The Coral Gables Times

THE CORAL GABLES TIMES 2 Thursday, December 21, 1961 Car Uses No Gas

Board Finds Itself Sans Chairman

(Continued from page 1) versies resulted over City recreation policies. It is Weksler who has been involved in controversy while sitting on the board. He is charged with leaks to the press, using the board for political purposes, and unfair writing of board minutes as secretary. The latter resulted in a hassle over presentation of the minutes to the City Commission, with the board voting to hold back the minutes for several weeks until they had been approved. Later, the board reversed itself when it was learned that the resolution setting up the group required them to supply minutes a week after each meeting. Other members are Mrs. Stanley Fosgate, William Charlton, Mrs. Dorothy Hoover and William Kerdyk.

Doc McShane Sparks Along With No Spark Plugs

By MAURICE LABELLE Times Reporter When Dr. James K. McShane tells you his Mercedes-Benz doesn't burn any gas, he's not fibbing. It's a diesel. Looking at it, you'd never know the difference, but when he steps on the gas — oops — diesel — you know it's no ordinary car. "There're noisy until you get them going," said the doctor. Dr. McShane bought the car in Germany last summer while touring Europe with his wife and friends, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Nebe, of 3420 Durango St. They clocked 3,800 miles visiting West Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, where Dr. McShane had the ivory colored sedan put aboard the liner Santa Maria for the trip back. "It's a very common car in Europe," Dr. McShane said, but its characteristic noise has brought comment here. The six-passenger sedan, which seats four comfortably in its curved seats, sometimes looks odd sitting next to a big tractor truck while filling up at a truck stop, but that's only once every two weeks. Dr. McShane says he gets 32 miles per gallon out of the spark plug-less, high compression engine which he says begins to quiet down and after he hits 40 mph or better. "They're (diesels) slow getting out," said Dr. McShane, but really purr over 40 mph. SERVICE STATION OPERATOR PHIL JANAXEY CHECKS DR. McSHANE'S CAR

We Want to Keep Our Fiscal Year, Metro Told

The City Commission Tuesday asked Metro to amend the Metropolitan Home Rule Charter to allow municipalities their own fiscal years The charter now calls for uniform fiscal years to coincide with Metro's, which begins in October. The Gables has won delays until now. Coral Gables' fiscal year starts in July. To bring it into line with Metro, the City would have to adopt a 15-month budget. Finance Director Kenneth Allyn has estimated that this would cost Gables taxpayers an additional $350,000 in taxes to catch up. This would result from paying the taxes three months in advance. A similar move in Miami cost taxpayers there an extra 25 per cent in taxes, commissioners said Tuesday.

Week's Wait Worthwhile, He Finds

A new restaurant owner got his beer and wine license Tuesday after waiting a week for City Attorney Ted Semple to research the law. "I don't think you can unreasonably withhold," Semple told the Commission. The Commission voted 4-0, with Commissioner C. L. Dressel Jr. abstaining, to grant a license to Constantinos G. Cazzanas, doing business as Charles Restaurant, 150 Giralda Ave. Commissioners last week denied on appeal an application for a beer and wine license for a proposed grocery store at 105 South Dixie Hwy. to Max Schoenfeld. Mayor Robert L. Searle voted along with Commissioners George Wilson and Franklin Evans to deny the grocery store beer and wine license on special appeal. Commissioners C. L. (Jerry) Dressel Jr. and Joe Murphy voted to grant the license. Murphy reversed his position from the vote the week before in which Dressel was the only person voting for granting the license. Dressel and Murphy maintained that the license could not be legally denied and that virtually all groceries in the Gables sell beer and wine.

Takes Purse, Leaves Mate

Two women reported being robbed Saturday night as they walked near their home on Palermo Avenue. Judith Feldman and Gertrude Salon, of 17 Palermo, told Coral Gables police that a tall youth, approximately 17 or 18, grabbed them, knocked them down and made off with a pocketbook containing $65 belonging to Mrs. Feldman. He ran off after he couldn't get her sister's bag away from her.

