The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-08
.OCRACOKE As SEEN
9YONE WHO TRAVELS
The Largest Industry a Big
Clam FaCtory.
"A MOST GENIAL HOST
A Delightful People, the Descendants Of The
First Settlers The Hunting and Fishing
on Ocracok STORY Of The
Vera Cruz.
A MOST GENIAL HOST
Especial to News and Observer

Ocracoke, N. c., August saturday at
II p. M left Washington on the steamer
New Bern via the Old Dominion line for
my first trip to Ocracoke Island. We had
on board about $50 people. The state
rooms were limited, but the boat was well
supplied with cots and mattresses. The
crowd was jolly and orderly. In the
scramble for cots and mattresses after we
started, | was lucky in securing a single
mattdess and making up my bed about
IL O'Clock on the top of trunks. / went
TO sleep and slept soundly until $50 Sum
day morning We were then about five
miles from Ocracoke. Upon landing l
followed the crowd and soon reached the
Tuthill House, ownel and kept by that
good natured and well known Captain
Tuthill and his good wife. The captain $
home is at South Greek, but he comes to
Ocracoke every summer to run this house,
more apparently for his own pleasure.
fun and accommodations of his host of
friends than for the profit there is in 1t.
for l cannot see where much profit is to
be gained at the low rates he charges for
such fair as he gives, while the building
is not fine, new modern up-to-date build
ing and is somewhat worn by years. it
will accommodate from seventy-five to one
hundred people, and if the bundle ard
tuck plan is carried out, l should say. by
using the attick, thirty to forty more
could be crowded into it, suffice it to say
what is lacking, if any in room accommo-
dations at the Tuthill House, is fully
made up for what people come here TO
get, to eat at the table. plenty of fish,
CLANS, oysters and all other such eadibles
as natures water garden will furnish, all
the salt air, fishing, bathing both in
the Pamlico Sound and the serf; also
boating, both sailing and gas boats, care
fully handled by expert seamen, who have
been raised from boyhood on the water.
and who thoroughly understand their
business Beside the hotel, there are some
nice boarding houses, that viii accommo-
date a good many.
But take into consideration what nature
has done for Ocracoke as place at which
10 make a summer resort, there is not
here what / and others would like to see,
q large strongly constructed building moi
so fine and handsome, but a substantial
building fitted up for people to enjoy
themselves and have a good time, such q
building could be erected for about five
to eight thousand dollars, and then lot
the Old Dominion or some other company
run from Washington about three or four
trips per week, as it is, there is but one
boat per week, The New Bern, which
leaves Washington at II p. M and re-
turns to Washington about 11:3O to II
p. m. Sunday night.
The Beaufort Gass Boat Transportation
nf
of boats running daily, bringing the mail
express and passengers from Morehead
and Beaufort through Core Sound. which
runs into this, the Pamlico. l expect to
make this trip soon and have something
to say about this line, and the places
the boat will touch at
The Island of Ocracpke is about eighteen
miles long and from three-quarters to two
and one-half miles wide. 1t is surround
ed on the north by the Pamlco Sound
Atlantic on the south by the Atlantic
ocean and Ocracoke Inlet; on the west
by the Pamico Sound and the Ocracokc
Inlet
Ocrake is not an incorporated town and
IS not laid off in streets as this cannot be
done, so / am told, owing to the flow of
are about 200 of as clever and hospitable
been my good fortune to So
no attempt here towar agricultural pur-
suits. The business of the Ocracokes are
fishing, claiming, oystering and killing game
in the winter, such as duck, geese braat
and other wild fowls that come to these
Hnfo f,sry oh< flo oP I1o
to the first of March, in flocks of thous
ands. There are three stores
There are three stores in the village,
the inhabltated portion of which will EN-
brace about one and half miles. MIR. J.
w. McWilliams, Mr.. Lee Piland and w.
f.. Howard carry on the mercantile bust
ness the latter being the postmaster and
keeps the office in his store. There are two
church buildings here, both Methodist, the
Northern and South Methodist. Rev. r.
r. Grant, an old friend of mine, formerly
from Northampton county, is the pastor
Of the M. E. Church, South, and Rev.
Mr.. Garrs is pastor of the North Method
ist church The Odd Fellows, which mum
Der about fifty, have erected a very neat
two-story building The upper floor is used
fer the lodge room, while the lower fIooT
Is used fcr school room, the last ses-
sion OF which ended about the last OF May
was the first session taught Prof. Early
was the principal, assisted by Miss Laura
Smith The public school fund for this
school has been supplemented by the citi-
zens of Ocracoke organizing a stock COM
pany and furnishing $780, There is board
of seven trustees, of which +. l.. Piland
Is secretary. The good people are very
much interested in the question of edu-
cation. Governor Aycocll has been inyi-