Coral Gables Riviera

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CORAL GABLES RIVIERA

AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 17TH YEAR NO. 49 CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, JANUARY 17, 1941 PRICE FIVE CENTS

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TOWN TALK

by Jim Moore Down in Chester Moore's sundry shop the other morning the boys were having quite a heated discussion as to what stage of the season we had reached. After several cups of coffee and enough words to fill Mr. Webster's tome, there still seemed to be quite definite divisions of opinion. A real estate man opined that it had just started; a post office attache, still recuperating from the Christmas rush, thought it was almost over, while a merchant insisted that we were right in the middle of it. After all it is a bit confusing. Just this week a Miami department store announced its "peak of season sale" while a night club, that has been operating for several months, announced blithely that it was staging its "formal season opening". Personally, influenced by a news item that Miami coppers had scooped up $27,000 off the gaming tables at Slapsie Maxie's, we'd say that we must be pretty well into the indefinable "season". Maybe we've never gotten rid of the "small town" in us, but we're still awed by the thought of $27,000 in actual cash bouncing merrily around the roulette and dice tables. We get quite a thrill out of raising five chips on a full house in a penny-ante game and our annual wager of two bucks on the nose of a bang-tail at Tropical requires weeks of concentration. Don't get us wrong. If some guy wants to go hazard a couple of thousand dollars by betting on the spinning wheel, it's perfectly okay with us. It's his money and we hope he has a lot of fun. We'll plank our nest egg, if we ever have one, on a nice little house in Coral Gables and invite the neighbors in every so often for a rousing game of bridge at a tenth of a cent a point. We think that one of the nicest things about Coral Gables is the way the citizens go on about their gracious way of living, right through the season, while the night life and galloping dominoes whirl madly about in the surrounding communities. It's sort of like being on a nice little island in the middle of a whirling, eddying stream. If you want to jump in for a quick swim-okay. But you always know that after you get soaking wet, you can come back to the island for peace and quiet. We don't mean Coral Gables is dead, either. Not by a long shot. There's plenty to do and plenty of fun and Miami is only a few minutes away. It's just that Gableites don't worry too much about the season and about John Law dropping in and scooping up $27,000 off the dining room table.

Whitley, Bell Win Again in Supreme Court

With a decision affirming a Circuit court ouster of Hollis Rinehart, the State supreme court again upheld the right of Commissioners Joe Whitley and Wallace Bell to their seats on the Coral Gables city commission. This decision, rendered on a case argued a month ago in Tallahassee by Joseph F. McPherson for Whitley and Bell, and by Charles A. Carroll for Rinehart, marks the end of a two-year legal battle. Whitley claimed a four-year term and Bell a two-year term on a basis of total votes expressed in mailad-in absentee ballots, which they contend were illegal. Ouster proceedings resulted when Rinehart was installed for the four-year term, with Whitley installed for a two-year term. Judge Paul D. Barns ruled against Rinehart, who appealed to the supreme court and obtained a rehearing.

Gables Firemen Plan Benefit

With a top-notch show by night club artists heading the list, the Coral Gables Fireman's Benevolent Association is planning a mammoth entertainment program for its Second Annual Ball, to be held Feb. 21st at the Country Club of Coral Gables. A large turnout is expected for the benefit, which is approved by the Theatre Authority, Inc.

Stephens New Jaycee Head

Wade Stephens was elected president of the Coral Gables Junior Chamber of Commerce at the meeting held Wednesday night at the Country Club of Coral Gables. Other officers named include George Kinsman, John M. Montgomery and Dr. William M. Sparks, vice presidents; Dr. W. W. Schomberg, secretary and Taylor Knowles, treasurer. Stephens succeeds John Halifax.

40-8 Society In Party Tonight

Dade County Voiture of the 40 & 8 Society the fun making order of the American Legion, will hold their Locomotive Jamboree tonight at the Country Club of Coral Gables. Music for dancing will be furnished by the 40 & 8 Orchestra. Al. B. Lambert, Chef de Gare, announced arrangements have been completed to stage a floor show. The 40 & 8 locomotive recently made the trip to Boston for the National Convention of The American Legion and on the return trip it was necessary to install a new motor. Tonight's Jamboree is to help the Dade County Voiture to pay the bill. The Jamboree will be held from 9 until 2 a.m. and the public is invited to join the 40 & 8 tonight in their evening of dancing, fun and frolic.

