An announcement was made yesterday by H.D. Yerxa that oil drilling operations on the Nevers-Yerxa property, Sunset Point, had been discontinued for the present.
The work had been in progress for a year and a half, and two wells had been drilled. Yerxa stated that the depth contracted for with the drillers has been reached, and the showings warrant further prospecting. But in order to go to the depth considered necessary, it is essential that heavier equipment be set up and the project refinanced.
"I am confident that oil and gas in commercial quantities will be found when the proper depth is reached," Yerxa said. "And I expect to put forth every effort to bring about this realization and make Clearwater the first oil city of Florida."
One thousand feet was the depth reached on Wednesday in the second well. The first well was sealed up several months ago when the drill was lost and further progress rendered impossible.
Evidences of oil were found in both of the test holes, but it did not appear in paying quantities.
Nov. 14, 1923
Judge forgets to officiate at wedding
CLEARWATER — The charge was made in Judge Bird's court today that His Honor had been guilty of breach of promise.
Breach of promise, it is understood, is failure to perform one's word, or specifically, failure to keep a promise to marry.
The judge admitted his guilt. The case against Bird was made out in this way: It is alleged that he promised to marry Elizabeth McRoberts to Samuel A. Hayes in his office at 6 o'clock Monday night. Instead of doing this, Bird rode off to St. Petersburg or parts unknown.
He testified that he forgot all about the promise to marry.
Mrs. William Cleghorn, deputy county judge, saved the day, however, merely by accident. She returned to the judge's office to procure a copy of the newspaper that had been delivered after she closed the temple of county justice.
There, she found the disconsolate pair waiting on the steps for the judge who never came. Cleghorn tied the knot which bound the two for better or for worse, and they motored back to St. Petersburg from whence they came.
Nov. 22, 1930
Perry no threat to sponge business
CLEARWATER — There is no danger of Tarpon Springs losing its title of "the world's greatest sponge market," according to E.H. Beckett, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.
Asked about reports that the little town of Perry, some distance from the coast up in Taylor County, was trying to capture the sponge business now controlled by Tarpon Springs, Beckett said: "That's an old story and does not bother the people of the Sponge City a little bit. Cedar Key has been trying to get our sponge market away from us for the past 10 years, and much money has been spent in the effort, but it has amounted to nothing.
"Now comes Perry, which is 14 miles from the mouth of Blue Creek, making another attempt to become a sponge market. The idea is ridiculous. Tarpon Springs has been the world's largest sponge market for 25 years, and it will continue to be just that, I'm convinced. We have spent a great deal of money to build up our sponge exchange, and nobody can take the business away from us now," the chairman said.
Nov. 13, 1923
Model dairy barn being raised
CLEARWATER — Contractor John Phillipoff is helping show what Florida can do in the way of dairies.
He started Saturday last to construct a model dairy barn for R.L. Baker on Drew Street.
This modern barn's floors, which are of concrete, were being poured today, and the foundation for the entire structure probably will be completed tomorrow. The superstructure will be of wood. In addition to the barn, there will be a concrete milk house.
According to Phillipoff, the cows will be separated at milking time by patented spring balance partitions.
The contractor thinks he is building the finest barn in Pinellas County.
>>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.
News
