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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-02-22 Kelsey City History by Charles Branch_1- by Chas. A. Branch. L became acquainted with the Lake Park area Sunday, Oct. 31st, 1926. Mr. Chas. Burr, Auditor for Mr. Barry Kelsey and his Company, the Fast Coast Finance me Corporation, had Phoned the previous day inMelbourne, Fla. He requested that I confer � 1� with Mr. Kelsey in his West Palm Beach Office Monday, Nov. lst 1926. WE Mr. Burr anri Family met me at the FEC RW flag stop in Kelsey Cit zo y, (now Lake Park) SundayPM. We enjoyed dinner G R � y e a t the Blue Goose estaurant and I was introduced take to Pierre Mueller, its Manager. '4e previously had been an employee of the New York entral RW. When the F7C RW Conductor had picked upmyticket, advised me to eat at the Blue Goose Restaurant. It was well known from Boston to Miami and was favored by many winter tourists and Palm Beach residents. That evening, Mr. Burr told me that Mr. Morrison, the AFC Field Manager, had r- g � resigned to denatb all his time to being a building contractor. Mr. Burr had informed Mr. 'elsey that I had just completed the development of Melbourne P eights for Mr. scar Elliott, Owner. Mr. Elliott Mr. Burr and myself hhd Y in 1917 worked on a General Motors Housing project in Flint, Michigan and Mr. Elliott had brought me to Florida in August 1925, to develope his Real Estate fro' ect. The General Motors J o s Civic Building Project turned a dairy farm into a modern City, now a part of Flint Michiganrwith an added 125,000 people. When C. S. Mott, Vice resident of GM asked me to be its Project Engineer, ).is only order we's, " How soon can you start to build 10,866 houses"? Monday morning Mr. Burr drove us to the 7CFC Office located at North Dixie Hwy, West PalmBeach, just north of Clematis St. It was on the second floor over .Mr. Fugate's Engineering office. George Brockway was Fugatets office manager at that time. Later he bought out Mr. Fugate and both of them had worked for Mr. Kelsey. Y MBurrMr. K r. introduced me to Kelsey, Miss Betty Houran,,,Sec' y, Mr, N. 0. kart, Income lax advisor, and Mr. Bert Winters, Attorney. Mr.Kelsey Y asked if I would � • oin his firm and become fi old manager of all his properties and activities. He stated what he would pay for my services. Mr. lclsey impressed me the same waythat Mr.William i iam Durant, Founder of General Motors, ha.d at a previous meeting, i.e. a busy promotor who left working details to others while tithy went on to larger ventures. Later, I never had a chance to think otherwise. I accepted Mr. Kelseyts proposition, a share of FCFC Stock was placed in my name and I was listed as a Vice President of the ECFC. I remember no remarks being made by the others present and the meeting ended with Mr. Kelsey instructing Mr. Burr maeto the Kelsey City Gffice and introducing me around. We stopped at the Kelsey City Bank, NW COrner of Park Ave and loth St, where the cashier, Mr. Symonds, prepared documents for me to process ECFC p ss accounts. We then went to the FCFC Field Office on the Dixie Hwy, located nearly opposite of the FJ RW Flag Stop and a little south of Industrial St. I was introduced to Mr. Hopkins, P , to -2-- By Chas. A. Branch. Bookkeeper, who was seated behing a deck wearing an old felt hat. He looked sideways at me and continued on with his work. I found out later that Mr. Hopkins had worked as a wireznan fora noted Boston Brokerage Firm when the Federal Government had investigated its activities. He was a friend of Mr. i'elsey and was given work when he stater' that he wanted to come to Florida. Mr. Napkins trusted no living person. The Office contained two desks, one large table, a big iron safecfillediwith records, etc., a drafting board and wall racks for blue prints, supplies and papers. three chairs were placed so that you could see a dragline in the back and a number g yard, e of one ton trues and a large repair shop which seemed to be busy. Mr. Robert White, ECFC Mechanic, and Mr. Frank Gollattscheck, Repairran, introduced themselves and then went back to work. A hand Gasoline pump was on the street side next to the office. Mr. kelsey had retained Olmstead Bros., a noted