Trainer Tests Air Aptitude Of Gableites

Air-minded Gableites have an opportunity to test their flying aptitude in an army-type device which has been set up at A. B. Mack's Service Station on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. The trainer, which is on a tour sponsored by the National Aeronautical Association and the Sinclair Refining Co., enables would-be pilots to experience the thrills of actual flying without leaving the ground. Since the device was set up this week, over 300 Gableites have taken their turns at the controls and had their ability rated by Bill Sweet and Bob Packard, who are in charge. There is no charge for the test.

Church Leaders Join Forces In Infantile Fight

Churchmen of all denominations this week joined with retail establishments, Parent-Teacher groups, Women's clubs and fraternal organizations throughout the state in pledging their full cooperation to the 1941 "Fight Infantile Paralysis" campaign it was announced by Chester B. Treadway of Orlando, state chairman of the drive. Responding to the appeal "Help the Youngsters Around Your Corner," Christian churches in Florida and all other sections of the nation will observe January 26 as "Infantile Paralysis" Sunday and corresponding observance will be made in Jewish synagogues on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, January 25. Among the national spiritual leaders who have endorsed the "Infantile Paralysis Sunday" or "Infantile Paralysis Sabbath" are spiritual leaders of every faith in America.

His Eminence William Cardinal O'Connell, Archbishop of Boston, who arrived in Coral Gables Tuesday and will spend a short vacation here. Cardinal O'Connell is staying at the Miami Biltmore. (Cut courtesy of Florida Catholic.)

Domestics' Health Examinations Will Be Enforced After Feb. 1

Health examinations and cards for domestics in Coral Gables will become a reality after Feb. 1, when the ordinance will be enforced, according to city officials and Frank J. Curry, city commissioner. The city commission decided to include domestics in the ordinance, which provides for the health cards for food handlers in retail stores, at the last city commission meeting. The domestics will have a combined health and identification card after they pass the identification, which they receive from the police department, will be on one side of the card, with the certificate of good health on the other. Mr. Curry explained that, when the domestics apply for their identification at the police department, they will be asked for a certificate of good health, which they will receive from the city health department. If they do not have this certificate, they will not receive the identification. If they do not have both, they cannot be employed in Coral Gables. "We will need all the cooperation we can get from the employers," said Curry. "It will be up to them, to a great extent, to refuse to employ servants who have no health cards. There will be periodic inspec- (Please turn to Page Four)

City Plans Big Changes In Parking

Climaxing a week of study and conferences with Gables business men, a conference between City Manager Curry and representative of the Merchants' Bureau Wednesday promised to bring some radical changes to Coral Gables business zone parking. Frank Holley, Jeff Coulter and Robert Schneider, on behalf of the Merchants' Bureau, replied to complaints about overtime parking and congestion on Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Coral Way with a recommendation that the city begin a campaign of enforcement of parking limits, and that the limit be shortened in the most congested areas. Commenting on the request for enforcement, Curry declared: "We'll give the public an educational period of two weeks first; then we're going to start enforcing the parking limits." The new limit on Coral Way and Ponce de Leon Boulevard will be set at 30 minutes on the Boulevard and in the business blocks on Coral Way, with a one-hour limit imposed upon the side streets extending one block on either side of Ponce. The committee feels that this shorter period will result in general turnover of business and relieve parking tie-ups. The Bureau and the Real Estate Board joined in making a request that the city return to the 45 degree parking plan which had been supplanted in some districts with 22 degree parking; but spokesmen of both groups were vehement that the parallel system be discarded, and recommended that persons parking off-angle be given summonses. The question of installing parking meters, which was aired this week in a Riviera survey, was shelved indefinitely by the city and business representatives after public opinion showed a definite swing against the meters. The first full moon recital was given last Monday by the Bok Tower at Lake Wales.

Gains Listed By Savings, Loan Group

At Wednesday's annual meeting of the stockholders of the Coral Gables Federal Savings and Loan Association, which was held at the offices at 2501 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, George B. Caster, president of the Association, revealed that 1940 was a banner year in the history of the company. Total resources as of Dec. 31, 1940 amounted to $1,280,978.43, while the membership of the Association now totals about 1000 shareholders. The organization holds first morgages on 382 properties. Organized in the Fall of 1934 by a group of local businessmen the Coral Gables Federal is a mutual savings institution, chartered and supervised by the United States government. Its capital is invested primarily in monthly payment first mortgages on homes in the Coral Gables and Miami areas. Accounts of the shareholders are insured up to $5000.00 by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation of Washington, D. C., an instrumentality of the Federal Government, and dividends are currently paid at the rate of 3% per annum. The Association is also a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Officers and Directors are George B. Caster, President; Rodney Miller, Vice-President; Inman Padgett, Vice-President; Marion I. Schultz, Treasurer; S. M. Sparks, Secretary; Dorothy Bonner, Assistant Secretary, Hollis Bush, A. H. Gleason, Richard B. Killen, Dennis V. Renuart, and John Sullivan. The Association owns its own building at 2501 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, built a little over a year and a half ago.

