davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26

coke, living in a house which
some claimed was part of, Or on
the spot of a onetime residence
of Edward Teach-the pirate
! Blackboard, was quick to catch
the erroneous newspaper reports
about the Omar Babun being the
first" ship ever saved from de-
struction after going ashore
along the Outer Banks. He had
in his possession a snapshot OF
the S. S. Glenaen, after she had
gone ashore in 1913. He recalled
some of the incidents leading up
to the laundering and subse-
quent relocating of the British
tramp:
"She had coaled at Norfolk and
was going to Brunswick, Ga, to
load cotton. The propellors of
those old whaleback type
freighters were half out of the
water when the ship was light
and as result they were hard to
handle during a gale, and espe-
cially hurricane like the Sep
TENDER storm of 1913. Captain OF
the ship was a man named Tay-
lor. The crew of the ship, she
hailed from Whitby, England,
was English above decks and In
dians below. The Indians below
deck wore turbans, which was
an unusual sight for Ocra-
cookers"
"After the ship had gone
taground the crew, or most OF
them remained aboard for about
week and then were sent to
New York. The steward gave me
his pet canary, because the cage
it was in was too large to carry
with his other baggage. The
mushroom anchor they put down
to help haul the ship off the
beach was never recovered. The
only casualty was the drowning
of a diver in the salvage crew
whose body was buried at CORA
! coke. The Glenaen was a big
ship for those days-her tonnage
being 1927. 1t was several weeks
before she was hawsed offshore
and Merritt-Chapman tug, the
Rescue" then lowed her to Nor.
folk for repairs"
During the same September
Hurricane of 1913, another FAM
Gus ship, the George w. Wells,
first six masted schooner ever
built went ashore on Ocracoke-
a total loss.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
FRANK MEEKlNS, NATIVE
OF STUMPY POINT, DEAD

Franklin Thomas Meekins ST.,
So, native of Stumpy Point,
but a resident Of Norfolk for the
past IA years died of heart at
tack Tuesday at his residence
All Walnut ST.. Berkeley. He
operated a mercantile business
at the time of his death. He was
the son of the late Davis L. and
Mrs. Mary Mason Meekins. He
was a member of the Shiloh
Methodist Church in Stumpy
Point.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Bertha May Mason Meekins; a
son, Franklin Thomas Meekins,
Jr.; five brothers, William H.
Meekins and S. Warrington
Meekins, both of Norfolk; Gar
land E. Meekins of Stumpy
Point; Davis L. Meekins of Hen
derson, and the Rev. E. R. Meek
ms of Columbia; two sisters,
Mrs. Claud E. Wise of Manteo,
and Mrs. Edith M. Hooper of
Elizabeth City.
The body was taken to the
Shiloh Methodist Church for
funeral services Wednesday at
2:30. Burial was in the Stumpy
Point Community Cemetery.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
ONE MAN CATCHES
80 SPECKLED TROUT

Lawrence Owens of Salisbury
who often fishes in the Dare
coast region made the best catch
of the season for any one person,
while surfcasting at Kill Devil
Hills on Monday. From seven
o'clock in the morning until
shortly afternoon he landed a to-
tai of 80 of the speckIed beauties,
some weighing four and five
pounds each.
Owen was fishing the surf
near Deans Store. He was using
a minnow-like plug to lure the
fish.
Many other persons hearing OF
the trout blitZ in that area on
Monday also made good catches
Mrs. Ben R. York of Avalon
Beach landed % in about three
hours of fishing with a Sea Hawk
lure. Names of other anglers
sharing in the sea trout blitz
were not Immediately available
but many good catches were
made.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
REPUBLICANS IN
DARE GIVE HEAD
POST TO GASKILL

L. Vernon Gaskill Saturday
night in Manteo was elected to
serve as County Chairman for
the next two years at a meeting
of some 40 members of the party,
Mr.. Gaskill, retired lighthouse
keeper of Wanchese succeeds V.
G. Williams also of Wanchese,
Mr.. Gaskill winning 80 to eight
over Mr.. Williams.
Forty five people met at the
courthouse, according to the Sec
rotary and Treasurer, Ray w.
Jones. Forty voted, they being
registered Republicans.
Others elected at this meeting
were Mrs. George Payne of
Stumpy Point, Vice-Chairman;
Ted Toler of Kitty Hawk, Walter
Gaskill of Manteo, Butcher Scar
borough of Avon. Ernal Foster of
Hatteras and Leo Twiford of
East Lake, Committeeman.
1t was voted to elect one dele
gate and one alternate to attend
the State Convention which will
be held early in the year. These
are L. v. Gaskill and Ray W.
Jones.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
WANCHESE GALS
TAKE 1OO-MILE
BICYCLE TRIP
Mrs. SaIlie Daniels, and Sis
ter Ray Davis Breeze
Up to Norfolk

