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 then and today. As interesting as the similarities may be, so are the differences. These are some of the top stories from the week of June 15-21, 1959. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• In the City’s general election, Jacksonville voters approved by a wide margin a $2.5 million bond issue to complete financing for construction of a new municipal auditorium on the Downtown riverfront. Returns from the 67 precincts showed a vote of 9,734 votes for the bond issue and 1,522 against it.
By a narrower margin, voters approved allowing mid-term vacancies in City offices to be filled by appointments made by other City officials. That replaced the arrangement of filling vacancies due to death or disability through a special election.
Voting machines also carried the names of 18 Democratic candidates for an equal number of elections. Since they had no Republican opposition, all 18 Democrats were elected since only a few write-in ballots were cast.
The total vote of 12,860 fell short of the 15,000 forecast by Supervisor of Registration Fleming H. Bowden. The turnout was still far in excess of the 4,807 total vote recorded in the 1955 general election.
• Shortly after taking the oath of office, Clyde C. Cannon was elected president of City Council, succeeding Lemuel Sharp. Elected vice president was “veteran councilman” James M. Peeler, who under a new ordinance effective the day before, also became chair of the City Pardon Board.
Newly elected Council members were Brad Tredinnick representing the 1st Ward, W.O. “Oscar” Mattox representing the 5th Ward and John F. Lanahan representing the 9th Ward.
All members of the City Commission were also re-elected without opposition: Mayor-Commissioner Haydon Burns and Commissioners Dallas Thomas, Claude Smith, Lou Ritter and J. Dillon Kennedy.
• The election marked the departure of two veterans of City government, Treasurer C.W. Hendley and Municipal Judge Charles Miller.
Hendley, the City treasurer since June 20, 1933, did not seek re-election and was succeeded by H.S. Albury, assistant City treasurer. Miller also did not seek re-election after serving as municipal judge since 1941. He was succeeded by John E. Santora Jr.
• David W. Foerster, president of the Jacksonville Bar Association, suggested that a counterpart of the Dade County Grand Jury Association in Jacksonville “probably would lead to an improvement of local grand jury system.”
Addressing the Civic Round Table at its meeting at the Robert Meyer Hotel, Foerster declared that a “blue ribbon” grand jury is one composed of people who are intelligent, who have time to devote to public service and who are interested in the welfare of the community.
“But people like that are hard to find,” he said.
The Dade County grand jury group, explained Foerster, was a “watchdog” over the inquisitorial body there and had sponsored legislation establishing higher standards for jurors. A grand juror in Dade County, he said, must be of good moral character, never convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, must be intelligent and not be a public employee.
He also said in Dade County a grand jury had the authority to employ special counsel and special investigators so it could do its work in complete freedom from the influence of any public official or public employee. Juries in Duval County did not have that authority.
“No system is perfect and our present system is not perfect. It can be improved and the Jacksonville Bar Association stands ready to lend technical assistance to any groups of citizens who wish to see our Duval County system improved,” said Foerster.
The Civic Roundtable also held its annual elections at the meeting. George W. Martin was elected president succeeding Ray Boozer. Mrs. John Corse was elected vice president, Joseph Kelly secretary-treasurer and Mrs. Wayne Perrine and Mrs. Herbert J. Peairs members of the executive committee.
• Fourteen people were arrested in a vice raid at the Harem Club at 8631 Atlantic Blvd. County Criminal Lt. J.L. Hamlin and Deputy A.L. Rowland staged the raid at 1:30 a.m.
Sammy Serpa, alias Sammy Sweet, the 56-year-old operator of the nightclub, was charged with procuring for prostitution and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was freed under $1,000 bond, $500 for each of the charges.
Neta Johnson, 35, of a local hotel, was charged with prostitution and also freed on $500 bond. Twelve others were arrested as inmates and all were released on $100 bond.
• A construction worker was critically injured when 1.5 tons of steel sheeting fell on him at a storm drainage project between Bay and Water streets.
Jimmy Malcolm sustained a punctured right lung, several broken ribs, a compound fracture of his right thigh, a concussion and other possible head injuries and multiple lacerations on his head and body. He regained consciousness at St. Luke’s Hospital several hours after the accident and was listed in critical condition.
Bill Holcomb, job superintendent for the Harbert Construction Company, which was laying storm drainage from Duval to Water streets, said one end of four sheets of steel, weighing 3,168 pounds, came loose from a crane hook and fell across Malcolm, completely covering him.
Holcomb said the fiber material “hard hat” the man was wearing undoubtedly saved his life. He also said his men heard their weekly safety talk at 7:30 a.m. the day of the accident and emphasis was placed on the importance of wearing the protective hats.
• Ralph Williams of 321 North St. told police that a burglar entered his home and stole a suitcase containing the following items: three pairs of trousers, four shirts and three chickens.
• The County Budget Commission approved $10,000 in additional funding to feed convicts at the County prison farm.
It was noted the population at the farm had steadily increased to an average of 65 to 100 persons per day, up from an average of 65 persons. The increase in food costs was also cited as a reason for the need for more money. The daily cost per prisoner was about $1.
The Budget Commission also approved other supplemental appropriations including $700 for medical supplies for prisoners at the County Jail, $100 for law books for the Juvenile Court, $500 to supplement the State Attorney’s salary, $4,000 for Circuit Court equipment, $2,000 for insurance on County buildings and $1,050 for County drainage right-of-way.
• The Duval County Commission reopened its proposed 1959-60 budget to add more than $135,000 in new appropriations as a result of laws enacted by the 1959 State Legislature.
The largest portion of the additional appropriation was for Jacksonville University. The commission agreed to raise the County’s contribution to $100,000 from $25,000. The increase was done under a permissive act passed by the Duval Delegation.
The commission, also under the old law, gave $25,000 to Edward Waters College. The Legislature also raised the limit for EWC to $50,000, but no request was made to the commission to raise the sum for the institution.
• Joel Grossbart of 2230 Ocean Dr. S. in Jacksonville Beach attracted quite a bit of attention when he piloted his new Chinese junk down the Intracoastal Waterway.
The 26-foot “hippy-looking” craft arrived in Mobile, Ala. after being shipped from Hong Kong and Grossbart then trailered the vessel to Jacksonville Beach. He admitted to not having much sailing experience but planned to use the vessel in local waters. In addition to sails, the junk could be powered by twin outboard motors that were hidden under the flooring in one of the cabins.