The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 23, 1954, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has the most equable climate in the country, with an average range of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL. LXXV_ No. 304 THE SGUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER KEY WEST, FLORIDA, THU RSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1954 il IN THE U.S.A. County Gets CAA Approval VISITING SCHOLARS—Christmas at the home of William VanGoidtsnoven (right), of 616 Duval Street, will have an international flavor this year. Reason: Two of his classmates at the Univer- sity of Georgia are visiting with him. They are Mauro Monti (left), a native of Italy, and Dutch- born ‘Hendrick L. Leffelaar. The pair are studying journalism under international Rotary Club scholarships. They are shown above perusing The Citizen during a visit Wednesday. Leffelaar, the author of a prize-winning Dutch novel, is also on the staff of the Haarlem Dagblad, the oldest newspaper in the world, founded in 1657.—Citizen Staff Photo, Don Pinder. European Students Lang, Roberts To Study Trash Visit’ In Key West Disposal Plan By JIM COBB Spear 'fishing and small- community newspapers were the chief topics of conversa- tion Wednesday when two European Rotary Club ex- change students dropped into The Citizen office for a visit. Dutch-born Hendrick L. Leffelaar 25, and native - Italian Mauro Mon- ti, 24, were the pair. They are graduate journalism students at the University of Georgia and are spending the holidays here as a guest of William Van Goidstnoven, 616 Duval St., also a student at the university, Skin-Diving Fan Monti is the one with the inter- est in spear fishing, largely be- cause of the fact that skin-diving was a popular sport in Italy long before it spread to this country, and he was a pioneer advocate of the pastime in his homeland, Need- less to say, Monti is pursuing his interest in ski ving during his Key West visit — despite the cold. “I don’t think it’s cold,” said Monti, who hails from the north- ern Italian city of Forli. Leffelaar has the distinction of serving on the staff of his home- town newspaper, the Haarlem Dag- piad (in English, the Haarlem Dai- Jy), a publication which lays claim to being the oldest in the world. It was founded in 1657 and is rated one of the best newspapers in Hol- land. Writing Thesis Leffelaar, who is writing a thesis for his Doctor of Vhilosophy de- gree on the subject of the rural newspaper, was especially inter- ested in The Citizen's newly - ex-/| panded plant. He expressed tizen. Leffelaar sees three chief differ- ences between American and Dutch journalism. Newspapers in Holland, he said, are much smaller than (Continued On Page Ten) considerable a-} mazement at the size of the plant| and the news-coverage of The Ci-/| The Coldest Spot The coldest spot in the na- tion today was police headquar- ters. They had their air condition- ing turned on full blast. Florida Is Warming Up By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Florida is gradually warming up again after two nights of biting frost but weathermen looked for | the cool weather to continue until Christmas, Light frost formed in low places over most of the state last night but there was no further damage apparent to crops and fruit. Weatherman Warren Johnson at | Lakeland said the same air mass | which brought freezing tempera- tures early this week still hovered | over the state and showed little | indication of moving. He said the sun and moisture in the air was gradually warming up the state but that chilly weather could be expected for the next several days. Lowest temperatures reported last night ranged from 29 to 34} away from Lake Okeechobee in| the Everglades farming district. | Scattered frost was reported im the | district. | Northern and central Florida re- | ported lows of about 35 with spots 32 to 33. Ocala and Bartow both reported 35 degrees. A nursery near the Broward County line in Dade County re- ported 32 degrees. In the keys, Al- ligator Reef light station near the lower end of Key Largo reported a warm 60 degrees. Py Iwill Za, Be At ee \y bss >” The Poor Old Craig Service Station FRANCIS and TRUMAN Thursday, 6 to 8 P.M. City Manager Victor Lang and Public Service Director Ivan Rob- erts will journey to Coral Gables Wednesday to investigate the pos- sible purchase of a ‘“‘trash chip- per,” a machine which grinds up palm fronds, brush, coconuts and other debris into a fine powder valuable as fertilizer. Lang was authorized Monday by the city commission to investigate and call for bids on the machine after he reported that it is being used with great success in other South Florida cities. Operation of the machine, Lang said, will be observed next Wed- nesday in Coral Gables, Mimami and Hollywood. Advantages Told Advantages