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Letter to the editor

1944: City seeks its own bus line to airfield

By THERESA BLACKWELL, Times Staff Writer
Published December 30, 2007

Dec. 21, 1944

CLEARWATER - Clearwater chamber of commerce officials hailed the announcement that the county airport may open to commercial flights with complete satisfaction.

But last night, businessmen and city officials said regular bus service is needed between Clearwater and the Pinellas County airport, starting when the army permits regularly scheduled flights of National Air Lines passenger planes to and from the big field.

Agitation for the bus line extension began developing months ago when the war department transformed the field into a training base for pursuit pilots. Bus service was provided between the airport and St. Petersburg, but none between the field and Clearwater.

Civic leaders in the Clearwater area pointed out that bus transportation is essential if National Air Lines expects to draw maximum patronage from this community. The field is located approximately 11 miles from the heart of the county seat.

Dec. 29, 1944

Beach protected against well drillers

CLEARWATER - Property owners in Clearwater Beach are fully protected against oil drilling operations that may grow out of leases approved by the state government, Mayor George R. Seavy declared here last night in commenting on state approval yesterday of leases of gulf coast bottoms along the shores of Pasco County.

The lease was awarded to Arnold Oil Explorations and the agreement prohibits drilling within boundaries of incorporated cities and towns, according to the mayor. It is this section of the lease, he said, that protects Clearwater Beach investors.

"The western boundary of the city of Clearwater, of which Clearwater Beach is a part," Mayor Seavy said, "extends into the Gulf of Mexico a distance of 10.3 miles. So there can't be any drilling along our beach."

The charters of other surrounding communities do not contain such a provision. So Mayor Seavy said Clearwater should join with other Florida West coast cities to protest indiscriminate oil explorations.

"Our beach is our greatest tourist attraction," said the mayor. "We must do all within our power to protect it."

Dec. 21, 1944

Navy recruits needed for construction work

CLEARWATER - Eligible Clearwater youngsters with a preference for service in the U.S. Navy were being interviewed at the post office here today. A naval recruiting party, headed by Chief Yeoman J.A. Ansley of the Tampa district office, was on the lookout particularly for older men suitable for construction service with the Seabees and candidates for radar schools.

Dec. 21, 1948

Clearwater racebrings throngs to polls

CLEARWATER - Favored by perfect weather and spurred by intense interest whipped up by supporters of the seven candidates, Clearwater voters jammed two polling places today to elect a mayor and two city commissioners in the first election ever held in Pinellas County on voting machines.

A dozen machines were being used in the Clearwater municipal hustings. The Automatic Voting Machine Corp. had shipped those earlier than the rest of the 150 devices Pinellas County recently purchased for county polls.

Electors have been receiving instruction in the operation of the machines for the past fortnight and the manufacturers had representatives outside the polling places here today to demonstrate the devices to voters still unfamiliar with them. Virtually no confusion was noted at the Clearwater Beach fire station or at the main fire station in downtown Clearwater.

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 December 29, 2007, 21:08:55]