OCR Interpretation


The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, September 08, 1940, Section Two, Image 16

Image and text provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78002169/1940-09-08/ed-1/seq-16/

What is OCR?


Thumbnail for 16

Mayflower Ready To Play Part In National Defense Program
Former Presidential Yacht Can Be Made Ready
For Sea Duty Within 30 Days, Broadfoot Says
— *
Cannot Be Sold To British
Government Due To Re
striction In Bill Of Sale
BY BOD SPARROW
She did her bit in the Spanish
American war. She has served
presidents of the United States
faithfully. Will she be given an op
portunity to play a part in the
defense of the nation she has
served long and faithfully?
That is the question people in
Wilmington are asking about the
former U.S.S. Mayflower, which
lies at dock in the Cape Fear
river here.
Once a proud princess of the
seas, she now lies dirty, unattract
ive, and idle. Like a ghost she
lies in the swirling, dirty tides,
her brass dull and green, her
stack and decks soiled, smutty
and greasy, and her rust-stained
sides making her a hollow mock
ery of the once-palatial yacht
which was proud with the echo
of the voices of presidents, digni- 1
taries and potentates who were
piped over her gleaming sides ro
her holy-stoned decks as smart
sideboys stood at alert attention.
Gone is her glory and beauty. ;
Ready to Serve
And yet she is ready, or nearly
so, to serve her nation immediate
ly should the voice of Uncle Sam
call her.
She has been something of a
“mystery” ship since her un
heralded arrival here Thanksgiv
ing, 1931. Gutted by fire some
months before, her beautifully
lined but delapidated hull was*
towed up the Cape Fear river i
and quietly docked at the Broad- ’
foot Iron Works. ]
During her stay here her power 1
plant has been completely over
hauled. New Scotch marine boil- <
ers have been installed and re- :
. pairs have been made which have i
attained for her Lloyd’s rating of (
A-l. the highest possible, for her ;
hull and power plant. She has 1
been completely cleaned of the
ravages of fire which swept her <
and brought about her sale by the 1
federal government, and has been c
completely modernized inside. t
Since the days of the Spanish l
American war, when she served
as a flagship in the U. S. Navy, s
her vital parts, her boiler room \
and engine quarters, have been i
protected with heavy armor plate, t
She is jointly owned by the
Broadfoot Iron Works, of Wilming; j
ton, and a scrap iron company s
of Virginia, and William G. Broad- ^
foot, of the iron works company 1
says she is ideally fitted as a
fast patrol boat. The vessel is r
capable of making 18 to 20 knots,
s 320 feet long, 57 feet of beam,
mas a draft of 17 1-2 feet, is oi
.780 gross tons and 1020 net tons.
During the refitting work which
vas done here shortly after her
irrival she was brought to the
stage where but little work would
me needed to make her ready for
sea duty.
Ready in 30 Days
Once again guns could be in
stalled on her gun emplacements,
:rew quarters made to fit her
lew needs, and, Broadfoot says,
vithin 30 days she could be ready
or duty at sea as a part of the
Jnited States Navy.
The total cost of making the
hip ready for sea duty, Broadfoot
ays, would not exceed $25,000 of
vhich $5,000 would be needed to
onmplete work on her exterior
md the remainder to fit the in
erior with partitions and the like.
The vessel, he said, cannot be
old to the British government,
lecause of a restriction in the
riginal bill of sale from the fed
ral government which forbids her
ieing sold to foreign registry.
Since her arrival here the ves
el has had a strange history, one
/hich has kept her much in the
nind of the populace of Wilming
on.
When first she arrived, people
[enerally wanted to know why
he was brought to Wilmington,
/ho owned her and what plans
ad been made for her.
There were no answers im
mediately.
Then a man tmmed L. P. Coe,
about whom no one seemed to
know much, arrived.
Word went around he owned the
hulk and planned to recondition
it but for what use was still not
known. ' 3
The “boys” around the water
front talked quietly of the man
and the “mystery ship.” Coe, they
said, was from Chicago. Some
said he owned the ship but—. The
“boys” winked and went back to
their work.
