The Key West Citizen Newspaper, October 5, 1954, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has the most equable climate in the country, with an ‘average range of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL. LXXV Ne. 236 $130,000 To County) For Field CAA Okays Grant For Meacham Field Improvement Plan The C ivi Aeronautics Authority yesterday. okayed &@ $130,000 grant for im- provements at Meacham Field, County Commissioner Joe Allen said Sen. George Smathers phoned the news to him and then confirmed it with the following tele- 5 greet Wee Joe Allen: east 150 by ~ west runway 4,495 ; construct apron 400 feet and construct 4450 feet by 50 feet; in- “GEORGE SMATHERS.” Night Operations MIRL in the telegram means medium intensity runway lighting. In other words, the field will be lighted for night: operations. _, Allen said all credit for securing the $130,000 must go to Harold Wilde, county airport consultant. Wilde, a hae sd ae man, ora the applications for the grant rea Sia nmr le money, Allen , er the current ‘pudget there :s i said the $130,000 in match- will come from the $450,- 0, leaving $320,000, “We hope,” he added, “to se- eure more Federal funds next year and use the: $320,000 as matching funds.” However, Allen pointed out, “we settlement with Na- Sale of the certificates will on the income of the field. Since last Jan, 1, NAL and the eounty have been arguing over what rate NAL shall pay for the tise of the field. NAL has not paid any money to the county since Jan, 1. Chief Warns Parents About Fire Dangers One in every five fire vie- tims is a child under five. What can you do to protect your child from fire? : Plenty, says Fire Chief Charles Cremata, and he has this Fire Pre- vention Week advice for parents: “Never leave children home a- Jone. They’re helpless to escape fire that they themselves often start when left untended. “By the same token, always keep matches and lighters far out of the reach of youngsters.” Major Causes According to the records of the National Fire Protection Associa- tion, these are two of the major causes of child fire death, the chief says. “Watch out for situations where the child’s clothing might catch on fire,” he also warns, “In the home, that means not being allowed to play near stoves and furnaces. Outdoors, be wary on bonfires ard field fires for this reason. “For the child’s sake, be sure his party costumes and decora- tions are flame - proofed. And no candles, ever; give them a flash- light or electric candle instead for Halloween and other occasions. La LUMBER for COAL BINS at Strunk Ly hinge | |terrazzo floors while the upstairs | FIRST PASSENGERS—The firs! THE % it group of passengers ‘will be brisk for the ferry line.—Citizen Staff Photo, Don Pinder. to make the round-trip between here and Cardenas, Cuba, are shown as they disembarked early last evening. Indications are that business SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER KEY WEST, FLORIDA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER ‘Breakfast October 15 Will Start Community Chest Push The Unitéd Community Chest-Red Cross Appeal will be officially opened with a “kick-off” breakfast scheduled Employment For Handicapped Persons Sought Businessmen whe can employ physically handicapped persons today were urged to call the Plorida State Employment Ser- vice here. Jeff Knight, Jr., manager of the office, pointed out that Oct. 3 te 9 is National Employ the Pp i 3 Week ations AE such’ persoris seeking “said these persons are fooking for such jobs as porter- fanitor, surveyor's selistant, salesman, shipping elérk, gen- eral office clerk, and “bakery Three of them are.veterans, he spid, and one — ‘the’ office clerk — is a woman:'* dt Knight also said any handi- ¢apped workers looking fora fob should register his of- fice. - eee Lesa Work On New Motel Begins Work began today on Key West’s newest luxury motel — a $126,864 building at) South and Duval Streets. The two-story, air conditioned motel will include a 25 - by - 50 foot swimming pool and a solarium. The 53 units will be divided into} 20 efficiency apartments and the remainder in motel rooms. The owners are twe orothers, Ben and Aron Mazur. Ray Malone | is the contractor The L-shaped concrete block and | stucco building will run 170 feet back from Duval with the other leg of the L extending 118 feet to South | Street. | Pool Area Inside the L will be the pool and | a landscaped recreation area with swings and slides for children. The owner said they expect to be renting units by Christmas. ‘The first floor rooms will have rooms will be carpeted. Canti- levered balconies will run the en- tire length of both floors. a All rooms will be equipped with | telephone outlets. Hl Around the fresh - water pool | will be shuffle board courts and courts for other games. Guests at the new motel will be able to use the beach and pier at the Atlantic Shores Motel, 510 South Street. | The architéct was Gerald Pitt of | Miami. C. B. Harvey drew the spe- | cifications for the building. BALLOONIST DIES PERONNE, Franee # — Mrs. Paulette Weber, 54, holder of the; French women’s balloonist cham- 120 SIMONTON Sfp Near Weather — —_—_—_—_—_———. pionship, has perished in an at-| tempt to set a new world record duration flight for women. | of a particular need, the problem | for October 15. The goal for this year’s cam- paign is $55,000. This will include the $15,000 budget of the Red Cross. If this amount sounds like a lot of money, just stop and think — on a per capita basis it’s only $1 for each person living in Key West | and the adjacent islands. Suppose everyone gives a dollar for each member of his family — where does it go? How It Is Used Most of it is used to support and maintain the work being carried | on in Key West by the Red Cross | and the Community Chest agen- cies. The twelve Chest agencies in-| clude the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Key West Youth Center, Children’s Bookmobile and the Juvenile Coun- cil, These are the Key West organi- zations that are most closely con- cerned with our own youngsters. But so are the Children’s Home Society, with headquarters in Mia mi and the USO-YMCA and the NCCS. These last two agencies operate under, the United Defense Fund and the. National Catholic Community Services. Ald To Servicemen It’s heartwarming to see young service men stationed in Key West | making themselves at home at either place. The Monroe County Blood Bank is a new member agency this year. It’s purpose is to set up a file of donors and their blood type. In case of urgent need, it wiil be a matter of only a few minutes to check the file and find the name of some one with the proper type blood who has signified his or her willingness to be a donor. The work of the Salvation Army is another new agency, is familiar to neary every one. Tax Deductions In becoming a Chest agency, each member organization agrees not to sponsor a fund raising drive, and when you give to the United Appeal, your contribution is applied to the individual budgets and, of course, it’s tax deductible! Naturally, there are many who| cannot afford to contribute a dol- lar for each member of their fam-| ily, but those who can give more are asked to consider giving “Al day’s pay the United Way.” The very existence of a Com- munity Chest is proof that a com- munity is willing to care for the needs of its citizens, young and| } ‘old. Coordinates Action | It also serves as a coordinating | body between the members and | because each knows that the other | is doing, they work together. If one agency cannot take care | is turned over to the agency that | can. | Other than the obvious advantage | of making one donation once a year which takes care of your con- tribution to the Red Cross and ail the other services and agencies, \is the assurance that your money is being used to do the most good for the most people. RE - OPENING OF COLUMBIA RESTAURANT SPECIALIZING IN SPANISH- AMERICAN MEALS | Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. | | filed dismissal motions in the past W. H. Roberts Gets Contract For Paint Job Local Workmen To Be Used For Sand Key Light Project A contract to sand blast and paint Sand Key light has been awarded to the W. H. Roberts Painting Co., 204 Simonton Street, it was an- nounced . today. Roberts, owner of the company, said the Coast Guard has notified him that he had been ‘awarded the contract on his low bid of $9,000° He said the work will start next} week “‘and all men on the job will be paid union scale and all the; workmen will be local men.” Roberts added that “they are not paying union scale on the Bahia Honda bridge job. They. are pay- ing a half of the union scale.” Non-Union Jobs That bridge is being sand blast- | ed and painted. The state recently let another contraet to blast and paint the Seven Mile Bridge. To- gether, the contracts total more than a quarter of a million dol- lars. | Roberts said he and union offi-| cials had complained to state offi- cials about the scale paid on the} Bahia Honda bridge job but that | the state has not taken action. A 36-foot cabin cruiser ‘has been leased to haul the six-man crew / between Key West and Sand Key, | Robert said. | The equipment, including an ai | ‘compressor, a sand blaster and the sand will be hauled to the light on a barge. Coast Guard records show that Sand Key light was built in 1826) and rebuilt in 1853. It is about nine | miles from Key West. | The light, with a visibility of 7,-| 000 candle power in the white