Coral Gables Historical Archive
Coral Gables Riviera
Friday, July 18, 1941, page 6 (of 8)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
CORAL GABLES RIVIERA
AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Published every Friday by the Miami Riviera Publishing Company, 306 Coral Way, Coral Gables, Florida. Established January, 1926 Combined with the Dade County and Coconut Grove Times, 1929. ALBERT E. HARUM President and Publisher JAMES B. MOORE Managing Editor Mailing Address, P. O. Box 704 Telephone 4-1634 SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year by Carrier, Coral Gables and immediate vicinity... $2.00 Six months $1.25 One Year by Mail $3.00 Entered as second class matter May 21, 1926, at the Postoffice at Miami, Florida, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Growth Offsets Tax Increase
Coral Gables will spend $30,910 more on operations during 1941-1942 than it did during the fiscal year just past, but it will not cost the taxpayer another dollar. The budget, which was adopted last week, sets up $346,333.29 for operating expenses as compared with $315,-423.39 during 1940-1941. The millage, however, is unchanged, remaining at 22 for operations and debt service. The reason the expenditures can be increased without taking additional dollars out of the individual taxpayer's pocket is because 253 new buildings were added to the tax rolls during 1940, which the city estimates as indicating a population increase of approximately 760. Upon this estimate, the per capita operating costs of this budget and of the last budget, differ but a few cents. In addition, the city manager states that the increase in operating costs is supported by an equivalent increase in estimated receipts in which additional receipts from licenses, the net income from the transportation system, golf course and pool, and departmental incomes, such as garbage service fees, permits, fines and forfeitures, will play the major part. However, the increase in operating taxes from real and personal property is but $11,233. The reason the income from property taxes is so slight is because of the Homestead Exemption law, which exempts all homesteads from operating taxes on the first $5,000 in valuation. Therefore, while $1,633,198.00 of the new value has been added to the tax roll by new building and additional personal property, the value subject to the operating levy has been increased only $834,266.00, additional homestead exemptions having offset this new value to the extent of $798,932.00. If there were no homestead exemptions in effect, the City Manager contends that all of the operations and debt service requirements of the present budget could have been met by a levy of 17.02 mills, 22.7 per cent less than the 22 per cent levy. With construction keeping ahead of last year by a small margin, the prospect of increased millage in the near future seems slight. Already, building in 1941 has reached a total of $715,805, and if war priorities do not hamper construction, Coral Gables should top last year's construction total of $1,750,645. Therefore, despite homestead exemptions, increase in population and money derived from real and personal property taxation on new construction should offset in advance increase in operating expenditures for many years to come.
We're Missing a Bet
The fact that 11,980 pieces of mail are handled daily in the Coral Gables branch post office was published in The Riviera last week from a report released by A. L. McLain, local superintendent of mails. Figured in weight, this daily mail averages 1,281 pounds! To use the popular expression, “That ain't hay.” This volume of mail is above average for a community of this size and it shows the large amount of activity going on here, even in the summer. Lamentably, it proves another point. Most of the mail going forth from Coral Gables bears a Miami postmark! Only a very small portion is cancelled with the “Coral Gables” postmark in the local post office. Miami Beach also has a branch post office, but the bulk of the mail leaving the island city for all parts of the United States is labeled with that city’s name. It seems to us that Coral Gables is missing an opportunity to gain valuable publicity and to establish itself as a separate entity. Almost everybody looks at a cancellation mark to see where the mail is from. If local mail carried the Coral Gables stamp, the name of our community would be brought to the attention of thousands of people in the North every day. We sincerely hope that Postmaster George E. Merrick, who is all for this community, can find some way to remedy this situation.
