Coral Gables Riviera-Times

Friday, October 24, 1947, page 4 (of 12)

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CORAL GABLES Riviera TIMES

CORAL GABLES Riviera TIMES. Published every Friday morning by the Riviera Publishing Company, 2012 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables 34, Fla. Established January 1926; combined with the Dade County & Coconut Grove Times, 1929. MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION and Florida Press Association. Albert E. Harum, Editor and Publisher; Kenneth S. Reynolds, Business Manager; James B. Moore, Managing Editor; Helen Reynolds, Society Editor; Edward W. Wright, Circulation Manager. NATIONAL EDITORIAL 1947 ASSOCIATION Active Member. SUBSCRIPTION RATES-Six months, $2.00; one year, outside of United States, $3.50; local, $3.00; one year, out-of-town, $3.75. Entered as Second Class Matter May 21, 1926, at the Post Office at Miami, Fla., under the Act of March 3, 1897. Mail Address Box 704 Phone 4-1634 4-1635. The Coral Gables Riviera is liable for errors in advertising only to the extent of the space in which the advertisement appears.

Concerning Consolidation

The Dade-Miami merger plan calls for the creation of a county police force, which would take the place of the present Miami police force and the Sheriff's office. While Coral Gables would have, no use for the services of this department, part of the money paid as county taxes by Gables citizens would be used to pay salaries of members of this force. Watch this space every issue IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!!

In Our Mail

Editor, Riviera-Times: Congratulations on your expansion! P. I. Reed, Director School of Journalism University of West Virginia. Editor, Riviera-Times: You can be sure we will be real "Riviera" boosters. We like your paper and are sure that it will be even a greater success as a daily. Very cordially yours, William Labow The University Shop. Editor, Riviera-Times: Good luck with your new venture! Henry Hardenfelder, Publisher Queens (New York) Ledger. Editor, Riviera-Times: I want to congratulate you on your new daily news publication which is to begin November the 3d. This is quite a step forward and I wish you every success. Sincerely yours, McGregor Smith Pres. & Gen. Mgr. Florida Power and Light Co.

Strictly Fresh

Government scientists are trying to find medicinal values in bees. Hunting a cure for hives, no doubt. * * * A scientific survey discloses that Reno is the noisiest city in the country. That's where they let freedom ring. * * * A Columbia University medical man says fat girls stay fat as a protection against men. Probably they're just guarding against being picked up. * * * A hunter in Idaho went to sleep under a tree and woke up to find two bears sharing the bivouac. Knowing trouble was bruin, he ran. * * * Policy writers in the "numbers racket" in Cincinnati went on strike for more money. They didn't like the figures they were getting. * * * An Ohio State geneticist says that contrary to popular belief, twins are not smarter than other people. They don't look like other people, either.

Registration

YOUR CITY By Jim Moore. The main bugaboo in the plans for the coming election on the gas franchise for Coral Gables seems to be the registering of the voters. City Clerk E. B. Poorman has three paths which he may follow in readying the books for the balloting, all three of which present obstacles. He can use the present registration books. These would call for no special registration but present one main difficulty, in addition to the fact that they are outmoded and in many instances illegible. The chief objection is that they are recorded in three bound volumes, and under state law our next election should be held in two precincts. That's because over 2,400 ballots were cast in the last municipal voting. The city could take a chance and use the books. But that would leave the legality of the election open to attack, a situation that I'm sure would not be to the liking of the gas company. The second out would be to use the county books, a method that can be adopted by a commission resolution. However, since the county books do not recognize city lines, there is a chance that the names of a lot of "No Man's Lander's" who insist upon using Gables street names, would be included on the registration list, again laying it open to legal attack. Besides that, the county book method seems to be the least desirable to me because it smacks of consolidation. We've already tried using the county's health department and have discovered that it isn't as satisfactory as our city health office-the majority of Gableites are dead set against any further forms of consolidation-so why stick our necks out? In addition, permanent use of county books would guarantee inaccuracies because of the freeholder situation. A man might own 500 freehold shares and live in Coral Gables and would be listed as a freeholder. He would not, however, be eligible to vote in a Gables freeholder election, but there would be no way of telling whether he could or not. Thirdly, the books would only be in Coral Gables during the period prior to a local election-and that seems to be another undesirable feature. The remaining method is to scrap our present books-install a modern, up-to-date card registration system and call for a new registration. I agree with Mr. Poorman that this is the ideal time for such a move. No political issues are involved in the coming balloting, so there are no candidates to fear that a supporter might neglect to register. Such a system would adapt itself to a one, two or multiple precinct election, and would expand easily as the city grows. To install such a system would mean postponing the gas vote until late January or March, but it seems to me that the advantages far outweigh any disadvantages. The main reason for the delay would be in obtaining proper binders for the card system before calling for the new registration. But the binders are essential, if the cards are to be kept in an efficient and orderly manner. The present books were outmoded before the last commission election. But a purge was attempted in order that all potential voters would be kept on the polling lists. To try to use them again seems like a poor solution to the problem. Use of the county books means getting mixed up with the county system again at a time when the Gables is viewing any consolidation measures with extreme distrust. The sane, logical step seems to be that suggested by City Clerk Poorman-a new, efficient and practical registration system.

