(From the Washington Daily News, July 10, 1914.)
Ocracoke had the greatest celebration in all of its history. Eight hundred visitors seek enjoyment in this little seaside village.
The largest crowd that ever visited Ocracoke began to arrive Friday afternoon from nearly all points in Eastern North Carolina. The last boat load of excursionists arrived on the yacht Maude and Reginald from Washington, NC, which was followed by the following: The Lucille of Lake Landing, Josephine of Swan Quarter, Otis Tyrrell of Juniper Bay, Bonney Bell off Hatteras, Hero of Beaufort, Hobson of Lupton, Annie Wahab of Washington and about fifty other smaller crafts from other places.
The first event of the day was the penning of the wild ponies from along the banks.
Several hundred of these ponies came galloping in the pen at 8 AM, and for three hours more than five hundred spectators enjoyed seeing the ponies fight and prance in a manner typical of the wildest animal of an African jungle. Experts at riding and catching performed in the real wild west style. Colonel John W. O’Neal and son, assisted by Cecil Bragg, Jones Williams and Oscar Jackson, drove the ponies a distance of twenty miles in 2 hours and 28 minutes which beats all previous records. Quite a few of these ponies were sold, Mr. C. E. Wahab, a pony dealer of Washington, NC, being the largest purchaser.
The second event of the day was a motor boat race in which the following boats participated: Hobble Skirt of Ocracoke, owned by Mr. J. H. Doxsee, Baby Rose of Ocracoke, owned by Mr. C.C. McWilliams, Shark, owned by Mr. Gus Styron of Witt, NC, Blanche, owned by Luther Burrus of Hatteras, and The Tourist’s Friend, owned by Captain Jas.Styron of Ocracoke., The Baby Rose was awarded the cup, beating the Hobble Skirt 2 minutes and 10 seconds over the course.
The third event brought in company four of the fastest sailing yachts, all owned at Ocracoke. M.L. Fulcher’s yacht Nifty, winning the race, Captain Elisha Ballance’s yacht Breeze, finishing second, F.J. Fulcher’s yacht Gil Twine third, and Thad Scarborough’s yacht Stingery, fourth. The distance was twelve miles over a relay course.
A swimming contest was won by Captain F. W. Bragg of Ocracoke.
The fifth event was a demonstration of surf bathing by Surfman Gary Bragg of Portsmouth Life Saving station in his surf boat Black John. He went out over the Ocracoke Bar and came through a heavy surf on the back of the beach where a number of swimmers swam through the breakers and boarded his craft.
The last and most important event was a patriotic ball at the Doxsee hotel.
The dance hall was appropriately decorated with war relics, Japanese lanterns and American Flags. Prof. Thomas O’Neal was master of the string band which furnished the music.