Don't dare Mrs. Sallie Daniels
and her sister, Mrs. Edward
Davis of Wanchese to do any
thing. Monday they decided
they would ride their bicycles to
Norfolk, so they made the 100
mile trip that day. BY so doing
they got their pictures spread
across the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot
and other papers, and consider
able space in the news columns.
Both of these girls are grand
mothers, and are the daughters
of Mrs. Lucetta Montague, one of
the beloved old people of Wan
cheese, now well in her sos and
loved for and by the many chill
dren she has helped bring in the
world, something like 900 of
them.
Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Davis
while in Norfolk had an oppor-
tunity to visit numerous rela-
tives, including their children,
and brothers and sisters. Their
brothers are Gus and Lance
Montague, both well known in
Maritime circles.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
SIMMONS. L. c. ACTOR.
GIVEN MOVIE CONTRACT

Manteo.-Floyd (Chunk) Sim
mons of Charlotte, who played
important roles in The Lost
Colony during the 1854 season,
has won himself long-term con-
tract at Observation-Disclosures
Studios according to information
received here this week from
Hollywood.
He had become widely known
in athletics, first at Charlotte's
Central High School as track
and football great, and then in
college. In 1948 and again in 1852
he has finished third to become
the decathlon bronze medalist
of the international Olympics.
The son of Mr.. and Mrs. F. M.
COACH Simmons of 522 Hermit
age Court in Charlotte, Chunks
only previous acting experience,
according to the dispatch from
Hollywood was gained last sum-
mer at The Lost Colony.
Chunk rated his first national
prominence at the University of
North Carolina, where he gave
brief fling at football and spe-
cialized in the high hurdles and
high jump on Dale Ranson's
track team. In the former event,
he ran second to Harrison Dill
lard in the 1947 AAU champion
ships. Already his career had in
lclud e d considerable military
service during World War II.
At the end of his third year in
college he quit, primarily to
study commercial art and incl
dentally to train himself in the
! ten events of the decathlon, in
hope of making the 1913 Olympic
team. He went to Los Angeles,
enrolled at the Art Centre School
for the first purpose and joined
the Los Angeles Athletics Club
for the second.
He achieved his athletic OBJ
jective by finishing second to
f, Bob Matthias in the national
championships, and during the
next few years his art studies
! were periodically interrupted by
the demands of his athletic ca
reer, which not only took him to
London and Helsinki for the
Olympics but also on foreign
tours each summer as a member
of teams of American champions
sent abroad annually by the A.
A. u.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
Trip to OcracOke Interesting,
Eventful and Full of Surprises
Mays Header Gives Impressions of First Journey to
Famous Fishing and Vacation Spot

surely shows her superiority
over mere man-made things. The
mere fact that derelicts are US
ually stripped of their valuable
parts before retirement is just
one more example of the fru-
gality and resourcefulness of the
residents.
/ pass over our surf fishing ex-
petition rather hurriedly be-
cause we didn't have much luck;
although the other fishermen
that lined the beach seemed to
be doing all right, Zone man
caught a AZ pound channel bass
along with several others). I
still claim the title of champion
in our party with two puppy
drum successfully landed. My
achievement was clouded some
what because I also lost two bait
rigs during my amateurish ma
nipulations while casting. (Note:
Don't ever try to surf cast with
gloves on).
We were supposed to meet the
ferry for the return trip across
Hatteras Inlet the next day
around noon, so this gave us an
other chance to see the Island.
We explored ''Teach's cove, es-
tablished as the rendezvous of
the famous pirate Blackboard"
who operated in the area during
the early colonization days. We
also visited the impressive archi-
tectural efforts of one Sam Jones
who had built an imposing struc-
ture that dominated the skyline
second only to the historic
lighthouse. Opinions regarding
Sans house varied among the
members of our party, but we all
admitted that it was unique and
different; a monument to Imam
who knew what he wanted and
made sure he got it.
The time arrived to depart for
the ferry landing and we bid our
hosts the usual fond farewells
and headed north to the sacred
spot to await our pre-arranged
ferry transportation. After sit
ting for several hours, gazing
hopefully across the inlet for
some sign of boat we decided
that something had gone hay
wire withtVollr arrangements.
The Coast Guard telephone con-
firmed our fears and we were
told that the ferry would make
no more trips that day. We back
tracked down the fourteen long
miles and spent another night at
The Sound Front Inn. When the
ferry finally showed up the next
morning our hearts were filled
with gladness, at the sight of this
noble craft steaining najestically
towards us, Our JOY was short
lived, however, because after an
other amphibious trip to gel
aboard the, craft refused 'tc
bulge. Yep! you guessed it
Stuck again! Ais well that ends
well, however, and we finally
See OCRACOkE, Page Four
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
500 INCREASE IN
PHONE RATES FOR
DARE co. SOUGHT
Norfolk & Carolina Really
Asks Raleigh For a
Whopper

