davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
More Teachers Needed.

The great increase in the attend
ance of the local high school has
made it imperative that more teach
ers be supplied. Some Of the grades
are so congested that it is impossible
for the present force Of teachers to
give proper and efficient attention to
the pupils This condition became
so acute on Monday that it was de
cided to appeal to the county school
board for two additional teachers.
Accordingly, w. E. Mobley and T.
C. Crosland, members of the board
of trustees, accompanied by Profs. A..
e. Riley and o. p. West and Miss
Alice Strickland, of the school fac
uIty, went to Arcadia, Monday after
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
PJNTA GORDA'S MAYORS
Men Who Have Served as City's Chief
Executive.

At the request OF the Womans
Civic Improvement Association OF
this city, Judge F. X. Adams, whose
rccollections take him back to the
earliest days of Punta Gorda, has pre-
pared the following list Of those who
have served The city a5 mayor:
James L. Sandlin, W. H. Simmons,
Sumner Hinckiey, w. B. Hardee,
John Dreggors, Geo. w. McLane,
John Sullivan, \. K. Demere, Chas.
G. Davis John c. Pepper, r. L. Earn
est, a. c. Freeman, J. II. Ccncannon,
NJ. Y. Williams, c. L. Porter, S. H.
Morton, 3. Il. Mobloy, Geo. s. Stone,
e. ". Smith, S. K. ]. Trabue, J. n.
Skies.
These gentlemen served in the or
der in which they are mentioned,
according to Judge Adams and the
recollection Of other citizens whom
he consulted. The years can not be
given, for the old records of the town
as is known were destroyed by fire
years ago. The Judge adds this
foot note to the list which he furnish
ed to the ladies:
wv. H, Burland may have been
mayor, but 1 find only one old resi-
dent who names him. The rotation
may not be exact. A number served
TWO or more years"
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
COUNCIL CALLS FOR
ELECTION Of BOARD
TO AMEND CHARTER
Five Members of Charter Board VIII
be Elected at Regular Town
Election November 23.

AT the special meeting of the
Town Council Monday night, that
body passed a resolution calling for
the election Of charter board of five
members to be elected at the regular
November election, and it is probable
mat this action is the first step to-
ward a change in the town govern
ment, the purpose in calling the
election being to elect 4 board to
amend the town charter % provide
Tor the mmission-manager form of
government. No provision is made
for the selection of candidates for
membership on the charter board. so
it is likely that a mass meeting or
mass meetings will have TO be held
to select candidates for members of
the board. 1t has been suggested
that two tickets be placed in the field.
one group pledged to amend the
charter to provide for a manager
and the other group opposed To the
manager.
DR.. B, B. Blount was appointed as
health officer by Mayor Skies, the ap-
pointment being until January first,
and the appointment was confirmed
by council, but without fixing his
salary at this meeting.
A communication from commit
tee of the Woman's Civic Associa-
ton, representing that Body's 63
members, protesting against the
council emptying untreated sewage
into the bay near the bathhouse,
was received. The ladies also ask
ed that the Hotel Punta Gorda be re-
quired to connect IT'S sewer pipes with
the city sewerage system and that
the fish houses on the dock be re-
quired to connect with the city
system.
During the cleanup campaign a
few weeks ago it was found that the
ordinance was weak in that it pro-
vided no method of compelling non
resident property owners to clean up
ard keep clean their vacant lots and
premises. An ordinance drawn for
the express purpose of making 1t pos
sible to compel nonresident proper
ty owners to clean up their property
was presented by the city attorney
and after some consideration was
passed. Under this ordinance, which
Is published in this issue of the Her.
aid, If property owner fails or re-
fuses to clean up his or her property
when required so to do, the city may
do the work and the cost may be as
sessed against the property as lien
and may be enforced as other liens
are enforced by sale of the property.
After some discussion it was de-
cided to raise the minimum charge
for electric service from 81 to so per
month.
The council will meet in special
session during the latter part of the
month to go over tax roll and make
up the budget for next year
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

noon, and laid the matter before the
county school board. After consid-
cradle discussion, the board decided
to provide one additional teacher to
be assigned to the sixth grade, and
intimated that another teacher might
be allowed later on. The trustees,
Tuesday morning, offered the new
position to Mrs. T. S. knight, of
Charlotte Harbor, who has had much
successful experience in teaching, and
Mrs Knight has accepted the position
and entered upon her duties.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
No High Places i'm Florida,

