The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 15

I 1 1 POLK highlands! THE TAMPA TRIBUNE Section LOCAL NEWS 1 SdUiM TAMPA, FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1968 HARDEE 'OKEECHOBEE Two Lake Wales Groups Back Proposed Site for State Park united support of the proposal. Members of the chamber also were urged to conduct members of the cabinet and representatives on the Polk County legislative delegation to help influence a favorable decision on the Polk County tract. The Audubon Society in its action, also endorsed a second (Continued on Page 6, Col. 1) Tiger Lake and Lake Kissimmee. Located in the Reedy Creek Drainage District, the area at one point is only 10 miles from the Sunshine State Parkway.

Chamber directors, following Hunt's report, authorized chamber manager Frank tway to contact chamber officials in other communities that will be affected by the park in an effort to seek when the job is completed a navigable channel will attract a heavy increase in boat traffic in the area. He said this would make the site even more practical as a state park since it would serve waterway as well as highway travelers. The tract under consideration is bordered on one side by Camp Mack Road and is in the vicinity of Lake Rosalie, contacted for final negotiations. William Zipprer, of Lake Wales, indicated earlier that he had been contacted by the state regarding his property but added that final negotiations hinge upon the cabinet's decision. A $20 million bond issue was validated recently to finance the purchase of the state park sites.

Kissimmee River and is one of 25 sites that have been tentatively proposed as a state park. The Florida Outdoor Recre-a i Council has been charged with the responsibility of preparing a priority list that will be presented to the cabinet. The cabinet is expected to select a dozen sites from the list, and owners of those sites selected will be the park and will launch a campaign to gain support from other communities in the area that will benefit from the park. The board of directors of the Ridge Audubon Society also endorsed the tract and urged that it be placed high on a priority list of park sites now under consideration. The site is part of the Zipprer tract along the By BOB CRAMER Tribune Staff Writer LAKE WALES Public support for a proposed state park east of here continued to grow this week when two local organizations took action they hope will influence a decision yet to be reached by the state cabinet.

The Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce board of directors agreed to actively support the site as "an ideal location" for No Further Decisions ackson Wins Lakeland For Polk Board Hopes Fence Problem Finally Settled Commission E4 --fr-riTBigiMr terday that no such permission was given by any county official. They reminded the residents that it had been agreed earlier that the county would fence the entire property line except for a gap through which McConkey could drive his car into his garage (which faces onto the parkway instead of the street). Dunson had moved formally to have the fencing placed, in-, stead, only from McConkey's garage to the lakeshore. The motion died for lack of a second, however, and the original decision stands to build the fence. Accusations flew once again yesterday that the McConkey's have been ordering people off the public property.

County Atty. John Dewell told the residents, the audience and the commission (Continued on Page 2, Col. 1) The Chamber of Commerce action endorsing the selection of the Zipprer tract came after hearing a detailed report by Dick Hunt, Lake Wales restaurateur and outdoorsman. Hunt, who said he had fished and hunted on the Zipprer property for many years, said "one of the largest dredges in the world" is now at work in the Kissimmee River and toward arriving at the total cost of the hospital. The board agreed that bids on the equipment will be considered before any decision is made on the construction bid.

Frank McLane the architect, made the successful suggestion to try to negotiate with the low bidder to cut down on construction costs. Reilley said some of the alternates in the hospital construction, which are in addition to the base bid, were necessary, such as the emergency ambulance entrance cover, if federal aid was won. A representative of Whit-mire and Allen indicated that for one commission seat and Joe P. Ruthven swept over two other men with enough of a majority to avoid a run-off race. Jackson, as was expected, showed great strength in the city's mostly-Negro voting areas, where as many as 55 per cent of the registered voters turned out yesterday.

Precincts that Day carried in yesterday's and the Nov. 5 balloting showed turnouts as low as 18 per cent. Free rides were offered to the Civic Center polling place, and a steady flow of Negro taxicabs indicated the elec torate took advantage of the nffoyc PropiriiM- 79 with 1 344 Negroes among us voters, cast onlv 57 votes for Day, compared witn tw ior Jackson. Precinct 36, with 317 Negroes among 1,016 regis- tered voters, cast 215 votes for Jackson and 97 for Day. Pre- cinct 45, with 983 Negroes among its 1,284 registered electors, voted 525 for Jack- i7fnrn Candidate Votes Staff Photo by Tom Hughes Former Lakeland Mayor Jack Day, who opposed Lakeland Dr.

John S. Jackson in yesterday's city commission race, gets ready to cast his vote at the Lakeland Civic Center. By GARTH GERMOND Tribune Staff Writer LAKELAND Dr. John S. Jackson overwhelmed W.

