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Clearwater 1918 Vets to parade on Armistice Day

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published November 1, 2006

OCT. 23, 1948

CLEARWATER - World War One vets in Clearwater are doing a slow burn over recent cracks by national speakers along the general theme of "Why celebrate Armistice Day?"

Members of Turner Brandon post, American Legion, today got busy with plans for the annual parade and community service commemorating the end of the first global war fought to preserve democracy.

Unless there is a last minute change of present policy, local stores will not close on Nov. 11. But the legionnaires will put on their parade, no matter what action is taken by the Clearwater Merchants Association.

"We are not the 'old goats' that wise-cracking orators at the recent legion convention at Miami called us," said a Clearwater veteran of the Battle of Chateau Thierry, 1918.

He can't see why Armistice Day should come in for criticism because the first world war was supposed to end all wars. "That our Crusade misfired," he said, "certainly can't be laid to the veterans of that conflict."

Just to prove the youngsters are wrong about the physical condition of the "boys of 1918," local American Legion members have approved an order forbidding any World War One veteran to show up for this year's Armistice Day parade with any "walking aids, including canes, crutches, wheel chairs or other mechanical means of transportation or locomotion."

Oct. 27, 1948

Water department called utility giant

CLEARWATER - The amazing growth of the Pinellas County water department, which was established eleven years ago with only 150 customers and invested capital of $296,000 was revealed here last night in a report S.K. Keller, department superintendent, filed with the board of county commissioners. The department has become a young giant in the utility field with 3,043 customers and a net worth of more than $743,000,

The report also was a testimonial to the rapid development of the Pinellas gulf beaches wherein the department operates.

Covering activities up to the close of business on September 30, the Keller resume highlighted the department's massive equipment, which includes two reservoirs with a daily maximum capacity of 3,000,000 gallons.

The department's total debt load at the end of the year, Supt. Keller reported, was $855,000 and all funds to retire that obligation will come from operating revenues. Emphasis was made that tax money is not used for this purpose.

Oct. 20, 1924

Prairie schooner coming to state

CLEARWATER - Word has reached this city that, traveling in the fashion of a century ago, Mr. and Mrs. R.D. Louk and 11 children have left Stacy, N.C., for this section of Florida. They are traveling in a wagon of the prairie schooner type and are driving two buggies, using four horses in all. They carry camping equipment with them and expect to take their time in making the trip, which may take two months or more. This family has been living on a North Carolina farm for some time, but hearing of the delights of life in the real South, decided to pull up stakes and come here. They migrated about four years ago from Virginia and prior to that time lived in New York state.

Many of the pioneers of Pinellas County are said to have reached the west coast of Florida by horse-drawn vehicles, the forebears of the old settlers having come from North Carolina in this manner before the Civil War.

Times staff writer Theresa Blackwell compiles the history column. She can be reached at blackwell@sptimes.com or 727 445-4170.

[Last modified November 1, 2006, 07:03:36]