An increase of approximately
30 per cent above prevailing
rates on business phones, and
sharp increase in residential
phones is being sought by the
Norfolk & Carolina Telephone
and Telegraph Company of Eliz-
abeth City which operates ex-
changes in Kill Devil Hills and
Manteo in Dare County.
The company has filed brief
with the State Utilities Commits
sion asking total increases of
$159, 165 a year. The Manteo in
creases sought are as follows:
Business phones rated monthly
now at $3.50, $3.75, So and $3.50
would be respectively if the new
rate is granted: $6.75, Sc, $5.25
and 81. Residential phones with
present rates of $3.50, SITS, $3.50
and 81 would be raised to $4,25,
$3.50, 1925 and 1925.
The descending scale in rates
is the result of four different
types of service; one-party, two
party four-party and multiple
party service.
The company contends it
needs the extra money to meet
increasing costs and to attract
new capital.
Similar increases are asked for
all other exchanges, except its
newest one-Kill Devil Hills,
which was established last sum-
mer. Business rates there are
now $3.50 to $3.50 and resident
ial rates SIS to $40.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
COVERING THE WATERFRONT
By AYCOCK BROWN

Ocracoke.-Although some of
the newspapers and magazines
have reported that the S. S.
Omar Babun, ashore for several
weeks during late spring and
early summer on Hatteras Is
land, was the first ship ever
saved from final destruction in
waters known as the Grave
yard of the Atlantic" there are
many residents of Ocracoke Is
land who can tell different
story. One of their stories, and ii
is accurate, would be about the
British tramp steamer Glenaen
that was relocated many weeks
after she had been driven ashore
during the September Hurricane
of 1918.
They will also recall the S. S.
Ciboa, locally known as the ''ba-
mana ship" because that was the
cargo she unloaded to enrich
many Outer Bankers tempo
rarily, that was saved several
years after the Glenaen. These
islanders may also recall the
City of Jacksonville which was
beached at Whalebone Inlet near
Portsmouth, just south of Ocra-
coke Inlet, or the menhaden mo-
tor vessel Charlie Mason that
was saved after going high and
dry on Ocracoke beach about
five years ago. The Charlie
Mason was almost as large as the
Omar Babun, the little 200-foot
steamer that had been built first
as the Stagbush, Navy net-ten-
der of World War II.
Glenaen Salvage Job
Up until the time she was re-
floated, the Glenaen, valued at
$125,000, was the largest ship
ever salvaged in this area and
probably the largest vessel ever
saved after going ashore along
the Outer Banks. The Ciboa was
much larger ship. And there
are records of even largest craft
being saved from the waters
called Graveyard of the Allan
tic of North Cardinals coast
especially during World War II
when most maritime incidents
were under censorship restric-
lions and events about same
were never published.
Wallace Springer of Soutn
Creek, whose family once owned
Springers Point here at Ocra-
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
SGT. HATTON MIDGETT JR
NOW SERVING IN BERMUDA

Kindley AFB, Bermuda.-Ser-
geant Hatton Midget, Jr., U. S.
Army, son of MIR. and Mrs. Hat
ton Midget. ST., of Manteo, ar
rived in Bermuda recently for
assignment to Kindley Air Force.
Base with the 7283rd Transporta-
ton Terminal Detachment Der
muda). Sergeant Midget arrived
at Kindley from a previous as
signment at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Kindley Air Force Base is one
of the global chain of Military
Air Transport Service bases
which provide support, services
and facilities for the U. S. Air
Force.
Mrs. Midget, who has been
visiting her parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. J. M, Vannote at their home
in Manteo, plans to leave Sunday
to join him. Mrs. Midget will
fly to Bermuda from Norfolk.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
By DICK JORDAN

