News of Wauchula, Hardee County

Wauchula News Of September 1889

Edited by Spessard Stone from the Florida Times-Union of September 20, 1889



Wauchula, Fla., September 19--

This village is a regular station on the Florida Southern railroad in DeSoto county, at a point fifty-one miles north of Punta Gorda and twenty-five miles south of Bartow.

It has five general merchandise stores, one drug store, a postoffice, and one excellent shoemaker with shop in operation. It has a most admirably managed hotel, a first class physician, a depot under the control of an agent, who keeps the freight, passeng- er and telegraphic departments in excellent order.

The Missionary Baptists and Methodists have organized churches. The Sunday-school has about one hundred regular scholars enrolled and meets every Sunday.

The public school numbers 120 scholars, under Rev. T. J. Sparkman, principal, and Miss Mary A. Payne, assistant, each of whom is highly esteemed here.

There is also a prosperous Masonic lodge.

Rich lands are in great abundance on the east and west of town, interspersed with orange groves so numerous and well developed as to contribute to constitute the chief basis of wealth, present and prospective.

Wauchula furnishes a vast amount of railway timbers, such as cross-ties and pilings.

The only water-power grist mill in south Florida is located nearby, and is a success.

There is one large saw mill which has been doing business here several years, and another near at hand.

The Scott phosphate works, now in successful operation, give employment to many hands, distribute thousands of dollars, and will long continue so to do.

Nathan Cochran, merchant, recently displayed a bunch of sugar-cane from one planted stalk, having thirty-six stalks averaging seven feet each in height and matured.


This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of September 12, 1991.

May 24, 2001 & links = October 16, 2001

Wauchula News Of October 1896

Edited by Spessard Stone from The Florida Times-Union of October 18, 1896




Wauchula is a distributing point for a fine fruit and farm section, on the Plant System railway, twenty-six miles north of Arcadia and 225 miles south of Jacksonville. It is centrally located in a very fertile section of country, having for its environment Peace river, Paine's [Payne's] creek and Troublesome creek.

Along these streams are found a very fine quality of hammock lands, which merge into high pine, all of which is exceedingly productive. In the vicinity are many very fine groves. The people are in a prosperous condition, and no single drawback has occurred to stay the progress of the community.

The most productive lands extend from what is known as the Popash belt, six miles east through Wauchula and up Troublesome and Paine's creeks to their very source. It is the same belt that reaches Bowling Green and on into Polk county.

The village has a population of about 200. There are five stores and a good hotel, the Bel-Air, kept by A. C. Clavel, and a boarding house. There is a Methodist, a Baptist and a Primitive Baptist church. One public school with seventy pupils, Rev. M. S. Stevens is principal, assisted by Miss Alice Hearn.

There is a blacksmith, harness and shoe shop and wood working establishment; also a tannery, where the palmetto root furnishes the tannic acid with most satisfactory results. Near here, too, is the only rice mill in the county.

There is a daily mail, G. W. Bostwick, postmaster; railway express and telegraph office, A. G. Smith, agent; a sawmill and gristmill.

Five miles west of Wauchula is the Oak Grove settlement. Here there is a flourishing school of seventy-three pupils, G. W. Harn, principal, G. H. Driggers, assistant. There are some excellent groves in this vicinity, amongst others that of Albert Carlton , one of the finest in the county. This country is all tributary to Wauchula, and really a part of it for all practical purposes.

Mr. T. J. Sparkman of Arcadia formerly lived here, and still owns some very choice property, portions of which are for sale. He will be glad to furnish further information regarding this locality, as will also the following: J. D. Southerland, A. C. Clavel, A. G. Smith, G. W. Bostwick, or W. J. Altman, county commissioner, Wauchula.


This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of October 3, 1991.

May 24, 2001 & link = October 16, 2001

Wauchula Of January 1908


Edited by Spessard Stone from the Tampa Daily Tribune of January 2, 1908


Wauchula, Fla.--Few towns in Florida have improved and grown from a small village of wooden buildings to a hustling little city of brick and concrete such as Wauchula in the past eighteen months.