The highest point in Florida whose
altitude has been determined is Iron
Mountain, in Polk County, which
stands 325 feet above sea level, ac-
cording to the United States Geologi-
cal Survey, Department of the Inter
ior. The average elevation of the
State as computed by the Geological
Survey is about 100 feet.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
EDITORS OF DeSOTO
FED AND FLATTERED
BY ARCADIA FOLK
Scribes Of County Royalty Entertain
ed by Arcadia Commercial Club
at Meeting Saturday.

The DeSOtO County Press Associ,
alton met in the courtroom in Ar,
Cadia last Saturday morning. All
the members except George Washing
ton Adams of Avon Park. and Will
lam Henry Stevens of Moore Haven
we're in attendance. Present alco
were George Eugene Hosmer and his
lieutenant. Wallace Everett Street,
of the BradentOwn Journal, and
Rev. Ernest Randolph Jones, former
editor of the Arcadia News. The
three distinguished visitors were pre-
sent by invitation and contributed
valuable advice during the discus
sions, which related chiefly to the
printing business Mr.. Hosmer
made q brief talk about the visit in
March next Of the five hundred
members of the National Editorial
Association and the program for
their entertainment. Mr.. Jores pre-
sented brief outline of a solution
of the transportation problem now
confronting the growers of citrus
fruits, and his proposed solution So
impressed the editors that they re-
4uested him to write out IL full the
details of his plan and give it to the
daily press for publication, which he
promised to do. The rest of the pro-
ceedings was simply shop talk Of
no special interest to the public, and,
therefore, need not be related.
At l o'clock p. m, the editors re-
paired to Hotel Gordon, where they
enjoyed a bountecus chicken lunch
con, to which they had been invited
by the Commercial Club of Arcadia.
This was the big thing of the day.
The feast was all that could be de-
sired, being well prepared and nicely
served, rejecting enviable credit
upon the hotel management. Some
one hundred ladies and gentlemen
enjoyed the Tepast and the speeches
Besides the editors, there were pre-
sent Captain Royce and his staff of
Carlstrom field; DR.. +. J. Etheredgc,
rominee for representative In the
legislature, members of the CONNER
cial Club and leading citizens from
various parts of the county.
Captain Rupert Smith, president
of the Commercial Club was master of
ceremonies and he did the honors
wisely and we'll Instead of waiting
until all had finished eating before
calling for responses to toasts, he
called out the speakers while the
feast was going on and thus gave the
company two treats at one and the
same time. The address of lewcome,
which was made by Rev. C. H. Nit |
chell, was very witty. yet graceful
and strong tribute to both tie editors
and the officers and members of the
aviation service. The response was
by George NJ. Gool9by, editor of the
Wauchula Advocate and president of |
the County Press Association IT |
was well conceived and delivered, .
and it evoked much applause.
Captain Royce made an elegant /
response in behalf Of his staff and |
CarlstrOm field. The surgeon on |
his staff also responded with a short,
but fine speech. Other interesting |
and inspiring addresses were made .
by Editor Hosmer of the Braden-
town Journal; Hugh G. Jones', a
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

Behold the Classy LOafer with a Fu-
migating Fag pasted to his Lower Lip,
waiting for a Good Job to Turn Up,
when he is going to Blow this Hick
Town. AS he Nonchalantly Poses
against the Cigar Case, trying to Look
like Clarence X. Marshmallow but re-
sembling Charlie Chaplin more, he's
one reason for the II. c. of l..
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

The Santa Rosa County sweet po-
tatoe boys have been supplying pota-
toes to local stores and have sold
part Of their crop at prices which will
make them nice profit. They rea-
lized that it is the early bird that
catches the worm so they planted
early and were able to begin digging
their crop while prices were good.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
TRAIL BEING BUILT
AT The RATE OF 3-4
OF A mile MONTHLY
Contractor Meeting With Many Diff
culties in Construction Of Tamil
nmi Trail But Makes Progress.