Florida Attacks The Billboards
“A Motorist’s View of U. S. 1 from Maine to Florida,” appearing in the rotogravure section of Nature Magazine declares that “Florida, from Jacksonville to Miami, has more billboards, more signs and more commercial enterprises of all sorts, than on an equal mileage of U. S. 1 in any other state.” Since that article went to press, Florida has taken her first step for roadside control. Spurred on by the chamber of commerce of the state and women’s clubs, Florida has joined 27 other states, published in Nature Magazine a year ago, Florida has voted to come out from “Behind the Billboards” and has passed her first billboard law. A year from now should see a vast improvement in Florida’s highways with most of the small signs eliminated. But, according to the National Roadside Council, recognized authority on billboard laws, experience in other states shows that the new Florida law, which the billboard industry is said to have supported, while it sweeps away their small competitors, will do little to check their own large billboards. Nor will it have any effect on the conglomeration of roadside establishments with their disfiguring welter of signs, which are almost as numerous as the billboards and a serious menace to safety. Florida still has much to do before she can overcome the stigma which now rests upon her highways as the most commercialized roads in the country. “Our great need,” says the article on U. S. 1, “is regulation that will segregate not only billboards but all roadside business in certain areas, leaving the greater part of our rural roads unspoiled; their efficiency, safety and recreational value unimpaired.” This means Highway Zoning, which the American Automobile Association now advocates. When we get rid of the “ghastly parade of billboards,” to quote the well-known columnist, Lytle Hull, we shall find even in Florida “a very beautiful and completely undiscovered landscape behind this never-ending and ghastly parade of papered lumber.”
THIS ONE'S ON YOU
ALUMINUM—Mrs. Joe Whitley is overjoyed at the idea of an aluminum week for the Gables. First, of course, Mrs. Whitley thinks it a noble cause and a first-class way for the housewife to help National Defense. In the second place, Mrs. Whitley has had a coffee pot, genuinely aluminum, the lid of which she doesn’t use. It’s a good coffee pot, makes quite a delectable brew. Many's the time Mrs. Whitley has paused with the coffee pot over the rubbish can—but then she has relented and put the coffee pot back on the shelf. "But now," says Mrs. Whitley, "that I have a good cause to which to contribute it, it’s the best excuse in the world to get rid of it and relieve my mind." * * * BLESSED EVENT — A feline heir-conditioning is not usually a newsworthy event, but the North Bells recount that the whole town talking about Mingsing's Phadjdhipoh's venture into the field of Motherhood. Mingsing is a Siamese cat which has been born and bred in their home at 27 Majorca. And Bell, receptionist at the Coral Way Cleaners, told her many clients about Mingsing's closet. Mr. Bell, a member of the Gables police force, told his friends about the impending event. From that point on it was no secret. Mrs. Bell's clients would inquire "Not yet?" and Officer Bell's friends would ask: "Have they arrived yet?"—on every such expression of interest in the expectant condition of Mingsing. They they came—triplets, two boys and a girl—and the Bells felt in duty bound to notify all interested by sending announcements. Imagine their surprise—and Mingsing’s, too—when letters and telegrams of congratulation and even gifts for the recuperating mother began to arrive. The father, as is usual in maternity cases, was quite ignored. * * * CHAIN GANG — Well, the chain letter craze is on again. This time, however, the recipent of most of the benefits (say the chain letter starters) is good old Uncle Sam. Instead of sending quarters or dollars to the person heading the list, you are handed or paid a 25-cent defense savings stamp. Ultimately, if everything goes all right and you mail letters to four "reliable" friends as instructed, you will receive enough 25-cent defense stamps to turn in for a $25 Defense Bond. We’ll give you half of ours just as soon as we get 'em. * * * HANDY GIRL—The swank layout of columns, booths and "acoustics" at the Coral Gables Cafeteria finally got the best of our curiosity the other day. So we asked Proprietor Robert Ely just what kind of wood he had whittled and planed to achieve the smooth, circular effect. Imagine our surprise when he told us it isn't wood but plaster and that his wife, Margaret, had done the delicate job of papering the plaster to achieve the grained-wood finish. We've got a couple of little jobs around The Riviera office for Mrs. Ely to tackle when she's not so busy. * * * TENSE MOMENT — Only in America would this have a touch of humor. When the new contingent of R. A. F. cadets was being brought out to Coral Gables by bus, one of the accompanying motorcycle policemen was trying to hustle a car out of the way. According to the bus driver, every occupant of the bus turned around in unison, recognizing the siren's wail as the familiar signal for an air raid in their country. * * * LONDON JOURNALISM—London’s times certainly aren’t changing the London Times. We had an opportunity (thanks to P. Kemp Williams, who lives in Coral Gables) to look through that famous newspaper this week and found things pretty much unchanged. The front page is still covered with classified advertising and you get 'way back to page four before you learn that England is in the midst of bitter strife. Even when you do get back in the paper to the war news it is certainly not presented in a manner which would cause alarm of any kind. Yet, who are we to even venture to criticize that very emblem of English journalism!
HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE!
SUN BATHING IMPROVES THE APPETITE, SLEEP AND GENERAL NUTRITION. SLEEP IS OFTEN DELAYED BY FEAR ON THE PART OF THE CHILD... RECITE GHOST STORIES OR ANY OTHER FEAR COMPELLING TALES... FISH SHOULD BE BOILED OR BROILED BUT NEVER GIVEN TO CHILDREN. STUTTERING AND STAMMERING CAN BE REMEDIED BY ENCOURAGING THE CHILD TO SPEAK SLOWLY AND ACCENT EVERY SYLLABLE OF EACH WORD... Copyright, Lincoln Newspaper Features, Inc.
Our Town BY JIM MOORE
A local businessman painted a very gloomy picture of the future for us the other day. When he got through, if we had been the impressionable type, we probably would have given up the ghost and moved down into the keys to live on grits and fish for "the duration". "In a few months", he glumly predicted, "there won't be a single newspaper in the country carrying any advertising. The stores won't have anything to sell or the stock will be so limited that there will be no point in spending money for advertising." As he continued his harangue, we thought of a recent copy of a London newspaper that had been sent to a friend of ours. We remembered the ads that were contained in it and wished we had compared the copy they carried with the ads we print in The Riviera. We quote a few of them: STILL IN BUSINESS! Our Bomb Damage Doesn't Close Us Up. Visit Our Shop in Safety in Our Basement * * * OPEN THOUGH BOMBED Our store was bombed yesterday but we are doing business today as usual. * * * STILL GOING STRONG! Despite the fact that our store was destroyed by a delayed-action bomb we are open again at our new location. 2316 Kensington Road. Those ads were placed by merchants that are in a far worse situation than our Coral Gables friend. They never know, when they unlock their stores in the morning, whether or not their building will still be standing at the close of business. Keeping local stores stocked in child’s play compared with the problem the British merchant has in getting the merchandise he needs. Yet every day in the English papers the advertising columns carry the sales messages of the merchants to their potential customers. It's easy to give up when the going gets tough. As a matter of fact, if things could possibly ever be as bad as our local man predicts, we can't for the life of us understand why he doesn't lock up right now and save himself all the headaches that he feels are coming his way. But he won’t do that. As a matter of fact, knowing him as we do, we predict that he would be the first to come to The Riviera if the sledding got bad, with his ad copy reading "Still In Business". He knows, as does every other merchant, that advertising is the life blood of any business. He realizes that no matter how bad conditions could become, that business must advertise in order to exist. We all realize that at present we are called upon to make some sacrifices, although none of us have felt the "pinch" very much. As the defense program continues, there will no doubt be difficulty in obtaining certain products. We, as Americans, will give them up gladly, in the knowledge that they are going to preserve ideals which we hold sacred. We seriously doubt, however, that we will ever be called upon to face the dire situation predicted by our local "Gloomy Gus". We may even have our "Meatless Tuesdays" and our "Sugarless Wednesdays" but we feel that the shelves in Coral Gables stores will never take on the appearance of Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Take sugar, for example. The Florida sugar industry is begging to have its quota upped. At present this state is not producing enough sugar to supply local demand. But given the "go ahead" signal trainload after trainload will roll from the cane fields near Clewiston. America is a land of great resources, some of them barely tapped. America is a land of courageous people with a record that proves them able to stand up under difficulties. If the time ever comes when the small business man or the large one finds it difficult to maintain complete stocks, his first thought will be to tell the public that he is still in business. And he will tell his story by ADVERTISING!