of the machine, he added, are that by grinding up de- bris the amount that can be loaded into the city’s trash trucks is upped three times, a saving in the a- mount of fill needed to cover it at the city dump is effected and it will provide a good source of fer- tilizing material for city parks, the golf course and the cemetery. Lang said that in the event the city purchases the machine, the cemetery would have priority on the fertilizer. He added that in other cities, surplus material is given to resi- dents for use on their lawns, Commission Meets The city commission met Wed- nesday in private caucus with the Utility Board, The Citizen learned today. The meeting was held to discuss the possibility of obtaining a high- er payment in lieu of taxes from the city-owned utility, but no infor- mation on any possible decision has been released. City commissioners have been critical in the past of the fact that the City Electric Co. pays only $18,000 per year to the city. They have indicated that they will ask for a provision in a projected o1a- inance setting up a $4,200,000 bond program to finance needed expan- sion, that the city receive a larger payment in lieu of taxes. TONY'S RESTAURANT 808 SIMONTON STREET Will Be Open Thursday, December 23 Closed Christmas Day SERVING SPECIAL Christmas Eve Dinner Spanish and American Style Complete Dinners $1.85 Judge Promises Crackdown On Local Perverts But Says He Won’t Condone Molesting Of Homosexuals A full-scale crackdown on Sex perverts in Key West| was promised today by City Judge Enrique Esquinaldo, | Jr. But at the same time, the) Judge said that he will not| condone molesting of per-| verts. He made that statement after dealing out a six month jail sen- tence to a man _ accused of badly beating a Casa Marina Hotel bell- boy. The man, Al Lessard, an assist- ant cook at the Key Wester Hotel, found guilty on counts of assault end battery and theft, was sen- tenced to pay a $250 fine or serve three months in the city jail on each count. When he said that he could not pay the fine, he was re- manded to the city jail. Charges Propositioning Lessard said that he struck the beating victim, identified as Bur- dette Fisher, because “he proposi- tioned me.” The alleged indecent proposal, he said, took place as they were seated in Fisher's car near the Casa Marina. But Fisher testified yesterday that he was driving Lessard to the! Key Wester after meeting him in a Duval St. bar when he said “he was on the lam and needed money and a car to get away.” “And then he started beating me — he was like a maniac,” said Fisher. He added that Lessard then took his watch and the one dollar bill that was in his wallet. Fisher said that he then told his assailant that he had more money in his room in the Casa Marina, and dashed into the lobby from where he called police. Left In Car Lessard then drove off in Fish- er’s car and was picked up later ia a local bar by Police Lt. W. L. James. Lessard was wearing Fish- cr’s watch and his shirt was spat- tered with blood when he was ar- rested. “If ever a case of assault and battery was proven, this is it,” said Judge Esquinaldo as he meted | out the sentence Wednesday. The term is unusually severe for e:ty court, and was the maximum under city law. Judge Esquinaldo said today that the homosexual problem “‘is not} too serious in Key West — and} we’re not going to let it get that way.” | “The police are picking up per- verts as soon as they spot them} and they’re going to realize that | Key West is not a good hunting ground” said Judge Esquinaldo. Police authorities added today that “we are keeping right after them.” Sailor Injured In Accident Here A Navy man suffered a fractured collar bone in an accident on Stock Island sometime last night, The Ci- tizen learned today. Naval Hospital officials identified the injured man as Duane Keasey, 21. Keasey is stationed at the hos- pital. The identity of six other persons | in the car, which reportedly turn- ed over, was not known today. | They were all uninjured. Police, up until The Citizen went | to press, had not filed a report on the accident, | Chamber to the 900 licensed owners | mosphere. Anti-Noise Campaign Planned By Chamber Cut in Street Noises Asked In Some Areas Edwin F. Trevor, presi- dent of the Key West Cham- ber of Commerce, announc- ed today that the Chamber will conduct a drive for re- ducing unnecessary _ street noise in Key West. The campaign purely a voluntary one. Motorcycle and motor- scooter operators will be the first ones invited to co-} operate in the movement. Letters Sent Today letters were mailed by the | will be of these two types of motor vehi- cles, pointing out that improperly muffled machines create undue noise. Scooters and motorcycles, even properly muffled, can be noisy too, if the operators insist upon “gun- ning the motor” while moving or even