The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-11-06
CALL
Continued from Page One)

dwindled away to a shadow of its
former self. This income has
dried up. The boating trade is all
but gone, but in former years
many Ocracokers thrived on
freighting by sailing ships and
steamboats, in inland waters as
well as outside.
And to top the calamities that
have followed close behind our
people, the commercial industry
has failed us. Fishing has declin-
ed, but worst of all our people
have since failed to get top prices
for their superior fish, for they
suffer a disadvantage against
fishing communities adjacent to
the mainland and to the good
roads which so quickly take the
fish from the waters to the con-
sumers. Our good fish suffer
delay of many hours in getting to
the markets.
Isolation Proves Costly.
We also suffered in other ways,
in the loss of things due us but
not received. While our political
fortunes have been tossed about
one way or another, we lost many
of the fruits and favors Of gov
eminent such as were due US,
along with other communities
which our isolation and remote
ness denied us.
But while destiny has taken
away so much that sustained
Ocracoke for 200 years, blessed
providence has provided some
thing else that is ready for us
when we get ready to use it. Our
matchless sea and air and health
full surroundings is the gold mine
in our door yard. We have only to
reach out our hand and harvest
it. A new day has dawned for
Ocracoke's people. Good roads
are being sponsored by our good
neighbors all around us to con-
meet Ocracoke with the main
land.
Let us now look forward to the
means of bringing Ocracoke into
its true heritage. Let us see what
we need to do, to not only share
with our neighbors but how we
may help them further increase
the common heritage of us all.
Long have we been buffetted
not only by the waves of the
bold Atlantic but by the winds Of
political fortune. We have been
a political subdivision of this
county and that one. First of
Hyde, then of Carteret, then of
Hyde and today we are yet more
distant from our mainland than
ever, and if we reach it other
than by direct boat, we must 60
through other county seats to
reach our own. Through all the
years of oversight and neglect.
and misfortune, nothing has hap
pened to bring us and the other
people of our county closer to-
gether. We do not have the COM
mon interest that comes from
bondage in similar vocations of
life. Our methods of livelihood,
our associations and contacts
lean apart, each from the other.
Our opportunities for social in
tercourse are too limited to bring
much profit. The wide waters
that separate us from our county
seat literally grow wider as hui
mankind ever eschews and avoids
that which tends to delay it in
its haste to go here and yon about
the earth. These waters hinder
us and keep our newfound iveli-
hood away.
Times have changed indeed.
and while we no longer live as
we used to live, we must look to
Government for many things.
This day of centralized Govern
ment, with its many departments,
affects us all in our daily lives,
and we must keep in toch with
it, or we lose many of the rights
and benefits due us. We can
never receive these things unless
we can be close to our county
seat and near those who admin
lister our affairs. We are losing
more than we realize.
Help From New Sources Offered
Clearly then we must look to
the north of us and join hands
with the people of. Dare and/or
Carteret County for quite awhile
in the immediate future, so that
in time all of us may effectively
unite in forging the links in a
mighty chain of coastal scenery
and accommodations to make
happy the world on wheels. To-
gether, we can accomplish Won
ders and make of our region a
mighty power as a land of en-
chantment, far out of our pre-
sent day ability to grasp its
meaning. Just as 40 years ago,
our people would never have
dreamed of the things that are