sec- | tor and 2,000 candle power in the red sector, is visible 16 miles. | It is 109 feet to the focal point | of the lens and 120 ‘feet to the top| of the lantern, according to the Coast Guard. Bateman Files For Dismissal Of SRD Suit The last of five defendants in the State Road Department suit for an accounting of a quarter of a mil- lion dollars today filed a motion for dismissal. He was Brooks Bateman, former general manager of the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District. His attorneys are William V. Albury and Enrique Esquinaldo, Jr. The SRD brought the suit for an accounting of toll district funds the road department says were mis- spent. The other defendants who have week were: Alonzo Cothron, a contractor: Floyd Lamb, as an_ individual and as owner of the Floyd Lamb Construction Co. The Fidelity and Deposit Com- Pany of Maryland. | Hamlin had ordered. 5, 1954 IN THE Che Ken West Citisen U.S. As For Use reach tenants) or DIAL 256@] 0f2%5662 Today dick Communication, IFIED Ads! You'll buyers and sellers— ers... Just $ Friendship Of America, Cuba Is Keynote Of Trip Maiden Round-Trip Of Ferry Ferry Crew Saves Five Cuban Fishermen From Drowning At Cardenas | By JIM youthful captain when their harbor early Saturday evening. Hundreds of passengers, eye-witnesses to the near tra COBB boat capsized in Cardenas including this reporter, were gic incident. Equipment Is Seized For Debt Judgment | Sheriff’s Deputies Relieve Roy Hamlin Of Law Books, Ete. The sheriff’s department today seized law books, a tape recorder, a typewriter | and a fan from Roy Hamlin, Justice of the Peace, for non- payment of debts. *Thé propetty was carried out of Hamlin’s office, 823 Whitehead Street, by deputy sheriffs, Earlier, Attorney Bill Neblett had filed executions of two judg- ments with the county clerk, Earl Adams. Hamlin Watches While the deputies were remov-} ing the property, Hamlin stood around, grinned, and said he didn’t have any money. The two judgments resulted from two suits filed by Neblett. Neither | suit was contested by Hamlin and} Circuit Court Juage Aquilino Lopez, | Jr., recently signed orders of final judgment, | The West Publishing Co. of} Minnesota brought suit to collect | for $448.15 worth of law books} The final judgment granted the | company that amoynt plus $15.30) in costs. | Details Of Property | These were the law books re-| moved today from Hamlin’s office. The other suit was brought by} James E. Doherty for $159.49) worth of paint Hamlin ordered from Doherty. | The final judgment granted Doherty the full amount, plus| $15.30 in costs, In his bill of complaint, Doher- | ty said Hamlin had given him a} no-good check for $25 in part payment for the paint. Only the fact that there was no loss of life kept the accident from dampening the carnival atmos- phere which marked the maiden voyage of the vessel. When the res- cue occurred, the ferry was steam- ing at about half speed with a Cu- ban navy ship astern. The pilot boat was about 50 yards ahead. Standing At Rail The reporter was standing at the rail on the bow of the ship as it neared Cardenas talking with Hen- ry Lee, of Key West, and Loyal Compton, of the American Auto- mi. It was about 7 p. m. and the lights of the city twinkled about | @ mile ahead of us, Presently we heard the sound of the distance. “It looks like they are really go- ing: to give us a royaloweleom: ae \listen to that shouting, “alGsComp- j ton. Spot Fla Then we heard what we thought was a gunshot and a flare soared into the night air. We still thought it was part of the welcoming cere- monies. “Ship dead ahead,” the bow look- out shouted suddenly. It was the first indication that anything was amiss. Then, the beam of a small searchlight was played out on the water, revealing a group of men bout 30 feet long. They were about 50 feet ahead of us. The men were calling frantically for help and waving their arms. Drift Past Ferry They drifted past, stil shouting hoarsely, less than 20 feet from the ferry. Word was passed to the bridge and only the fact that Captain George H. Reid ordered the ship’s engines cut immediately, saved them from being sucked into the ship’s wake and meeting almost certain death from drowning or be- ing pounded to a pulp by the pro- pellors, Within seconds, the efficient were at their stations preparing to launch a rescue boat from the stern. its own momentum. Boat Launched “Don’t launch the bort until we D. M. Andrew, former employe of the district. mobile Association office in Mia-| what we thought was cheering in' clinging to a capsized sailboat, a-| crew of the “City of Key West’’| The ferry drifted forward under | West.” Completed Monday Evening A stirring display of Cuban-American friendship was the keynote of the