Milford chronicle., 1931-01-16
or CROSS WRITES
FROM FLORIDA

Yes, we are making two trips each
eek ACROSS, or up and down the
ate of. Florida from Tampa as our
isis. With each venture new love
hid ap1reciation Of the scenes and
hsinesS sOf Florida are opened.
Hn fact we fell i'll love with Clear
bater aHd Clearwater Beach, which
h someis classed as the handsOmest
lace ilfF FLORIDA. We attended The
|reek Gross service at TarpOn
|prings. .ssJan. 3rd. Tarpon Springs
the home-townrof the sponge
vers, "Rwhere the greatest sponge
lchange is located in the world.
thousands Of people from all parts
this and other countries gather
ere to attend the Greek Cross serv-
hes annually. We saw cars from
california, Canada and from Maine
b Texas, and few states were un-
epresented. a.,.
A newspaper representative was
oting the states represented by tile
bgs, and came up TO Us and said, a
kelcomegto Delaware.
1t is estimated that ten thousand
eople attended the services on Jan.
I'd, and it lasted four hours in and
bout tile Greek church. At 1 p. m.
he High Priest and other dignataries
&arched@ in procession out of the I
lurch, followed by the congregation /
it'll brass band leading to TarpOn /
#prings Basin, which is beautifully I
esignedH On its pier Il short serv- I
he was held. A white dove is given .
Is flight and then the High Priest /
irew gold cross into the water of
he basiA Then six divers plunge
atter it, and the one recovering the
ross receives the blessing from the
High Priest. This blessing is sup
bsed to carry good luck to the diver
bceiving it during the new year;
Bpecially in his deep-water diving
sOrk after sponges. The services
sere beautiful and as there are rs
bonge fishing boats 1ittde for sponge
lving work, which has been cOntin-
|Dus forBnearly enc hundred years,
nd is important. Each boat carries
crew Of ten or more men, who are
the various grades of the diver
sOfessioh. The best paid divers re-
live about $1,000 for six months
iOrk, and go down in water to
bpth Of 100 or 125 feet; they re-
Jain doWn from fifteen to twenty
Fe minutes, wearing a divers he'll
let. Wien the helmet is removed
tier coming out Of the water,- it
Dmetimes is found the air pressure I
greater than it should have been,
nd the oliver faints-in that case
lie helmet is replaced and pressure
lualize$. slowly. Unless this is done.
the diver would die. Medi-
i attention is not carried on indi-
dual boats of course.
The best sponges are found i'll the
ater as shallow as seventy-liVe feet.
he sponge storage houses are built
Ong the river-shore which forms
e harbor for The vessels.
Each crew has its individual bins
r placing their spOnges; which bins
e built Af brick with heavy re-en-
reed IN bar doors, securely
Each trip requires from two to
tG WtGAo " oCGulC d lOclNl IAitlb D.
,uld be- profitable; but it is all ac-
riding TO the weather, and divers
e not long lived men.
Mr. and Mrs, Ewing wer6gI D ,g
fty also Mr.. and Mrs = Ma a 2 ~
haeffcr, of Bowers, Del, fr@tesFtlctt.'sss
3 ceremonies, but We failed TO IDeGt
em until afterwards. TA64&s XII y "a /
Sulphur Springs daring tlietsel 4GE3i I
; and enjoy reading the MilIord
ronicle, and where is there ;s9i i45a-Vts :
arian who does not? 80 .nsrSFE
Yours,
JOSEPH p. CROSSsAHA g.
Tampa, Fla.
rutiiIA ~.