The Key West Citizen Newspaper, November 30, 1954, Page 1

Warmest City In Nation Today Was KEY WEST 73° VOL. LXXV No. 264 THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER The Key West IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1954 For Quick Communication, Use CLASSIFIED Ads! Youll reach buyers and sellers— tenants or workers . . . Just DIAL 2-5661 or 2-5662 Today PRICE FIVE CENTS | $4,200,000 City Electric Expansion Aske Canada-US. Defense Plan Group Will Meet Here Sessions On Naval Station Will - . Man Tries To Peddle “Hot” Motors To Cop ‘County Jail Is Home For Man In Larceny Case “A local man who offered to sell a police officer two “hot” outboard motors has ended up in the clutches of the law. The man, Ernest Sanchez, 46, of 617 Olivia Street, is in the county jail charged with possession of stolen property and police are still | searching for an alleged ac- complice in connection with the theft of the two motors from a dealer here Nov, 4. Sanchez was arrested Sunday as the result of nearly a month of detective work by Patrolman Ma- rio Santana. A warrant was also issued for his alleged accomplice, identified by police as Woodrow Niles, but he has not been located. . Taett Reported The-ease started when two 7% horsepower outboard motors, valu- ed at $479 were reported stolen from the Key West Outboard Sup- ply Co., 1103 Truman Ave. Police Chief Bienvenido Perez assigned Santana to the case, gave him “a free hand” in the inves- tigation, and named two supects. First break in the case came shortly when Santana went fishing off Rest Beach, The officer said in his report that he was approached by Sanchez and Niles who offered to sell the two motors for $100. each, “Don't Worry” “You don’t have to worry about use them” but added that his bro- her was coming here, from Nap- Jes, Fla. and would probably buy the motors. Santana’s brother succeeded: in buying the motors, but by now the price had dropped to $10. The stolen property was imme- diately confiscated and warrants issued for arrest of the pair. San- chez was arrested Sunday in a ‘Truman Ave. bar, but police have been unable to locate Niles. Sanchez’ bond was set at $500. HE JUST COULDN'T LET THEM ALONE CHICAGO, #—William 0. Prom- ise, 19, is back in jail today, He was let out in October after serving time for tampering with an auto- mobile. He promised to be good, bee week later stole an automo- Chief Justice Richard B. Austin of Criminal court sentenced him Small Furnished Cottage and Apartment 514 Margaret Street, Rear PHONE 2.6283 Mendel Jr., M.D. EAR, THROAT NOSE and SPECIALIST Will Be Here for CONSULTATION on Tuesday, Dec. 7 For Appointment, Call Dr. J. A. Valder — PHONE 2.782) Be Guarded By Marine Sentries By DENIS SNEIGR A group of military officers who plan'the defense of Canada and the United States will meet here for a week in a building which will be during sessions. guarded by Marine sentries The Navy’s public information office yesterday re- leased a schedule of the group’s activities here, beginning with its arrival Wednesday names of the officers participating. In response-to a query from The Citizen, The Asso- ciated Press reported from Washington that a Defense Department spokesman said the officers represent the chiefs of staff of the two countries’ various military services as a planning group under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Periodic Meetings The spokesman said the officers meet periodically to plan the de- fense of the U. S. - Canada area in ease of attack. Apparently the conference here ‘is deemed -highly secret. The schedule released by the P&O Freighter Lost In Storny,. 3 Known Dead Toll Of Five-Day Storm In British Isles Reaches 25 LONDON (#—Winds of hurricane force sank the 7,373-ton British freighter Tresillian in the Irish Sea today, Hours laterother ships re- ported plucking 3 dead and 19 sur- vivors from the water in perilous rescue operations. Eighteen crewmen ‘were unac- counted for, Recovery -of the three bodies raised to 25 the known deaths of seamen in the five-day storm that sank four other ships in waters around the British Isles, The Tresilian, bringing a cargo of grain to England from Canada, heeled over and went down’44 miles off Cork, Ireland. The crew of 40 went over the side into mountain- ous waves. The ship’s owners, the Peninsular & Oriental Steamship Co., said there were no passengers aboard. Rescue ‘The 1,044-ton Scottish ship Ard- glen radioed that she picked up three bodies and six survivors. Another rescue vessel, the 6,473- ton London tanker Liparus, picked up 13 survivors, seven of them in- jured, and made for Cork, the Coast Guard reported. While winds with gusts of up to 100 miles an hour whistled from Treland to the Netherlands, two other ships were missing and feared to be in serious trouble. Dirkzwager’s Shipping Agency 2t Rotterdam said nothing had been heard from the French trawler Tendre Berceuse or a small steam- er identified as the St. Govans, of