One of the least reticent of the
workers, a strong, stooped, red
headed caulker and handyman,
finally confided “the heaters
(welders) on the ship say she’s
gdfhg to be fixed up for A1 Capone
(who was then headed for the
federal pen) when he gets out”
but others hooted the idea.
The Capone rumor grew when
work was really underway. Port
holes were welded closed, the
port-studded superstructure was
removed and replaced with solid
sheets of steel, giving the ship
the appearance of a floating, un
armed stronghold.
But then the workmen began
to build a long hallway down the
center of the ship and rumors
ran that the vessel was to be
made into a gambling palace to
be anchored offshore from some
swanky beach resort and serviced
by speedy motorboats which would
carry patrons to and from the
ship.
About this time Frank Parish,
reputedly a stock dealer, arrived
and word ran about he was owner
of the ship.
Shortly after he made a hurried
departure from the city, Mrs.
Frank Parish arrived on a beauti
ful yacht and, she said, she was
the ship’s owner.
Restoration Planned
She planned, she said, to re
store the vessel to its former
grandeur and to use it as a show
piece of historic interest and value.
Its first showing, she said, would
be at the World’s Fair at Chicago.
In line with these announced
plans she told of exquisit materi
als, including some very valuable
glassware, with which she intend
ed to equip it.
In the meantime the Yacht
Mayflower, Inc., had been formed
by Mr. and Mrs. Parish and Coe
and the corporation made a con
tract with the Broadfoot Iron
Works to make certain repairs
and alterations. Work continued
on the ship until April 1932, when
it was stopped suddenly. In the
meantime Parish became involved
in a criminal suit in which the
government charged him with ir
regularties in the sale of stocks.
For months the vessel lay idle
and deserted at the iron works
docks. Essential repairs were
made by the work of restoring
the ship in accordance with plans
drawn by Gielow, Inc., marine
architects, were not carried out.
On Nov. 6, 1936 the Broadfoot
Iron Works brought an action
against the ship and against Mr.
and Mrs. Parish and against Coe.
The corporation owned the vessel
and the action, dismissed against
the individuals, continued against
the corporation. The iron works
sought some $60,000 lor wharfage,
watchman’s services, and other
services and about $1,000 spent
under authority given by the archi
tects. Finally the case went before
a referee in 1937 and an appeal
from his decision took the case
to New Hanover superior court.
When called for trial there Vie
attorneys entered a consent judg
ment, under which the vessel was
to be sold at auction to pay a $15,
000 judgment.
After a number of delays the
vessel was sold and shortly after
the auction it was announced the
vessel was owned jointly by the
Broadfoot Iron Works and a Vir
ginia scrap iron company, repre
sented by Leon A. Familant and
Louis Friedlander, of Suffolk, Va.
And now she is for sale at an
unannounced price. Will Uncle
Sam purchase her again and give
her another opportunity to serve
the nation whose presidents she
has carried? 3
VAIL DESCENDANTS
HOLD REUNION AT
SMITHFIELD PICNIC
SMITHFIELD, Sept. 7.—The 1940
reunion of the Vail family was
held Thursday, August 29, at the
home of Misses Bessie and Ora
Vail near Pikeville With 125 at
tending.
The day was featured by a splen
did picnic dinner, and an address
by J. Frank Mclnnis, president of
the Goldsboro Rotary club.
It was the occasion of the 3rd
annual reunion held by descend
ants of Benners Whedbee Vail and
Susan Matilda Alford, who were
married in 1827 in Wayne county.
Many members of the clan from
other states were present.
A welcoming address was given
by Miss Lorraine Vail of Pikeville,
with the response by J. M. Hough,
Supt. of Coon High school, Wilson.
Devotionals. were held by the Rev.
L. R. Ennis of Goldsboro. The
Rev. J. H. Overton, Methodist min
ister of Pikeville, also gave devo
tionals.