In Our Mail OUR READERS' OPINIONS
Editor, The Riviera: In the flurry of writing this letter I don't know what the result of the vote on the question of buying the water conduits will be, but I would like to say that for the past few weeks I have been getting a liberal education through the arguments of both sides. If every question would be sure to get such a thorough wringing out it would enlighten everybody. A. B. M. * * * Editor, The Riviera: Why don’t you put some comic strips in the paper? COMMITTEE OF 14. * * * Editor, The Riviera: After living here for about a year, now, I can think of only one thing I miss that we had up North. I'd like to hear our good old Southern lad, Red Barber, tell us all about the Brooklyn Dodgers. Can’t you get one of the Miami radio stations to put him on—or don’t we care about the league-leading team down here? BASEBALL FAN. * * * Editor, The Riviera: It seems to me that I heard some talk of the merchants in Coral Gables staging a midsummer "Dollar Day" this year. I believe that the Merchants Bureau announced such a plan following the Festival of Values. As a local business man, I would heartily subscribe to such a plan. During the summer we merchants have an opportunity to get to know our local people better, and after all, they are the backbone of our business. Why doesn't the Chamber of Commerce take a poll of the local business places and find out how many would like to stage a Dollar Day? It would be a swell way to convince our local residents that they should trade in Coral Gables. A LOCAL MERCHANT. * * * Editor, The Riviera: Motion picture houses should be forced, when showing an old picture, to put the word "revival" somewhere prominently in their advertising in newspapers, and in the posters outside of the theatre. From the comments I have heard, practically everyone in Coral Gables is disgusted with the manner in which picture houses not only here, but all over the Miami district, lure customers in to see their shows—which turn out to be at least six or seven years old? Many of us would like to go see old pictures, to catch up on the ones we missed on their first showings. But we do hate to be hoodwinked into attending an oldtimer that we've seen once and have no desire of seeing again. You can just imagine how much patronage a grocer would get if he ventured to sell stale butter or soured milk. I think the moving picture houses will find that they will get the same reception if they persist in not only stale, but sometimes rank old pictures. MOVIEGOER.
Commentator Comments
A. E. Harum, Publisher, Coral Gables Riviera. My dear Harum: I am delighted to hear that you have graduated to the aristocracy of the newspaper business — ownership. And since I had some small part in getting you started on the lowest rung of the ladder, I am naturally delighted to see you already reaching for the top. Best wishes to you in your new venture. Sincerely yours, H. V. KALTENBORN.
