS
NEXT TUESDAY
LOOKS LIKE HE’LL HAVE
TO RUN FOR SOMETHING
Man Who Is Rated Dare’s
First Citizen Retiring
From Coast Guard
THOS. E. SPENCER
Ni
'“tie;
people of the coastland
jjj “S o.f Hyde, Tyrrell and
tjij® have more co’.d cash than
U .^'^er had in their lives, if
in banks at Engelhard,
Ij ^ Quarter, Columibia and
tell a true story, as they |
Ijj ®**htedly do. They also ‘have-
holdings in war bonds |
,, they have purchased since:
'irl '
CROPS IN HYDE
ARE DAMAGED
BY RECENT RAINS
Cotton Is Especially Hurt;
Condition Is General
Throughout State
>ith
Hanbor.
^'^Carding to the bank state-
oi the East Carolina Bank
^'^gelhard, deposits in its
branches at Swan Quarter,
l^^'hard and Columbia amchunt-
$2,532,107.87 o.n July 1st.
j,. .^^auk of Miaiiteo reported de-
amounting to $1,167,817.54,
a ' total of $3,699,915.41
LJ^h the citizens of this section
L, 'jp the vaults of the home
deposits in the two bank-
L companies five years ago,
1. 1940, was $604,304.94, or
U® Ulan three million less than
are today. The Manteo bank
Ued deposits totaling $239,-
on that date and the En-
Banking & Trust Com-
now tho F.ast. Carolina
^-. reported $365,285.78. |
- hi.e the war has boosted the
, , Wl'C Wcia iiaii ••—
power o.f people in all
of the United States, h
factor that has cantribut-
k increased prosperity in
tj ^ and Tyrrell counties, ac-
A “'Pg to M. A. Matthews, of
'l^^^hard, cashier of the East
Bank, is the gradual
k|* lo diversified farming. Ivlr.
says that farmers are
*ag money growing livestock,
potatoes and other crops
they have never gro.wn
Engelhard banker believes
in With further diversification
Vjj|^‘'-'iiing in this section, along
improved methods and
(. of agriculture, even great-
^’-osperity than is being ob-
today can be expected to
® *0 the fertile Southern Al-
farm country. Once the
of Hyde get completely
■> from "putting all their eggs
basket” by planting corn,
He'''' soybeans, very much
(f, ^^me crops their grandfath-
Wanted a hundred years ago,
'ilaitthews foresees more peo-
With larger bank accounts,
tj ^ Hot necessary to look ov-
Vij _ bank statements and re
td ’ the war ;bond sales records
Hd^®® that people have more
than ever before. It is ap-
in the towns and along
(,. ''"'ay. There is a huge demand
dij Wost every type of merchan-
itierchants cannot keep ad-
>ate -
btd
^i-Ure and wearing apparel
qJ are all affected.
stocks to fitl demands.
goods.
jjjj.^are, grocery, dry
'Ues
items that are not under
dj Wg price control ocf the OPA,
I'j^^'^ally high prices are oiften
as the consumers bid
jj Wst nne another. In other eas-
dealers charge mucb more
^ items are worth as they
fi^biek and easy pirofits.
ln^d® are drinking more soft
' than ever before, judg-
the croiwds that cater
J^arly to the soda fountain
creaim oountears. There is j
detaand for popular
^‘‘hs of cigarets, and other lux-
saloons report record
(C ’ '^ith inany unable to keeip
supplies. The ' liqueur
m t'epotts of ©aire and Tyr-
. Show Ithat the ABC l?oys
largg quantities cif whis-
the counters. 'Wlhile
County doesn’t haive legal
it is safe to assupie that
'*'ho drink are buying it at
tljiiij^^Manteo, Bethaven and
tji^ other fasidilcaltlon: that
kre more prospeacous than
been in years, is the
Of the tax collectors
HI (, show higher percentages
Ij^hections. It is always a sign
JWbved conditions when peo-
Crops in Hyde County have
been damaged considerabi'y by
recent rains which have been gen
eral for more than a month As
they continue, prospects of afur-
ou't in this year’s production in
creases.
According to County Agent J.
P. Woodard, cotton is suffering
more than any other crop, al-
thougl^oorn has been hurt. The
county agent pointed out that
morning rains destroy the cotton
blossoms and keep the plants
from fruiting.
Until this week, the Scranton
esetion and the loiwlands around
Fairfield had been the hardest hit
areas in Hyde County. Heavy
rains fell in Lake Landing town
ship this week to cast a shadow
over the bright crop prospects in
that section of the count.