Those attending from this sec
tion were: Mrs. Harvey V. Norris,
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Apple
white, Wilmington; Mr. and Mrs
C. D. Pickerell and children of Del
co, Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Scully, Mr.
and Mrs. B. F. Applewhite, Mr.
and Mrs. R. E. Applewhite and
Miss Mary Felt Applewhite of Del
co; Miss Jean Aplewhite of Caro
lina Beach. j
BASE STEALING
DETROIT W)—Baseball fever is
so strong in the home of the De
troit Tigers that even the holdup
men wear baseball uniforms A
gunman clad in diamond garb’re
cently entered the store of John
Kouzeatis, 50, and robbed him of
$50. 3
Formerly a princess of the seas over whose sides have been piped presidents, world dignitaries and
jotentates the yacht Mayflower lies today in the dirty, swirling tides of the Cape Fear river, tied up
it the Broadfoot Iron works. This vessel, with an expenditure of $25,000 would be made ready for ac
ive participation* in the national defense program, within 30 days, William G. Broadfoot, part owner
>f the vessel says. Will Uncle Sam give the vessel a chance to serve its nation once again?
BRAGAW NOTED AS
ALLIGATOR TAMER
Noted Young Horticulturist
Of Orton Plays With Big
Boys At Night
SOUTHPORT, Sept. 7. — After a
hard day spent with flowers there
is no better recreation—or so says
Churchill Bra#aw — than hunting
alligators with your bare hands at
night.
Bragaw is superintendent of Or
ton plantation, one of the heauty
spots of North Carolina. His voca
tional skill with camellias and aza
leas is widely known. But his neigh
bors around Southport are even
more impressed with Churchill’s
avocational skill. Even a highly
trained botanist is not expected to
produce perfect blossoms or? every
bush he grows. But when it comes
to grabbing an alligator by the end
of his nose and pulling him into
the boat, the hunter isn’t allowed
even one miss.
Flashlight Only Weapon
Bragaw goes hunting in a small
boat, his only weapon a flashlight.
Through cypress trees and lily pads
the boatman paddles silently while
Bragaw plays his light over the wa
ter. When two red balls of fire ap
pear on the surface, as the light
is reflected in the alligator’s eyes,
the fun begins. The light holds the
'gator fascinated as the boat ap
proaches slowly. Then suddenly Bra
gaw plunges his right hand into
the water and grab3 the reptile by
the end of his nose. The important
thing is to grab it right; otherwise
the hunter is liable to lose his hand.
Once he has the jaws clamped
shut, Bragaw hands his light to his
hunting companion, who frequently
is attractive Emma Lou Harrilson
also of the Orton staff, and with
his left hand takes a grip just back
of the head. Then quickly he shifts
the right back and gets a handlock
around the horny neck. All this
takes but a second for once the
alligator realizes what is happening
he begins lashing with his tail. It
takes strength as well as fkill not
snly to hold on but aiso pull the
reptile into the boat and tie it with
a rope.
Recently Bragaw had some friends
come to Orton for an alligator steak
dinner. Some were a little dubious
about the main course, for alligator
eating is far from common here
abouts. They decided to try another
dish and found it quite good. It was
not until later that they learned
they were eating rattlesnakes which
Churchill, armed with a forked
stick, had gone out and caught for
their especial benefit. Undoubtedly,
said Bragaw, they turned out to be
the most unappreciative dinner
guests that ever visited his home.
Rehder Says Gardens
In Excellent Condition
Gardens in the city relief gar
dening program are in a better
condition for planting now than
they have ever been at this time
of the year, Carl Rehder, director
of the program, reported yester
day.
“After the heavy rains the first
part of the month,” he said, “we
told our gardeners to cut down the
weeds, spade up the soil and pre
pare it for planting mustard and
turnip seeds and onion sets during
September.
“I am very much pleased to say
that nearly all of them carried out
our instructions and I believe that,
today, we have more back yards
in our city cleaned and ready for
planting than ever before at this
season of the year, and I am sure
our gardeners will have all the
fresh vegetables they need this
fall. One of them told me, a few
minutes ago, that his family had
collards, okra, and peppers for his
Labor Day dinner.