This Week in Defense
THE PRESIDENT — President Roosevelt informed Congress he had ordered a Navy force to Iceland to "forestall any pincers movement . . . by Germany against the Western Hemisphere". He said German occupation of that country would threaten the North American continent, shipping in the Atlantic and the flow of munitions to Britain. The President said the Navy had been ordered to take "all necessary steps" to insure safety of communications "in the approaches between Iceland and the United States, as well as on the seas between the United States and all other strategic outposts." The President later told his press conference that whether Iceland lies outside the Western Hemisphere is an academic question. He said there are points outside the commonly accepted hemisphere limits which are of importance to United States defense, and that in occupying Iceland to forestall a hostile move which strategists considered logical or likely. SELECTIVE SERVICE — Selective Service Headquarters announced that 21-year-olds who registered July 1 will be given draft numbers so they will be called in proportion to previous registrants rather than ahead of or after older men. Order numbers will be determined by national lottery on July 17. Headquarters advised local boards to defer men who have volunteered for civilian or military duty with Canadian or British forces. The House passed legislation to permit deferment of all men who were 28 on July 1. CIVILIAN SUPPLY—OPM conservation officials announced that "our purchases, our habits, our daily lives, perhaps even our styles, will be controlled by the requirements of national defense." Some of the changes facing the public, according to OPM: No corks in bottle tops; (Please Turn to Back Page)
THE CLIPPER CROWD NEWS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PERSONNEL OF PAN-AMERICAN AIRWAYS By Nancy Humphreys
Another one of Pan Am’s very eligible young men is out of circulation. Albert DeRonde, son of Mrs. Douglas DeRonde, Burlington, Vt., and Miss Dorothy Sayre, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Arthur Sayre, Wadhams, N. Y., took the "rapid road to romance" last Sunday afternoon. Their wedding ceremony was performed in the Coral Gables Methodist church by the Rev. Carlock Hawk. Mrs. Robert Lundyn was matron of honor and Mr. Joselyn, best man. The bride wore a white silk jersey afternoon dress with full skirt and long sleeves, white picture hat, and orchid corsage. Mr. DeRonde, who is a Pan Am pilot, is being transferred to the tea and of the month. Immediately following the wedding ceremony the newlyweds were guests of honor at a cocktail party given by Mrs. E. T. Magoffin (Annette Gipson) and Miss Martha Martin. Magoffin home, Happy Landing. 'Twas later rumored that the groom should be honored by another in the headquarters of the Woods Room of America (Miami chapter) . . . Among the post nuptial entertainment for Mr. and Mrs. DeRonde was the cocktail party and dinner given last Wednesday evening by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Schultz, 3306 S. W. 28th Terrace. The hosts were assisted by Mrs. Neil J. Nesse. * * * 'Twas with considerable surprise that we heard of the resignation of Miss Consuelo (Connie) Bell, who has for the past five years or so secretary to the Division Communications Superintendent. Miss Bell is planning to attend Columbia University. We wish her lots of luck. Honoring Miss Prado last Tuesday evening was the buffet supper given by Mrs. Ada Weiner at her home at 1736 Southwest 23d Street. * * * Leaving tonight by plane for San Antonio, Texas, are Emily Furcheimer, Coresmo and Isabel Bell. The Colemans plan to go on into Monterrey, Mexico, to Mexico City, taking advantage of the beautiful highway through the mountains of Mexico. They expect to spend about a week in the Mexican capital. Meanwhile, Miss Hazel Turnbull (also of Purchasing) and Miss Frances Simms, have moved into the Coleman's apartment during their absence—and are spending their spare moments searching for a spot to settle in for the long winter months. * * * Also house hunting are Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Eggleston, who are moving temporarily to the Columbus Hotel. Mr. Eggleston, who is PAA express traffic special representative for Pan American-Grace Airways, coming direct from New York City. Prior to his stay in New York, he spent many years in South America. * * * Austin T. Brewer, a Pan American man for thirteen years, has resigned. He was, at the time of his resignation, chief of clearance. * * * Chris Maginot, airport manager in Port of Spain, and wife, Kitty, left Miami by automobile early this week for a month's tour of New York and points north. * * * For ye weak-willed but would-be savers: The Federal Credit Union—Pan American Airways Employees Branch—is now prepared to make pay roll deductions for