Boston Firm as City Planners, , to lay -out Kelsey City. All the part west of the F 'C PW was left unplotted and was designated to become the Industrial Area. Two blocks North and South of Park Avenue from. the FFC RW to Block 19 was planned as a Business District. These platted lots were divided into widths suitable to any sized business use. The balance of the lots ,oast of the FEC RW were divided so that any type of residential property could be erected, subj.eet to the approval of the CFCO Several Blocks had been left without being divided into Lots which were to be used for Churches, 011ie purposes or t'arks. All properties, when sold, were deeded with restrictions, making this Town the first Zoned City in Florida. On Nov. lst, 1926, Block 118 had been deeded to the Town of Kelsey City for a park, Block 70 A had been deeded for a school which was in operation and Block 19, the Civic Center, was deeded to the Town of Lake Park, all with the restrictions that should they be used for any other purpose than those designated, they could revert back to the ECFC or their heirs or assignees. A bond issue had been approved by the Tiolon to build a City Hall on Block 19 and a contract had been signed with the Arnold Construction Company for i t e erection. At this time the Industrial Sites area had began to show signs of the 1925 Florida rand Bust. South of the FORT Field Office was the closed plant of the drnamental Block Plant, the operating 'ailson Ornamental Iron Works and Chris Pagg's Mill and Lumber Co. with its Office and three small tenant buildings. 0n the South side of Industrial St., west of the ECFC 0ffie a was the Kelsey City Jail, an Ice Cream Factory, a couple of closed plants and the Kelsey City Ice Plant, operated by Mt.Johhny Hagen for his Father-in-law. 0n the North side of Industrial St. was Mr. Aelsey' s Floor Tile Co., operated by Mr. Torno, who s eeilized p in making concrete pictures of Florida Landscapes in true colors. Westward, Mr. Ed and Harry Hess had a factory, kilns and racks for building clay roof and building tiles. Also was Mr. Clary' s nelsey City Laundry Co whose clients were Palm each and West Palm Beach residents. -3- By Chas. A. BPanch. Northwest of the 7CFC Office on the Dixie Mwy, was a dinner, operated by Bert Kelsey, Hess Bros. White Brick Co., Kelsey City Tire Factory KelseyCity Tower with Nursery, Two Commissary Buildings, The Kelsey City rater MAW the Water Works and Wells. After passing under the City Welcome Arch, Mr. telden owned a nursery and Robert White, two Griffin families, Fred Nelms and Mr. J. Erman and other families had residences before Dixie Nwy, passed over the Earman Canal on a wooden bridge. The Drake Lumber Company had a four hard sawmill and facilities to turn logs into lumber west of the Water Tower. It was serviced, as were all the other firms listed in the Industrial Section, with a spur traek from the FTC Rw. It took about Fourty Acres to provide 'Quarters' for its employees and the ahite families liviAl on the North side of the Silver Beach Road, the Colored on the South side. Many of the logs came from 'r. Kelsey's Sixty Sections of wild lands west of theTown. TheT ram 4W Road was about eighteen miles long,,was used to haul the legs in from Hungryman Slough. The mill was being used part time as much of Mr. Kelsey's woods had been cut off and Mr. "right, The Railroad Engineer for the Drake Co., would take out to people hunt and fish. The Hess Bros. Plants were not in operation, due to lack orders and proper materials for their products. The elsey City Nursery was operated by Mr. Samuel Blakely and wife who had come to lorida with hr. elsey. Much of the open land in Y p The Industrial Area was planted to shrubs, ornamental trees and pineapples, as well as the Civic denter and Park Blocks. Many of these had been planted in the Streets and resid neka1= homes for beautification purposes. The Commissary Buildings were used for Public Meetings, Churc# and Sunday School. Mr. McLaren, the Arnold �ami ies 1J1r. Blakely and other Town Officials had help form the Kelsey City Y Communit Church to accomodate all Keligious Faiths. Dixie Highway (Now Park Avenue, crossed the FFC RW, running Eastward to First Street, then South towards