The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-01-30
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THOMAS HOWARD
TELLS OF HIS TRIP
TO THE FAR WEST
Ocracoke Man Soujourning in
Arizona Longs for Fish
and Oyster Stews

To the Editor:
want to thank you for being
so prompt in send your newspaper
to me out here. The morning | was
leaving Ocracoke for Tucson, l
mailed you a card asking you to
do so and to my surprise the paper
came or arrived the day | did. l
have been getting it regularly
Tuesday morning and enjoy read
ing the coastal news, especially
from Ocracoke, as all l hear from
home-what has happened-comes
from your paper.
Well! this is some country! l
never thought l would venture this
far from home, but sickness of my
daughter who is here on account
of asthma, has been the cause.
Wife and | left Ocracoke Novem-
Der 18th, and it took four days and
nights by bus to get here. We trav-
eled through some very pretty
towns and cities but of all, think
Abilene, Texas, is the prettiest.
In entering Shreveport, La, and
noticing the tall radio antenna, l
remarked to my wife, "This is the
home of old man Henderson who
years ago used to announce Hello
World!". A gentleman sitting next
to US said he was or had been his
.neighbor and told US a very inter-
esting, though sad, story about
him. Mr.. Henderson, he said, was
one of the pioneers of radio-broad-
casting. 1t was a hobby with him;
starting in a small way and finally
erected the most powerful station
in the country at that time. His
station made him a lot of money.
In advertising coffee, tea and other
commodities, he soon amassed
fortune but his money made him
too big for his breeches. He vio-
lently denounced all chain stores
50 strongly in rough, ugly Ian
guage, the Government revoked his
license and silenced his station. He
also became involved in many law
suits. He lost his station and all
he made. He was defiant to the end
Of his life, dying pauper.
The climate here in Tucson is
wonderful-surpassing any part of
the US. for health. 1 have been
here over two months and I've
seen clouds in the sky twice. Per-
petual sunshine-not cold enough
to wear coat during the day
cool at night; just right to sleep
under cover. Tucson is a fast grow
ing city. They say it is a second
Miami, only a much better climate.
Beautiful wide, clean streets and
plazas and parks adorn the city. 1t
is strange to know a city of its
size; there are no belching smoke
stacks-no sign of industries.
There are, however, several air
craft concerns here on the out
skirts of the city; also the Nancy
concerns who make western pic
lures. Beautiful hotels and homes,
restaurants everywhere you may
look. 1t is an expensive place to
live and one looking for work had
better not come here now. Wages
are low or much less than they are
in the east. The fact is too many
people here are wanting work. The
climate is an inducement to come
people are from everywhere or
state. They are friendly and des-
irous to know where you are from.
Sometimes they tell you before you
can answer. l was in the city park
awhile ago; one stately old gentle
men approached me and said
where are you FROM" l told him
from the Atlantic coast. He said
"you talk like a Cope Colder. l
said "Well, you have missed your
rabbit, Pm from North Carolina.
He said he had been in North Car
Dina but he'd be damn if l talked
like "Tar Heel".
Another person later asked me
where / was from. l told her just
as far east as one could get, where
l could see the Atlantic Ocean.
She replied "from Memphis?".
Arizona has several National
Parks; one is only a few miles
from Tucson. The Grand Canyons
Park is one of the largest in the
country. They tell me here they
have a great asset to Tucson and
other nearby towns. People visit
ing the parks have come to know
the fine, healthy climate, thus max
ing this the greatest health center
in the world. There are many in
teresting places to visit here. Right
now only, or less than, one hour
ride from where | am, | see snoow
on top of mountains and the heat
is just like or about same as it is