A new bank, one of the finest hotel buildings in the state, a new church and blocks of stores, built of concrete blocks and brick are the business additions, while many fine new houses are seen in all directions, the result of but one and one-half years' time is a record made by few towns in this country.

Work on a city water works plant is just started and Wauchula will soon have pure artesian water to add to its already healthy condition.

The foundation of this wonderful growth lies in the fact that this is one of the largest fruit and vegetable producing sections in Florida and while this past year's vegetable crop was
very short on account of the extremely dry season, yet the orange crop will reach nearly if not quite 75 per cent of last year's shipment.

Another industry here which brings thousands of dollars to Wauchula's wealth is the Wauchula Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of high grade fruit and vegetable carriers, one of the largest and most complete factories of its kind in this state.

This company, under the sole management of J. L. Close, is doing a larger business than ever before by making a special heavy crate for the Cubans and other long distance shipping trade.

An ice plant has also been added to this factory, enabling the growers of perishable fruits and vegetables to look after the proper icing of cars before starting on their way to market.

Among the growers and interested people here are the following:

E. F. Bostick is one of the large orange growers here, having 20 acres of grove under irrigation. He will also have beans, tomatoes and thirty acres of watermelons for spring shipment.

G. W. Bostick has a fine little orange grove and grows vegetables in season. He is now shipping fancy wax beans.

J. T. Burnett is one of the successful growers of fancy cukes, tomatoes and peppers.

G. W. Harp, who has a fine irrigated orange grove at Ona, Fla., is one of the leading growers and shippers of vegetables in this vicinity.

G. M. Hardee is now shipping beans and tomatoes and will have cabbage, beans and tomatoes for the early spring market. Mr. Hardee is also a heavy buyer and shipper of oranges and grapefruit.

Mrs. E. M. Hinson has a fine irrigated vegetable farm and will grow beans, tomatoes and other vegetables in season.

W. H. Kayton is a real estate dealer in orange and vegetable lands.

W. B. Lanier, mail carrier to Zolfo, Fla., has an orange grove and grows a general crop of vegetables in season.

W. S. Shelton has twenty acres under irrigation and is one of the large growers in this section. He will have eight acres in cukes and four acres in squash, beans and other vegetables, and 100 acres of watermelons.

A. E. Spivey is a large grower of beans, cukes, tomatoes and other vegetables for the early spring market.

J. A. Stenstrom has five acres of fine vegetable land under irrigation and will grow cukes as a principal crop, also beans and tomatoes for the early spring market.

R. W. Underhill will have beans, tomatoes and other vegetables for the spring market.


This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of January 18, 2001.

Wauchula News Of November 1908

Edited by Spessard Stone from the Tampa Weekly Tribune of December 3, 1908.



Wauchula, Nov. 26--An enthusiastic meeting of citizens was held at the Peace River hotel Tuesday night and a Board of Trade was organized with the following officers: Prof. P. G. Shaver, president; George M. Goolsby, first vice president; W. H. Kayton, second vice president; A. G. Smith, treasurer; and D. O. Rodgers, secretary.

Work on Carlton & Carlton's new bank building is progressing rapidly. The building occupies a prominent corner of Main Street next to the railroad and will be 75x125 feet and two stories high. It is built of concrete and will doubtless be the handsomest and best finished building in the county.

Wauchula's $15,000 school bonds have been sold and within the next few weeks work will commence on the new school building.

Wauchula now has an enrollment of 400 pupils in its school and one of the best faculties in the state, and with a new building it will be a senior high school that is second to none.

E. F. Bostick, ex-county commissioner and one of the largest orange growers in the county, is having a commodious residence built in Wauchula and will move from his grove to town within the next few weeks.

About 50,000 boxes of oranges have been shipped from this station this season.

Wauchula News Of July 4, 1910

Edited by Spessard Stone from the Courier-Informant, Bartow, Fla., July 7, 1910


The Fourth In Wauchula


The enterprising and prosperous little city of Wauchula celebrated last Monday in a manner to make it in reality, as well as in name, a “Glorious Fourth.”

The streets were overrun from an early hour in the forenoon until night by a crowd of visitors and citizens which could not have numbered less than two thousand. Not an unpleasant incident occurred, so far as we were able to learn and the day was a perfect success in its every feature.