Chamber of Commerce Plans Planting of Palm Trees Through Main Business Thoroughfares

Charles Milton Newcomb, nationally known lecturer, addressed members of the Century Club of Coral Gables last night at the annual Welcome Home Dinner at the Miami Biltmore. His subject was "How to Be Happy, Though Educated".

Kiwanis Lists Committees

At a busy meeting Tuesday at the Country Club, Coral Gables Kiwanis announced the formation of all their committees for 1941, and heard a report from Andrew Houston, Harry Bark and Jim Hoffman on the Kiwanis conference at Winter Haven, which took place last weekend. The new officers who presided at Tuesday's meeting were: Andrew Houston, president; William L. Gray and R. A. Rasco, vice presidents; Harry Rath, secretary, and James Hoffman, immediate past president and Florida Kiwanis lieutenant governor. Here are the Kiwanis committees for 1941: Agriculture: C. Wittkow, H. Wedemeyer and A. Cassidy. Attendance: O. B. Sutton, Rev. C. Hawk, S. Giffen and J. Drake, sr. Boys and Girls Work: R. Rasco, W. Street, Dr. C. Martin, S. Sparks and W. Ware. Business Standards: F. Holley, D. Renuart and C. Ayers. Classification: A. O. Renuart, R. Wilkins and R. Miller. Finance: F. Holley and Al. Cowherd. House Committee: R. Miller, Dr. L. D. Pankey and K. Schmitz. Interclub: L. Thebault, J. Hoffman and J. Skillman. Education: C. Pelgrim, L. Lanford and Dr. R. M. Sheetz. Laws and Regulations: Bill Gray, jr., A. B. Curry and L. Boone. Membership: Bill Fuller, J. Gautier and W. Sumner. Music: R. Rasco, C. Wittkow and H. E. Rath. (Please turn to Page Four)

Curry, Holley Discuss Plans

With the Merchants' Bureau and the city officials strongly in favor of the idea, the Chamber of Commerce next week will go into high gear in its effort to bring a palm-lined beauty to Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Coral Way. An appeal to the public to support the movement by contribution of single trees to the Merchants' Bureau will be made next week, and Coral Gables civic organizations are expected to join forces with the Chamber of Commerce to put the projected planting program over the top. Consult Curry "Our committee talked the plan over with A. B. Curry, city manager, Wednesday afternoon," Frank Holley, chairman of the tree committee and president of the Chamber of Commerce, reported, "and found that the city agrees that lining our two main business streets with palm trees would do wonders toward making Coral Gables more beautiful and impressive." Holley, with Jeff Coulter and Robert Schneider, had been appointed last week by the direction of the city, business men and officials to the plan on behalf of the Merchants' Bureau. Need 300 Trees "We figure now that we'll need about 300 trees to do the job right," he said. "Mr. Curry told us that we should have a maximum distance of 50 feet between trees on all the treelined sections." Holley said that the city agreed to install the trees, but that the Chamber was planning to appeal to private citizens and business owners to contribute a tree or two to the project. "We're going to mail a letter to everyone who either owns or leases business property on Ponce de Leon and Coral Way," he explained, "asking them to give us a tree or two. The trees will cost fifteen or twenty dollars apiece, which is very little outlay for the added beauty their business will derive from the planting." Cites Lincoln Road The project to create parkways in Coral Gables has been worked out by the Chamber of Commerce under a year old study. The Chamber points out that the Lincoln Road planting in Miami Beach has drawn praise from visitors from every part of the country. In a recent interview in The Herald, Herbert Askwith, guiding force of New York's Sixth Avenue Association's tree-planting program, came out flat-footedly in favor of trees as a mode of air-conditioning as well as beautifying city streets. Askwith was particularly struck by the attractive aspect of tree-lined Lincoln Road, and the Chamber of Commerce wants to see Coral Gables as well-favored in arboreal respects as Miami Beach. All the civic and women's clubs in Coral Gables will be asked to take part in the drive to obtain gift trees for the business section, and Holley expects an enthusiastic response. "I'm been anxious to see a planting program carried out in downtown Coral Gables for a long time," Holley stated, "If I can see this program carried through successfully, I'll feel that one good thing was accomplished during my term as president of the Chamber of Commerce, for I really believe that this project will do wonders for Coral Gables."