Pastures which suffered from
the dry weather cef the early sum
mer have been given added life,
but gardens and some field crops
have seen the grass sipring up and
grow rapidily. Little plowing and
hoew' ork has been possible be
cause the soil hadbe en too wet
most of the time for a month now.
The rains have been general
throughouot the state. The news
bureau of the State Department
of Agriculture released the fol
lowing story for this weA:
Rains were general over North
Carolina from July 8 through July
20, said a cooperative report is
sued Wednesday by the U. S.
Weather Bureau and the Bureau
of Agricultural Economics.
This report, covering the period
from July 8-14, is the first of
weekly weather-crops reports
which will be issued each Wed
nesday for the entire State. In
formation for the weekly release
wii: be provided by weather ex
perts and 300 special weather-
crop reporter, according to Frank
Parker, head of the Federal-State
Crop reporting service.
The report said that soil mois
ture was plentiful as ofJuly 17,
with rains continuing to make up
for the long May-June dry period
in many sections of the State.
While cultivation of crops was
generally good at the beginning of
the'wet weather, soils are too wet
for p-owing this week, and grass
i making rapid headway.
Crop conditions were reported
as "fair to good.” However, har
vesting of croips ishandi capped.
Continuous rains have interfered
with the harvesting of peaches,
creating many "softs,” which af
fect the carrying qualities and the
grade. Hay that has been cut
but not saved will be almost a,
complete loss. The livestock out
look is favored beca^use of the "a-
mazing improvement” in pastures
and prospects for feed crops.
iLIEI^T.-iOCMMIANDER. DENNIS
MIDGETT, U. S. Maritime Ser
vice, who has recently returned
to duty in the Pacific after spend
ing his leave in Manteo. Lieut.-
iCommandex Midgett is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Midgett of
Manteo.
SLADESVILLE
GETS NO HIGH
SCHOOL TEACHERS
state Board of Education
Has Turned Down Two
Requests
A. W. Drinkwater, senior tele
grapher for the U. S. Coast Guard,
: will end 44 years of service next
Tuesday, July 31. Neighbors and
I friends in Dare Ccunty by unani?
I mous ensent have joined in plans
for a big celebration that day in
the form of a barbecue dinner in
the evening, with refreshments
and gifts.
It is the first time in all the
history of the county that one cit-
izein has been singled out by so
many people who wis hto honor
him. It is doubtful if there is a
man in the state more popular
with the masses. His reputation
extends far and wide, and for his
70th birthday, his friends thought
It ideal to present him with some
small token of the esteem they
hold for him.
Next Tuesday he retitres from
a service to his people that be
gan 44 years ago when he went
with the U. S. Weather Bureau,
taking a joib at maylbe $25 la
month. During the years he has
served the community well, re
porting weather conditions, deliv
ering telegrams, and accommodat
ing people generally.
Mr. Drinkwater’s acquaintance
extends far away. He is known
and loved by hundreds of news
paperman, public officials, high
officials of the armed forces. He
has been a one-man chamber of
commerce, entertaining influen
tial visitors, and building good
will for Dare County suen as few
men have been alble to do.
iNekt Tuesday will be a big
day. Friends of Mr. Drinkwater
from Raleigh, Washington and
other citizens will be present.
Neighbors from all parts of the
county from Hatteras to Duck will
come to felicitate him.
MANTEO BOATBUILDING CO.
MAKES CHANGES AS SOME
STOCKHOLDERS WITHDRAW
Guy Lennon Again President, and G. T. Westcott,
Vice President Concern Brought Several Million
Dollars to Manteo in War Contracts During Four
Years; Further Activity Planned
BROUGHTON TO
SPEAK AUG. 18
FORT RALEIGH
The Sladesville high school,
first accredited high school in
Hyde County and for a number
of years the largest school in the
county, has not been given an
allotment of high scho-ol teachers
for next year because the school
had an enrollment of only seven
high school pupils last year. The
State Board of Education has
turned down two requests of
school officials.
The citizens of Sladesville con
tend that because the homes of
the students are so widely scat
tered over a large territory serv
ed by dirt roads that they can
not well be taken to another
school by bus. The State Board of
Education, on the other hand, ar/-
gues that it would not be good
business to hire two teachers for
seven pupils.