unknown nationality, —____ SEWER ODORS BRING COMPLAINTS TO CITY City Manager Victor Lang said Monday that be believes he has an answer to the problem of foul odors emanating from a sewer pumping station at 18th St. and Flagler Ave. Scores of complaints have been received from residents near the recently built lift station. Lang said that an air-tight bevel- ed door will be installed today in an effort to relieve the situation. METAL SHINGLES and ROOFING — at Strunk Lumber 120 SIMONTON, near Coca Cole afternoon and including the Navy yesterday called for 2 Mar- ine sentry to be posted outside the conference room. The group will arrive at Boca Chica Wednesday afternoon and leave Key West the morning of Dec, 7, according to the schedule. On Thursday, the group will con- fer in the morning ‘and in the after- noon visit these Navy units: Visits Slated Surface Anti-Submarine Develop- ment Detachment, Mine Warfare Evaluation Detachment, Helicopter Anti - Submarine Squadron One. The Friday, schedule calls for an- other morning - long conference with these visits set up for Fri- day afternoon: Fleet All - Weather Training Unit, Air Development Squadron One, Airship Development Squa- dron 11, The officers have been invited to attend the charity football game Friday night. On Saturday, the group will a- gain’spend the morning in.confer- ence. The remainder of Saturday and all’day Sunday are free. To Observe Operations Then on Monday morning, the officers will go to sea to watch sea operations arranged by the commander of the Surface Anti - Submarine Development Detach- ment. That afternoon, the group will visit the Fleet Sonar School, hold a conference, and leave Key West Tuesday morning. The following is a list of the Ca- nadian officers who will be here: Group Captain E. M. Reyno, air force, chairman; Col. G. A. Tru- cot, Army; Cdr. N. S. C. Dickin- son, Navy; Lt. Col. R. E. Nourse, Army; Wing Commander G. Jacob- sen, Air Force; Ledr. P. J. Prat- ley, Navy; Squadron Leader L. W. Queale, Air Force; and Squadron Leader J. W. C. Galvin, Air Force. U. S. Officers The United States officers are: Col. R. A. Hewitt, Army, chair- man; Capt. N. M. Head, Navy; Col. B. T. Keine, Air Force; Cdr. H. F. Rommel, Navy; Lt. Col. F. H. Linnell, Army; and Lt. Col. T. W. Schwellenbach, Air Force. Two secretaries will accompany the group: Mrs. Margaret Forrest of the Canadians and Mrs. Helen C. Stevens of the United States of- ficers. Ledr. W. M. Kidd, RCN, and Ledr. L. B. Rice, USN, have been designated as liaison officers. Rice is aide to Rear Adm. G. C. Towner, commander of the Naval Base, who will entertain the group by invitation with a reception at Echoasis Patio, Fleet Sonar School Officers’ club, on Thursday and at a dinner on Saturday at Fort Tay- lor. Be Sure To See the SENIOR CLASS PLAY to be presented on Dec. Ist and 2nd at the HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM at 8:00 P.M. ADULTS, 75¢ STUDENTS, 50c Tremendous City Growth Makes Move Imperative By JIM COBB The city commission has been asked to authorize a $4,200,000 expansion program of the City Electric Sys- tem to take care of the city’s growing power needs, The Citizen learned today. In a resolution passed Oct. 7, the five man Utility Board charged with the administration of the municie pally-owned company asked that the city approve a multi- million dollar revenue bond 3.D Million Bond Issue Refund Sought S-D DAY—December 15 has been set as “Safe Driving Day” throughout the United States. The National Safety Council has as a goal a 24-hour period with no traffic accidents. According to Jim Wilder, local*$-D Day director, all civic clubs will be asked to cooperate by working with one phase of the day’s program. He predicted a 50 per cent decrease in the number of traffic accidents in 1955 if the national safety program is successful, and urged Key Westers to take an active part in the local program, In the above picture, Mayor C. B. Harvey is shown sign- ing the official proclamation of S-D Day in Key West. Highway Patrol and now with the sheriff's department, looks on.—Citizen Staff Photo, Pinder. Officers Named For Grand Jury Jerome B. Sawyer was nam- ed clerk’of the fall term grand jury, it was announced toda: by J. Lancelot Lester, state a; torney. wept Other officers, of the new grand jury whith . was sworn yesterday are Edwin H. Rob- erts, foreman and Lee Skaggs, acting foreman. The grand jury today still was hearing testimony of wit- nesses in the Blaton slaying. Mrs. Eleanor Blaton, 28, is in the county jail on a first de- gree murder charge growing out-of the shooting of her sailor husband, James P. Blaton, Jr., 29, after an argument over the purchase of a new TV set. Seller Of Motors Seizes His Opportunity While Edward J. Devinney, 31, was selling two stolen outboard mo- tors to a Miami dealer, he stole a gun from the dealer, the sheriff's department reported today. The department said Devinney, of Marathon, is in the county jail on two charges of grand