“Most of our gardeners have a
fine crop of collards which will
mean much to them during the
winter months.
“Many of our gardeners made
good use of the hundreds of fruit
jars donated to our program and
now in many homes jars filled
with beans, tomatoes and other
vegetables are stored away for use
this winter.
“A total of 328 called at our of
fice for seed this month and we
made 757 visits and conferences.
“On August 31 we placed an or
der for mustard, turnip seeds and
onion sets to be delivered Septem
ber 3.
“Due to the splendid cooperation
which our seed stores have given
us and their desire to help needy
families through our program, the
order amounted to only $36.70. The
retail prices of these seeds would
be $144.00. 1
Paramount News Reels
Are Banned By Nazis
BERLIN, Sept. 7.—(^—Para
mount News reels and features will
be forbidden in Germany starting
Sept. 12 because of the producers'
alleged anti-German tendencies.
Goldwyn-Mayer and Fox already
are banned.
ALBINO SQUIRREL
COOLEEMEE, Sept. . 7 —UP)—
James W. Summers of Cooleemee
killed an albino squirrel near here.
The squirrel, a little over half grown,
had snow white fur, a long White
brush and pink eyes, ears and nails.
Otherwise he was normal.
Rowe, Clark And Col. Gillette
Will Speak At Willard Picnic
Among the speakers at the an
nual Field Day and Picnic of the
Coastal Plain ' Station at Willard,
this year, will be three outstanding
citizens of Southeastern North Car
olina: State Senator Roy Rowe of
Burgaw in Pender county, Senator
James H. Clark of Elizabethtown
in Bladen county, and Lieut. Col.
G. W. Gillette, who will represent
both New Hanover and Onslow
counties, as he is stationed at pres
ent in Wilmington and grew up in
Onslow county.
Senator Rowe is a Pender county
boy who happened to live in the
most sparsely settled part of the
county, but he took advantage of a
school established by northern in
terests to get his education. Later
he went away to school and in re
cent years he returned to the coun
ty and has prospered in the devel
opment of a chain of moving pic
ture theaters in various cities of
the state. He was so much appre
ciated by the people of Pender
county that they sent him to the
state senate in 1937, where he
made a most excellent record. A
feature of his record there was
that he made a weekly report
through the newspapers to the peo
ple of his district, keeping them
in touch with what he was doing
and what was going on in the legis
lature. Senator Rowe will serve
as the chairman of the day at the
annual field day, and the people
are thus insured a well-conducted
program.
Senator James H. Clark of Eliz
abethtown is perhaps one of the
most active and outstanding citi
zens of the Southeast. He served
on the State Highway Commission
under Gov. O. Max Gardner and
at present is a member of the
Advisory Budget Commision. He
has held this position under Gov
ernors Ehringhaus and Hoey and,
accordingly, has had much to do
with the financial management oi
the state during these administra
tions. He is also an ex officio
member of the Bureau of Pur
chase and Awards. He was a mem
ber of the 1937 state senate and is
the Democratic nominee for the
1941 State Senate. He is president
of James H. Clark & Co., ana
president of the Bank of Elizabeth
town. He also serves as chairman
of the board of directors of the
Lumberton Cotton Mills, as vice
president of the Elizabeth com
pany and as vice-president of Woot
en & Clark company, Inc. It will
be seen, therefore, that he is a
business man of broad interests.
He also serves his community. He
is a former member and chairman
of the Bladen county board of edu
cation and secretary of the Eliza
bethtown school committee, thus
proving his interest in education.
He is active also in church circles,
being an elder of the Elizabeth
town Presbyterian church and su
perintendent of the Presbyterian
Sunday school for the past eight
een years. Mr. Clark was reared
on a farm in Bladen county and
has been a farmer all his life. His
farming interests are very exten
sive. On his farms he raises fine
crops of tobacco, cotton, peanuts
and forage, and he has a fine herd
of Hereford cattle and many hogs.