At ten o’clock a. m., the large crowd assembled at the speakers’ stand that had been erected for the occasion, and after some fine music by the Wauchula Cornet Band, Mayor A. Yancey Teachy welcomed the large audience in brief, but eloquent and appropriate terms.

He then introduced Gen. E. M. Law of Bartow, who occupied about forty-five minutes in a historical and political sketch of events from the 4th of July 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was made, until the present time.

Gen. Law was followed by Mr. Doyle E. Carlton, a recent graduate of Stetson University, in a most excellent address of twenty-five minutes on “The Moral and Legislative Phases of Prohibition.”

A five-minute speech on prohibition by Frank Wideman, also a graduate of Stetson University, came next in order, and this was followed by a brief, but interesting talk by Rev. Sankey F. Stephens, representing Southern College, of which he still is a student.

The speeches were interspersed with music by the band and songs by the Stetson Quartet, some of the latter being exceedingly humorous and catchy.

In all, the exercises at the stand consumed less than two hours and no one was too tired to do justice to the splendid barbecue dinner which followed.

The afternoon was spent in sports of various kinds which were greatly enjoyed by the young people and by their elders too, for that matter.

Among the pleasant incidents of the day the writer recalls his meeting with editor Geo. W. Goolsby of the Florida Advocate, who doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet when the interests of the bustling little city of Wauchula is concerned; Editor M. B. Hare of the Arcadia News and who is also County Supt. of Public Instruction and we may say, incidentally, one of the best editors and best superintendents in the state; Royal B. Child of the Arcadia Champion, a first-class newspaper man, genial, pleasant and hearty, who judging from his fine physique, might become a champion in another line should he choose to do so.

The Fourth in Wauchula was indeed a glorious one on this one hundred and thirty-fourth anniversary.


January 27, 2001 & October 16, 2001 & May 4, 2002 midi = "American Patrol."

Wauchula News of March 1914

Edited by Spessard Stone from The Tampa Daily Times of Monday, March 2 and 9, 1914



Audubon Agent Lecture

Wauchula, Fla., March 2---Dr. Eugene Swope of Cincinnati, Ohio, publisher of the Bluebird, the Ohio Audubon monthly, and field agent of the Florida Audubon Society, gave a most interesting lecture at the Baptist church Wednesday night. He visited the schools during the day and succeeded in arousing keen interest among the children.

Vandolah Settlers

The Wauchula Development Company reports a long list of purchasers during the past week. Between twenty-five and thirty have been located to the west of Wauchula in the vicinity of the company's new town of Vandolah. The purchasers came from all sections of the United States and the tracts vary from ten acres up.

City Meeting

A special joint meeting of city council and bond trustees will be held Friday night to consider the matter of contracting for water works, sewer and paved streets.

Robert L. West of the McCreary Company of Atlanta will be present, and it is hoped that arrangements can be made for work to commence immediately.

Lyceum

The DeKoven Male Quartet presented the third number of the Lyceum course at the Seminole last Monday night.

Famous Travelers

Three great men, going south, passed through Wauchula Monday morning. They were Thomas A. Edison, the great inventor, John Burroughs, the famous naturalist, and Henry Ford, the great automobile manufacturer. They were in a private car and on their way to Edison's winter home at Fort Myers.

Wauchula, Fla., March 9---Watch Wauchula Win!

Vandolah Depot

The new depot has been completed at Vandolah, a town recently put on the map by the Wauchula Development Company, lying seven miles to the west of Wauchula, on the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad.

Banks' Growth

Recent statements of the two banks in Wauchula of February 25 [show] the Bank of Wauchula [with an] increase during one year's time of $82,045.15, while Carlton & Carlton, bankers, showed an increase during the same year of $72,310.89.

Waterworks and Sewerage

Work will be started almost immediately on the construction of a new waterworks and sewer system that is to be installed in Wauchula, bonds for which to the amount of $50,000 were recently passed by an almost unanimous vote.

Church News

The ladies of the Missionary society of the Methodist church have assumed the debt on the parsonage and are rejoicing that it is nearly paid off.

The Methodist church of Wauchula have decided upon plans for a $10,000 brick building. They are now waiting for bids from contractors, work to begin immediately that contracts are let.