Air Pioneer Riddle Is Honored

Aviation leaders met at the Skyways Motel Wednesday to honor one of their leading pioneers, John Paul Riddle. The 61-year-old Gableite received the first Wright Brothers Aviation Award by the Greater Miami Aviation Association. Another Gables resident and president of the organization, Ken Benson, made the award, a bas relief of the Wright J. P. RIDDLE Brothers which will be mounted on a plaque. Riddle, founder of Riddle Airlines and the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute, came here in the mid-1930s to get in at the start of Miami's blooming aviation industry. The Pikeville, Ky., native had pioneered air mail and air line routes in the Midwest around Ohio, Indiana and Illinois before coming south to set up a flying boat service. Earlier he had barnstormed along with World War I pilots he met while training at Carlston Field at Arcadia. Later in World War II, was to set up training fields for Army pilots at the same field and at Door Field near Arcadia, also at Clewiston, where British cadets were trained, and in Coral Gables at Chapman Field, where Navy cadets got their wings. This led to the establishment of Embry-Riddle Aviation School after the war with a former student of his prominent in the meat packing business. Brazil then contracted with Riddle to set up a pilot training school there and Riddle also got into the airline business again by establishing Riddle Airlines. In recent years Riddle sold his aviation school and airline interests and is now helping to build a new 12-story off building near Miami International Airport that will be headquarters for a new sugar product. The Riddles, who have six children, live at 1309 Asturia Ave.

Christmas Lights Up on South Alhambra

(Continued from page 1) of the weather. We decorate for our own and others enjoyment, mainly. "In fact, we see children night after night come in their pajamas because they won't go to bed until they see Santa and all the decorations." And as for decorations, there is a lot to see, (and hear). There are ringing bells; glistening, blinking lighted trees; a life-size Santa, trees on the porch, color, and splendor, and for sound, "piped-out" phonograph music of Christmas theme. "The first year we decorated, we won the Coral Gables home decoration prize, but withdrew from the contest after that. We have added each year to the display since then." It takes the Cerniglias two weeks and two trailer loads of decorations to get the display ready for lighting. "As for the Abrahams, we are very good friends. We get together and decide when we both can turn the lights on the same night." Across the street at 727 S. Alhambra Circle, the home of Anthony Abraham, there is a very similar story, and a like-wise splendorous lighting display on a large lot adjoining the home. "We change our color schemes from year to year," Mrs. Abraham said. "This year we have a red, white and blue theme on the bordering trees." And beyond these trees is a moving colorful Santa, a grotto with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was brought back from Rome, and of course, hundreds of dancing, colored lights. There is a stained glass window effect of the front of the Abraham home of a madonna. "We are very happy so many enjoy it. It is a way of expressing the Christmas spirit because it does make people happy. "Our neighbors are very generous about the constant stream of traffic and parked cars which sometimes block their driveways. We often have policemen directing traffic," commented Mrs. Abraham. "Our gardner, Gordon Sargent who has been with us for eight years, does the setting up of the display, and he won't let anyone help him. "It takes about two and a half weeks to completely set it up. We get together with our nieghbors and turn the lights on the same night, this year on Dec. 16. They are on every night until New Year's." The Abrahams have five children, George, 17; Marion, 15; Judith Ann, 12; Norma Jean, 10 and Tommie, nine. Mrs. Abraham said, "We don't put up the tree til just before Christmas. The children especially enjoy decorating it and put on it everything they can get their hands on. It usually comes out pretty nice." Anthony Abraham, who sold Abraham Chevrolet six months ago, now operates an office in Miami as well as being a publisher's representative for a paper in New York and one in Chicago. "We moved here from Chicago about 10 years ago where everyone decorated. So we were used to it. Mr. Abraham couldn't understand why the city of Miami wasn't lit up at Christmas time, and so in 1955 he voluntarily lit up the town." "As for the rumor," Mrs. Abraham added, "we are best of friends with the Cerniglias. My husband and Mr. Cerniglia both enjoy teasing each other about their respective gala displays, but it's all in good spirit."

Walker Tops Finnerty In Golf Match

The final round of the Mahan Golf Tournament played by the "Tenth" Holers at the Coral Gables Country Club came off Saturday. Bob Walker defeated Jack Finnerty, 4-3, in the championship flight in 18-hole play. In Class A, Floyd Winkle defeated Al Bachman, 3-2. In Class B, Bill Middelthon defeated Jack Jameison, 2-1. In Class C, Cyril Smith defeated Walter Shinner, 2 up.

2 Teenagers Hurt When Car Rams Tree On Cutler

Four teenagers were injured, two of them seriously, when their car went out of control shortly before midnight Friday and struck a tree near the intersection of Old Cutler Road and Sunset Road. The car was demolished. Listed in "good" condition at Doctors' Hospital are Susan Murray, 15, of 1250 South Alhambra Cir., and Wiley Howell, 16, of 1015 Sevilla Ave. Less seriously injured were Constance Loder, 16, of 3038 SW Eighth St., driver of the car, and Thomas C. Howell, 15, 1015 Sevilla Ave. Miss Murray suffered shock, a leg injury and had teeth knocked out. Wiley Howell had a dislocated right hip, nose laceration and abrasions.