J. "Jack" Day in yestarday's city commission runoff election here to become the city's first Negro elected official. Jackson, complete, unofficial returns in the city's 13 precincts showed, had 3,766 votes to 2,106 for Day, who completed his first three-year term on the commission a year ago and didn't seek-re-election at that time. A surprising 5,982 of the city's 19,357 registered electors turned out yesterday to cast their votes at the Civic Center. In contrast to yesterday's 31 per cent, 54 per cent cast ballots in the city races Nov.

5, in which Day and Jackson squeezed William Doppelheuer out of contention the firm will negotiate to bring down the total base bid. Board chairman Maurice Ballard said the board had been waiting three years to get construction bids. The first offering of the bond issue failed to attract bids, the Florida Legislature had to extend the life of the proposed issue from 30 to 40 years. The hospital site is just south of the Wauchula city limits, on South Florida Avenue and Carlton Road. Gov.

Claude Kirk Jr. recently appointed Joe Man-cini, Zolfo Springs industrialist, to the hospital district board to succeed Dr. James Whitehurst, who resigned. Hardee Hospital Construction Bids Exceed Estimated Figure reached a solution to the fencing problems with which Bil-tmore Shores residents have been plaguing them for a month and a half. In an afternoon commission meeting yesterday, the commissioners heard from a number of residents from the subdivision near Winter Haven and reached a decision to make no further decisions on the subject.

The meeting was held at 2 p.m. yesterday after the nor-m a 1 1 scheduled morning meeting was postponed. The commission was unable to achieve a quorum of board members at 9:30 a.m., with the board one member short, Chairman J. B. Thornhill Jr.

out of state on county business and District 3 Commissioner L. W. Dunson not available. Dunson was reportedly in Winter Haven under subpeona attending a legal hearing on a matter in which he has financial interest. When the session finally did get under way, the commissioners heard from Biltmore Shores resident D.

H. Patton who asked the board to take action about taxpayer-purchased fencing torn down at a public parkway on the shore of Lake Jessie. The fencing was ordered installed at county expense to settle a neighborhood dispute which has pitted Mr. and Mrs. George McConkey, owners of property adjacent to the parkway, against a large group of residents who feel they are being "intimidated" by the McConkeys.

The commissioners agreed to fence the property line so everyone would know what property belongs to whom and so area children would not roam onto the McConkey property while they were using the parkway. Last Saturday, though, Pat-ton said, someone bent and ripped out two fence posts from the uncompleted fence. The incident led to words between McConkey and several others from the neighborhood. Patton and others reported yesterday that his led to a statement by Mrs. McConkey that the commissioners had given them permission to remove portions of the fence toward the front of their house.

The commissioners said yes i'. By FRANK RODERUS Tribune Staff Writer BARTOW The Polk County commissioners think they have finally, once again, Phone Rates Are Listed By United FORT MYERS (By Staff Writer) United Telephone Company yesterday released new charge rates, authorized by the Florida Public Service Commission Nov. 13, to take effect in December. The company bills a month ahead of time for base rates, unlike most businesses, so the new higher bills will hit customers within the next few In addition to raising the base rates on all business and residential phones 64 per cent of their requested increase figure, the commission allowed the company to raise rates for other items and services. Other increases will include charges for extension phones, mileage charges, an extra $.50 per month for non-listed phones, and a dollar per month for non-published phones.

These will apply to existing phones. Some charges will go up as high as 500 per cent. In the past the company charged $1 for restoration of service to an already connected phone, when a residential party came back from a vacation. The new charge will be $5 for this same service. Color telephones will be an extra, flat fee of $7.50, when installed, instead of an extra $.35 per month, as in the past, officials said.

The company stressed that the expected annual increases in revenues would be about $1,872,359, and the money would be used to improve service and expand the system. Some sample increased rates are for single party, residence phones: Arcadia $5 to Bowling Green, $4.75 to Clewiston, $5 to Fort Myers, $6 to Naples, $5.25 to Punta Gorda, $4.75 to $7.55 $5.75 to $7.30. and Sebring, Runoff Dr. Jackson wins runoff a nmn pntriTriiceinriprs take ottice immediately aiier the first of the vear. when the seven-member Dody aiso wiu seiect a mayor from among the commissioners to serve in 1969, along with a mayor pro tem.

The posts now are' held by George W. Trask and R. Tom Joyner respectively, Jackson's edge over Day City Attorney ARCADIA (Special) -David Holloman was named Monday as city attorney for Arcadia as city council accepted the resignation of Lewis Purvis who had held the position for more than 17 years. Purvis had resigned as of Dec. 1.

Holloman also is attorney for the DeSoto County Commission. ONLY 24 SHOPPING DAYS LEFT TO. City Post I'll mam was reflected in 9 of the 13 Jackson did well in the precincts. The areas with pre- city's white precincts too. Pre- dominantly or heavily' Negro cinct 42, in the Cleveland Heights area, gave him 279 registration the 36th, 45th votes to 171 for Day in a 24.5 and 72nd precincts also per cent turnout.

