Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Coral Gables Times
Thursday, November 8, 1962, page 1 (of 24)
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 TIMES
THE CITY BEAUTIFUL Vol. 37, No. 40 24 Pages Thursday, Nov. 8, 1962 Phone HI 3-1661 Price 10c
Our New Library Going on This Lot
AERIAL VIEW FROM CITY HALL; THAT'S METHODIST CHURCH
Library Site Set Near the City Hall
By MAURICE LABELLE Times Reporter (See editorial on page 4 Gables City Commissioners Tuesday decided unanimously to place the new Library in the parking lot west of City Hall and across the street from First Methodist Church. Thus, after months of discussion and pulling and hauling, the Library will be located but a few yards from the originally proposed site. That one was alongside City Hall itself and fronting on Biltmore Way. The final site selected is at the rear of the City Hall block on the corner of Hernando and Coral Way. The Coral Way-Hernando Street site was the compromise choice after two Commission deadlocks. The commission then dropped the thorny problem into the lap of a five-man committee. Plans were set in motion immediately Tuesday to try to obtain Federal matching funds for the estimated $400,000 to $450,000 project which may ultimately include an under-ground parking garage and fall out shelter and an upstairs auditorium in the two-story structure. Architect Ed Rempe has been instructed to redesign the library to fit the new location. Rempe had designed one two-story edifice architecturally to match City Hall after the Commission picked the vacant lot next to City Hall several months ago. If approved by Uncle Sam, (See OUR LIBRARY, page 2)
WE GIVE SMATHERS 2-1 MAJORITY | Fascell Beats McGlon by 396 Here
By EDDIE BLACK Correspondent (Precinct Charts on Page 2) Democratic Representative Dante Fascell carried Coral Gables precincts by a 396-vote margin over Republican Jay McGlon, while Senator George Smathers was sweeping Republican opponent Emerson Rupert by almost a 2-1 margin in Tuesday's election. Overall, Democrats took Coral Gables by varying counts in all but one race. Republicans scored their only Gables victory when Merrell beat Baker by 1,061 votes. Coral Gables voters passed all but two proposed amendments, most approvals being by 2-1 margins. One which was defeated here was the reapportionment amendment, 7,894-3,846. The other amendment which met defeat in Gables precincts proposed to do away with mandatory provision to add circuit judges according to population increases. Gables residents called for the retention of this provision by a 5,809-4,484 vote. State representative Hollahan won over English by a 2,426 count. In another state representative race Earl Faircloth defeated Republican Elwood Lippincott by only a 962 vote margin.
Lengthier 'Grace' Urged for Meters
By JUNE GRAY Woman's Editor (Related Story on page 10) A grace period ranging from five to 12 minutes on all off-street and on-street parking meters has been recommended for City investigation by a subcommittee of the Chamber of Commerce Traffic and Parking Committee. Duncan Meter Co. representative, Larry Tompkins, said it is a simple mechanical process to change the meter time limit and lengthen the grace period, now three minutes. However, he warned the group that grace periods have met with very little success. "People soon accept the grace period as a part of the regular time paid for and begin to demand even more time," he said. "The citizen is always irate when given a ticket." The subcommittee had been appointed two weeks ago to study the parking situation in Coral Gables. It is to recommend parking changes which would attract more customers to Coral Gables, away from the downtown area and the shopping centers. Under investigation also is changing all on-street meters on Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard from the one hour limit to 90 minutes. The first hour would cost five cents and the hour and a half, 10 cents. The grace period would be in addition to the time paid for. The subcommittee also voted to explore the possibility of merchants giving tokens to customers for off-street parking. Tompkins, whose company installed our present parking meters, said an additional slot for tokens could be added to the meters at very little expense. He could not give an estimate until after his engineers had made the necessary drawings. Ed Dowling, director of Parking Meter Division Supervision, felt tokens would help educate shoppers to off-street parking. A committee headed by Nat Winekur was appointed to contact the Merchants' Association for its opinion before any further action was taken. At the suggestion of Bernard Weksler, the group decided to ask the City to consider making the P-signs, indicating parking lots, bigger and more conspicuous and also indicate the time limit and the price.
City Gas Gets Okay
A 30-year non-exclusive franchise with City Gas Company for sale of natural gas in Coral Gables was approved 4-1 on first reading by the City Commission Tuesday. City Gas got the nod over Florida Gas Utilities Co. The proposed ordinance still faces a second reading and a future referendum by the people before final adoption. Commissioner C. L. Dressel Jr. voted against the franchise agreement. "I'm not sure in my own mind that this is the best possible deal for the City," Dressel said after the meeting. No date has been set for the election. A likely date, however, will be the April municipal election.
Heater Fatally Burns Woman in Gown
A Gables woman who suffered burns over most of her body after her clothing was ignited by an electric heater Tuesday morning, died Wednesday at Doctors' Hospital. Firemen who gave Mary T. Wood, 43, 215 Salamanca Ave., Apt. 1, first aid said she suffered second and third degree burns over more than 75 percent of her body. According to Capt. Phil Sistik, the woman's nightgown was ignited by the heater. Her screams shortly before 7:30 a.m. aroused neighbors and they called police. Officers William Just and George J. Limbey broke into the apartment and found the victim curled up in the bathroom. Firemen I. T. Williams and John N. Lewis arrived moments later to give her aid before she was taken to Doctors' Hospital. The incident brought a warning from Capt. Sistik, who serves as the city's fire marshal. Women, particularly, Sistik said, should be careful around heaters. Clothing catching fire can produce quick and serious burns or death before help can arrive, he said.
Bank Top Permit Here
Only three permits for new buildings were issued by Coral Gables last week, but the total was $177,555. University National Bank at 1190 South Dixie Hwy. led the permits with $135,000. A foundation permit had been issued earlier for $15,000. Figures do not reflect land values. The other two permits went to Three-Bays Property No. 3, 701 Arvida Pky., bulkhead, $18,000. Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Lally, 1410 Cantoria Ave., addition, $5,210.
Unhappy Boards
A second City advisory board has asked the City for a meeting to discuss its role. The Planning Advisory Board recently acted unanimously to ask for the meeting and Larry Adams, chairman of the Recreation Advisory Board, met with the Commission late Tuesday night for the same reason. Both boards have indicated dissatisfaction with the city's concept of their work and seek clarification of their duties and responsibilities.
Coral Gables Plumbing & Supplies
now at 4102 Laguna. HI 4-6743. -Adv.
What's Inside (Big)
● Today's is the largest edition of The Times we have published. It has 44 pages, including a special 20-page section on our position as a developing center of international trade. ● There is good reading in all 44 pages, from the editor's comments on page 4 about our library site to the warming story of a mother having her ninth child and still running a doctor's office, page 17.
JACOBS PLUMBING
Re-pairs & 30 Gal. Water Heaters $42.95, CA 1-3740 -Adv.
Larry Larimore, Realtor
Larry Larimore, Realtor, Coral Gables' only accredited property management organization, 150 Andalusia HI 8-1563-Adv.