Ralph Pool in Support of Public Ferry, 1919

“A Public Ferry” by Ralph Pool, as published in the Elizabeth City Independent, Sept. 12, 1919

Ere many months, from what we hear, the winter time must sure appear, when wild and woolly breezes blow, and there is much of rain and snow. Then, too, a thing that’s more than sad is that our roads will yet be bad, and while some words have been bestowed upon the Camden Ferry “Road, in truth we still must deprecate its certain future miry state, for naught of value has bene done to better it ere summer’s gone. In Camden and in Currituck are folks whose autos will be stuck if next December they essay to come to town by that punk way.

Since private ferries seem to be a bar to our prosperity, and as they will keep gents away whose cash has erstwhile come our way, lest those bright, jingling plunkets roam to Norfolk for a cheery home, our Betsey Town should stir herself and strive to cop that shinning pelt. Ere winter we had best provide a ferry to the Camden side which may be used at any time, nor makes the user swear in rhyme. The business men of this fair town should put a public ferry down, all ready for the folks to use who would come here to buy their shoes and other stuff when winter’s gale brings rain and snowfall by the bale.