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Times Staff WriterA look back at the events, people and places that made North Pinellas the unique place that it is. The information is compiled from past editions of the St. Petersburg Times.
May 7, 1948: Jeep shipments to Cuba may help airport rebound
CLEARWATER - Pinellas County International Airport may soon return to its former status as the No. 2 center for export trade between the United States and Latin America because of increased shipments of Jeep automobiles and accessories being air-freighted to Cuba, according to Aerovias sud Americana Inc. An increase in the number of Jeeps exported by the local air freight line from the Pinellas airport was made possible with the addition of a C-46 cargo plane to the air fleet of Aerovias sud Americana.The C-46, a twin-engined plane, was placed in service Tuesday, making its first flight to Havana with a cargo of four Jeeps and crates of spare parts that same afternoon. The new plane is capable of carrying heavier loads than the C-47s previously used exclusively by the airline.
Although Aerovias sud Americana began flying to the Cuban capital soon after the company was formed in October, the current shipment of cars and spare parts constitutes the largest single shipment to date.
The big contract with the Willys Overland Export company, believed to be the largest single contract ever issued to an air freight carrier, is expected to result soon in the export of some 600,000 pounds, or 150 units, of Jeeps and Jeep parts per month from the Pinellas airport.
Although the Jeeps-to-Havana contract now provides the bulk of the company's business, many other items are transported by air to the Cuban capital, and goods are imported on return flights.
The principal item on the import list now is tobacco, consigned to the cigar factories at Tampa. Some Cuban flowers are also being imported, and a brisk exchange business in flowers is developing, whereby Florida flowers will be shipped to Cuba and Cuban flowers to this state on the return trip.
In addition to Jeeps, items exported to Cuba through Aerovias sud Americana include radios, bicycles, refrigerators and water coolers.
Miami still holds the No. 1 position as export center of air freight to Latin America, but Pinellas airport is making rapid strides through the progress of Aerovias sud Americana alone.
May 10, 1948: Sponge industry to seek federal aid
TARPON SPRINGS - Plans are being formulated by George Emmanuel, longtime leader in the sponge industry of this city, to apply for federal aid for the faltering sponge industry.
"The U.S. Bureau of Fisheries can come to the aid of the sponge industry," Emmanuel said. "It has helped to locate unlimited fields of shrimp near Louisiana. If this matter is put before the public and their interest aroused we might possibly secure aid."
The City Commission, Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club will be asked by Emmanuel to pass resolutions requesting aid. He will also ask neighboring sister cities for assistance.
"This is an all-Florida effort and is as important as the citrus industry is in the state," he said. "Until 1939, when the blight hit the sponge beds in the gulf, the demand could be met. If the federal government would assist in a survey, maybe an unlimited supply of sponges can be discovered."
At a sponge sale a few weeks ago, sponges found in Biscayne Bay were sold, which is proof that there are unexplored sponge beds. These sponges are not as high quality as the Rock Island, but far better than the imported Mediterranean sponges.
May 14, 1959: New dam possible at Alligator Lake
SAFETY HARBOR - If all legal obstacles are removed, a new dam might be constructed at Alligator Lake in December, county Engineer L.O. Hester says.
It was indicated at the County Commission meeting Tuesday by county Attorney J.D. Hobbs Jr. that he would have to find some authority for the county's expenditure of public money for such purposes.
He is to make a complete research and report at a future meeting of the commissioners.
About 25 feet of the 2,000-foot dikes of the 100-acre freshwater lake gave way April 6. With it, this area lost a fisherman's paradise, while thousands of fish struggled in low pools of water. The emergency dam put up by the county sprang two leaks and finally gave way.
In the last two or three weeks a crew of men, headed by Chief of Police Claude Rigsby, has caught about 1,500 fish as they came in the lake on the incoming tide.
- Theresa Blackwell compiles the history column. She can be reached at (727) 445-4229 or blackwell@sptimes.com