The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-08
Ocracoke as Seen by One
Who Travels.
Continued from First Page.)

because the establishment of this plant
here has created a demand for them They
have from sixty to seventy men, women,
bows and girls on their payroll, work
eight hours per day and pay women and
girls one cent per hour. Mr.. H. 5. DoXsee
has erected a large and comfortable home
near his factory and given 1T the name
of The Hunters Home. Every winter
from about the first of October to the lat
ter part of February quite a number OF
Northern sportsmen make this their home,
shooting the many various kind OF duck,
geese. brant and other feathered game
that. / alluded to above.
Mr.. Doxsee is a clever, genial host and
understands well how to make one feel at
home and have a. good time He had sixty
guests last winter. and expects more the
coming season. rs. and the Misses DoX-
sees are delightful cultivated Northern
ladies, and it is a pleasure to them Tor
them to aid Mr.. Doxsee in entertaining
these guests.
Work will begin soon on the new life
saving station to be. established by the
government here. This Is a wise and
needful movement on the part of the gov
ernment Mr. Doxsee has gotten up 4
petition now being signed by not only the
islanders but by every, one he comes in
contact with, asking the government TO
place three beacon lights out in Famlco
Sound. This is very much needed to show
the mariner dark and stormy nights the
road to n haven of safety.
1t was quite matter of interest to me
to learn that at least 50 to 99 per cent. OF
the present inhabitants OF Ocracoke Is
land are the descendants of the first set
tiers. They do not have many additions
from abroad. but the island has furnished
other parts of the world with some first
class seamen and good citizens. l was told
today that this was the birthplace OF
either the editor of the News and Obser-
yer of his brother, Solicitor G. c. Dan
iels, and probably both.
The light house here stands about eighty
feet high and can be seen from ten to
twelve miles out at sea. 1t was built, so
it is believed. from ninety to one hundred
years ago. A fine view all over the island
can be had from its top.
There are a good many banker ponies
raised on Ocracoke. There are about one
hundred here now.
made a visit today to the wrecked yes
sci, or barkentine Veracruse. She went,
or as most people here believe, was driven
upon a shoal about the midle OF May.
She lies out about three miles from the
hotel. Undoubtedly she has been an old
hulk for quite number OF years. Her
timbers, riggan and everything about her
is strong evidence to prove 1t. She was
from Cape Verde Island, bound, so the
captain said, for New Bedford at the time
she struck There were about 450 Portu-
CUES on her beside a crew OF about TOUR
teen. 1t will be remembered that the mate
was arrested, and is now, so | am INFORM
ed, in jail at New Bern. The captain lett
heer the next day after the ship had
grounded for Belhaven, paying the sum
of $50 to be carried there and he has not
been heard from since. Most OF the people
here think it was a put up job. The pas
sengers went from here to New Bedford,
the government paying, so have been IN
formed, expenses.
Soon after this barkentlne grounded
here some correspondent reported to the
News and Observer that d good deal of
rum and whisKey was taken from her and
sold to the Ocracokers, and that there was
much drinking and disorder on the island.
That statement, probably based upon
what the writer of the article had been
told was absolutely untrue, without foun-
dation and did the Ocracokers an lnjus-
tice There was small key of liquor of
some kind brought from the barkentine,
but Mr.. ]. w. McWilliams tells me that
so far as he knows there was not single
man on the island that took a drink Of
it, and does not remember the day when
he has seen a citizen of Ocracoke intox-
icated or disorderly.
1 find no complaint here to the present
oyster law, but the people here think that
more rigid enforcement OF 1t, especially
the cuIing feature, would be of much ben
eft and improvement to the oyster beds,
both as to quality and quantity
l have enjoyed my stay here with these
good people and hope at no distant date
to have the pleasure OF mnghng with
them again.
H B. HARDY.