Precinct 43, gaVe Jackson sizable major- the Lake HoUingsworth dis- itieg in the first election. trict, gave Jackson 290 to 233 for Day in a 33 per cent turn- Ballots in yesterday's voting out. Wni be canvassed by the city nnm commission at 9 a.m. today. The candidates complimented each other on the Here's how the vote went: level of the campaigns each precinct Day Jackson conducted as the hour-long 10 215 246 tally of paper ballots was con- 25 101 81 ducted, and Day extended his 36 97 215 congratulations and a pledge 37 150 94 of cooperation and assistance 42 171 27 to Jackson when the results 43 233 290 were completed.

44 170 267 45 47 525 The 5,982 votes counted in- 49 249 329 eluded 96 absentee ballots and 72 57 760 102 thrown out for defects, 73 191 187 plus eight put in ballot boxes 74 201 186 with no candidate designated. 88 224 301 Jackson, a physician and Total 2,106 3.7S6 surgeon, has lived in Lakeland I 19 years and is a member and trustees chairman of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. He Home Destroyed is a member of the Lakeland Zoning Board of Adjustments ARCADIA (Special) The and Appeals a post to which home of Mrs. Lucille Brown, he was appointed by Day in of West Pine Street was de-1967 and belongs to the stroyed by fire Mond ay morn-Lakeland Ara Chamber of jng after a small kei nsene Commerce, serves as vice heater exploded.

Two Arcadu president of the Lakeland fire tmcks were on hand but Human Relations Council. were unable to control the fire in the frame structure. He is associated profes- i 1 1 3 4 'Lf I I i By RALPH SUMNER Tribune Staff Writer WAUCHULA A low base bid of $965,900 on the general building construction of the proposed Hardee Memorial Hospital was received by the hospital district board of directors yesterday. Since the bid plus the proposed cost of the equipment for the hospital will exceed the estimated money the board will receive, the board took the bid under consideration. The apparent low bid was submitted by Whitemore and Allen of Lake Wales.

The board has 90 days in which to accept or reject the bid. Two other bids ran over $1 million each. The board then scheduled a meeting with doctors who will use the hospital for Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. to determine what equipment will be needed.

The financing of the hospital will come from a $700,000 revenue bond issue, from the fed- Staff Photo by Tom Hughes eral government through the Hill-Burton Act and from gifts. The bond issue, which was sold recently, will be retired by part of Hardee County's share of state race track funds. Paul Reilley, a representative of the Hill-Burton Fund, cautioned the board that the federal grant will be based on a percentage of the total cost of building and equipping the hospital. At the suggestion of board member George Burris, the meeting with the physicians was scheduled as a major step Man Held In Battle With Police WINTER HAVEN (By Staff Writer) A 25-year-old Au-burndale man was being held in city jail yesterday under bonds totaling $1,025 on charges of being drunk and disorderly and assault upon police officers, stemming from a series of incidents late Monday night. Being held was Daniel Warren Henson, of 115 Oleander Auburndale.

Police said the incidents started when Lt. Ronald Martin saw a man slumped over the steering wheel of a car in the Fourth Street parking lot. Martin said when he failed to get the man's attention, he finally opened the door to shake the fellow, and about this time Officer Freddy Roberts arrived at the scene. The officers said when they finally succeeded in arousing the man in the car, he became surly, used abusive language and when they got him out of the car, he kicked Martin and Roberts' hand was injured. The officers said they had to use nightsticks nd tear gas to subdue the man, later fied as Henson.

Henson was treated at Winter Haven Hospital. the If 5 --Z. sionally as a Lakeland General Hospital staff member, a member of the Lakeland Graduate Medical Assembly, and of the American Medical Association and its state and county affiliates. He holds degrees from Virginia State College and Meharry Medical College. Jackson and his wife, Edna, have three children.

Day operates an industrial a d-blasting and painting business. The seat to which Jackson was elected currently is held by Dr. James R. West, a 10-year veteran on the commission. West didn't seek re-election to his $300-a-month city post because he ran in the Nov.

5 balloting for the state senate. Lawton M. Chiles Jr. defeated him. The post is one of three on the commission representing the city at large.

The seat won by Ruthven is the District southeastern Lakeland post currently held by Dr. James M. Clayton, like West, a physician. Clayton didn't run again becasse of his long illness. if.

Co-Editors of Textbook Dr. T. Darwin Milligan, left, and Dr. J. T.

Kel-ley of the Florida Southern College education department are co-editors of a new college textbook on "Teaching in Public Schools" published by Selected Academic Readings, New York. The 435-page book includes a chapter on school desegregation written by Milligan, based on a study of Polk school integration. Checking the Books the last fund meeting it was announced the drive was $40,000 beneath its $345,000 goal and the drive was extended until Dec. 13. Jack Buchanan, volunteer auditor, checks the books at the Greater Lakeland United Fund Headquarters as the fund undergoes its annual audit.

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