maiden voyage of the “City of Key The ship returned to its home port shortly after 6 |p.m. Monday after a brisk eight hour run from Cardenas, Five Cuban fishermen are alive today because of the | Cuba, be complete the first round trip. It bore scores of alertness of the crew of the “City of Key West” and its | dignitaries, representatives of the press and company of- | ficials from all corners of Florida. | es | The trip to Cardenas was | [F erry Leaves With |30 Autos Today | | The “City of Key West’ left Port this morning shortly after | 10 o'clock bound on her first scheduled run to Cardenas, Cuba, bearing a full load of | automobiles and an estimated | 80 passengers. Company officials said that it | was necessary to turn down three requests for reservations because of the enthu: ic re | sponse from the public. | And the local office ef the ferry company said that al- 25 reservations = for | Thursday's trip have been re- | geived. | Requests for information on | the trip have been received from all over the nation, company of- ficials said, ——_—____—_——_ come to a dead-stop,” the-Captain shouted from the bridge. He ex- plained later that suction from re- versing the propellors would have sucked the rescue launch under. The ship shuddered mightily as the Captain ordered full speed }astern and within seconds the | “City of Key West” was dead in | the water. But it was unnecessary to launch the boat since word had been relay- |ed to the Cuban ship astern and | they picked up the survivors. As |the powerful beam of their search- ready |light played out over the water, |the distressed seamen could be seen swimming frantically to the | Cuban ship. | Mishap Told The next day, the ¢aptain of the small boat, Justo Valdivia y Coras- co, said that they were returning from a fishing expedition when they were swamped by the wake of a motor launch which preceded the “City of Key West” into the harbor but just a few minutes. “We give thanks to God that you came along when you did — we thought surely we were lost,” he | said through an interpreter. | “But when you approached us, we thought we would be run down,” he added. |HE’LL SHOW °EM | THUILLIES. Belgium #—A 35- year-old farmer here tried to set the local tax office on fire because “taxes were too high,” police re- Ported. comparatively .mild, while the return voyage was marke ed by moderately rough seas. The ferry had left Key West Saturday at 10:16 a.m. and arrived in Cardenas at 7:45 p.m., delayed somewhat by the rescue of a capsized Cu- ban fishing boat. “Average” Trip The trip was described by com- pany officials as “average.” “Some trips will be rough and others will be a lot calmer,” s: 1 a spokesman, “we are very.plee: i with the performance of the ship.’ And passengers aboard the ves- sel, for the most part, enjoyed the trip immensely. There were a few scat cases of mal-de-mer, but ag atmosphere of convivaii- ty fanned by an impressive send- off, pervaded the ship. Greeting At Cardenas When the ship nestled up to the dock at Cardenas, one of Cuba's largest--purts, practically the en- tire town was out to greet it. They had been waiting for several hours, A solid sea of humanity surged forward to shout their greetings to the Americans. Huge Magnesium flares lit the dock area to pro- vide light for Cuban television ca- meramen. City Commissioner Jack Delancy didn’t wait for the official welcon ing to begin. He stood up in the bow of the boat and shouted a rc ing “Hola Amigos.” Cheering Crowd His comment was greeted by a rising crescendo of cheers from the crowd, obviously elated at the arrival of the first American tour- ist ship in many years, It was a City of Key West police car driven by Patrolman Bernard | Waite that was first to drive down the ship's gangplank. The Americans were borne through the quaint streeis of the uy lined with thousands of Cu- ans. First stop for the American vi- sitors was a visit to Cardenas’ yen- rable city hall where the party was officially by Mayor Bath Balthul Pasada, Gala Entertainment The officials weleome was follow- ee by a reception and cocktail par- y. The guests then went to the plush Internacional Hotel at Veradero Beach, 10 miles from Cardenas. Sunday morning a contingent led by Mayor and Mrs. C, B. Harvey left for Havana where they were feted at a recepton in the Hotel Nacional by Mayor Julsto del Po- 20, The balance of the visitors spent the day sightseeing in nearby Ma- tanzas and its surrounding country- side, exploring Cardenas or on the magnificent beach at Veradero. ——< CREW RESCUED ST. PETERSBURG @® — The Tampa shrimp boat Jean LaFitte was on its way home to Tampa today with the crew rescued from another trawler which sank off the Campeche Banks Sunday night. RITA YATES For Appointments Call 2-2451