at a standstill position. “Chamber committees have dis- cussed noise abatement problems for a long time,” said Mr, Trevor, “And it is difficult to pass or en- force ordinances that will solve the problem.” Difficult Task “The police department and city officials have been cooperative but agree that it would be impossible to ride herd on 900 vehicle owners and apprehend the violators. “I believe that a vast majority of scooter and motorcycle owners will cooperate and that the pro- gram has a fair chance of success,” Mr. Trevor concluded. One particular neighborhood in Key West where a number of complaints have originated is in the lower Simonton - South Street area. At this location are nearly 1,000 rooms for tourists. Visitors complain their sleep is interrupted, particularly early in the morning when a good many mo- tor cycles and scooter owners are on their way to work. Route Change Asked The Chamber letter requests cy- clists to use other streets en route downtown or operate their machin- es in a courteous manner while traveling through this zone which was long ago designated a quiet zone by the police department. If the drive to effect quieter op- eration of motorcycles and motor scooter is successful, other phases of a general noise abatement cam- paign will be attempted, accord- ing to the Chamber. A good many Florida cities have enforced anti-noise programs. Re- sort cities particularly, have seen the wisdom of such moves. Miami Beach Rule Miami Beach is a close example, where even building contractors using heavy machinery and equip- ment are restricted from working around-the-clock, in order that va- cationists may get their rest. Motor vehicles can create even more a nuisance if their operators have no regard for others who may be trying to rest. The Chamber points out that in striving to expand and progress as a tourist resort, it is necessary that 100 per cent cooperation be obtained from all of us who live here to make our community a place where tourists come be- cause they can enjoy a quiet at- \Policemen Repeat ‘As Airliner Party Offer Today As scores of Christmas par- ties got underway today, po- lice repeated their invitation to give free rides home to Key Westers who may have one drink too many. They emphasized the fact that most accidents occurring during the holiday season are the result of motorists who par- take too liberally of Christmas cheer. The phone number at police headquarters is 2-3011. “Phone us, and we'll be right there,” police said today. 10 Missing Lands In River PITTSBURGH (#—An airliner carrying 28 men—23 of them Gls | homeward bound for Christmas— crash landed in the icy Mononga- hela River last night. This morning 10 men were still missing, Eighteen—four of them erewmen—were saved, some res- cued by a human chain. The plane’s wreckage was hoisted by a crane and towed to a sandbar. There were no bodies in it. Walter Ketchel, superintendent of Allegheny (Pittsburgh) county po- lice said both escape hatches of the plane were open but the main exit was locked. The twin-engined DC3 chartered airliner was en route from the Newark (N.J.) airport to a Colo- rado and two West Coast forts. It pancaked into the river 15 miles south of here shortly before mid- night. Heard By Tower A tower operator at Allegheny County Airport — some two miles from the crash scene — said the pilot reported he was out of gas and was “going to ditch.” Pilot Harold Poe, 33, of Seattle, Wash., one of the missing, skill- fully guided the big ship to a crash landing near the shore. It floated for some 15 minutes, while the| men scrambled tu the wings. Some went back into the ship for their gear. Then the ship slipped back into midstream — some 300 feet from| ~ shore. It was an icy swim to shore in the 18 degree chill and some of the men apparently couldn't make it. The liner sank in about 12 feet of oily water. Help Comes Quickly Help came fast from shore. Res- cuers formed human chains to pull the oil-soaked men up the slippery river banks. Motorists on the river bank turned their lights on the scene, spotlighting the way for the chilled- to-the-bone men. All 18 were rushed to the Mc- Keesport Hospital. There wasn’t a| broken bone among them and the hospital said the chief ailment was | exposure to the cold. Among those reported missing was the pilot, 33-year-old Harold Poe, Seattle, Wash., a veteran of | the China -Brma- India theater | during World War II. The public information officer at | Camp Kilmer said the plane was | bound for Ft. Carson, Colo., Ft. Ord, Calif, and Ft. Lewis, Wash. It was on the first leg of its trip. 200 Beautiful CHRISTMAS TREES al $1.25 Up MOODY'S GROCERY STORE Stock Island Phone 2-5913 NOTICE Auto Safety Inspection will be held on Monday, Dec. 27th, and Monday, Jan. 3rd, between 9-12, because of the holidays. The regular inspection day will start