The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-12-23
N. c. COAST GUARDS TO
WATCH FLORIDA COAST
Many Carolina Surfmen To Be Selected FOR
Important Task of Helping To Clean Up
Florida's Rum Row

on the coast in the past day or
two to the effect that number
of Coast Guards of nearby sta
tons of the Seventh District
are to be assigned in the near
future to duty on the Florida
East Coast has created much
speculation and excitement i'll
the adjacent communities along
the banks, according to advlces
reaching this city from Manteo
where the discussion is at its
height.
The fact that number Of wives
and children Of Coast Guards are
anticipating the departure OF their
menfolks naturally causes much
speculation as no one knows who
will be going IN event Of change.
and from the nature of the rumOrs
II is indicated that complement Of
no small size will be detached from
this district for duty elsewhere.
The talk emanating from people
close to the coast guard is rather
indefinite. but from what can be
learned 81 is evident that there Is
contemplated the picking Of men
from this district sufficient TO Inan
a number Of Florida stations that
have been inactive for years \
sudden change of this nature, OF
course creates much interest, for
the Florida STATIONS arc known
only as "houScs Of refuge. they
have no equipment for life saving
and have been held 10y ono
man since thr Florida district WIS
made q part Of the Seventh District
some five years ago.
Efforts 10 secure vcrificatlon OF
the rumors from Coast Guard
Headquarters at this city were I'M
successful Commander Littlefield
declined TO make any statement for
publication. and 'ndy1sed that he has
no authority to discuss any affairs
Of the district as relating TO prob.
able changes of personnel or trans
fers Of men. II Is assumed there
fore. that the rumored changes are
part of q program of general head
quarters. since Commander Little
field has only been In charge OF
the district for n few days, and has
hardly had all opportunity to
thoroughly familiarize himself with
the district as whole.
Il Is known however that Com
mander Littlefield returned this
week from an inspection trip to
Florida, but whether this trip had
TO do with any probable changes re-
garding the stations in that state
could not be learned.
The fact that the Florida stations
were discontinued rs active units
of the Coast Guard some years ago
Is taken to Indicate that their uses
rs life saving units were not con-,
sidercd important at that time, ms
the coast Of Florida has not been
considered particularly dangerous
10 navigation. The only connection
TINT could hc attached to cOntcw-
plated transfers of men TO tho Flor
ida coast is that little protection
against rum smuggling Is possible
where the Coast Guard force Is SD
inadequate, and their presence there
mi.Ti br considered Il more recent
| urgent need Of the service.
The manning Of these stations.
which would put them on an equal
basis With other stations. might ell
! able them TO fuDciion more efficient
ly as units for the enforcement oi
prohibition laws. Newspaper ac-
tounts indicate that authorities have
been able To do little 10 check run
running on the lOridu cOast. despite
The fact that many men from this
section have been detached from
| stations Of the Seventh District III
the past few years and assigned TO
vessels on duty IN Florida. But
tI,c vessels have been able TO accom-
plish little. probably for lack OF adc-
1uaic cooperation from authorities
on shore and from station forces
totally inadequate 10 attempt ma
Itcrial aid in this direction.
There are six Coast Guard sta
tions or houses of refuge on the
I1orida Coast as follows: Bulow,
MoSuuit0 Lagoon, Chester Shoab
Bethel Creek, Indian River Inlet
and Gilbcrts Bar, ranging over
stretch of coast about 200 miles
lony between Ormond, Fla, and
Salcino near Fort Pierce. The
total lcugth Of the Florida East
Coast is nearly $50 miles and 1t
would require about 20 stations to
make it compare with North Caro-
lima in the way Of equipment ana
compIement. To man all the SIX
active. stations now existing. II given
the usual complement of men ana
an officer in charge would require
from ~ to 80 men.