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New Oldsmar rubber company shipping in workers from Ohio

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published July 3, 2006

June 30, 1928

CLEARWATER - Thomas E. Gould, said to be the first American to establish a rubber factory in Cuba, has selected Oldsmar as the site for an automobile tire factory. The company formed by Mr. Gould has taken over the buildings and 10 acres of ground formerly owned by R.E. Olds of Lansing, Mich. This is the group of buildings north of the Seaboard railway in the center of the town that has lately been called Tampa Shores.

Remodeling of the buildings has been going on since June 5, and will be completed by Oct. 15. This work is being done by M.S. Thompson & Company, which has a large force of men engaged. The wooden floors will be removed and concrete floors put in, new roofs will be placed on all the buildings and the structures will be painted inside and out. A 60,000-gallon water tank will be erected for fire protection.

Fifteen carloads of machinery already have been purchased and installation of this will commence within 60 days.

The labor situation will be taken care of, for the present at least, by bringing 60 families from Ohio, who will be housed in Oldsmar. It is the intention to give employment at once to 75 citizens of Oldsmar and vicinity, about half of these being women, it was stated by M.S. Thompson, head of the firm doing the construction work, who was in Clearwater yesterday.

The new project will be Florida's only rubber factory. With the great number of automobiles in the state, more than 400,000, and about $35-million spent in the state annually for tires and tubes, the promoters believe they will be able to dispose of their daily output of 500 tires and tubes without seeking foreign markets.

June 30, 1928

Joyland to open on Fourth of July

CLEARWATER - On the Fourth of July, "Joyland," the new amusement park on Clearwater Beach near the end of the causeway, will be officially opened to the public by the Southern Amusements Corp., according to the announcement by Charles Van Gunten, treasurer.

The principal feature of the celebration will be a great display of fireworks at 9 p.m.

Those in charge of the park decided to open on July 4, although the park has not been completed. Concessions have been rented and there will be plenty of amusements, it is promised.

July 2, 1928

Celebration planned at Tampa Shores

CLEARWATER - Tampa Shores or Oldsmar seems to have waked up in great shape since the arrival of an automobile tire factory in that place and now comes the news that it will stage an all-day observance of the Fourth of July.

The Odd Fellows lodge is in charge of the celebration and plenty of entertainment is promised to those who attend. A free barbecue will be but one of the day's events.

In the afternoon, there will be a boxing match between Lou Gamble of Stetson University and Jim Black, an ex-serviceman of Oldsmar. The winner will be challenged by Sailor Goosens for a six-round bout and a second bout will occur immediately after the first has been finished. There will also be foot races and other amusements with dancing at the casino in the evening.

Pinellas History is compiled by Times staff writer Theresa Blackwell. You can reach her at tblackwell@sptimes.com or at 727 445-4170.

[Last modified July 2, 2006, 21:10:21]