| Construction on the TamiGmi TrGi
has advanced $500 feet since the ncT
dredge was placed in service a month
| ago and for the last ten days has
been progressing at the rate Of thr2e-
Ffourths of q mile per month, J. NJ
McCraYy, head of the J. NJ. McCrary
Construction Company Of Atlanta, is
quoted as saying in a recent tissue
of the Miami Metropolis
The highway, Mr.. MCCrary said,
has been completed practically the
,samc as the first seven or eight miles
to q point within about three-quar-
ters of a mile of where the dTedge is
now working, or a little more than
rs miles from the entrance gate,
This is a distance of approximately
27 miles from the Miami courthouse.
Owing to the treacherous charac-
ter of the rock and its flinty charac-
ter, which makes night working dan
gerous, Mr.. McCrary stated that it is
impossible to work q night crew at
this, and the progress Of three-Quar-
ters OF a mile per month is being
made with a single crew.
The hard, ,hinty rock which we are
encountering," explained the contrac-
tor, "is of the same character as that
which caused so much trouble on the
Miami Canal. 1t lies from four to
FIVE feet below the surface and is so
interlaid with pockets that it is had
to work through it, requiring one
third more dynamite and holes drill
ed closer together than would be the
case with ordinary rocks In this
way, however, it is coming out more
pulverized when blasted, and accord
ing to County Engineer Hobart Crab
tree, is making better road material.
The last ten miles have been
worst kind of rock. and
from now on we anticipate easier
working conditions, the rock, accord
ing to tests, being of a softer nature
and more like that encountered dur
ing the first few miles. There re-
mains about 16 miles before the com
pletion of the highway.
'Some idea of the difficulties under
which the company is working, aside
from delays and troubles due to war
may be gained from the
fact that dynamite which is now cost
ing us 2SH cents per pound, cost on
ly IL cents per pound when we enter
ed into contract with the county,
while we are now paying IS per day
for labor, including board and trans
portation, the same labor when the
contract was entered into represented
a cost of $1.75 per day"
Mr.. McCrary left at noon for Key
West, where he will endcavor to get
the Monroe Co. commissioners to fin
ish the Cape Sable road into the Cape
Sable district. Since the Dade Coun-
" portion was finished last Decem-
Der, the MaCrary Construction Co.
he highway for the Model Land Com
'any. This latter contract was fin
SIZED about two months ago. leaving |
ne highway still about II or l.
nilCa from Cape Sable territory, for
Which it is headed. 1t is this latter
portion that he proposes to ask the
Ionroe County commissioners to fin !
sh UNLESS such arrangements are
made" said Mr.. McCrary, 1.-THE
lredge which was being used on the
highway will be dismantled and /.
hipped to Georgia"
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

The American Legion posts of
Lake county will celebrate Armistice
Day at Tavares with an all-day pro-
gram of speaking, sports, fireworks
and dancing. Arrangements are be-
ing made to entertain from 5000 to
5000 people.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

There was transferred from the
fine and forfeiture fund to the road
fund during the fiscal year 800
! 90.
by having repositories instead of
4 county treasurer and bond trustees,
the county has saved in commissions
TO those officers 81, ,3O1.81, and has
received interest to the amount of
| $10,5 1886, total saving of $21,-
| S4l. .67--half enough to meet the en-
tire general expense of the county.
For each and every warrant is
sued by the board there is on file in
numerical order and easily access
sibe an approved voucher, and all
paid warrants are filed in numerical
order in the same files with the ap-
proved vouchers, so that it is a small
mGatter to trace any financial trans
action Of the board.
1T is also interesting 20 note the
large amount Of bonds retired during
the fiscal year. 1t is the policy of
the board to retire bonds with any
dlHUUni MOI netutu lOi III tflCS ~
quiremcnts and in this way many
bonds are retired before becoming
due. This policy saves much inter
est and reduces the total of the debt
contemplated in tie bond issue. In
marked contrast to this policy of the
DeSoto county board, is the action Of
the majority of boards in accumulat-
ing large sinking funds which excite
the cupidity, of bankers, trustees,
etc, and often results in loss CT the
principal, to say nothing of the in
terost saved by retiring the bonds.
THE small expense for witnesses
is due largely to a court calendar
devised and put in operation by
Sheriff Dishong, and the activity Of
Ltc office is largely responsible fer
the ability to transfer sue large
amount from the fine and forfeiture
fund to the road fund, whore it is so
gorely needed for highway construc-
ton and repairs.
The above statement does not in
clude any funds handled by ,hc Coun-
ty SChCl Board, their financial trans
actions and records being another
matter entirely"
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

