The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-06-26
MACNEILL'S APPEAL
TO HIGHWAY MEN
FOR INLET BRIDGE

Tape I1dUteTdS NCWSPaPSAi ii%'Ai
Presented the Case In a Few Well
Chosen Words.
There has been considerable
comment about the recent appear
ance of Ben Dixon MacNeill, the
sage of Cape Hatteras before the
highway commission in Edenton,
in which he presented the case for
a bridge across Oregon Inlet. Be
cause of this, we are printing his
remarks made on that day:
"Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen:
"My name is MacNeill. I am and
have been for twelve years, an in
habitant of Hatteras Island. Did
1 follow my personal inclination
would, at this moment, be look
ing at such of the world as con-
Germs me from the porch that the
Seabees added to the shady side
of my house, and not bothering
about whether ferries ever run or
bridges get themselves built.
"But my neighbors on the Is
land have entrusted to me mes
sage of reminder to this Commits
sion and to the four million peo-
nile who are North Carolina. l am
not attended by any delegation.
NV neighbors would have come, as
many of them as could manage
to get across the Inlet. The blues
are bighting at home and my peo-
pie are right busy. Yesterday Capt.
Bernie Balance stopped by to show
me the first mackerel taken
from the surf this year. He said
it weighted six pounds.
""The message and the reminder
that bring from the islanders is
brief. First the reminder: it was
the distinguished father of your
chairman who, as Governor, estab-
lished and supplemented for North
Carolina the policy of toll-free
travel in this State. The Islanders
hold him in grateful memory, as
should all North Carolina. Rarely
a day passes but I hear some visi-
tor, his resources depleted by
turnpikes and tunnels, bridges and
ferries, as he made his way hither,
marvel at our freedom and l hear
some Islander remind him "Gover-
nor Broughton he freed the ferries
and u.s."
''The ferries, free now these 10
years, bring 100000 visitors to our
Islands annually. Because they
have long since reached the limit
1t their capacity, our ferries also
keep away more visitors than they
can bring. 1t is not feasible to put
more boats into operation, nor
larger boats. There is not room for
them.
'oThe operation of the present
ferry system is luxury that North
Carolina can not afford. 1t is pro-
hibitively costly. 1t cost a dollar
and a half to fetch me across the
ferry this morning on the way
here and I'll have to have another
like sum from you to get home
this evening.
"It adds up, gentlemen, by very
simple arithmetic, to the fact that,
within five years, the annual saw
ings on the operation and main
tenance of these ferries would build
and pay for a bridge. Not just a
bridge but modern one that
would solve for long time to
come the problem that has no
other possible solution.
feYou have to spend the money.
Within five years the present
equipment, at best a makeshift,
will be utterly worn out. There
are no more what time landing
craft to be converted. You will
have to build ferry boats of a.
special design and they will cost
as much as a bridge, and still re-
quire operation.
"My Island neighbors have only
to suggest that you think five
years ahead. On their behalf l beg
leave to simply youte the favorite
Logan phrase of Mr.. Justice Hunt
Parker: Res ipse locatur-the
thing speaks for itself. And to
that l must add the Islands thanks,
and my own, for hearing US"