larceny and one count of petty larceny. Devinney, the sheriff's office said stole a 3 h. p. outboard from the East Coast Fisheries and a-16 h. p. outboard from the Crossman Fish House, both at Marathon. The petty larceny charge involves the theft of a cast net, the depart- ment said. Devinney, it was reported, took the two outboard motors to Tiny’s Trading Post in. Miami and sold them. While there, the sheriff’s office said, Devinney took a .32 caliber revolver. The Dade County sheriff's office is expected to file a theft charge in Miami against Devinney. fhe Monroe County sheriff’s of- fice recovered the gun last night at Marathon. Dade County officers recovered the outboard motors. ‘Wilder, formerly with the Florida Don Sewer Bond Refund Program Approve The.city commission. moved last night to accept the offer of a bond brokerage firm to refund the city’s $900,- $36,000 as the bonds are retired. 000 sewer revenue bond: issue. The refunding program, which, according to the brokers, would save the city $197,000 over the 23-year average life of the issue, met with enthusiastic’ résponée with the commissioners who Webb Tells Of ° Bahia Honda ° Je ° Painting Dispute TALLAHASSEE (#—Road Chair- man Cecil Webb today described a controversy over a bridge paint- ing job on the Overseas Highway “a dispute between three engi- neers.” “Two-of the engineers are on one side, and one on the otner. I wish I was smart enough in these technical matters to know which of them is right,” Webb said. The controversy afose when Winston Carlton, district SRD engi- neer at Fort Lauderdale, refused to approve vouchers for payment of more than $60,000 to Gunnite Associates of Miami for painting work on the Bahia Honda Bridge. Gunnite subcontracted the work to a firm operated by State Sen. George Tapper of Port St. Joe. Chief Engineer Robert T. Gupton overruled Carlton and ordered the contractor paid. The main difference of opinion is over the meaning of “exposed steel” in the specifications. Carlton holds it means all steel work above water. Gupton contends it means only where the original paint has worn off and the steel is exposed to the weather. Carlton also complained that only two coats of paint are being used, instead of two coats of primer and two of paint, that the metal was not being heated before painting and mixed types of paint were being used. NO PARKING will be permitted on Duval Street THURSDAY, DEC. 2 from 6 P.M. until after the parade for the football game. (sd.) BIENVENIDO PEREZ, CHIEF OF POLICE. met in special session to, con- sider the offer. The city fathers then voted to lined in a letter from the Miami office of the brokers, Atwell and Co. City Attorney J. Y. Porter, who said that the possibility of refund- ing the bonds was advanced first by City Commissioners Louis Car- bonell and Delio Cobo, pointed out that Atwell and Co. has promised a reduction in the interest rate on the bonds of at least one per cent. Present Interest The city is presently paying an interest rate of about 4.5 per cent on the bonds floated to finance the sewer system project. Porter said that the cost of re- funding the bonds would be about $18,000. This would cover the cost of selling, validating and printing the refunding bond issue. The bonds, under the terms of the indenture ordinance, are call- able in April, 1955. with the pay- ment of a three per cent premium. City Manager Victor Lang then brought before the commission a proposal that any excess sewer revenue be used to extend the sys- tem. This would require a special clause in the bond ordinance, it was pointed out. Paid From Revenve The sewer bonds are being paid off out of sewer revenue and all excess funds are held in the sewer revenue fund for the retirement ot bonds. Hence, it cannot be used for need- ed extensions of the system to keep pace with the rapid progress of the city. The bonds in question were part of a $2,200,000 financing program for the extension and repair of the woefully inadequate, WPA - built Key West sewer system. | The city obtained an outright} | grant from the federal government | |of $971,914 and floated $300,000 in| | “seond lien” revenue bonds for the | balance of the sewer project cost. FRUIT SHIPPING a Fruits at reasonable prices, Special rates for service personnel. accept the offer on the terms out- ed. Delaney Scores Low City Electric Tax Payments A proposal to refund an outstanding 3%-million-dol- lar city electric system bond issue to provide the city with a larger annual tax equivalency payment by the utility, was advanced last night by City Commissioner Jack Delaney. Delaney, protesting the fact that the city receives but $18,000 annual- ly “in lieu of takes” from he municipally owned ‘company, said that “the city is not getting a fair shake.” Payment Set The terms of a 1946 bond inden- ture ordinance set the tax equival- ency payment at the $18,000 figure and_ provides ~that..it.will. jump to The only way the city could get an increase in the