Saturday, January 5, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN:

1832 At a meeting of the Town Council, the following officers were elected for the year: L.M. Stone, president; Alex Patterson, clerk; and R.R. Fletcher, marshal.

1912 A fire at the Dry Tortugas destroyed the lighthouse keeper's quarters and Marine Barracks. The Barracks comprised a three-story, 200-foot-long brick building.

1923 The Key West Electric Co. reported that 1,708,615 passengers rode the streetcars in 1922. That equaled about 95 rides during the year for every person in the city.

1940 The Overseas Toll Road district reported that 13,452 vehicles of all kinds passed through the tollgates during December 1939.

1949 Harry L. "Bubber" Wickers was buried from St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. He was killed in action in Normandy, France, in 1944. The ball field on Flagler Avenue was named in his honor.

1951 The cornerstone was laid for the new Scottish Rite Temple, at the corner of Eaton and Simonton streets.

1951 Popular radio entertainer Arthur Godfrey of CBS Radio broadcast his daily show from Pigeon Key.

1969 After holding at 5 cents per copy for more than 50 years, The Key West Citizen raised it rates to 10 cents daily and 15 cents on Sunday.