The members of the Presbyterian church of Wauchula have organized a Sunday school and hold services each Sunday at the Seminole theater.

Dr. H. A. Tucker preached last Sunday and will preach again March 8 at 11 a. m. and 7 p. m.

Business and Farm Notes

E. C. Stenstrom has just completed a fine new garage located just opposite the Advocate office.

Miss Maud Harris of Lakeland has resumed her position as saleslady at Ratliff Dry Goods Company, after an absence of two months.

W. W. Carter expects to begin shipping beans next week. Other truckers report that they will not be many days behind him.

Watch Wauchula Win!


This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of March 16, 2000.


May 13, 2001 & link = October 18, 2001

Wauchula Of January 1915

Edited by Spessard Stone from the Tampa Morning Tribune of January 7 and 8, 1915


        New High School

Wauchula, Jan. 6--Monday the contractors turned the new school building over to the County Board, which was accepted.

Prearrangements having been made for a short dedicatory service, a large crowd of the patrons assembled on the grounds at 9 o'clock and were escorted through the building after which they assembled on the east front of the old building where Prof. Shaver introduced the architect of the building, Long, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Wright and member of County Board Mr. Hogan, who made short talks.

The contractors Marshall & Sanders of Lakeland were congratulated by the patrons for the manner in which they completed the job.

        New Year's Resolutions

It will be remembered on New Year's Day of 1914 hundreds of citizens of Wauchula wore badges bearing their New Year's resolutions, which was for a new school house, new depot, water works, sewers, paved streets.

All these have been acquired except the paved streets and money is on hand for that purpose.

Added to this there were voted $210,000 for brick roads for the district. This money will give about 100 miles of unpaved roads.

During the year, 180 new houses were built, ranging in cost from $500 to $5,000, two new brick and stone churches, costing $6,000 and $10,000, one three-story business block, all of brick and stone, costing from $6,000 to $16,000. In addition to this no less than fifty farms and many groves have been started within a radius of five miles of Wauchula and many of them have built costly houses.

        Agriculture

The packing houses are slow to get started after the holidays and truck growers are getting a little nervous over the continued rainfall.

       Wauchula High School

Wauchula, Jan. 7---The Wauchula High School resumed work Monday morning after a fortnight for Christmas vacation. There were a number of new pupils and two new teachers. The faculty now consists of twenty-one able teachers.

A crowd of patrons attended the opening as it was an auspicious day in the history of the school.

Architect Long turned over to the trustees the keys of the handsome new $15,000 school building.

        Methodist Pastors

Rev. C. W. White, the new Methodist minister, with his wife and daughter, arrived in Wauchula Thursday afternoon, coming in an auto from Dade City, their former home.

Rev. J. L. Griffitts, late pastor of the Methodist church here, with his interesting family, left Wednesday for Cedar Keys, his new field of work.


This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of January 18, 2001.
        

Wauchula News of January 1917


Edited by Spessard Stone from The Tampa Morning Tribune of January 5, 7, 14, 15, and 26, and February 1, 1917


New Methodist Church Assured For Wauchula

Wauchula, Jan. 4--(Special)-Information is given out that the new Methodist church in Wauchula is to be completed in the near future. This will be very gratifying to the Methodist people and their friends of the city.

The church here was begun under the pastorate of Rev. J. L. Griffits, and when it is completed will be one of the best plants in this section of the State.

The building committee met with the new pastor, Rev. D. B. Sweat, Tuesday afternoon, and matters concerning the new building were discussed. The building committee is composed of H. M. Alexander, chairman; D. O. Ratliff, J. W. Earnest, L. C. Smith and J. E. Townsend.

Mr. Townsend, having moved away, A. H. Short was added to the committee. J. W. Earnest was elected treasurer of the committee, and Rev. Sweat will act as secretary.

Plans and specifications were accepted for the completion of the church, and the committee expects to have the work well under way in a short time. The order was placed for the metal ceiling.


Chautauqua

Jan. 6 - Arrangements have been completed for a chautauqua to be held in Wauchula in February. About thirty leading citizens have signed a contract with C. Rucker Adams, the well-known Chatauqua manager, guaranteeing the entertainment.