Tallahassee will shortly have
new, up-to-date 1OO-room, modern
fre-proof hotel if plans which have
been formulated are carried into ex-
ecution and the interest which has
been manifested in the project seems
to make it certain.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
CLERK VANCE MAKES
INTERESTING REPORT
OF COUNTY FINANCES
Shows that County is Saved S2l Sill
81 by Adjustment of Treasurer.
Interest Is SiO,O0O.OO.

Deputy Clerk 3. Vance has pre-
pared a very interesting condensed
statement of the couAty's financial
status, together with some enlightnn-
ing comments thereon, Following
is tho statement furnished the Her
rld:
The county fiscal years ends On
September 30th, and | am now en-
gagged in making the regular semi
annual audit of accounts and report
to the comptroller of the State fer
the clerk. These reports Cre finally
published, after having been verifi-
ed by the comptrOllcr's office, but the
average taxpayer gets so little in
formation from the mass or figures
contained in the report itself, that
have compiled, in condensed form, a
financial statement that will give the
taxpayers some insight into the
enormous amount of business trans
acted by the honorable Board of
County Commissioners, as we'll as
calling attention to some ether mat
tcr9 of vital interest"
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

("Total does not include transfers
from one fund to another in the
county,
Disbursements for fiscal year end
ing September 30ti., 1920:
Witness certificates
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23

Punta Gorda is an up 20
date town, having more
Improvements than many
much larger
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
POPULATION

Increased 2S percent dur
Punta Gorda's population
ing 10 years. Population
1920, 1926
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-01-29
Why Not Get Busy?

The supreme court of Florida has
held to be valid the Farris mum
cipal charter BILL" enacting several
years ago by the legislature.
This law gives to Florida munich
palities the right to change their
form of government by vote of the
people theirin, after certain forms In
the shape of petitions, publications,
orders, etc, have been complied with.
DeLand has just changed its form,
The opposition to change took the
matter to the supreme court, and the
court sustained the election, and an
nounced that under the bill any Flor
ida municipality that wishes can
change its form of government. It
did not say this in so many words,
but did by its opinion sustaining the
bill and holding the DeLand election
to be valid.
A mmssion-manage form for
Tampa has been spoken of for long
time. 1t has been promised the peo-
pie that "at a propitious time" they
will be given the opportunity to say
whether they want a change. 1t
seems to us that now is that "propit-
ious time"
Modern business practice in every
great concern is giving rein and sway
to the business manager He &c
held responsible for the business
conditions of his employers, and
ninety-nine times out Of every humid
red he makes good by turning what
was at least a doubtful thing into q
positive asset.-Tampa Tribune.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-01-29
the better it will be all around
Atlanta Constitution.
A Welcome Flag

The people of the United States,
with their immense coast lines and
position on the two greatest oceans,
ought to be second to none in the
carrying trade on the oceans. They
have, moreover, unsurpassed re-
sources for building ships and pos
sess all form of mechanical skill re-
CURED in shipyards. Yet i'll recent
years we had fallen so far behind in
the transportation of ocean freights
that our share in the business was
small, indeed. We paid hundreds of
millions every year to foreign ship
owners to bring in merchandise and
handle the great volume of products
we exported. The situation is chang
ing. We are taking our normal
Place in ocean commerce, both in
building ships and sending them for
tn to the ports of all continents. The
instinct of Americans for ocean nav
igation is strong. The great rivers
of the distant interior point the way.
Youth in the Western cCrn cields are
among the quickest and best to re-
sDond to the calls of the navy. We
have the elements to be Il Nation OF
sailors along with other qualifica-
tions.
Our flag will be cordially greeted
everywhere On salt water by all peo-
plies who have an intelligent idea of
what it represents. 1t is against any
exercise of ruthless might. 1t is the
emblem Of fair play and fair dealing,
of gClvency and mutual advantages.
1t is rainbow of promise to all lands
and races.
Our flag also typifies disinterest-
edness in international Intercourse.
The world knows it, and will appre-
ciate it more and more-St. Louis
GlobC-DemOcrat
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-01-29
Time to PRAY,

