The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-11-08
POSTMASTERSHIP CHANGES
TWICE in WEEK AS SHANNON
SUCCEEDS SWAIN WEDNESDAY
Movement Started in Washington SnowbaIs Ben
Shannon Into Job Despite Republican Protest.
Overcoming Appointment Of Ralph Swain
Who Got Caught in the Gears and Served Six
Days. Succeeding Ray Jones.

Orders out of one branch of the
Postoffice Department do not al
ways agree with orders from an
other branch. Witness the surpris-
ing change made Wednesday night
when post office inspector Paul
Osgood came into Manteo, and an
nounced that he had come to check
out the postmaster and put in a
new one.
The new one now is Ben Shan
non, but on November /, Ralph
Swain of Mante6 had been APPOINT
ct on the sudden resignation of
acting postmaster Ray Jones.
The SNOWFALL of political effort
begun in behalf of Ben Shannon
last May, had finally caught up
and put him in the post for which
he was destined. But in the mean
time, one branch of the Depart
ment had sent word for Mr.. Swain
to take over when Mr.. Jones de-
cided to resign.
1t was a sort of embarrassing
situation for Mr.. Swain, caught as
he was in the cogs, after holding
the office since Nov. 1, to find
himself relieved and nobody could
give him any explanation.
| A bit of unique history sur
rounds the effort for the post
mastership at Manteo. Under the
Eisenhower Administration, Repub-
lican leaders had been trying to
fill the place with one of their
members. A popular young Manteo
businessman, Ray Jones, son of
former postmaster, the late r. c.
Jones, was selected and given the
interim appointment as acting
postmaster, pending examinations
of applicants, but when the appli-
cations had all been processed, it
was found that Mr.. Jones was not
one of the top three candidates.
The list was last headed by Ben
Shannon, permanent clerk
in the Manteo postoffice, and the
other two on the list, the brothers
Swain, Ralph and Lawrence. This
was indeed a painful dilemma for
the Republicans.
Mr.. Jones had the general good
will of the community, his party
leaders, and the help of many who
are so-called Democrats, but some
of them gave him some bad advice.
, He filed a number of childish
, charges against Ben Shannon, the
clerk in his office who was top
man on the list. The obvious pur-
pose being to discredit Shannon,
. get him fired from the postoffice
and out of the list of candidates.
In this manner, Mr.. Jones might
have then moved into the list of
!, three.
It's all history how the move
back-fired, hurt Mr.. Jones, and
gave Democrat leaders a chance
to have some weight in the situa-
; ton. The situation didn't offer
much hope for Mr.. Jones; he con-
sidered resigning, some say his
friends had hopes he'd be given
clerkship in the postoffice, any
way, he and the Republican lead
ers, along with some others back
ing him were determined that any
> thing and everything possible
) would be done to keep Shannon
J, from getting the appointment. AS
one self-styled Democrat who is
not a resident of the community,
!. but likes to run things, told a post
: office inspector, it was unthinkable
: that a Shannon be given the Man.
n teo postoffice; it would be a dis
: grace.
Republican County Chairman
a Vernon Gaskill of Wanchese, who
: shortly before the Eisenhower cleo
!, ton, had been registered as a
: Democrat for spell, offered Ralph
Swain his endorsement. Mr.. Gas
kill and Mr.. Jones considered Mr..
! Swain the least undesirable of the
/ three who were on the qualified
q list.
q The Manteo post office carries
\ a salary of about $4,000 a year.
1t is rated second class office,
: and has two permanent clerks,
; John Krider and Ben Shannon, and
!. two substitute clerks, Mrs. MariIyn
! Midget and Frank White.
: Mr.. Swain who is a wei known
: groceryman and former insurance
/ salesman, has lived in Manteo for
the past ~ years, coming here
i See POSTMASTERS, Page Eight