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Letter to the editor

1921: Pinellas growers plan big July Fourth

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published June 26, 2007

JUNE 18, 1921

OLDSMAR - The Pinellas Growers Association, which was started by the vegetable and fruit growers around Safety Harbor and Oldsmar, is increasing its membership and becoming a power in agricultural matters in Pinellas County. The board of directors will include a man from every city and town in the county.

The association's officers are George G. Booth of Safety Harbor, president; A.B. Counts of Largo, vice-president; W.E. Bolles of Oldsmar, secretary; Irving Trask, cashier of the Oldsmar State Bank, treasurer.

A public meeting will be held in Oldsmar at 10 o'clock on the morning of July 4, where all of the growers in Pinellas County can hear practical addresses by leading, successful truck growers. There will be a basket picnic on the shore of Tampa Bay in Oldsmar from noon to 1, and immediately after a big program of Fourth of July sports.

All the people of Pinellas County are welcome to the horse races, horseback ring tournaments, automobile and bicycle races, baseball game between Safety Harbor and another county team, band concerts and a big list of other free outdoor sports until 6 p.m.

JUNE 18, 1949

Giant devil fish wins bout with fisherman

CLEARWATER - A seven-hour battle with a 1, 500-pound devil fish ended in failure late yesterday for Alex Monohan of Plainfield, N.J., and Ralph Ramobo of Columbus, Ga., following an exciting struggle that attracted a large crowd along the gulf shore line at Clearwater Beach.

News of the struggle with the huge fish also reached the mainland in Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin and nearby communities with many people going to the beach to witness the scrap between man and fish.

It was one of the most exciting fish stories heard in this area for a long time and was different from many such stories in that it was true. There were tales out of line with the facts, however, as the weight of the fish increased by leaps and bounds as the story spread, with some putting the weight at as much as 3, 000 pounds.

Two fishermen made the trip from one of the Clearwater Beach docks with Nick Lopez in the boat Fiojo. A line was tied around the fish, but he soon broke loose again. Efforts were made to harpoon the fish without success. The greater the effort made by man, the greater grew the strength of the fish - until all efforts proved in vain.

JUNE 13, 1949

Sponge industry given promises of relief

TARPON SPRINGS - Four women representing the sponge industry welfare committee, and Deno Saclarides, representing the Greek community, returned from Washington, D.C., Saturday with promises of relief for the hard-hit sponge industry.

Members of the committee are Mrs. C. Klimantos, Mrs. E. Gianaras, Mrs. S. Pondakos and Mrs. M. Georgiou.

The four-point relief program that federal officials have promised for the industry consists of:

- The U.S. Bureau of Fisheries boat now studying red tide in Sarasota will move to Tarpon Springs to look for new sponge beds.

- U.S. Senators Pepper and Holland will introduce a bill into Congress to authorize the commodities credit corporation to buy surplus sponges.

- The U.S. Tariff Commission will consider a request to raise the tariff on Mediterranean sea sponges from 71/2 percent to 22 percent.

- The Federal Trades Commission will launch an investigation of complaints that Mediterranean sea sponges have been advertised as Rock Island sponges from Tarpon Springs.

Saclarides stated that this committee of women has done more good than any other committee.

Looking back

Headlines through the years

A 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.

[Last modified June 25, 2007, 22:35:22]