The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-12
New Steel Pier

City suffered relatively lie S S
damage. Here the only steel fish
ing pier between New Jersey and
Florida escaped damage. 1t was
completed 500 feet out from the
shore when Hazel struck it and
it weathered the storm. It has
now been completed its full 1000
feet in length and is the only
fishing pier in regular operation
south of Mays Head. Though in
complete, it was opened to the
public a week after Hazel and
has been used by up to 500 per-
sons a day. Catches of sea trout,
puppy drum and sea bass have
been sensational. The steel pier
developers, Jim Hubbard and H.
B. Barwick of Clinton, plan a
new motel by summer.
Surf City and Topsail Beach
are easily accessible by a tempo
rary bridge in use while a new
bridge across the Inland Water
way is being rushed to compile
ton.
The fishing ports of Snead's
Ferry and Swansboro, between
Topsail and Bogue Inlets, are
taking care of charter parties
like nothing had happened.
Atlantic Beach has the dis
tinction of being the first to get
a large ocean front hotel back in
operation. This is the Ocean
King, whose front end was bat
tered, but which is now enter
tanning guests in all but a few
ocean front rooms. Year around
motels on Atlantic Beach are all
open for business as usual and
every facility across the sound
in Morehead City and those in
Beaufort are in operation. The
| Atlantic Beach Hotel lost its
long front porch and the hurri-
cane chewed off the southeast
corner where the dining room
was, but contracts are already
being let for repairs and just to
show the spirit prevailing on
this beach, public announcement
was made recently that the
convention of the Chamber OF
Commerce Executives of North
Carolina would be held July 10
13-at the Atlantic Beach Hotel!
Damage to private cottages at
Atlantic Beach was relatively
less than at beaches to the south
west, and the large Ocean Front
restaurant known as Captain
Bills, which had been reported
destroyed, was back in business
less than 2 weeks after the hurri-
cane. Beach front apartments in
the second story of these build
ings were not seriously damaged
Three fishing piers were des-
troyed at Atlantic Beach, includ-
ing the States largest-the
Triples, but plans have already
been made to build them back
by next summer and to add an
other 1,000-foot ocean pier be-
tween the present Triples site
and the Ocean King Hotel on
what is known as Money Island.
This is project Of William
Finch and N. F. Eure of Beau
fort. The two soundSide piers
thanking the highway bridge
from Morehead City, known as
Fleming's and MONS and Pops,
are expected to be rebuilt by
spring. The Triples pier was in
sured against hurricane damage
by Lloyd's. Not all the piers
were.
There was some erosion at At
lantic Beach, but at low tide the
beach now appears wider and
smoother than ever before. AL
| ready there is evidence of re-
building from the oceanside,
process that is being helped to
some extent by bulldozing sand
washed onto streets and high
land back to the oceanside.
The old concrete bulwark and
walk that was a trademark of
Atlantic Beach is gone. It will
be replaced with a boardwalk.
Utilities have already been re-
stored and virtually no storm
damage is apparent back of the
ocean front itself.
Surfcasters are having good
luck, and charter boats are doing
good business and bringing in
excellent catches of the highly
priced cero, or king mackerel.
The large Morehead City Marina
is doing business as usual and
servicing hundreds of yachts
plying the Inland Waterway.
North of Decentralization,
damage to bridges on us. 70 by
high waters has been or is being
repaired ard this highway is
open to Cedar Island. until re-
pairs are completed on the
bridge at Beaufort, it may be
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