Our Inquiring Reporter

Would You Like to See Parking Meters on Ponce de Leon Boulevard? Leon Ensminger, Leon's Bakery: "I think parking meters might be good for the Boulevard. The bakery hasn't had much trouble with overparkers, but I do see overtime parking on the rest of the street." Ann Rhoden, Ann's Beauty Shop: "I'd like to see more room for customers in front. Parking meters would be a big help." Mrs. L. T. Sterling, Wilt's End Shop: "I believe we'd benefit if all-day parking were stopped. More turnover in the cars parked in front means more business for the store." G. R. Quillian, Breeding's Drug Store: "It's a bad idea. We pay enough for the streets in taxes. The merchants should keep their own cars off Ponce de Leon Boulevard, and then we wouldn't have to bother about the problem." D. A. Cray, Cray and Daino: "I'm not in favor of parking meters. We should reduce taxes, not increase them. It'll drive business away from the Gables if we start installing parking meters here." C. A. Moore, Moore's sundries: "I'd like to see overtime parking stopped, but I don't want meters in front of the post office, where my shop is located." Sam Weissel, Sam's Service Station: "The motorist is allready taxed to death. I'm opposed to parking meters." W. G. Stelts, Dade Pharmacy: "Parking meters are a nuisance, as far as I'm concerned." James Mastro, Gordon Barber Shop: "Buying meters would be a waste of money. The police can check parking." H. G. Hubert, Merrick Realty: "Parking meters might be an improvement in overtime parking, but they certainly have a nuisance effect." Dr. S. G. Casell: "I don't want to see any parking meters in the Gables." S. R. Cobbs, Vogue Shop: "Yes, to keep local cars from parking in front of stores all day. Give them a 60-minute time limit for five cents." Mary Brinkele, Marion Yarn Shop: "My customers can't find parking space now, with the overparking going on; but I'm afraid that meters would annoy them." Gertrude Morton, White Swan Laundry: "I don't think parking meters would help business places at all." L. G. Norris, La Modern Shop: "Meters with a half-hour limit would be a good thing. They work out all right in the north." George Wheeler, Boulevard Shoe Repair: "I don't find that we have any need for meters here." Mrs. Rhoda Jay, Jay's Men's Shop: "We don't see many cars overparking. Shoppers shouldn't find anything in the Gables that would hold them back from doing their shopping here; and I don't think they'd like meters." H. H. Letaw, Letaw's Liquor Store: "I believe meters would help control the overparking situation we have now." Oliver Vamedore, Dad's Barber Shop: "We don't need any meters." Miss F. Womack of Stefanie's shop: "It might be a good idea." E. A. Swanson, watch repairs: "If the police can't handle the problem with the size force we have now, let's have meters." Harvey Thomas, Thomas Hardware: "The police ought to handle the parking problem. We shouldn't have parking meters in Coral Gables." Leslie Coombes, Coral Gables, Inc.: "The new angle parking is the worst traffic problem I see. I don't think we need meters." A. N. Wolfe, Milano's Restaurant: "I don't think meters would do us any good. We need more prominent signs about the parking limit, painted right on the street." C. A. Stone, Stone's Gift Shop: "If it brings additional city revenue, all right, but let's avoid any more burden on the taxpayers." Paul Stegman, watch repair: "There's enough space for parking without meters." Mrs. F. M. Howard, La Vogue Laundry: "I don't like the idea of parking meters." A. D. Pilkington, photographer: "I don't care very much, but meters might save a lot of bother for the man who wants to park near a shop on the boulevard." A. N. Houston, Houston-Hurst paints: "The parking problem here is only a problem for 4 1/2 months. I don't see how we could pay for parking meters in that short time." Nellie H. Barnes, Chaplin realtv: "I don't think meters would be a good idea, but I'd like to see shorter parking limits." Mrs. H. S. Parrott, Ponce de Leon Restaurant: "I'd like to see meters installed. People park here all day or more sometimes." Bill Merrill, Coral Theatre: "I don't care which way it's handled." C. L. Powell, service station: "We ought to pay people to park in Coral Gables, not charge them for the privilege." Mrs. W. R. Morningstar, Pilkington Studio: "We haven't had much trouble with overtime parking here." Marjorie D. Vohl, bus terminal: "I don't really think we need parking meters here, but I'm willing to follow the majority. If most of us need parking meters, it's all right with me." Lucille Baker, Renuart realty: "I don't like the idea. It would spoil business completely for some people if meters were in service." W. R. Wedderspoon, real estate: "A lot of people think the streets are free, but we need to keep Ponce open for customers. Employees' cars shouldn't be put on the Boulevard." H. N. Higgenbotham, Hank's service station: "I don't like the idea unless they put meters on (Please turn to Page Four)