The same talent to be used at Lakeland, St. Petersburg, Arcadia and other places will be on the program for this city. William Jennings Bryan will be one of the attractions here.


School News

Professor P. G. Shaver, for a number of years principal of the Wauchula High School, having been elected superintendent of public instruction for De Soto County, has moved with his family to Arcadia, where they will in future reside. Professor D. B. Shaver succeeds him as principal of the local school.


Farming

Jan. 13-Indications now are that Wauchula section will produce the largest crop of field produced in its history. From twelve to fifteen hundred acres is the estimate for melons alone.

Strawberries are going forward now and are bringing good prices. The berries are of good quality and are being shipped in Raney refrigerators. There is a larger crop than usual this season.


Post Office Remodeling

The postoffice is now being remodeled under a new ten-year lease. The cabinet work has been re-arranged, making a total of 504 lock boxes to accommodate its patrons. The entire front glass of the postoffice rooms will be removed and the room left open and cabinet partitions and iron grill work will enclose the office room.

The total business of the office for the year ending December 31, 1916 aggregate a little better than $76,000.


Baptist Convention

Jan. 14--Wauchula was represented at the Baptist State convention, held at Orlando, by Rev. and Mrs. R. P. McPherson. Mr. McPherson's members contributed to a fund to send their pastor to the convention.



Carlton-Whitehurst Wedding

Miss Lemmie Mildred Carlton and W. W. Whitehurst were married Sunday evening at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Carlton, west of town, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. R. P. McPherson of the Baptist Church. The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carlton and a favorite in Wauchula, and the groom is a rising young lawyer of the city.


Woodmen Circle Officers

The following officers of the Woodmen Circle have been installed for the year: Past guardian, Mrs. Donnie A. Hendry; guardian, Mrs. Shelton; advisor, Mrs. L. A. Bryant; clerk, G. W. Harp; banker, J. A. Sheffield; attendant, Mrs. L. A. Bowman; inner sentinel, B. A. Peters; outer sentinel, Mrs. Alice Wilson; managers, G. W. Harp, Miss Nellie Lamp, and L. A. Bryant; physicians, Doctors Wright and Garner.

Presbyterian Church News

Jan. 25--Dr. Robinson, of Alabama, is conducting a series of meetings in the Presbyterian Church this week, assisting the pastor, Rev. Dr. Tucker. His illustrated Bible talks at the beginning of the evening services are very enjoyable. Congregrations are good, and the preacher is winning Wauchula people.

The ladies of the Presbyterian Church joined with the ladies of the Fort Meade church in a picnic at the latter place on Tuesday. A number of ladies went up in cars and enjoyed a pleasant day."


Methodist Church News

Jan. 31--At a church conference held yesterday morning at the Methodist Church, I. C. Smith was elected church secretary for the year, and committees required by the discipline were elected.

S. L. Mann is chairman of the missionary committee, J. N. Strickland, chairman of the evangelistic committee, and H. W. Carey, chairman of the social service committee. Mrs. D. B. Sweat is chairman of a large committee to meet the welcome visitors to the church.

The church has been wired for lights and the carpenters are at work today, preparing the way for the plasterers.

Wauchula News Of November & December 1921

Edited by Spessard Stone from The Tampa Morning Tribune of Nov. 20, 27, Dec. 4, 11, 24, 1921 and Jan. 1, 1922



Social News

Wauchula, Nov. 19 - Tuesday afternoon the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Carlton, on East Bay Street, was the scene of a pretty party, when Mrs. C. J. Carlton, Mrs. C. S. Carlton, Mrs. W. A. Southerland and Mrs. B. A. Prescott entertained about thirty-five guests in compliment to Miss Artie Crews, whose marriage to Mr. W. E. Pierce occurred yesterday.

Music was a pleasant feature of the afternoon, the most important feature, however, arriving when little Miss Frieda Carlton, drawing a large press wagon which had been gaily decorated with pink and white crepe paper and which was laden with many lovely gifts, entered the room and presented the gifts to the honoree.

After the gifts had been opened and admired, refreshments of chocolate and wafers were served by Misses Nellie and Mildred Smith, Ray Swann and Cherry Crews, and, upon leaving each guest registered good wishes to the bride in a book prepared for the occasion.

