Ever wonder what stories made headlines in Jacksonville 50 years ago? It may have been a different era of history, culture and politics, but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made the news in 1958 and today. As interesting as the similarities may be, so are the vast differences. The following are some of the top stories from The Florida-Times Union printed 50 years ago this week. These items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives.
• Over objections from Mayor Haydon Burns, City Council committees deferred action on a proposed new building code. Burns said a holdup in approval of the new code could delay the progress of planning for several major Downtown projects including the new City Hall (which is now the Courthouse Annex), the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad headquarters building (now CSX) and the Sears & Roebuck store on Bay Street (where the Omni sits today).
• Sheriff’s deputies, assisted by state beverage agents, raided seven businesses and one residence and arrested 46 people on various gambling charges. Sheriff Dale Carson said the simultaneous raids were the climax of a six-week undercover investigation of local gambling operations. Carson also said the raids brought in the biggest haul in the state so far that year. The gambling game that was the focus of the investigation was called “bolita” and was similar to today’s Florida Lottery. Raid locations included H & S Billiards at 216 W. Forsyth St., Thomas Grocery & Market on Beaver Street and several grocery stores in Springfield. What was described as “Duval County’s largest single group of gambling suspects” was set to appear before Judge Marion Gooding July 19.
• At Cecil Field Naval Air Station, Capt. W.G. Church, officer in charge of construction for the Sixth Naval District, reported Duval Engineering and Construction Company would construct a 150-foot-wide, 8,000 foot-long runway at the Whitehouse outlying field at a cost of $1,233,603.
• A temporary injunction barring the City from enforcing the licensing section of its electrical code outside the city limits was handed down by Circuit Judge Edwin L. Jones. Implementation of the writ depended on the filing of a $1,000 bond by Associated Electric Company, Inc., the plaintiff in the suit. Associated brought the suit for a declaratory decree and an injunction against the City. The company contended that the City could not require that electricians working in the county on installations using City power be certified by the City board of electrical examiners. Jones issued the temporary injunction, but also ruled the City had the right not to provide service where its inspections showed the work was not done in accordance with the City-adopted National Electrical Code.
• The Ribault Monument was moved from its previous location at Mayport and erected at the Fort Caroline National Memorial Park site where it sits today. The Daughters of the American Revolution chose the location in Arlington and the National Park Service provided the $7,800 needed to move the monument. A crane with a 100-foot boom had to be used to lift the six-ton granite shaft up the hill and over the tops of a small stand of scrub oak trees.
• Joe Adeeb, chairman of the board of directors, announced that B.N. Nimnicht had been elected president of Selva Marina Country Club. He succeeded Dr. Nathaniel Jones and Dr. W.T. Coppedge was elected to fill a vacancy on the board. It was also reported that the new 18-hole golf course built by the Selva Marina Club was completed, the pro shop would be ready to open in two weeks and a professional was expected to be appointed within 30 days.
• City Auditor J.E. Pace revealed the municipally-owned water system was “in precarious financial condition” and urged the County Commission to “give utmost serious thought” to an increase in water rates.