again on Saturday, Jan. 8th. : CHARLES TORRES, Assistant Chief, Fire Department. For Quick Communication, Use CLASSIFIED Ads! You'll reach buyers and sellers— tenants or workers .. . Just DIAL 2-5661 or 2-5662 Today PRICE FIVE CENTS Federal Funds Set For Meacham Work Okay Given By Use Panel Despite NAL Objections By DENIS SNEIGR 7 Monroe County won every point in the Meacham Airport controversy and Federal funds will be forthcome ing shortly for improvement of the field, it was learned today. The Airport Use Panel of the Department of Com- merce came through with its report on the field yesterday. Every major recommendation in the report backed up the county commissioners in their plans for the field’s de = = velopment. Attend Speech Meet In III. County airport plans were made despite objections to Local High School Teacher To Serve the field by National Air- lines and the Navy. The word on the panel’s report was telephoned to County Commis- sioner Joe Allen by Sen. George Smathers’ office. Panel’s Action Allen said the panel’s mendations were: 1. That Meacham Airport be im- proved and developed as proposed by Monroe County. 2. That federal funds be used in the proposed development of Mea- cham Airport to the extent consid« red Proper by appropriate federal agencies. In Demonstration —_ Mrs. Edgar Stark, speech teach- er at Key West High School, will leave Sunday for Chicago, Illinois where she will attend the annual convention of the Speech Associa- tion of America, December 28, 29 and 30. She will serve as one of the two diseussants for the demonstration on “Teaching Speech in the High School” sponsored by the Speech Association’s committee on prob- lems in the secondary school. Mrs. Stark who has coached sev- eral Key West High School speech students to state honors said this mornihg, “The Speech Convention 3. That county funds-be used in proposed developments of the field tu the extent deemed proper by county officials. The Civil Aeronautics Authority Las granted the county $130,000 for improvements at Meacham Aire port. The county now is in the process of selling a half million dollars in | formal education with high school ‘Until After New Year's offers an opportunity to keep in Airport revenue certificates, this money also to be used for field development. Wilde Notified Allen said that as sooa as word was received yesterday afternoon from Washington, Harold Wilde, county airport consultant, was no- | tified to go ahead with the sale of | the ceretificates, | Meanwhile, architects and engi- ; [neers were completing plans for ) |the field improvements, q | The plans include paved and ex- tended runways, lights for night « | Operations and a terminal building. A minor recommendation of the |panel, and one that may or may : | Rot be acted on, was that the east. |west runway at the field be re- a ed to avoid possible conflict en traffic at Meacham and | Boca Chica. x , Re-Alignment Study Allen said Wilde would be in- MRS. MARION STARK structed to investigate the possi- ++. to attend conclave. | bility of re-aligning the runw ay. “It depends on Wilde’s recom- mendations,” Allen added. “We may or may not change the run- ay direction.” Rear Adm. G. C. Towner, com- mander of the Naval Base here, had objected to the improvements to Meacham Field on the grounds touch with the most recent trends | in instruction in public speaking. | Important Course 5 “There is an increasing tendency |“ to incorporate speech into the ba-| sic English program so that our} high school graduates will have the | ise and assuran a ch | ; STE ses ce that: speech | 4,5 the air traffic from Meacham “Reports fromithe:-.collezes of | Would interfere with Boca Chica our state have been that students | Jt flights. mee A who enter college with a back- Towner forwarded his objections ground of high school speech are jt the Chief of Naval Operations better able than those who have |#"4 asked that the objections be not taken a speech course. taken up with the CAA wiht the Wai feelithat it 1s dustas im. | idea of killing the $130,000 federal shag “ ini ;_ | grant. portant for those who finish their The Chief of Naval, Operations turned down Towner’s objections. National Airlines also objected to (Continued On Page Ten) The Casa Marina Proudly Presents JOE CANDULLO and HIS BAND Nitely for Dancing BETTY MADIGAN Former M.G.M. Singing Star Opens Monday, Dec. 27 RESERVATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE graduation to be able to meet bus- iness and social life with poise. | “I feel highly honored that out | of the many hundreds of high; schools throughout the United Sta- | tes, Key West High School was chosen to be represented at this (Continued On Page Ten) SLIDING DOOR UNITS — at Strunk Lumber 120 SIMONTON, near Bank YOUR DAIRY QUEEN Will Have Egg Nog Corner of White and United Sts. TELEPHONE 2-7510 or 2-2743