Thursday night Mrs. A. Yancy Teachy entertained the Rounders Club at her home on West Orange Street.

The Civic League met Wednesday afternoon at the home of Mrs. L. W. Bostick on West Palmetto Street.

The Tuesday Musical Club met at the home of Mrs. John McEwen on Nov. 15.

L. L. Roberts, postmaster of Limestone was a visitor on Wednesday.

Mrs. W. W. Whitehurst and little daughter, Eloise, left Wednesday morning for Gainesville to visit her brother, Hoyt Carlton.

Nov. 26 - Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Baggett and children of Newman, Ga. arrived here last Saturday and are stopping at the Arlington. Mr. Baggett contemplates going into business here.

Mrs. John W. Burton of St. Petersburg was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Grady Burton on Wednesday.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Carlton and son, Leffie Carlton, went to Tampa Tuesday morning to attend the Carlton-Brown wedding, which occurred Wednesday night.

Thanksgiving yesterday was much like Sunday in Wauchula. The stores were closed and most people were hunting or visiting. There was a union Thanksgiving service at the Christian church Sunday morning, Rev. W. T. Dart of the Baptist church officiating.

An eleven-pound boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Murdock last Thursday.

Mrs. W. B. Beeson left Wednesday morning for DeLand to spend Thanksgiving with her friend, Mrs. I. C. Smith.

Dec. 4-H. M. Herr, of Lancaster, Pa., arrived here last week to spend the winter with his son, R. H. Herr, the well-known jeweler.

Bond Issue

Dec. 10-The city council has voted to call an election for voting of an $80,000 bond issue, $70,000 to be used for streets and $10,000 for waterworks extension and park improvements.

The proposed streets to be paved are Bay Street from the brick road near the river to Dixie Highway, Orange Street from Dixie Highway to Fourth Avenue, Palmetto Street from Third Avenue to Ninth Avenue, Oak Street from Fourth Avenue to the intersection of Louisiana Avenue and Dixie Highway. Ninth, Eighth, Seventh, Sixth and Fourth avenues are to be paved from Oak to Bay Street, except Seventh Avenue, which will extend to Summit Street. Third Avenue is to be paved from Palmetto and Main streets.

Shriners

A meeting of a number of Wauchula Shriners was held in the office of the Wauchula Development Company Monday evening and a Shrine club was organized by electing Douglas Bailey president and S. W. Kay secretary and treasurer.

The charter members were: R. O. Evans, H. H. Petteway, H. B. Rainey, F. H. Simmons, W. H. Smith, C. L. Richardson, jr., I. Silverman, Douglas Bailey and S. W. Kay.

Methodist Minister

Rev. James M. Mitchell left Tuesday morning for the annual Methodist Conference at Orlando. There are few preachers in the conference who will be able to make a better report than Rev. Mitchell. Every claim of the church has been paid in full, nearly a hundred new members have been added to the church during the past year, and Rev. Mitchell has served the church eight years and his official board has unanimously asked for his return.

Wauchula Growers Are Prospering

Dec. 24-Beans five dollars a hamper and strawberries one dollar a quart! Such is the record of the market in Wauchula the past week-not city quotes, but the real coin of the real which the growers receive at the shipping platform.

Wauchula has been shipping about a solid carload of mixed vegetables daily the past week and will do better than that next week, should the weather continue favorable.

Messrs. Walker & McEwen, W. E. McEwen and W. S. Shelton are among the early strawberry shippers and have contracted their berries to C. A. Gordon at one dollar per quart up until Christmas. Up to and yesterday they had shipped ten refrigerators.

Messrs. Poucher & Murphy have gathered about three hundred and seventy-five crates of beans from their fifteen acres east of town and today or tomorrow expect to commence to gather eggplants from a field just coming in. Up to yesterday their beans sold for $5 a hamper at the shipping station. With favorable weather they will be shipping in solid carloads next week.

A few hampers of potatoes have gone out for $3 per hamper, and cabbage is beginning to move in a small way and sold for $1 per crate. Eggplants are bringing $1.75.

