The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-07-22
Some Newspaper Accomplish
ments

: When speaking in a disparag
ing manner, some time ago, of tn
: political influence of newspapers
: The Herald had no reference t.
: their influence in other affairs, es
: pecially in the matter of local i'm
: provements. In this latter partic
:. ular, a vigorous and intelligen
E newspaper exerts more influence
: than any and all other agencies il
. the community.
An illustration Of this is giver
in the history of the Tampa Tri
bune, which has been and is enc
of the most energetic and persis.
tent boosters of Tampa and all
other South Florida towns. Some
years ago, it began clamoring for
a viaduct in Tampa, a thing ut
terly unneeded in that city. Not
lwithstanding the absurdity of the
proposition, the incessant clamor
of the Tribune won out, the via
duct was built, and to this day it
has been only a loafng place for
idlers and men who are shot by
their indignant paramours.
Next, the Tribune "raised Old
Harry" for union station, a
thing that Tampa needed no more
than a dog needs three tails. But
the Tribune kept bowling for it
and finally the railroads surrend-
cred and built the station. This
to the great disgust of everybody
coming in from outside towns. 1t
a fine building, but an unmitigat-
ed nuisance to people who do not
live in Tampa, but enjoy visiting
that delectable city.
All the while that the Tribune
was moving heaven and earth"
and even the railroads to get that
darned union station, it kept up an
everlasting racket for a respect
able bridge across the Hillsbor-
1ugh river at the foot of Lafay-
cite street. There was nothing
100 abominable for it to say about
5he ancient wooden structure
spanning the river when it began
is fight, and it kept everlasting
y at it, until it got the bridge.
This was commendable, a real
y great achievement, for that
bridge was needed, and it is to day
me of the finest structures of the
Kind in the United States.
Even before this superb bridge
vas begun and ever since it's COM
,letion, the Tribune rended the
kies with it's walls and demands
or a municipal building common
urate in dignity with Tampa s
metropolitan greatness. For /
nonths the Tribune kept up it's f
lamor until, for the sake of peace S
nd public glory, the municipal v
uthorities yielded, and now Tam y
a has the finest and most impos- \
lg municipal building in Florida Il
nd, perhaps, in all the South. Il
jacksonville has nothing to com V
are with it, and the triumph and W
Iory of Tampa are complete. Il
One of the achievements of the
ribune, in which it was aided by
able local evening contempora- !:
,, was the inducing of Hillsbor- m
Ugh people to vote a million dol !,
rs for brick roads, which are II
wv being built between all i'm -
'rtant points in the county. -
is there any other newspaper in
e state that can point in its rec =
d to anything like these tri-
nphS of the Tribune? -
The conclusion is that, so far as D.
ndidates for public office are :
ncerned, the newspaper may not <
We effective influence in behalf !
It's favorites, but, in local af- :
lrs, its power, conscientiously <
q persiStently exerted, is irwin =
'le. There would be but few
d insignificant public improve :
'nts but for the influence of the Z
ess. <