payments, would be to refinance bonds and rewrite the ,erdinance~to provide for the itfcrease. Last night’s discussion was touch- ed off by a letter written by City Finance Director John Day and ad- dressed to the city manager out‘in- ing the taxes the company would have to pay, were it privately own- Tax Estimate Day said that the comyany’s es- timated taxes based on an assess- ment of 70 per cent of the ‘‘book value” of the company as shown on its balance sheet would amount to $56,535 per year. This figure includes their plant and assets, Day’s letter said. In the everit a projected $4,200,- 000 improvement plan is embark- ed on, Day pointed out, their taxes would jump $72,030. Hence, total taxes if the company were privately owned, would be $128,565. Delaney said that “if I am on the commission when that 4% mil- lion bond issue comes up, I’m go- ing to insist that the city gets a fairer shake than they did the last time. Adequate At The Time Mayor C. B. Harvey, who is also a member of the utility board a- long with Commissioner Delio Co- bo, commented: “It was a good contract when we made it — no- body knew Key West was going to_grow like it did.” However, Merville Rosam, gen- eral manager of the utility today pointed out that under the provi- sions of a “five year” financia: program the system’s series 1946 bonds will soon be retired and the tax equivalency payment will dou- ble. He also pointed out that the electric system provides the city with additional services which are valued at $25,000. Rosam added that electric rates were lowered in 1953, resulting in a lostt of revenue of $100,000 to the company. Joseph J. Groom, M.D. OPTHAMOLOGIST Will Be Here For CONSULTATION on Saturday, Dec. 4 For Appointment, Call Dr. J. A. Einhorn’s Variety Store 629 DUVAL STREET Valdez — PHONE 2.7821 issue to finanee the expan- sion program. Their action was prompt- ed by a comprehensive en- gineering report submitted by R.S. Beck and Asso- ciates, public utility ana- lysts, which states that if Key West and the lower keys progress at the ex- pected rate, present power producing facilities will be inadequate as early as 1958. Expansion Need At the present time, the en- Sineers added, a breakdown in the steam generating plant could re sult in an inability to supply con- sumers with needed power. The expansion would more than double the present capacity. The expansion program, accord- ing to the utility board resolution, would finance the addition of a 16,500 kilowatt generating unit at the steam generating plant at a cost of $3,200,000; the extension of distribution facilities, for which $310,000 has been earmarked and the construction of a storage and distribution building costing $200,- 000. ' Interest, ‘ontingencies and f- nancing costs would amount to ne. according to the resohi- No Cost To Taxpayers Merville Rosam, general man- ager of the electric company, Pointed out that the proposed ex- pansion program “would not cost the taxpayers a 1 bonds would be financed out of electric service revenues, Rosam also commented on the huge growth of the city electrie , system, saying that his forces are hard-pressed to keep pace with the progress of the city. “Who could have forseen, a couple of years ago, the tremen- dous influx of business. into Key West,” said Rosam. The present capacity of the elec- tric system is 16,390 kilowatts. This includes the steam generating plant placed in service Nov. 18, 1952, with a capacity of 10,000 kilo- watts and the old diesel generating plant which can produce only 6,390 kilowatts. Growth Predicted According to the figures, demand will amount to 20,700 kilowatts in 1958 and jump to 23,500 in 1959. They point out that the expan- sion program would require years and that time is short if a shortage of electric power is to be avoided. * The financial an ng Se company, they a su on shape that it is economically feasible to embark on the expan- sion program. The bonded indebtedness of the City Electric System, at the pre- sent time amounts to $4,723,000. This figure includes a $1,500,000 bond issue to finance the cost of buying the utility from its private owners in 1943 and a $3,500,000 re- venue bond issue soki to finance construction of the steam generat ing plant and the extension of elec- tric service to the lower, keys in 1951, The company has shown a totally unanticipated growth as a result of the business boom in Key West. For example, when the city took over the operation of the utility in 1943, the company had only 4,- 217 customers. Annual revenue a- mounted to $390,000. At the present time, the com- pany serves 7,889 customers and gtoss revenues this year will a- mount to more than $1,400,000. The Navy, which presently buys 15 per cent of the total output of the city electric system, is also expected to make ever-increasing demands for service as their Key West instal‘ations are expanded. The extension of electric service in the keys in the next few years is also expected to be stepped up.