The orange packing houses are closing down until after the holidays. The exchange house has about three more cars to pack and the Alexander & Baird Co. was packing a carload of tangerines yesterday.

The packers of Wauchula are to be congratulated upon getting as great a per cent of their fruit on a good market this season.

Eastern Star

The installation of officers for the ensuing year occurred at the regular meeting of the Order of Eastern Star Monday night, and the Star will be under the guidance of the following officers: Mrs. C. L. Richardson, jr., W. M.; Mrs. R. B. Downing, W. P.; Miss Mamie Peters, A. M.; Mrs. A. S. Johnson, conductress; Mrs. T. F. Williams, assistant conductress; Miss Jessie Hadsell, secretary; Mrs. George M. Goolsby, treasurer; Miss Ruth Downing, Adah; Mrs. D. H. Folsom, Ruth; Mrs. Leslie Hord, Esther; Miss Josephine Spivey, Martha; Mrs. W. E. Folsom, Electa; Mrs. Elizabeth Meyer, chaplain; Mrs. J. W. Earnest, marshal; Mrs. W. A. Southerland, warder; A. S. Johnson, sentinel; Mrs. W. D. McInnis, organist.

County Site Election

Dec. 31-A county site election was held in Hardee County yesterday, Wauchula and Zolfo being the contestants. It proved an overwhelming victory for Wauchula, which received 1,030 votes and Zolfo 69.

The election was called by the commissioners after being presented with a petition by the friends of Zolfo, and after being called some of the same people attempted to enjoin the commissioners from holding it, but Judge Whitehurst refused to issue an injunction.

Social Notes

Solon Southerland, in the advertising department of The Tampa Tribune, returned to Tampa Tuesday morning after spending Christmas with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Southerland.

Dr. and Mrs. Leland Carlton of Tampa spent Christmas with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Carlton.

Col. Doyle E. Carlton returned to his home in Tampa after a few days visit to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Carlton.



This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of December 6, 2001.

Wauchula, Florida News Of 1927

Edited by Spessard Stone



News Of September 1927

Edited by Spessard Stone from The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Fla.) of Sunday, September 11, 1927




School Grows At Wauchula

More Than 1,000 Are Expected to Enroll Monday

Wauchula, Sept. 10--The opening of Wauchula grammar schools has been set or Monday morning, September 12 and more than 1,000 children are expected to enroll the first day, school authorities have announced.

Last year the enrollment was close to 1,000 and it is expected to be considerably greater this year. It is anticipated that approximately 1,100 children will attend the grammar schools here this year, Superintendent Sam W. McInnis stated.

With more than 350 enrolled in the high school, with the probability that it will reach 400 before Christmas, school enrollment here is expected to be 1,500 before the year is ended, school authorities declare.

Teachers in the grammar school, have been selected and are as follows: Miss Ella Beeson, primary supervisor; Miss Ruth Southerland, assistant principal and English; Miss Annie Whidden and Miss Alice Sanborn, beginners; Miss Alma Gillis, first grade; Mrs. Rachel Mixson, Ruth Chance, Miss Lila Sinclair, second grade; Mrs. Sarah Weatherford, Mrs. Gladys Hill, Frances Sellers, third grade; Miss Dorothy Sauls, Miss Zelma Farr, Miss Myrtle Sellers, fourth grade; Miss Gladys Sellers, Miss Mary Watkins, Miss Johnnie Phillips, fifth grade; Miss Ara Carlton, Mrs. A. J. Shealy, Miss Obelia Tichener, sixth grade; Miss Jessie Cathcart, Mrs. Sam W. McInnis, Mrs. C. A. Rose and Mrs. Gladys Hoeft, seventh and eight grades.

Good Prospects For Wauchula High School

With the record enrollment of 301 on opening week, the Wauchula High School started the 1927-28 session with bright prospects for a banner year.

The school opened last Monday and enrollment is increasing almost daily, and is certain to reach the 400 mark before the end of the present year, school authorities believe.

Every classroom in the fine new $100,000 high school building is filled to capacity and, in spite of the fact that the building was opened only last spring, authorities are already considering ways of relieving the crowded situation.

