The daily independent., 1937-07-13
Bitter Verbal Row
Over Negro Camp
CONTINUED from Page One)

ing the vote unanimous, whether
it be for retaining the camp or
removing it.
The principal objection of those
who had fought for removal Of
the camp was stated to be the
lewd and obscene conduct and
language of the Negro transients
in the upper Coinjock community,
where most of them made habit
of congregating.
Those who favored keeping the
camp at Coinjock argued that it
might be possible to remedy this
sjtujtiol, either by providing
enough deputy sheriffs to handle
the Negroes or by restricting them
to a certain area and keeping
them away from their favorite
hang-outs in upper Coinjock.
Bitter arguments ensued, with
a roomful of citizens participat-
ing. Words flew thick and fast,
and the more they argued, the
further apart the two factions
seemed to get.
Finally, after much argument,
Attorney Jennette asked the
board to write to Washington and
ask that action on its demand for
removal Of the camp be held up
for a week or two until the part
les he represented could have an
opportunity to work out a plan
which might remedy the situa-
ton. He said the plan would be
presented to the commissioners,
and if it was not a feasible plan,
then the demand for removal of
the camp could stand.
After considerable discussion,
during which some present in
dulged in personalities, Commis-
sioner N. w. Ansell moved that
the boards action of July 5th
stand. Commissioner j. F. Brown,
who would have had to second
the motion, as there were only
three members on the board and
Mr.. McClannon was not to vote
until the other two had voted,
then asked that the motion be
IF they can work out a salts
factory plan which will eliminate
the source Of trouble, l am willing
to give them a chance to do it,"
he said.
He conferred with Ansell who
his motion, and then
Mr.. Brown offered a motion that
the boards action of July 5th,
asking for removal of the trans
lent camp, stand unless plan
could be worked out within 10
days whereby the transientS from
the camp could be restricted when
off duty to an area circumscribed
by the Coinjock Baptist church on
the north, the V. B. GriggS home
on the south. Currituck Sound on
the east and North River on the
west.
Attorney Jennette and the citi-
zens he represents are to contact
National Park Service officials in
an effort to work out plan
whereby the men can be kept
within this area. and when they
have worked out a plan, they will
notify Mr.. McClannon, who will
call a special meeting of the
board to hear the plan discussed.
If the commissioners deem the
plan feasible. they will ask the
to ignore their de-
mand that the camp be moved;
they will ask that the
plans for moving the camp go
forward.
Those who favor keeping the
camp in the county claim that the
200 Negro transients in the camp
spend something over $4,000 a
month in Currituck County, and
that the camp officials are buying
considerable timber in the county.
Therefore they claim, the camp
is of considerable value to the
county.
They argue, further, that driv-
ing the camp out of Currituck
county may endanger the propos-
ed erosion control project on the
Currituck beach, since the Park
Service might not be willing to
send transientS to work in a
county which had objected to
their presence.
Attorney Jennette and his
clients are hopeful of being able
to work out satisfactory solu-
ton to the problem thru the CO.
operation of the camp officials.
They will confer this week with
A. C. Snratton, director of the
beach erosion control project, H.
E. Weatherwax, field co-ordina-
tor for the National Park Service,
and the officer in charge of the
Coinjock floating unit.