Considering the marvellous growth
of the United States between the
years 1900 and 1910, and iadulging
in a flight Of imagination that carries
it to the year 1000, the Tampa
Times is amazed at the possibility for
growth of our country if the same
rate of increase continues.
What VIII cur population be in
1882" asks the Times. What in
the year 1000? Can anyone imagine
it? The population has long been
increasing on an average more than
20 per cent. every 10 years. Com
pound our present population at 20
per cent. for a few decades and see
what it will amount to. In so years
1t would amount TO about 275,O0O.-
600. 1t is beyond the power OF i'm
agination to 90 farther than that.
Besides which is would be all guess
work anyway"
When We consider that the greater
part of our incrcaae in poulation is
due to the influx Ct tho oHscourings
|or Europe, who are in great measure
responsible for the present unrest.
we are Mortified when we draw a
mental picture of what is now the
| United states in the year 1000.
Those who want quantity and care
nothing for quality may cnthuse over
the prospect, but it seems to us that
If our growth in the past is to be-
taken as an augury or the future it's
time to pray.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-01-29
What Can He Be Thinking OF?

Friends of Senator Park Trammel
are wondering what he can be think
ing of by his action in opposing the
ELECTION of Senator Underwood to bs
the Democratic floor leader of the
Senate! They are very naturally
vexed to the extreme and many OF
them in Fort Myers insist the junior
Senator from Florida will receive
their censure at the polls if they
should see his name on ballot
again.
There are two candidates for the
minority leadership of the senate
Oscar Underwood, of Alabama, and
Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, of Nebraska,
whose efforts to pilot the peace
treaty with the league of nations,
through the inactive and obdurate
Senate, have been futile, as every
body knows. In their caucus last
Friday the supporters of Senator
Underwood had the opportunity to
elect the brainy ALBANIAN to that
known to Senator Trammell he voted
against Mr.. Underwood. The only
argument that seems to have been
presented against Oscar Underwood
is that he is "a Southern man." and
does not bear the Bryan trade mark.
And so Florida finds herself in
the position of having ONE United
States Senator lined up with the Jim
Reeds and Cabot Lodges anG the Hir-
am Johnsons on the peace treaty
| question. She has a Senator that
ocrat to be floor leader of the Sen
ate, who, as the record shows, voted
against furnishing the Allies with
munitions and supplies before the
United States entered the war to
make the world unsafe for autocracy.
Can it be that Senator Trammell
has forgotten that the Democrats of
Florida in 1912, through their cleo
tors Endorsed Oscar Underwood for
the presidential nomination? AS the
Tampa Morning Tribune pointed out
the other day Mr.. Underwood's De
mocracy then was recognized as
pure and his leadership acknowledged
to be superb"
If Senator Trammell has tie notion
that by opposing the election of
Oscar Underwood he is winning the
appro baton of many of his South
/ Florida constituents he had better
( tilt his thinking-cap at another angle.
I Florida Democrats are won't to be
forgiving. They are not fCrgetful,
however, and their hope is that the
misguided junior Senator from their
state will find il expedIent at least
to travel the road to Damascus and
line up with his more thoughtful
colleague in behalf of a true son of
the beloved Southland.-For Myers 4.
Press.
The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-01-29

The hiGh cost of living has been
| blamed on nearly everybody and
everything, but there is one thing
that has been overlooked by all who
have been hunting for a goat. "
This is our vicious local credit
system. This is the rock on which
many, many, businesses have been
wrecked, and it adds from 10 to rs
per cent to the cost Of living
those who pay their bills. Every
merchant who does a credit business
MUST add from 10 to Is per cent. to
the price of the goods Cover his
regular rodD to cover the cost of
bookkeeping and bad accounts.
Credit is a boon to the bead-beat but
a curse to the storekeeper and those
who pay their bills. If it were pos
sible (and we believe it isl it would
be one of the greatest blessings that
ever befcll the merchants and the
town as whole if Punta Gcrda mer-
chants would get together and put
their business on strickly cash
basis.