He is a confident to half the people
of Bladen county and a friend to
all. To most of the people of his
community he is known as “Mr.
Jim.” While he is a hard worker,
he takes time off in the fall for his
favorite sport of turkey hunting at
which he is a master.
Lieut. Col. Gillette will bring a
military touch to the field day in
that he is an officer in the United
States army. Lieut. Col. Gillette
will speak on the subject "Develop
ment of the Inland Waterways of
North Carolina and Their Relation
to the Health and Prosperity of
the State.” In his capacity as dis
trict engineer, located at Wilming
ton, he is in charge of all the work
of this office in North Carolina. He
is thus qualified to discuss this
important subject. Col. Gillette is
a native of Onsow county and at
tended the grade schools of that
county. His boyhood experiences
hunting, fishing, tramping the
marshes and farming along the
sound gave him a background of
practical experience which has
served him well in his future ca
reer. After completing his grade
school course in Onslow county he
graduated from the engineering
school of N. C. State colege in
Raleigh and from the Army En
gineering school. He also attended
special schools of engineering in
France and Germany. He entered
the Corps of Engineering, U. S.
Army in 1916 and saw service dur
ing the World War in Belgium,
France and Germany in the 105th
Engineers, 30th Division and 6th
Engineers, 3rd Division. He was
awarded the Silver Star decora
tion.
Since the World war, Lieut. Col.
Gilette has engaged in numerous
military and civil engineering dut
ies, and has also commanded
troops at several army posts
throughout the country. He was
in active charge of construction of
the heavy seacoast fortifications
at Cape Henry, Va., in 1922-23. He
was in charge of engineer produc
tion for the Army Engineers at
Schenectady, N. Y„ in 1923.34 , ,
was instructor of Military
neering for four years my
City, Mo. He was also assig^
duty at the Wilson Dam m *
Shoals, A,a., during
tion of the dam and erect.on 0'j
the power equipment. Late
was assigned as assistant t0 2
director of public building, ‘\e
parks of the national camtni °
to the national capitmn?’ an<i
board. Between 1934-36 LieS^S
Gilette served for tw0 Ve= Co1'
Hawaii with troops engaged onl?
ious engineering missions V/
1936-38 he was chief 0f «,/ 0tn
struction section. Military Divil™'
a °fwChLef 0f Engineers,'U °*
A., in Washington. D c e; ^
1938 Lieut. Col. Gilette has ?
turned to his old home stall!
grounds as district engineer if o
Enginer department for Nort!
Carolina with headquarters in Urn
! mington, N. C„ and is now giI
his entire 1'me to directing 2
army engineer work in this stat.
Recently he has been supervising
the engineers and their activities
in relation to the flood condition?
and all matters relating to 2
engineering problems of our riv
ers, coasts and inland waterways
go under his supervision. He holds
therefore, one of the key positions
pertaining to progress in North
Carolina and is doing much to
bring about improvements in this
section.
In addition to these speakers as
already announced, other outstand
ing citizens of the state will be
present and participate in the pro”
gram, such as J. M. Broughton
democratic nominee for governor
who will make the principal ad
dress, and Col. Harrelson, d?M
of administration at N. C. State
college, and W. Kerr Scott, com
mission of agriculture.
Destroyers’ Names
May Not Be Changed
LONDON, Sept. 7—W—When par.
liament reconvenes Sept. 17 Prinij
Minister Churchill will be asked
whether the 50 destroyers obtained
from the United States will be al
lowed to retain the names given
them in the service of the U ?,
Navy, provided “no objection is tak
en by Washington.”
The question will be put by Col,
Josiah Wedgwood, laborite.
’S WRONG
CONCORD, Sept. 7.—tffl-Crowas
blocked the sidewalks in front of a
theatre here today when the mana
ger announced that any girl wear
ing a sarong would be admitted free.
The heroine in the movie playing
at the theatre wore a sarong.
TIDE WATER POWER CO.
' ■ 4

xml | txt