The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1962-02-09
FLIGHT TO ATLANTIC PLANT
BY DARE COAST CONTINGENT
COMPLETED HERE YESTERDAY
Local Representatives Take Goodwill Tour Over
Research Center and Development Headquar-
ters OF Atlantic Research Corporations Alex
andria Plant. as Negotiations CONTINUE Over
Location Of Fuel Research Site at CoroIIa.

10 d u
A DC-3, belonging to Atlantic
Research Corp. touched down at
Manteo Airport at am. Thursday
to board a party from Dare County
who were invited guests of the
corporation to an inspection of their
facilities at Alexandria, Va. The
members of the local party included
M. K. Fearing, Jr, Jack Tillett,
Tom Briggs, Major j. L. Murphy,
Jim Scarborough and DIR. w. w.
Harvey, Jr.
The group was airborne by 8:15
am. and returned late the same
day at approximately 4:30 pm.
The invitation was public rela-
tions gesture on the part of the
company in the effort to convince
local citizens of their good inten-
tons and genuine interest in the
coastal area. Several representa-
tives from Currituck joined the
local party for the fight to Alex
andria.
The Atlantic Corp. has been dis
cussing plans for a research plant
with state officials and Currituck
County representatives during the
week in an effort to reach an agree
ment which would locate rocket
research center at Corolla for the
purpose of testing rockets and rock
ct fuels. The Atlantic Research
Corp. hopes to contribute an in
vestment of $500 million and
employ more than 1000 persons by
1864 at Corolla, if its projected
plans are agreeable with state Of
ficials.
The major factor preventing the
plants location at this time in
wolves the construction of $50, 900
access road from Duck to Corolla,
which the corporation lists as one
of the major commitments needed
from the state before establishing
there. The corporation also desires
assurance from the Currituck Coun-
ty Board that new industry is def
initely wanted in the sparsely pop
|ulated community at Corolla.
A major controversy has arisen
over the road proposal which in
wolves Atlantic Corporation person
mel and State Highway Commission
Chairman Merrill Evans. Evans
stated Tuesday that he would be
opposed to building a road from
Duck to Corolla to provide access
to a proposed rocket fuel research
plant at Corolla if the plant would
block further beach development. II
think it would be a serious mistake,
from the standpoint of Currituck
County, to block off the beach"
Evans said. Evans indicated he has.
long been in favor Of . road to run
the length of the Outer Banks and
limited that he did not know as yet
whether the research plant would
block such a road.
On Monday, a vice president Of
the corporation, Gerald T. Halpin,
had stated that his firm would not
locate at Corolla if road running
THE entire length Of the beach were
constructed this year. The firm is
said to have selected the Outer
Ranks area because of its need for
seclusion and secrecy while doing
research work for the government.
Halpin did Indicate, however, that
the firm would not oppose the
road after several years Of opera
ton in Currituck County.
Concern has been registered by
natives in the Corolla area over
the signs which have recently been
erected at the Whaleshead Club
property site. The signs read "Re-
|stricted Area. No Trespassing. This
area is in use by the United States
Department Of Defense. Trespass-
ling for any purpose is strictly pro-
Inhibited. Violators will be prosecut-
ed under the u. s. Espionage Acts"
Tom Stanley, assistant to DR.. Arch
Scurlock, Atlantic president, said
in Alexandria that his firm has
"no intention Of blocking north
south traffic" or any other beach,
buggy traffic moving through the
area. He did indicate that the firm
would have to halt all traffic along
the beach during the time Of test