In a 1913 article in the Potsdam Courier,
NY, Martin V.B. Ives described his visit to the Beaufort Life Saving
Station, Bogue Island and the turtle hatchery in Beaufort; he also
described the wild horses. Irving Bacheller was mentioned in the
article; about 1909-10, journalist Bacheller, who founded the first
modern newspaper syndicate in the US, owned the Blare House circa 1779,
at 111 Marsh Street in Beaufort, later home to Nathaniel Hancock
Russell, engineer on the first train to Beaufort. This article is
transcribed as written. Old postcards and photographs were added to this
post and not part of the article:
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"The
next day breaking fair, Capt. Palmer informed us that it would be a
good day for us to visit Beaufort Fish Hatchery and the old fellow was
as much if not more interested in the act that we were, for he could see
at least one dollar for five minutes work taking us across in his sail
boat to the small island on which the hatchery was located. However we
were not sorry we went and felt well repaid for the visit. As its name
would suggest we expected to see small sized fish of all grades, but
nothing of the kind, as this particular hatchery was devoted to the
propagation of shell fish only, but we were informed that class of fish
culture was very popular and that students came from all over the United
States to study shell fish culture.
"One of the stocks in trade, in fact an important asset of Beaufort, is its so-called Beach Ponies, consisting of about 25 or 30 small ponies about one size larger than the Shetland brand, that are essentially as wild as any wild horse. They have pre-empted and practically own a small island situated about one mile out in front of the city and live there the whole year around and can be seen any hours during the day either quietly feeding or running and racing up and down the beach in plain sight of the people of the city of Beaufort. Their capers offer a continuous show especially to all the people who visit the city. These strange animals are not overlooked but usually receive some mention in all communications describing that watering place.
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"The island is about one mile in width and contains about
10,000 acres of land. Several years ago a gentleman hailing from the
state of Maine, for the benefit of his health, visited Beaufort mainly
for rest and refreshment, but after spending a few months there and
hearing that the island could be purchased, being a man of ample means
he purchased the whole tract, neck and crop, and today if the writer is
any judge he owns a paradise. He has already built himself a bungalow
winter home on the island without cutting away any more of its trees and
native shrubbery than was strictly necessary. The outlook and
surroundings of his charming camp are far beyond my pen to adequately
describe. His house or bungalow is plain, not very expensive but regal
in its equipment and furnishings; perhaps not so costly but yet it will
compare favorably with the palatial bungalows of Palm Beach, Fla.
"Having been given a letter of introduction to the gentleman, Mr. John Royal, by my friend Dr. Irving Bacheller, who became acquainted with Mr. Royal during the two winters Dr. Bacheller sojourned at Beaufort for his health. Mrs. Ives and myself were promptly invited to spend a day with the Royals at their home on the island some eight miles seaward from Beaufort. In fact they sent their motor launch over to the city for us.
"The
writer remarked that a walk of that distance up north would be
considered something of a task, and the Royal ladies replied that that
was nothing, that they made it every day and sometimes twice a day,
which we had no reason to doubt, for their tanned complexions and vigor
proved it and doubtless will add ten years to their lives.
"But
when we had arrived and climbed the great sand dunes, like breastworks
guarding the seashore, and looked out onto old ocean’s broad expanse as
far as the eye could reach in either direction, and viewed its hard
white shell-covered and wave-washed sand beach, and had braced up and
breathed in old ocean’s nectar of the Gods in great doses, I am prepared
to say that as a lover of nature and woodman, I have never seen a more
heart-lifting, getting-next-to-nature, making a man open his lungs to
drink in deep draughts of health-giving ozone with the flavor of the
pine, and 'thank-God I was alive' place than the ocean beach opposite
Mr. Royal’s place on Bogue Island.
"Our return trip to Washington was over another route than our advent to wit, over the Norfolk and Southern Railway to Norfolk, thence to Washington via steamboat. We very much enjoyed this trip but time and place will not admit of a description. We desire to add however that we can recommend the trip as on of the most pleasing one on this continent."