Have you ever wondered 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 differences. These are some of the top stories published in the Florida Times-Union 50 years ago this week. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• First, some national news to give some perspective to the week of Jan. 19-25, 1959: President Dwight Eisenhower presented Congress a balanced federal budget that totaled $77 billion. The U. S. Navy successfully tested a Polaris missile, the first one designed to be fired from a submarine. U.S. Sen. Lyndon Johnson from Texas introduced a civil rights bill that would allow federal mediation in racial disputes. Some of his colleagues asserted it was “his way of running for President.”
• Here in Jacksonville, the Duval County Sheriff’s Office reported a record number of arrests for calendar year 1958 with 5,620 people apprehended. The criminal investigation division handled 2,960 cases of major crimes and the County vice detail made 960 arrests. The County Jail had a daily average of 296 prisoners, the highest average in five years The County Patrol investigated 249 vehicles reported stolen; 229 were recovered and 55 arrests were made for auto theft. The County Patrol also investigated 3,472 traffic accidents while $133,325 was collected in traffic fines. The moonshine liquor detail made 79 arrests and destroyed 59 stills.
• The Jacksonville Beach City Council heard plans to build an 80-unit oceanfront motel on the south side of South 14th Avenue. The estimated cost of the project was $640,000 and it was noted that if approved, it would be the largest motel at the beach. In other action, a resolution calling for a “freeholders referendum” on the proposed construction of a municipal pier was delayed until preliminary plans and specifications could be prepared.
• A special meeting was called by the Orange Park City Commission to examine petitions of candidates desiring to have their names placed on the ballot for the Feb. 3 election. Candidates were required by law to submit petitions having the names of at least 25 percent of the eligible voters before they could qualify. Deputy Clerk Florine Ralph reported that voter registration books were closed and the petitions had to include at least 135 names, since there were 538 qualified voters.
• The Duval Engineering Company and the Auchter Company were awarded contracts for Expressway construction. Duval was the low bidder at $2,094,200.50 to extend the expressway northward from Broward Road to Heckscher Drive. With $1.205,147.33, Auchter won the contract to connect the Expressway with Roosevelt Boulevard.
• Studies for the development of a “more appropriate” basis for a pension plan for City employees were continuing. At a meeting of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, George Baldwin, chair of the City pension plan subcommittee, said a pension plan was being sought which the City could afford to finance and which would also be acceptable to City employees. “It is apparent to anyone who cares to take a pencil and figure it out that the City can’t finance the present plan indefinitely,” he said. Baldwin also said one “conspicuously expensive provision” in the existing plan was that it provided for retirement on pension after 20 years of service. He pointed out “if a man goes to work for the City at age 18 and is eligible to retire on pension when he is only 38 years old, he has contributed only about half as many years to his job as he normally would be expected to.”
• Plans were approved for construction of a 12,000-seat municipal sports coliseum, estimated to cost $3 million. The project was described as, “A giant indoor arena which will accommodate spectacles ranging from the world’s largest circus to a boxing match.” The building was expected to be ready for use in October, 1960.
• Meanwhile, a citizens advisory committee was formed to work with City officials in completing plans for the proposed City auditorium. The auditorium was the only project not yet underway in the City’s $30 million Jacksonville capital improvement plan. A brochure published in 1956 touted the program as including “extensive sewer construction including a treatment plant, a broad program of paving and drainage, a new City Hall, an auditorium and a sports coliseum.” City Commissioner Claude Smith commented, “I don’t think there’s any doubt that we’ll be able to get work started on the auditorium before the end of 1959.”
• John Piombo, vice president of North Florida Motors, was elected president of the Gator Bowl Association. Five vice presidents were also named: Joe Livingston, Richard C. Lester, Lamar Dean, Joe Sykora and Conrad Gunti. Association General Manager George Olsen said final figures were not available, but indications were the “sinking fund reserve” would be enriched by about $10,000 as a result of the recent 14th annual game between the University of Florida and the University of Mississippi. It was also noted each school received about $90,000 for their participation. Outgoing President Van Fletcher made several recommendations including installing a sign on the north end of the Gator Bowl that would be visible from the Expressway, formation of a committee of wives of officers to entertain wives of the visiting teams appearing in the game and the possibility of charging admission fees for the some of the related activities that had previously been offered free of charge.
• Lt. Col. Harold Stout, division commander of the Florida Salvation Army, presented a plaque to Finley Tucker, Jr., chair of the Meninak Club’s “dime board campaign.” The club was being honored for being the top fundraising organization for the Salvation Army during the recent Christmas season.
• The 23rd Annual Camellia Show opened at the “new” Garden Center on Riverside Avenue at Post Street. The show was a joint venture between the garden Club of Jacksonville and the Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville. “Best of Show” honors went to Paul Milliken of of Hamlet, N. C., who picked a pink variegated flower on Tuesday and drove it to Jacksonville for the judging.