Alligator Kills Fine Hunting Dog

A hunting dog is supposed to kill 'possums, raccoons, and all kinds of varmints, but when the dog gets killed by a gator, that's a different story.

Such a thing recently happened here when Bill Brown took his fine hunting dog out one day. The dog went to the river and wading in began to drink. In a few minutes the dog howled and disappeared beneath the water. A few minutes later a Mr. Outley [?] killed a monster alligator, which measured twelve feet four inches long. The dog soon came to the surface, dead. The dog was found near where the gator was killed and Mr. Brown is certain that is how it met death.

This is said to be one of the largest alligators seen here in several years. It was killed in Peace River, a few miles south of Wauchula. Local sportsmen are now looking for dog insurance agents.





News Of November 1927


Edited by Spessard Stone from the Tampa Times of November 1, 5, 12, & 15, 1927



Heroism Presentations

Wauchula, Nov. 1--Three Wauchula boy scouts were given citations for heroism sent from boy scout headquarters, at a public meeting in the city hall.

They are: T. K. McClane, jr., Houston McLane and W. L. Warren, jr. They rescued two young girls at Zolfo Springs last summer.

The presentation speech was made by Maj. Paul Crank, pastor of the First Christian church.

Mayor Burton, School Superintendent Sam W. McInnis, Fire Chief C. Albert Ross, R. O. Evans, Rev. J. F. Savell, pastor of the First Baptist church, and others, were also speakers.

At the same meeting a silver medal was presented to Miss Grace Perin, Wauchula high school student, for the rescue of a child at Zolfo Springs last summer during a Sunday school picnic.

Home Folks Back Carlton

Wauchula, Nov. 5--Nearly 1,000 residents of Hardee county, boyhood home of Doyle E. Carlton, last night pledged him their undivided support in his forthcoming campaign for governor.

The response followed the first address by Mr. Carlton in this section since announcing his candidacy for governor.

Last night's rally, which was held in the city hall auditorium at the invitation of the Hardee County Carlton for governor club, attracted the most representative audience ever assembled in this section in behalf of a gubernatorial candidate, according to S. D. Williams, former member of the legislature, who introduced Mr. Carlton to the home folks.

The speaker did not mince words in pledging himself to a sane, constructive and economical government for all of Florida.

"Florida has gone through a period of advertising, salesmanship and speculation," Mr. Carlton declared, "and now is the time for production."

In this connection he said that the three great problems confronting the grower are production, marketing and transportation and pledged himself to use his every resource toward removing them.

Tributes were paid Mr. Carlton by J. H. Brown, his former schoolmaster and president of the club here sponsoring his candidacy, and also by Sam Durrance.

Armistice Day Celebration

Wauchula, Nov. 12--Hardee county citizens celebrated Armistice day here when a crowd estimated at more than 5,000 assembled for the program arranged by the Herger Williams post of the American Legion.

A parade opened the celebration. More than 1,000 were in the line of march.

More than 500 klansmen and klanswomen marched in full regalia behind the Wauchula municipal band. Members from nearby klans were here, including a large delegation from Lakeland.

Congressman Herbert J. Drane made the principal address in the city auditorium.

Two football games were played, the Wauchula juniors defeating the Arcadia juniors 6 to 0 and Wauchula high defeating Winter Haven 34 to 0.

Last night the junior class of Wauchula high gave a play and the Woman's club was the scene of a dance.

The legion post held the impressive retreat ceremony at sundown on the grounds of the Hardee county courthouse.

New City Officers

Wauchula, Nov. 15--L. M. Carlton, merchant and farmer, councilman in ward 1, was elected president of council, succeeding W. D. McInnis, who was president for many years. L. W. Bostick, councilman in ward 2, was elected president pro tem.

The following officers were inducted into office: W. G. Hays, clerk and tax assessor; Harry A. Yetter, marshal and tax collector; S. N. Thomas, treasurer; L. W. Bostick, councilman. The other officers were inducted at a former meeting.

Vegetables Shipped

Wauchula, Nov. 15--Express shipment of vegetables from Wauchula during the past week totaled 1,988 crates, Agent Al G. Smith announced.

Prices paid at the cash platform are very good and both growers and buyers are satisfied with returns.


An edited adaption of this article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of October 25, 2001.

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