West Palm Beach. The Kelsey City Business area began with a Western Union Office, A. A. Poston's Grocery, the Blue Goose Restaurant and the Kelsey City Bank on the North side. On Tenth Street, back of these buildings uil ings was the l'e1sey City Bowling Lanes, which I was told, were the only Bowling Lanes in the County. Continuing across 'tenth St, was Bob Olivers Garage and Auto sales KelseyCityFn ineerin � g g office of Mr. Williams, Miss Faulconer's Tea Shop and a large Furniture tore. A hotel oee,upied the second story over the last two buildings. A two block area east of the FFC RW and south of the Bank had been left open � 1 for the Railroad 'station, parking and plantings. Mr.te1seyhad stopped g ppe the FTC RW from building one of its standard Yellow Box type depots by offering to build one and give it to them. His building was a Moorish Type Structure with two waiting roams, a Baggage Room, office, decorated with wall concrete pictures made by Mr. Torno. It was referred to as the most beautiful station on the F1C RW system. Its Corner Stone tone was -4- By Chas. A. Branch ceremoniously laid Nov. 29th, 192$ and the Arnold Construetion Company eopOlet dtthe depot in 1927 with lr`r. Blakely doing the shbery ornamentation. Across the street from the depots Mr. ielsey' s six story k'ioneer Hotel occupied the entire corner. Dr. Byrd ran the ground floor drug store. Southerly on Tenth St. was the Kelsey City Library, an Electrical Store, a Plumbing Shop and hr. Cobb's Barber shop. The Hotel Liffice was on the °econd Floor and stairs led t0 the upper floor reams. 'Papa Arnold' owned a two story building east of the Pioneer Hotel and ran the uroeery Store. It also contained the Kelsey City Postoffiee and Dr. rearson' s, MD. Offiees. Apartments on the Second Story were used by the Owner and others. Mr. Caron' s Gasoline Filling Station was a little further east. A Bond Issue sd teen passed to build a City Nall on, the Civic Center Block 19. The Contract was awarded the Arnold Construction Co. for its erection. When I saw the plans, I suggested to Mr. Blakely, Town Clerk, that the ground floor of the offices be raised for drainage purposes. Mr. Blakely had the change made and later, during the 1928 hurricane, this part was not covered with a foot of water. On the south side of the street were buildings whic4ield the telephone Office, A Savings and Loan Bank organized by Mr. Birchard, Town Mayor, a Meeting Room for the Town Council and the Fire Department. The Second floor was office rooms and Residential. The balance of the plotted Lots were to be used for residential purposes. Most of the houses were of the Misner Spainish Design, except some constructed on the Silver Beach Road and the three wooden houses facing the Kelsey City Park. These were referred to as the 'Blakely House', 'Burr House' ` and 'Kelsey House or Big House'. Mr. Samuel Bickford and Mr. Arnold owned four Family Apartments on Dixie Hwy and 'H' Avenue. The Arnold Construction Co. had contracted with "t. Kelsey to construct 100 houses for prospective clients. Should any of theses remain unsold, the ECFC was to reimburse the Arnolds for their costs plus ten percent. When they moved down from Elberton, Ga., they brought many of their employeed with them. Most of their homes were built on AvenuesE, F, G And N, lst, 2nd and 3rd Streets. Many individuals who purchased lots had their own homes built of similar type and designs. The schoolhouse on Block 70-A was well attended by children from Kindergarten through eight grades. Block 118, Kelsey City Park, was a thing of beauty. When riding Eastward down Dixie Highway (now Park Ave.) one could see a splashing fountain and the blue waters of Lake Worth. The fountain was placed near the Park's center was lighted with upward pointed colored globes. Its bowl contained tropical water liiiesp rocks and tropical fish.Pink and Green sidewalks ran in all directions from this fountain and was used by the Kelsey children and others for rolling skating. On the Northwest Corner, pumphouse furnished fresh water from a deep well to the terraced grass swrfaee, ornamental shrubs and trees and to thelthree houses across First St. A small building near the southeast Corner was used as a Public Meeting Place, Ornamental Block and -5- By. Chas. A. Branch. Rock Gates were placed at street side of all sidewalks. Similar gates had been placed on Dixie Highway and around the three houses on First gt rith ornamental fences. Nr. Blakely, as Town Clerk, personally supervised the maintenance of the park and some of the Nursery Stocks left on the southern side of the Park. tie could justly take pride in what "r. kelsey and the Kelsey City Nurseyy had created. 