There were some indications
this week that further efforts! War Ration Book Five, "small-
might be made to secure teach- j than a dollar bil” and contain
ers, although hopes of the ciiti- j jng just half as many stamps as
RATION BOOK FIVE
TO BE ISSUED
IN DECEMBER
HON. LINOSAY WARiREN, East
ern Carolina’s most popular fig
ure and astute political genius, is
going to have to run for Gover
nor of for U. S. Senator, accord
ing to gossips in North Carolina
and Washington. While Lindsay
could have had either long ago
toy just nodding bis head, and
they on a silver platter at that,
or a federal judgeship for that
matter, he has kenp on sawiftg
wood for the pa^t five years as
Comptroller General at a salary
of $15,000 a year in Wiashington.
He would be more likely to run
for Governor than Senator, for
be wants to come home, but there
are nine more years if he wants
them, in the office of Comiptroller
General, a poSt given him by
Rreisident Roosevelt, becauset he
President knew a s:trong man
would be needed, with all the bil
lions of war money to be spent.
Liindsay W'arren will not likely
quit his post while the war is on,
but if he should want to be Gov
ernor in 1948 he will set the
woods afire.
Former Governor, Chairman,
Calls Meeting of Lost
Colony Directors
New “A” Gasoline Ration
Books To Also Be Pro
vided At That Time
ROANOKE ISLAND GRAB
market HOLDS UP WELL
Along with the general pros
perity oin Roanoke Island, the crab
business is bringing in mudh mon
ey. Many crabbers from Man
teo, Wanchese and Manns Har
bor are getting from five to sev
en barrels of crabs a day, and
selling them for $5 a barrel. While
there are several buyers operat
ing in this section, the Roanoke
Island Produots Co. iplant at Sky-
co is doing much to stabilize the
markets, ibecause the meat is .puck-
out at this plant. iColored women
do the work, an dsome of them
earn up to $30 a week.
more money is the fact that for
the most part, the condition was
brought about by war in which
many fine young men have giv-
, en their lives. It is observed, too,
' that war economies are never
C* sorrowful note about the g^und and are followed by pe-
® story of people having ^ njods of depression.
zens are waning. Just what means
will be provided to give these
young people an opportunity to
complete their public schooling is
not known.
The Sladesville school has seen
its high school enrollment drop
rapidly in the last 10 years. While
most schools in tshi area have lost
students since the war began, the
records show that the Sladesville
school had started on the down
grade before thenf" In 1933-34
there were 69 high school pupils
enrolled in the school. The num
ber had dropped to 43 in 1937-
38 and by 1939-40 had reached a
low of 30.
Some difficulty is being ex
perienced by Hyde school offi-
the last book issued, will be .dis
tributed through the public
schools in December, Theodore S.
Johnson, Raleigh OPA district
director announced today. The
new "A” gasoline ration book
will be issued at the same time,
he said.
Distribution, Johnson said, will
take place from December 3
through December 15. The new
"A” gasoline book will go into
use December 22, and war ration
book five will be used soon after
the first of the year for food ra
tioning and for rationing of shoes.
The new book five will be a
better book, Johnson said. It will
be easier to carry and handle.
It wil be just as long as book
dais in getting full faculties forifg^y ^he
all the schools in the icounty. jj,yjj„ijer and arrangement of
Swan Quarter is the only school jg more convenient. The
to date that has a full faculty., stamps will be the same size,
No teachers have been olbtained
for the five-iteacher high school
at Ocraooke.
SWAN QUARTER WOMAN
DIES IN HOSPITAL
Funeral! services for Mrs. Ruf
us Smith, 61, were held at the
Swan Quarter Christian Church
Tuesday afternoon' with the Rev.
J, W. Lawlia, pastor, oifficiating.
Interment was in Mt. Olive Cem
etery.
Mrs. Smith, life-long resident
of Hyde County and a church
worker, passed away in Tayloe
Hospital in Washington Sunday
followinig a long illness. She was
highly regarded by a host of
but will not have both a letter and
a number as the present stamp
do and OPA hopes the new edi
tion will be the last of tae senet
of wartime ration books, Jjhii-
son .‘a d.
One h’j'ndTed and fifty million
ci.p.'es of book five sure now oeing
printed at approximately h.ilf the
cost of the xJreceding bon',t, John
son said. The gigantic task of dis-
tritoutioin is one that the teachers
and school officials are fuUy
equal to, he said, recalling the
efficient way in which they han
dled the dii^ihutioo of wax ra
tion book four.
At the current rate of making
stamps good, Johnson explained
—five red stami» and five blue
stamp at the Ibeginning of each
$100,000 TO BUILD
HOMES FOR NAVY
MEN AT MANTEO
Would Provide 28 Family
Units At Manteo
Airfield
Another hundred thousand dol
lars has been approved by Secre
tary Forestal to be spent at the
Manteo airport. This money is
to be used to provide 28 family
units to assure personnel at the
station adequate quarters at reas
onable rental.