The Corner Grocer

MIND IF I THROW SOME OF YOUR STUFF IN THE BARREL, MAM? TRUMAN U.S. FOOD CONSUMPTION AID TO EUROPE U.S. HOUSEWIFE

"HOW TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE IN TEN YEARS"

FROM A RIVIERA NOTEBOOK By Mary Helm Clarke. There's too much credit given George E. Merrick for being the first to promote Coral Gables. The Riviera Notebook says he was still in his teens when the first promoter was written extolling the charms of the area. It was a book called "How to Become a Millionaire in Ten Years," and it was written by his grandfather, Dr. H. G. Fink. Dr. Fink came to Coral Gables Plantation in the early 1900s to see what his son-in-law and daughter were up to. They had left civilization behind and were "pioneering" in Dade County, Florida. The good doctor was so impressed with what he found that he wrote the above mentioned book and advised everyone to invest in Florida grove lands and garner the harvest of millions of dollars from the sale of "golden apples" (citrus fruits) to northern markets. Grandfather Fink was not the only member of the family to join Solomon G. Merrick and his wife, Althea Fink Merrick at Coral Gables Plantation. Mrs. Merrick's sister and brother-in-law, the Worth St. Clairs, also took a hand in planting and caring for the groves. Her brother and sister-in-law, the Denman Finks, also came to visit, and returned and stayed and the Plantation was full to overflowing at times. Among the younger generation was a nephew, H. George Fink, grandson of Dr. H. G. Fink. As an architect he made the blue prints for the family homes built of native coral rock. First there was the New Manor House for the Plantation (907 Coral Way), then homes for the St. Clairs and Denman Finks. Then George Merrick wanted a house just west of the home place and his sister Ethel chose a site across the road. That was when George Merrick had the idea of subdividing the whole plantation into building lots and creating a City Beautiful, one which would rival the Spanish Riviera in old-world charm. The family worked together just as enthusiastically on this plan as they had on the groves. Uncle Denman sketched gateways and plazas and fountains. H. George Fink designed homes. Ethel took over the clerical details and George Merrick went to New York, with folios of sketches, to secure financial backing. You know the rest. Investors descended on Coral Gables in hordes. George Fink had more than he could do to design homes. They had to find another architect, one with the soul of an artist, to build the exquisite structures Denman Fink, the artist, was designing. They found that man. He was the late Phineas Paist. Paist was an associate of Walter de Garmo, the first registered architect in Miami, who, when he came, was one of three in the state of Florida. Phineas Paist was made supervising architect for the Coral Gables Corporation, and under his guidance the city was well on the way to completion of the dream when the 1926 hurricane, followed by the depression, called an abrupt halt to construction, for a period. Except for capital assets of nerve and imagination, there might have been a sequel to the book written by Dr. H. G. Fink. This volume might have been called, "How to Make and Lose a Million Dollars in Ten Years."