Continued from recent issue)
After we settled at The Sound
Front Inn we gathered down.
stairs in the large combination
dining and living room where
"Boosie" brought us up to date
on the history of the area while
Maggie" went about preparing
one of her many delicious meals
that we were to enjoy during
our stay. That gal sure knows
her way around in a kitchen!
and our appetites, sufficiently
whetted by the salt air, did JUS
tice to her excellent table fare.
The next morning Abe and
drove the jeep down to the fish
house to get some bait and 1 was
able to get a good look at the
village. Like "Topsy" it had just
grown around the perimeter of a
beautiful harbor appropriately
called "Silver Lake.. Since the
State of North Carolina spends
very little money on the roads
on Ocracoke Island the villagers
retaliate by forgetting to buy
automobile licenses. A visitor
can be spotted Immediately be-
cause he has tags on his car and
also because he wears some
what bewildered but happy ex-
preston in his appreciation of
being among people who thrive
on their isolation and are content
to forego lot of the so called
modern conveniences that the
city dweller takes for granted.
I'll bet there isn't an ulcer on
that whole Island! Not one
caused from worry or tension at
least. 1t might be possible that a
few of the Island folk suffer oc-
casionally from slug or two OF
homemade corn meal wine
which I was told was the local
substitute for the legal stuff
which was outlaWed by local ref
erendum some twenty years ago.
On Ocracoke, old automobiles,
like old soldiers, never die. They
simply stand by the roadside
where their owners walked off
and left them when they refused
to run any further. They don't
add to the beauty of the Island
scenery but, after all, what else
can they do with them? I'm sure
they will in time disappear as
relentless nature slowly but
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
JUDGE PUTS $40
PRICE ON FISH
TAKEN OFF TRUCK
Dare Court Holds GrizeIle'
Baker Stole Luther Mid
gett's Mullets

Ten dollars and court costs was
the price Judge Baum in Record
er's Court in Manteo this week put
on a quantity of fish Luther Mid
gett claimed Grizelle Baker, lady
of color, stole from his truck while
he was visiting John Woodley, an
aged man in Scarboroughtown near
Manteo.
Midget, well-known Wan
cheese fisherman, was peddling fish,
and after selling a quantity to the
Baker woman, left his truck by
the roadside and went over to visit
awhile with Uncle John.
When he came back, he missed a
quantity of fish from his truck. He
got Sheriff Frank Cahoon, and next
day found some similar fish and
wrappings that he identified as
having been his.
The court held the Baker wom-
an stole the fish, and fined her ten
dollars.
Henry Terrell White, whose
Mercury car got away with him
Saturday night and went through
the porch of the Sea Rest Tourist
Home at lower Mays Head, pleaded
that he was blinded by approach
ing light, and went across the
road, and damaged the porch con-
siderably. He offered to replace
the damage to the building. The
court fined him $25 and costs in
addition to replacing the damage.
A capias was ordered for Char
lie White, for driving an overload
ed truck which belongs to L. R.
Foreman & Sons of Elizabeth City.
The Foremans have been bringing
logs from East Lake, unloading
them at the Manteo Airport, then
hauling them on larger trucks to
Elizabeth City.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
BID is $194,659
ON BRIDGES IN
HYDE AND DARE
Bowers Construction Co. of
Raleigh Enters Low Bid
on Rebuilding Bridges

The low bid on the reconstruc-
ion of IA bridges on us. 264 in
yde and Dare counties, between
van Quarter and MAINS Harbor,
vas $194,658.90, it was announced
yesterday by the State Highway
Commission in Raleigh. The bid
was entered by the Bowers Con-
struction Co. of Raleigh.
The division commissioners will
meet with Highway Chairman A.
H. Graham and State Highway
Engineer w. H. Rogers, Jr., in Ra-
leigh Friday to review the bids.
The letting includes 81 road and
bridge improvement projects in 20
counties. The low bids on the prof.
ects totaled $2,798,885.S3.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
FRISCO MEN INJURED
WHEN TRUCK UPSETS

Two Frisco, Dare County men
were seriously injured when the
1889 Ford panel truck in which
they were riding slipped on wet
highways a nd turned over
around 2 o'clock Saturday after
noon some Is miles east of Eliz-
abeth City on highway 1853.
Bonnie Barnett, driver of the
truck, was reported by Abe
marie Hospital attaches to be in
fair condition. He sustained g
back injury and possible broker
ribs. IVY ~ sA<t
Mark Peele, only other occu
pant of the truck, received two
broken legs and was carried tt
the Marine Hospital in Norfolk
Virginia. E'a'7t s'r'f'
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26