There has been some complaint
at the station, during the past
year, that-sufficient quarters were
not av'ailalble and further that
rents were too high. At one time
two or more owners of renting
property were jacked up about
their rates. While this is not gen
erally true, it is enough to" leave
a bad taste in the mouths of Navy
men, and now the Government
will make available better facili
ties to take car'e of probable ex
pansion.
In a memorandum sent to Co'n-
gressman Bonner by the Secre
tary of the Navy we learn that
this project even is subject to re
duction or cancellation in the fu
ture due to changing war condi
tions.
The Manteo air station is now
used for rocket training, and ac-
titvity seems increasing. How
ever, changes take place over
night, and there have been sev
eral periods of ups and downs
during the past year.
ifriends and neighbors.
Surviving besides her husband j «noaai--war ration book five can
are give sons, Linwood land Bon- last, if needed, al^t fifteen
nie df Lake YiHage, Ark., Tom months. Because of the enormous
of Widder, La., and Tim and ; job required ts print and dis-
Leonard and five grandchildTen. I tribute ration books for about
1130 jnJlidon people it was decid
ed to be on tte safe side and
provide for this period and avoid
Former Governor J. Melville
Broughton of Raleigh will speak
at Fort Raleigh, Roanoke Island,
on August 18th at the celebration
of Virginia 'Dare’s birthdiay. Mr.
Broughton is chairman of the
Roanoke Island Historical Asso
ciation, and has called a meeting
of the directors of the Association
to discus plan for resuming the
showing of the Lost Colony next
summer.
Paul Green, author o-f the play,
is expected to be here at that
time, as wiell as Billy Carmichael,
Dr. Frank Graham, and Sam Sel-
den of the University of N. C.
Melvin R. Daniels, who is Sec
retary oif the Association is mak
ing plans for the entertainment
of the viistoTs.
“MUTT” HOOPER
BREAKS SURPRISE
IN JORDAN CASE
Confesses to Going Into Mrs.
Twiford’s Home and Says
Was Offered $75
Willard "Mutt” Hooper, 28, of
Stumpy Point, ‘broke a surprise
in the "Jordan case” at Stumpy
Point the other day, when he said
he went into her home several
weeks ago one night.
‘Mrs. Doris liooper Twiford
testified she saw Russell Jordan
in the room on a Saturday night
where she and Iva Payne, 12year-
old girl were sleeping.
Willard Hooper, who is 28 and
sub-normal mentally, told offi
cers he went in the house, and
later stated he bad ‘been o-ffered
575 to make the confession to
help Ralph Jordan, he hid not
say. He was released under bond.
Russell "Red” Jordan is being
held in $5,000 bond furnihed by
John R. Duvall of Buffalo City.
His case will come up in October.
A further hearing in the case
is due to come up next Tuesday,
July 31, when Buren Twiford, 18
yea rold boy is to be tried for
complicity in the case.
I The ‘Maniteo Boatbuilding Com
pany again has at its head, a'fter
an interim of several months, its
former President, Guy H. Len
non, who served as president
i since its organization in 1940,
Theo. S. Meekins, recently pres
ident and A. H. Ward, treasurer,
this week sold their initerests.
Controil of the company passed
into 'the hands of G. H. and R.
B. Lennon, G. T. Westcott, the
Fearing brothers and L. D. Has
sell. Mr. Wiestcott is now vice-
president, L, D. Hassell, secre
tary and M. K. Fearing, treas-
) urer.
I The concern, during four years
' of great activity, brought to
, Manteo several millions in war
I contracts, and gave employment
j to many skilled workers ifiroin
all parts of Dare and Hyde, some
‘ of whom have remained in Man-
j teo and built homes. The com
pany’s record of bringing busi
ness to Manteo is an astounding
one. A dozen local ‘business men
were united, and from a sma'H
Ibeginning, developed a large or
ganization, and made money for
all the stockholders.
Dissension appeared among
them however some months ago,
and one group gained control,
ousting some of the officers and
executives of the company. In a
! short time the division proved
costly to the com'pany. Rival con
tractors were successful in get
ting some of the contracts that
. were headed its ‘way.
I The plant, stock and equip
ment, with an estimated value of
some $70,000, is still ready to do
business. Guy Lennon, the presi
dent, says he expects to go after
busines, and hopes to continue
I to bring jobs to Manteo.
I Original stockholders were T.
S. Meekins, Guy and R. B. Len
non, A. H. Ward, M. K. and W.
