The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-03-13
OCRACOKE ISLAND FERRY
TO CARTERET COUNTY IS
SUBJECT OF BIG RALLY
Meeting Monday Night Setting Up Plans to
Establish A Real Ocean Highways" Would
Put Auto Ferry In Service to Carteret
County and Across Hatteras Inlet.
By AYCOCK BROWN


Ocracoke. - Ocracoke Islanders
are deeply interested in the pro-
posed road and ferry projects
which would result in connecting
highways now terminating in Dare
at Hatteras and in Carteret at At
lantic or Cedar Island by state
built and maintained land and wa
ter routes.
Representative Russell Swindell
of Hyde County meeting with is
landers and visiting chamber of
commerce and tourist bureau Off
Gals here on Monday night prom
ised his full support to the project
declaring that he would introduce
bill in the General Assembly, if
this would help bring the road and
ferry into realization or that he
would accompany any committees
from Ocracoke and the coast on
visits to see the Governor or rep
resentatives of the highway COM
mission about the proposals.
Morehead City's Chamber of
Commerce Manager Joseph Du-
Bots who has been leading the
movement for a highway on Ocra-
coke with connecting ferries across
Hatteras Inlet and from the island
to the Carteret mainland present
ed the proposal to half a hundred
or more residents of the village.
He described the route from Hat
teras to Carteret as a missing
link" in what is destined to be-
come Americas first real ocean
highway, a coastal route which
would make it possible for tourists
to see North Cardinals share Of
the Atlantic Ocean for almost all
of the 300 miles between Virginia
and South Carolina.
Dan Walker of Beaufort cham
boz of commerce outlined the adj
vantages of a highway which
would bring more tourists to the
coast, Because" he declared"
those tourists will leave dollars
here at Ocracoke and in every
coastal community through which
they visit or pass"
Dubois was introduced by Eph-
rain Esham, president of the Ocra-
coke Civic Club. In his introduc-
ton Esham explained that propos-
ais for building a highway on the
island with connecting ferries had
been discussed previously by the
group of Civic Club members and
that Ocracoke favored the project
100 percent. He expressed appreci-
alton on behalf of the club for the
interest that was being created in
other areas of the coast for the
PROJECT and by state and federal
officials.
A large map of coastal Carolina
showing the so called ocean
Highway" leading southwark from
Norfolk via Elizabeth City, Eden
ton, New Bern and Wilmington,
and the coastal highways now in
existence from Kitty Hawk south
ward to Hatteras and from Cedar
Island southwark along the Carter
ct peninsula was displayed by Du-
Bois. Dotted lines where the pro-
posed roads and ferries would be
established extended between Hat
teras and the Carteret mainland
on the map in contrast to the in
land route.
eve all have one aim in view,"
said Dubois" and that is to elm
mate the missing link between
Hatteras and the Carteret main
land" In his modification of 1--WE"
Dubois explained that coastal in
terests from Wilmington to Man
teo were definitely in favor of the
route. The feasibility of visiting
the Governor at an early date to
discuss the road was approved and
at that time it is expected that
each of the coastal representatives
of the General Assembly will be
present.
J Other off-islanders attending the
meeting at Ocracoke included Sher-
iff Charles Cahoon and Dick O'Neal
of the Hyde County mainland, Ay-
cock Brown of Dare County Tour
list Bureau and Jerry, Shumaker,
noted photographer of Morehead
City. The gathering was one of
the regular meetings of the Ocra-
coke Civic Club. Held in the local
schoolhouse, tasty oyster stew
was served the guests present.