1 r. nelsey had engaged Mr. C. W. Holstlaw, West -calm each Engineer and Surveyor, t� plat Kelsey City. This covered eight sheets and the Fast Coast Finance Corp. filed them with the County Clerk, March 5th, 1921. All streets, etc.were didicated to the the use of the Public with certain stipulations and restrictions. Later I was told it that Pr. Kelsey intenled that Lakeshore Drive and the riparian rights in Lake Worth to be wAmincluded in the dedication. He did not wish to limit the view of the First Street tesidences. In order to acquire fill dirt for Lakeshore Drive, the .eark and front lots, a canal was dug the entire distance of Lake Park. To provide access r.a Canal had berm dug from the Silver Beach Road to the Est Coast Canal Company (Now Intracoastal Canal) . One also was dug from the center of the Kelsey City lark and one from the east end of lalmetto Road. A warehouse was constructed at the Est end of the Silver Beach Road to hold building supplies needei for the construction in Lake Park. A platform pier was erected at the Park and was used by Senator Wagg when he was selling lots for the FCFC, bringing his clients from hest Palm Beach in boats. Just south of this pier Mr. Kelsey owned a boathouse to store his speedy Chris Craft Soeedboat. Goverment Lob 1 of Section 21 was not included in the Plat of Kelsey City. First St. (now US #1) ended at Palmetto Road and the area North and West was to be used as an 13 hole Kelsey City Golf Course. Nine holes had been constructed with a parking place reached by a dirt road from the end of First St. Twwards the Lake was a modest wooden clubhouse and caddy quarters which ran to the first tee. The fairway ran northerly to the south edge of the Earman banal, then doglegged west to the first green. Nearby was the Pumping Station to furnish fresh water to nine fairways and greens through a system of pipes and sprinkler heads. The second fairway crossed the Earman `'anal to the North and the third, fourth and part of the fifth fairways occupied part of the present site of the North 'aim each Library and Grade School. Crossing the Earman Canal to the south, the balance of the Course existed where the Twin City Mall now is. The Kelsey City Golf Course was designed by a noted Chicago Golf Architect. It had been cleared and graded by jr. Kelsey s fourty or more mules with Mr. Nichols supervising the labor required. Mr. Burr introduced me to Mr. hamsden who managed the Clubhouse for kr. Kelsey. Mr. ,lamsdem hal owned a restaurant in Harvard Square, .4. l as Cambridge, Kass. for many years when Mr. Kelsey decided to build one nearby. Mr. � Y t'elsey had offered to buyMr. 1''amsden' s Place but was refused. However,the Har�Tnrd > -�- By Chas. A. Branch. Students preferred Mr. Kelsey's New Restaurant and when "amsden was about to close , Mr. r'elsey gave him the original offered price for his holdings. Later, when Mr. and Mrs. Ramsden lost their "assachusetts home by fire, Mr. nelsey brought them to Kelsey City and furnished them with a home and work to keep them busy. A large observation tower had been erected about two hundred feet from the North end of Third Street. t'elsey City, Prosperity Farms and the Kelsey City Golf Course could be seen over the tree tops. Wooden stairs led to the platform and was used by Real 'state ''alesmen to sell ECFC properties and lots. West of this Tower, Palmetto Road ended in a sawgrass slough. The muck th?re was used for compost fertilizer for the Golf Course greens and fairways. The Kelsey City Nursery also used this muck for improving private properties and developing Kelsey City. All the above was a part of Mr. "arry S. Kelsey's vision, realized between viarch 5th, 1921 and Nov. 1st, 1926. From a mangrove fringed lake front, west over the 7 7C RW to