B. Fearing, Martin Kellogg, C. R.
Davis, L. D. Hassell, Oscar Van
Sant, G. T. Westcott. C. R. Davis
is now a lieutenant in the Coast
Guard; Martin Kellogg is in the
Navy. T. S. Meekins and A. H.
Ward have sold their interests in
the company.
MANTEO ROTARY HEARS
NEW DISTRICT GOVERNOR
SCHOOLS IN DARE TO
OPEN ON AUGUST 30
Supt. Leake Announces Opening
Date; Teachers Meeting On
August 28
RECENT "VISITOR AT AVON
WVMiUlUU
their taxes.
iMirs. Tommie Meekins aind son expense of having to get out
Ivan, of Eliza'beth City, were fe-; gtiR another book later on.
cent visiitors in Avon, being the, Since war ration book five will
guests of Mrs. Meekins’ sister-in-! no^t gQ into effect 'before January
law, Mrs. L. P. O^Neal. They re-1 jgt, ^iu be necessary to use
turned to their home in Eliza-; either stamps in book four as smb-
foeth Oity Wednesday. ' stitutes for pirooessed food and
meat fats during the taterim pe
riod. Interim period use of shoe
and sugar stamps will not 'be ne-
cessay, Johnson said, since the
stamps provide for these items in
oooks three and four will carry
ihe programs witnout resort to
sul stitutions.
War Ratiri Book Five will be
tjie fourth wi.- ration book to be
distrijjuted ov school teachers and
o'her 'vol'.r.teers, Johnson said.
Tn» first booic was distributed
M!ay 4, 1942.
The new "A” gasoline book,
tile tbiird issued under rationing,
will differ from the present book
only in color. The book will con
tain five sets of coupons, six cou
pons to a set nunJibered A-18
through A-23. Each set of cou
pons will cover a different peri
od. The first set, iDUirabered A-18
becomes good December 22,
Johnson said.
Bert Weaver, new district gov
ernor of the 189t,h district of Ro
tary International, made his oif-
ficial visit to the Manteo Rotary
Club Monday, July 23.
The meeting was held at the
Manteo High School 'lunch room,
where a supper of sea food, na
tive of Dare’s own waters, was
served. Following the supper
Governor Weaver talked about 10
minutes on Rotary, prefacing his
remarks with some fine state
ments about Dare and Roanoke
Island and the Lost 'Oolony. After
adjournment club assembly was
held iwith the new go vernor giv
ing instructions to fhe several
members of this group.
Preceding the ta'lk of Gover
nor Weaver, iMiss Mjarjalene Mid
gett sang three solo^ accompan
ied by Miss Holland Westcott.
The new governor was accom-
panied by Mrs. Weaver and the
two, who ha'd spent several days
at First Colony Inn, left Tuesday
for Columibia and other points.
Dare County schools are sched
uled to open on Thursday, Au
gust 30, according to a statement-
I this week toy Supt. R. I. Leake.
I Mr. Leake has also announced
a meeting of ail teachers in the
' county on Tuesday, August 28,
] in Manteo, the intervening day
to allow time for all teachers to
reach 'their destinations in oither
, parts of the ccunty.
CAPT. EARL MANN LANDS
80 BOXES OF CROAKERS
Capt. Earl Mann andh is long
net crew on Monday brought in
$8,000 pounds of mostly croakers
to Kalb Daniels’ fish house in
Manteo, and it was one of the
, biggest catches of the season. The
fish loaded two boats and brought
aibout 12 cents a pound, or around
$900. The same fish will cost
' consumers in cities at retail mar-
’ kets 25 to 35 cents a ^pound.
Fishing has been poorer than
usual recently, but the bluster
weather of the weed end witK
northwest winds is believed to
have improved business. Capt.
Mann’s catch was taken between
I Manteo and Nags Head.
RAIN PiROVES BOOM TO
CROPS ON SANDY LAND
For the first time in, many years
the sandy soil of Roanoke Island
has received enough rain to make
good crops everywhere. Rains
have fallen modt every day for a
month. iWhile vegetalbles are sell
ing high in the stores it is some
times difficult for the growers to
sell such things a scucumibers, to
matoes and caibbages.
FRANK COHOON AND "JOHN"
MURTAUGH IN HOSPITAL
Frank Cohoon, Gordon and
'‘Company’s ri^t hand man, is ill
in Lei^ Hospital, Norfolk, Vir
ginia, and his wife is at his bed-
I tide. "John” Mlurtaugh, printer
j for the Times Prinitinig Company
I is also seriously ill for the past
; four weeks in the hospital. Mr.
1 Murtaugh was taken ill suddenly
on Saturday night following a
heart attack.
■f