The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-08-01
STATE OFFICIALS AND
FRIENDS AT HOME PAY
TRIBUTE TO ETHERIDCES
Career Of Coun+y's Representative Lauded by
Congressman Bonner. Lindsay Warren. State
Treasurer Gill and Dr. Frank Graham; Sterling
Silver Service Awarded at Picnic Dinner
Thursday. at 8oth Birthday Observance.

Had July 81, 1878 been as hot a
day as Thursday of this week, it is
doubtful that Hon. R. Bruce Ether
idge would have survived to be
honored on his 80th birthday as
was done at Fort Raleigh with
high tribute paid him by prominent
state officials, and others. A pro-
gram of more than an hour in the
Fort Raleigh Theatre closed with
the presentation of a sterling sill
yer service to Mr.. and Mrs. Ether
idge, the gift of many friends in
Dare County and several else
where.
Despite the sweltering heat
goodly number of friends from the
county came, including some II
people 80 years or older, and many
friends from other counties. The
meeting was opened by Sheriff
Frank Cahoon, who has headed up
the celebration committee and car
ried the event through to a sue
cessful conclusion.
Following the openeing prayer
by Rev. w. E. Cholerton, Manteo
Baptist minister, Supt. Bob Gibbs
of the Cape Hatteras National Sea-
shore welcomed the visitors to the
Fort Raleigh Historic Shrine, and
read a letter from Director Con-
! rad Wirth of the. National Park
Sevice, and from Regional Direc-
tor Ebert Cox.
Sheriff Cahoon presented the fol-
lowing list of persons over eighty
who had braved the heat to pay
tribute to Mr.. and Mrs. Etheridge.
These included w. F. Baum, o. ].
Jones, Mrs. Eliza Thyme, Mrs. Sal
lie Midgete, A. C. Mann, Mrs. Lii
lie Swindell, all of Manteo; Mrs.
Sallie Anne Austin, 80, w. C.
Saunders, Bart, Garrison, Brinkley
Gray, ali of Wanchese; M. L. Twi-
ford of Norfolk, an East Lake ma
i tive; N. F. Jennett, ]. A. Gray
and Martin Tolson of Buxton. Mrs.
Hildegarde Perry, Capt. w. A.
Perry, 81, Mrs. Mary Best, all of
Kitty Hawk. Capt. Perry was ac-
companied by his wife who is IS.
Congressman Herbert Bonner
was then recognized as Master of
Ceremonies who read from many
letters of regret sent by prominent
people unable to attend. Hon. Lind
say Warren was then presented,
and he paid high tribute to the
career and the worth of Mr.. and
Mrs. Etheridge. He gave Mr.. Eth
eridge great credit for the wonder
full progress of Dare County
through the years, and ranked
along with him in worth to the
county in making it better known
and winning for it friends, three
others, A. w. Drinkwater, the late
Bradford Fearing and Victor
Meekins. These four, he said, had
done most for Dare.
Mr.. Bonner called on Former u.
S. Senator DIR. Frank P. Graham
who came to the front and paid
tribute to the work of Mr.. Ether
idge. Elsewhere is printed the
poem by DR.. Graham on this oc-
casion.
| State Treasurer Edwin Gill of
Raleigh made a masterful address
in honor of Mr.. and Mrs. Ether
idge, and told of numerous instanc-
es of the worth of Mr.. Etheridge
to Dare County and the state dur
ing his long career as a public Of
fetal.
/ A handsome sterling silver serv-
i ice was then presented to Mr.. and
Mrs. Etheridge. Sheriff Cahoon
gave Mrs. Etheridge a spray of
red roses, and after the benedic-
tion by DIR. John d. Messick, Pres
ident of East Carolina College,
the visitors repaired to a picnic
dinner on Fort Raleigh grounds.
A partial list of prominent citi-
zens and officials attending cere-
See ETHERIDGE, Page Six