deposit in the Credit Union. Now all you have to do is specify firmly just how to save a certain amount out of each pay check, sign an authorization slip and oh shell it be. The minimum amount which you may deposit from each check is two bits, so says E. P. Maxwell (who says he does all the work for the Credit Union) is very proud of the Credit Union's new National Charter, which he says makes the outfit really "big-time." (Of course, the fact that the Union now has assets totaling $104,707.00 has nothing to do with it.) Of the approximately 1,400 employees working for Pan Am in Miami, 1,042 use this service. Of this figure, 586 have loans. * * * In Coconut Grove early this week en route on furlough to North Carolina, were Merlin C, Arner, airport manager in Kingston, and Mrs. Arner, who was formerly Miss Othello "Beau" Prather of Miami. * * * Captain Manuel Quevedo, president of Cubana, spent several days in Coconut Grove this week on business. He was accompanied by Armando Martinez, traffic manager of Cubana. * * * Mrs. Lorraine Weber, secretary to the Division Sales Manager, just naturally has sand in her shoes. Even on vacation she chose a beach resort—St. Petersburg! For the duration of Lorraine’s brother, J. W. Brooks, is in Miami visiting Mr. and Mrs. Robert Earl Smith, of 2300 S. W. 19th Ave. (Mrs. Smith is another Pan maid). Brother Brooks feels pretty happy about vacationing in sunny Miami—even with the mosquitoes! * * * Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Tunis. 1125 Avenue Almeria, Coral Gables, are gadding about in North Carolina for several weeks, leaving behind orphans Elizabeth and Fred. * * * Pan Am's ball teams haven't received nearly the praise they deserve: for doing so well—both in the Coral Gables Softball League (in which they won first place for the first half) and in the Commercial League, Moore Park section, in which they also placed first for the first half of the playing. In the Moore Park League our boys won both the first two games in the second half; but, alas, in the opening games in the Coral Gables League we have not done quite so well—now there's lots of time and games ahead. * * * Vacation Notes: Sporting a rope necktie in Purchasing is A. E. Haeger, just back from Pan Am’s vacation spot—Merida, Yucatan. The silver bracelet he’s showing off is just another sample of the unusual souvenirs to be purchased down among the ruins . . . Miss Frances Simms, also of Purchasing, is vacationing in Mexico City . . . Seeing Florida first were Mr. and Mrs. Elmo Bearden on their respite from routine the past week; dollar, Mr. Bearden is section superintendent in Port of Spain . . . Some Lesser Sores, of Dinner Key Maintenance, returns from his vacation he is looking forward to a four-month assignment in San Juan . . . Miss Florence Mitchell, of Dinner Key Maintenance, returns from her vacation he is looking forward to a four-month assignment in San Juan . . . Miss Florence Mitchell, secretary to A. O. Merkling, divided the first week of her time-off between the Hollywood Beach Hotel (a choice spot) and Miami Beach. Later on she plans to fly down the line . . . * * * Pantramblies: Still vacationing in New York, Poughkeepsie are Mrs. R. W. Kerr and daughter, Lorraine. The whole family was having a grand time there, but Papa Kerr had to return to his post in Miami—after all, four weeks' vacation is all any reasonable man can expect! And the Kerrs did take a jaunt to Baltimore and New York in their new automobile before leaving Miami by Clipper for San Juan . . . When Mrs. Dave Wadell returns to her home in McDonald Street in Coconut Grove she hopes to bring with her at least one of her cherubs (probably a son—says the medical "man in the house"). Mrs. Wadell is spending ten days or so in Havana with her mother who is a resident there. The three Waddell children preceded their mother to the Cuban capital by way of "Special" to Merida, Yucatan Douglas Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, of Main Highway, Coconut Grove. They were accompanied by another son, Buddy, and Mrs. James Archer Smith, of Homestead . . . The wags in Traffic have it that Charles Henry has enrolled in a physical culture class (we think he's all right as is) . . . perhaps he just wants to make certain that he won't miss the draft . . . Don McCorquodale was off by car early Sunday morning to join his wife and family on the shores of a quiet lake on the Canadian border for a peaceful two weeks’ vacation . . . Maybe Bob Merchants is the one who should be enrolling in the physical culture class now that he’s getting so much good home cooking: Not so long ago Bob returned from Havana escorting his mother, Mrs. Angelica Merchant, who is now making her home here with him at 2513 Southwest Tenth Street. Bob is happy to report that Mrs. Merchant, who had been ill for some time in Havana, is now doing well.