PHYLLIS ARLENE SAWYER, 10,
daughter of Mrs. Minnie Lee
Toler of Kitty Hawk is complet-
ing her Air Force basic training
course at Lakeland Air Force
Base, the Gateway to the Air
Force"
Lakeland, situated near San
Antonio, is the site of Air Force
basic military training for men
and women, headquarters of the
Human Resource Research Cen
ter, and home of the USAF Off
Ger Military School.
Her basic military training is
preparing her for entrance into
Air Force technical training and
for assignment in specialized
work. The course includes a
scientific evaluation of her apti-
tude and inclination for follow
ing a particular vocation and ca
reer.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
GOVERNOR APPRECIATES
CAPE HATTERAS FRUIT

Governor Luther Hodges re-
ceived a box of oranges, grape
fruit, lemons, kumquats and tan
gerines from the Cape Hatteras
area last week and already he
has acknowledged receipt of the
unusual gift from the far eastern
area of his state. The fruit came
from trees in the yards of Mrs.
Loren Balance, Mr.. and Mrs.
Lafayette Midget and Mr.. and
Mrs. "a P. White. The package
was sent North Cardinals sue
'cessor to the late w. B. Umstead
by Aycock Brows of Dare Coun-
ty Tourist Bureau on behalf of
the fruit tree owners at Buxton.
On Monday Governor Hodges
had a group of Congressman as
See GOVERNOR, Page Eight
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
MRS. LIZZIE STOWE
INFERRED WEDNESDAY

Mrs. Lizzie Austin Stowe, IS,
wife of Samuel A. Stowe of Man
teo died in the Marine Hospital,
Norfolk 7:04 pm. Monday, Nov.
%, following several days illness.
She was the daughter of the late
Bunyan and Patsy Willis Austin
and was born at Hatteras May
IL, 1879, in which vicinity they
resided until eight years ago up
on moving to Manteo. Beside her
husband, she is survived by a
son, Henry T. Peele, of Elizabeth
City, and five daughters: Mrs.
Nettie Robinson of Buxton, Mrs.
Elise Boyce of Hyattsville, Md,
Mrs. E. C. Milbury of Ceilings
wood, N. j., Mrs. D. L. Sharpe of
Norfolk and Mrs. Evelyn NIcKin-
ney of Frisco. By two brothers,
Edw. B. Austin of Norfolk. and
Paul S. Austin of Houston,
Texas; by two sisters, Mrs. AL
bert Whedbee of Virginia Beach
and Mrs. Alonzo c. Gray of
Avon. She was a member of the
Assembly of God Church and the
Woodman Circle of Hatteras.
Funeral services were conducted
Wednesday from the Assembly
of God Church in Manteo by
Rev. Andrew Stirling of Dunn.
Interment was in Manteo Gene
terry.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
BIG BLACK DRUM
z LANDED NEAR CAPE

Alec Black of Montclair, N. J.
landed a "a pound black drum
on a 20 hook while 'surfcastIng
north of Cape Hatteras in the
Cottage Court area last week
end. Edison Miller of Buxton has
landed several channel bass
weighing between 35 and 40
pounds during the past week IN
the same waters, according to
word telephoned Manteo Wed
nesday by Edgar Hooper. Hooper
stated that visiting anglers had
been doing very good fishing, but
most of their fish have been
puppy drum instead of the larger
channel bass.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
TALMADCE'S TRIP TO
HYDE Is POSTPONED

Governor Herman Talmadge
of Georgia and his party have
postponed their hunting trip
TO Hyde County indefinitely.
Wildlife protector L. B. Tun-
nell was notified last week
that due to unsuitable flying
weather. the governors plane
would not be able TO bring him
10 Washington. where N. c.
wildlife authorities were TO
meet him and escort him to
Fairfield for several days
wildfowl hunting.
However. it is reported that
the governor hopes to be able
to make the trip later in the
season. Last year he and
party hunted at Fairfield for
several days. and he said then
that he was going TO try to re-
turn this year.
The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-11-26
COUNTRY NEWSPAPER
AM A COUNTRY NEWSPAPER.

am the friend of the family the bringer of
tidings from other friends; speak to the home in
the evening of Summers vine-clad porch or the
glow of the Winters lamp.
help to make this evening hour record the
great and the small, the varied acts of the days
and weeks that go to make up life.
l am for and of the home; l follow those who
leave humble beginnings whether they go to
greatness or to the gutter, l take to them the
thrill of old days, with wholesome messages
speak the language of the common man; my
words are fitted to his understandings My congre-
cation is larger than that of any church in my
town. my readers more than those in the
school. Young and old alike find in me stimua-
ton, solace, comfort. l the chroncicr of
mans existence.
/ am the word of the week, the history of the
year, the record of my community in the archives
Of state and nation.
am the lives of my readers
am the country newspaper
-Bristow Adams in Canton Sentinel