The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-16
SHOULD FULFILL PROMISE

With the war over and acute shortages
in materials and labor considerably re-
lieved, the North Carolina Highway and
Public Works commission is fulfilling
numerous old promises of Improvement
and new construction of roads and bridges.
The record Of the department along this
line is good and, in the majority Of cases,
certainly worth commentator. Many
handicaps are being overcome with the
result that the highway system is return
ing, much faster than many anticipated,
TO its standards Of normal times.
But in Southeastern North Carolina one
important project seems TO have been over
looked.
IT is the proposal TO pave the sand-claY
highway from U. S. route II to Holden
beach and construct a suitable ~drawbridqe
over the Inland waterway at the resort.
A movement 10 bring about this badly
needed improvement, especially he
bridge, is being pressed by beach inter-
ests. They are supported by numerous
prominent Wilmington and other North
Carolina citizens anxious 10 see the dis
heartening handicap Of an old and
dangerous ferry removed so the resort
may rightfullY advance TO the place it
deserves in the STATES commercial and
recreational resources.
We are informed by a leader of this
worthwhile effort thai, in the early SOS
when the waterway was dug, affected in
terests were promised by the state that
suitable ferry service would be provided
and, eventually, a modern ~drawbridqe
would be constructed. This pledge was ac-
copied, according TO our Informant, in
lieu Of damages and also for a l6-acre
tract on the beach for development as a
park.
Now, l6 years later, the beach does moi
have this span. 1t has grown about as far
as it can under this material hindrance.
If must have this facility if the threat of
stagnation 10 its future is to be removed.
The obsolete, Inadequate ferry that is
the islands main communication with the
mainland has deteriorated 10 the point
where, so the leaders Of the movement as
sert, If is a real danger TO life and prop
ertY. North Carolina has been quite for
tunate in that it has escaped serious dam
age action resulting from accidents on
the craft. Its operations depend TO a mark
ed degree upon the tides and weather.
Frequent failures Of paris of its mechanism
result in delays ranging from a few hours
10 days. During these times, the promis-
ing resort is practically marooned from
the remainder Of the world.
This highly unfavorable situation ap-
plies both TO recreation and commerce.
Because Of the dangers of the ferry or
more properly ~antiquated flat" local and
upstate individuals have been quite hest
tant in investing in the resort. Due TO in
adequate transportation facilities, new
construction has been seriously retarded.
Meanwhile, the greater part Of nine miles
of some Of North Cardinals best ocean
strand is going undeveloped.
From the standpoint Of trade, at least
a dozen Wilmington manufacturers and
distributors have had 10 count this beach,
with approximately 100 year-around resi-
denis and many, many more during the
summer season, out Of their orbit Of serv-
ice.
We have tried 10 serve the people on
Holden beach with our products, but due
TO the terry service crossing the Inland
waterway, and especially at low tide, ii
is almost impossible for our trucks TO get
over TO the beach. This, Of course, keeps
us from giving them the service to which
they are entitled" one manufacturer dis