The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-09-05
UPWARD TREND IN
ALL SECTIONS OF
TYRRELL COUNTY
Farm Crops and Tourists
Both Help to Increase
Prosperity of People

A new spirit and a new look is
m nifest all through Tyrrell
County these days. Even in re-
mote Kilkenny which has so long
been so far out of its own county
it has to get its mail from Hyde,
and then only three times the
week, is found a new air of pros
perity and progress. Even Kill
kenny has electric power, which
has been extended all over Tyr
rell County.
Gum Neck, the largest COM
munitp, now lacks only telephone
service to bring it all modern
advantages. The improvements
throughout the county are re-
flected in Columbia, the county
seat, where new homes are con-
stantly being built, and improve
ments made to business facilities
Columbia for asome years has
had the only post office in the
county.
Fortunately for Tyrrell County
this summer is its low altitude
so its crops did not suffer unduly
from the draught, and bumper
harvest is in prospect. Both Irish
and sweet potatoes have been
proving profitable all through the
seasons. Sheriff B. Ray Cahoon
says one of his friends reported
a sweet potato crop now being
marketed, which has yielded a
profit of about $1,000 from a
single acre. 1t would be "quite a
hog" who would demand more
bounty from his soil
More and more, preparations
go on for tourists and sportsmen
trade. Although Tyrrell County
interests and Columbia, along
U. S. 81, have suffered greatly
because of the badly arranged
ferry schedules which discour-
ages much travel, everyone lives
in hopes of better days Because
the ferry now leaving Tyrrell
County is not properly timed to
put the motorist across Alligator
River quickly enough to connect
with the Croatan Sound ferry,
numerous people this year have
been subjected to long waits at
Manns Harbor and have failed to
reach Roanoke Island in time to
witness The Lost Colony. AL
though many have come a long
way with the sole purpose of
seeing the show, many of them
not having another day to spare
have made their trip in vain, all
because of the badly arranged
ferry schedules.
But Tyrrell County people are
not easily discouraged. They
waged a battle for years for bet
ter roads, and they never permit
the subject of desperately needed
bridges to die. They live in hopes
and always look for better days,
and they are continuing with
their investment in tourist IA
cilities.
Pritchett's Inland Harbor
A unique development is und-
erway on US. "a between Co.
lumbia and the ferry slip at
Sandy Point. Charlie Pritchett
and his son, Morris, who operate
a store eight miles east of Co.
lumbia have dreded a canal from
little Alligator River, a distance
of 625 yards through the woods,
and having a width of about 80
feet. Boats and yachts drawing
up to seven feet of water may
now come into this canal and up
to the highway, in safe and
landlocked harbor eight miles
from the Inland Waterway.
The Pritchett project has great
possibilities. In time, numerous
yachtSmen can be induced to
pause in their journeys along the
Intracoastal waterway to enjoy
the bear, deer and quail hunting
and the superior sport fishing of
Tyrrell County. 1t will be a point
of assembly for boat owners of
many inland sections, who may
base their own craft at this
point, and easily reach them by
automobile. A railway and repair
show is to be developed along
with cafe, store, and other serv-
ices to appeal to yachtsmen,
tourists and sportsmen.
Columbia itself has become ex-
tremely well-equipped for serv-
ing this new class of trade which
is now pouring many thousands
of dollars into the county each
season. 1t has service stations,
hardware and novelty stores of