Town Taps HERE and THERE

Life is full of new experiences. This week it was attending a tea for a disc jockey given with great fanfare by our next-door neighbors, WBAY. The honor guest and focal point of the occasion was Clyde Lucas, the former baton-weilder, who is going to spin platters for the local broadcasting station. We must say that it was done up in fine style. There was punch, cake, cookies and the mayor of Coral Gables. The cake was a masterpiece with good wishes inscribed on it with a pastry tube. Everybody seemed happy. Lucas beamed, Bert Graulich beamed, the mayor beamed-and we beamed right back at 'em. After a suitable period of chit chat we were all ushed into studio "A", where we sat and listened as Clyde chatted about music and "spun records" - a feat which was magically accomplished by merely pointing a finger at the man in the control booth. Oh, yes, we mustn't forget the telegrams-they came from such big names as Frank Sinatra, Vaughn Munroe and a host of others. All in all, it was quite an afternoon. Desk Sergeant Bob Crittenden calls the police "blotter" the "Green Light Hotel" register. That's because of the two green bulbs that burn in front of the station... Thanks to Ed Beckman for the post card of the Empire State Building, sent when he was attending the National Recreation Convention in the big town... They're replacing the acoustic ceiling blocks at the Coral Gables First National. Seems as though the old ones were set in wet plaster and began dropping. T'aint nice to bop depositors on the noggins... The Elks have started calisthentic conditioning workouts over at the club house... if they keep that up they won't have any paunches on which to display their Elk's tooth... Detective "Mac" MacNeil is in the Pratt Veterans' Hospital facing an operation. It's his second trip this year. Here's a true story that happened recently in the Woolworth Five and Dime, except that nobody took down names. Seems a lady shopper laid her pocketbook on the counter and when she looked around again it was gone. Frantically, the lady explained that it contained four thousand bucks-in one thousand dollar bills and was practically all the money she had in the world. She spent a tearful afternoon until another customer phoned and said she's picked up the pocketbook my mistake and was returning it. Good gosh, can you imagine anyone even letting go of a pocketbook containing that much money! Mayor Keith Phillips had to leave commission meeting early on Tuesday and turned the chair over to Vice Mayor Frank Holley. Just as he was going out the door he realized that he was carrying the gavel of authority with him and did a quick about face to turn it over to Frank. Four-week-old Ellyn Ann Hickey will never have to worry whether her hair turns out naturally curly or straight as a poker-Jimmy Baldi is her Godfather... during the recent three-foot dew out west of the Gables Tommy Miller told friends he lived at Pier 6395 S. W. 42nd St... Hal Johnson of the Hurricanes became the father of a five-pound baby girl recently... James H. Davidson approached a young colored bootblack in Key West last week and asked for a shine. "You want a good one, or a bad one?" the lad asked. "What's the difference?" the Coral Gables man asked. "Five cents," was the reply he received.

FEATURE STARTS NOVEMBER 3 New 'Barry Noble' Adventure Strip Product of Author-Artist Combination

Chuck Verral and Al Plastino, author and artist respectively of the Barry Noble strip which will appear daily in Riviera-Times beginning November 3, both started out to be artists, but Verral, after turning a short while ago to write for a comic strip, found he was turning out fiction and articles which was a fortunate break for the boys' future as collaborators, as well as for the comic strip reading public. Verral was born and grew up in Ontario, Canada. He went through the Ontario College of Art before coming to New York and beginning his abbreviated commercial art career. Stepping from advertising art to writing, fiction was a natural course for Chuck and, almost before he knew it, he'd taken another step-this time into fiction writing. Fiction Was Sideline At first, this was just a sideline while he held down regular editorial jobs on several magazines, but his writing soon grew into a full-time occupation. Since then, Chuck has turned out over fifty boys' adventure serials, numerous novelettes, hundreds of articles and short stories for both pulp and slick paper magazines, as well as many scripts for nationally sponsored radio shows. He finds that his varied background as both artist and author is a great help in dreaming up continuity and ideas for Barry Noble that have picture appeal as well as story appeal. And Chuck also finds it a great help to have Al Plastino as collaborator, for their two talents dovetail to make a perfect comic-strip combination. Native New Yorker The drawing half of the team, Al Plastino, is a native New Yorker, born and bred in the Bronx. While a student at Evander Childs High School, this ambitious youngster attended art school at night and supplemented this school full schedule by making copies of paintings by the Old Masters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Later, Al switched from the strictly art-for-art's sake ranks to study commercial art at New York's School of Industrial Art. The fact that he was chosen to paint a mural for the school library shows how apt a pupil he was. Drew in School Al did his first professional illustrating while still going to school, then put in full time turning out work for the better comic magazines. Short after the war began, he was called to Washington to illustrate manuals for the Army Service Forces as a result of a seaplane design he had submitted. When he returned to New York, he also returned to comic-book illustrating and, a short time later, was selected for the Barry Noble assignment. Verral and Plastino are both married, both live in New York and, unlike some legendary collaborating teams, are not bitter enemies. Quite the reverse. They work in perfect harmony to produce a daily strip adventure for millions of Barry Noble fans.

