The Coral Gables Times

What Goes On? See Page 7

THE Coral Gables TIMES

THE CITY BEAUTIFUL Vol. 36, No. 12 Thursday, May 4, 1961 Price 10c

Incinerator Causes Feedback Is Filter Recessed?

That "fallout" raining down on Coral Gables from the Miami incinerator in Coconut Grove may not be radioactive but it has made a few tempers active. "The smoke is worse than with the old incinerator," said Sydney G. Keep, of 718 University Dr. Keep said if the condition is not removed he will have to move away from the Gables because of his son's asthma. (See letter to the editor on page 4.) City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr. said Tuesday that he had received some complaints and that one Orduna Drive man's freshly painted boat was ruined by fallout recently. Said Robinson: "If they have any complaints, they should call City Hall." Robinson said that he has a working agreement with Miami City Manager Melvin Reese on handling complaints on the incinerator, opened last year with much fanfare about a smokeless, odorless and ashless operation. Robinson said Miami has had difficulty in getting the new incinerator to burn properly. The smoke filter apparently is not functioning correctly, Robinson said.

For You

Where we stand today: At: 364 Sevilla Ave. Mail: Box 580, Coral Gables 34, Fla. Phone: HI 3-1661, same as always. Purpose: The only newspaper in the world that gives a whoop about Coral Gables. Professional packers and wrappers for shipping or mailing. "The Barefoot Mailman", 234 Valencia Ave., C. Gables-adv

THEY'LL BE OFF and running Tuesday when Gables Little League play begins. Charging the bat is Harold Cole of 529 Catalonia Ave. For a list of the several hundred players and a shot of Harold in action, turn to page 10. Staff photo by Raymond Lang.

Snake Makes History, Parks With 2 UM Coeds

Two unidentified University of Miami coeds got the scare of their lives Saturday morning when they discovered a snake as they sat in their car parked back of Howard Johnson's on South Dixie Highway. The snake, a medium-size variety which could have doubled for a moccasin, slithered from under the front seat and the girls were hasty in leaving. By the time Fireman Charles Waldon came to the rescue, the reptile had hidden under the rear seat. Waldon spent the next 45 minutes removing the rear seat to get to the uncooperative snake. When he finally located it, it tried to bite him. Waldon said he used a stick to catch it and put it in a plastic bag. Half suffocated, the snake was freed by Waldon later.

Tortoise & Thief

Fifty small turtles in a fish bowl were stolen from Woolworth's, 152 Miracle Mile, Monday morning. The turtles and fish bowl were recovered later, sunning themselves in the rear of a building where the thief hid them.

Godwin Station Lankmark Runs Out Of Gas

Another boomtime landmark is leaving the Coral Gables scene. Joe Godwin's Sunoco gas station at 2214 Ponce de Leon Blvd. moved out this week after being in operation for 35 years. The move came as a result of the city's policy of removing all gas stations from Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Godwin is now located at 195 Bird Rd. BEGAN IN '26 The colorful old station was established by Sam Weissel in 1926. Weissel, who once owned a string of gas stations in Coral Gables, leased the property from A. O. Renuart. Weissel sold the station to Sun Oil Co. in 1931 and Sun Oil leased it to C. L. Powell, who changed brands to Sunoco. Powell ran the station alone for a short time and then went into partnership with Joe Godwin and later pulled out. Godwin has been at the same spot for the past 27 years. "You kind of feel like you're leaving home," said Mrs. Godwin Wednesday after the pumps and other equipment had been hauled away. What next? Sun Oil will have to build for a new tenant or sell. The city seeks extension of shopping and office facilities.

Off-Street Parking Gables Wants To Write Own Auto Tickets

By MAURICE LABELLE Times Staffer Coral Gables may go back to issuing overtime parking tickets on its municipal off-street parking lots. Acting City Attorney William Burton was instructed by the City Commission Tuesday to re-investigate the possibility. Burton was substituting for City Attorney Ted Semple, who was out ill. Semple gave the City Commission an opinion two years ago that the city could issue its own tickets on off-street parking lots. He has re-affirmed that opinion many times since, but the city did not move to regain its prerogatives. At one time Semple contended that on-street parking could be included. Main reason behind the proposal is the $2 basic overtime Metro parking ticket which opponents claim is chasing away shoppers from the Gables. This is double the old $1 fine under city ordinances. Today violators either pay pre-court fines or are tried in Metro Court under Metro fine schedules. Another reason behind the move is the tremendous backlog of unpaid parking tickets which Metro has failed to collect on and which has cost the city revenue. Also behind the move is a overall parking policy which is slowly evolving. Still not clearly defined, the policy represents a step to recover the good will of shoppers and merchants. The emphasis will be on making it easier to shop in Coral Gables without the feeling of parking harassment. Other proposals include: —Extending the allowed time for parking on downtown streets. —Allowing a 12-minute period of grace to overtime parkers. —Establishment of one or two parking lots with attendants and pay-for-time used set-up. —Park and shop arrangements with downtown merchants. —Issuance of courtesy tickets to out of town visitors. Still to be overcome is divided opinion among merchants and between merchants and the City Commission on the best way to solve the parking dilemma.

It's a Bright New Look For Douglas Entrance

The barricades are gone at Douglas Entrance—replaced by long promised landscaping. Ornamental rock, cacti other plants and shrubs now adorn the main entrance. Gone are the familiar yellow saw horses which barred entry for five years since the city vacated East Ponce de Leon Boulevard and two other streets. James R. Lowry, president of Douglas Entrance Corp., which owns the tract, said this week that the firm spent $9,500 on this project, including installation of a series of street lights on Calabria and Galiano Courts. But Lowry said that there were no firm plans to construct the 100-plus room hotel or motel in the near future. Final development of the 7.8-acre tract still awaits sufficient private capital, Lowry said. "We're sitting back and waiting for something to happen," said Lowry.

Pool owners hdqtrs. Chemicals, Patio items. Sun n' Fun Pool n' Patio. CE 5-7333. —Adv.