Miss Smith Elected Officer

Miss Jane Morgan Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Smith, 2601 Columbus Boulevard, was elected vice-president of the Florida Club at Stephens College for Women, Columbia, Mo., at a waffle supper held Sunday night at Stephens College Country Club.

Your Subscription to the Daily Riviera-Times

Your Subscription to the Daily Riviera-Times. Many of our readers have indicated they will prefer to pay by the year for their daily Riviera-Times. Subscriptions after the Riviera-Times becomes a daily newspaper on November 3 will be $12 a year in advance. They are now being accepted. Weekly subscriptions, payable to the carrier boy, will be 25 cents.

Announcement Extraordinary We have been commissioned to sell the choice property at 216 AVENUE PALERMO

Announcement Extraordinary We have been commissioned to sell the choice property at 216 AVENUE PALERMO. This property, consisting of a plot 40 x 100 just around the corner from Lee Gebhart's fine block of stores, is improved with a 30 x 50' building housing 2 offices with separate entrances, one 12 x 20, and the other 16 x 25, and a delightful apartment consisting of Living Room, Bedroom, Kitchen and Bath. With 20' alleys on the East side and rear, the offices and apartment are light and airy. A SPLENDID ARRANGEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL MAN. This property will be shown by appointment only. LESLIE H. COOMBES REALTOR. 2312 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Phone 4-2586.

THE CORAL GABLES FEDERAL is a specialized home financing institution.

Quick friendly service is possible because it is managed by local business men who know local conditions and values. Broad experience in serving local home-owners qualifies us on many problems connected with mortgage financing or refinancing. WE INVITE YOU TO CONSULT US. CORAL GABLES FEDERAL Savings & Loan Association. GEORGE B. CASTER, President. 2501 Ponce de Lon Blvd. Telephone 4-7627. Member Federal Home Loan Bank Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation.

Paramount Theatres in Coral Gables

Paramount Theatres in Coral Gables. AIR-CONDITIONED GABLES. Thurs.-Mon. Oct. 23-27 JOAN CRAWFORD VAN HEFLIN RAYMOND MASSEY in "Possessed". Tues.-Thurs. Oct. 28-30 SHIRLEY TEMPLE FRANCHOT TONE GUY MADISON in "Honeymoon". Starts Friday Oct. 31 Ida Lupino • Dane Clark Wayne Morris in "Deep Valley". AIR-CONDITIONED CORAL. Sun.-Mon. Oct. 26-27 SPENCER TRACY KATHARINE HEPBURN "Sea of Grass". Tues.-Wed. Oct. 28-29 RICHARD DENNING CATHERINE CRAIG in "Seven Were Saved". Thurs.-Fri. Oct. 30-31 Dana Andrews • Jane Wyatt in "Boomerang". Saturday Only Nov. 1 WILLIAM MARSHALL ADELE MARA "Blackmail". GROVE Open Weekdays 6:45 Open Sat. & Sun. 1:45. Sat. at 9:20 p.m. and Sun. thru Tues. Oct. 25-28 World's Finest Music by Its Greatest Artists! 'Carnegie Hall'. Wed.-Thurs. Oct. 29-30 'Magnificent Obsession' Irene Dunne • Robt. Taylor. Friday Oct. 31 'Philo Vance Gambles' Alan Curtis • Terry Austin Hallowe'en Fun on Stage! Saturday Nov. 1 'West of Dodge City' CHARLES STARRETT. PARKWAY AIR-CONDITIONED Open 1:45. Mon.-Tues. Oct. 27-28 'How Green Was My Valley' WALTER PIDGEON MAUREEN O'HARA. Wed.-Thurs. Oct. 29-30 'Vigilantes Return' Flaming Color! JON HALL MARGARET LINDSAY. Fri.-Sun. Oct. 31-Nov. 2 'KISS OF DEATH' VIC MATURE BRIAN DONLEVY.