a low sawgrass slough. From two Florida type homes, set on wooden blocks, to a Town with improved streets, curbs, drainage features and sidewalks. Where new houses, business places and industries provided more than 300 people a pleasant place to reside. Nov. 4th, 1926, I returned to Melbourne, Fla. by train. Mrs. iiranch had been advised by telegram and when I arrived, I found that she and our nine year old son, Chas. Merrill, had the Willys Knight partially loaded. The next morning, I turned my clients work over to my Engineering Employees, finished packing the ear and said goodbye to the Ellitt Family and other friends. Leaving Melbourne at 2:00 PM, we arrived at the Burr family home at 5:30 PM. Previously, Mrs. Burr and Mrs. Branch had been class and roommates while attending Molly High School and Eastern Michigan University at Ypsilanti, Mich. After dinner, Mrs. Branch, Merrill and I drove to my hotel room over the furniture store. We staid there until one of the Arnold Mouses was available on Avenue E, Dec. 6th, 1926. I well remember that Nov. 5th, 1926 drive from Melbourne. The only road south was the Dixie Highway, wide enough to accornodate two vehicles, except in Cities. It more or less followed the West shore of the Indian River until it passed over the Sebastian Inlet, then swung towards the East side of the FEC RW through Vero lieac». Nearing Fort Pierce, it swung to the West Side of the traeks only to swing to the Indian River shore on the South side of Town. We passed many orange groves and pineapple fields as we drove through 'Jensen to Stuart. North pf Stuart we crossed to the West side of the FFC RW only to swing back to the East side until we were North of Mope Sound. Then on the West side wecontinue0outh where we again crossed to the mast side of the FFC RW until we reached Jupiter. There we crossed to the West side ani about two miles south of Jupiter we crossed to the East side of the RW. We drove south until we were south of Monet where we again crossed to the West side and continued on until we crossed under the Kelsey City Welcoming Archway. The entire -7- By Chas. A. Branch. trip was scenic and beautiful. Florida had so much rain the three previous months the the North flowing St. Johns River had run southward from Lake Barney into Lake Okeechobee. Between there and Lake "'orth, the country was a series of water holes. We found that between Jupiter and Kelsey City the high water crossed the Dixie Ilighway in eleven asses. Tenth Street ended when it reached Avenue N in Kelsey City. The Prosperity Farm Read began at this intersection and ran North through the Fide to Ten acre land plots known as Prosperity Farms, ending at llr. Hoyt's Boat Yards on the Past Coast Canal. Most of this area is now in the limits of North ralm each and Palm each Gardens. Where ±enth Street ended, the space between the FEC RW and Prosperity Farms Road P y had been used as a garbage dpmp for Royal Poinciana and Breakers Hotels. They loaded their refuse on railroad cars which were -1elivered to the FCC RW Mainline and hauled to side track tressels and dumped on the ground. By Nov. 192E this dumping was stopped by the Town officials but many of the old tressels remained in spite of the fires which was used to destroy the old garbage and railroad tracks. Mr. kelsey had improved a dirt road wlich began at the Dixie Highway a short distance below the Farman Banal Bridge. It crossed the FFC RW eastward and ended at the Prosperity Farm Road. Between this road and the Earman `anal, 1�1r. Kelsey had built a "Modern Dairy Coplex. After selling his restaurants in the North, Mr. l'elsey had shipped his Pure Breed Dairy Herd to this Farm. These cattle could not accu tbm-rthemselves to Florida climate, ticks and weather and soon died. He first rented and later sold this Dairy farm to experienced who furnished the local area with people It dairy products. The road was known as The riairy Farm Road and three other families lived on it. A road had been constructed from Monet eastward and crossed the rrosperity r arm Road and the East Coast Uanal. Drainage Ditch dirt had been used to construct both roads. The MCLaren Family lived on the East side of the Canal and a read turned North (Now the Fllison Wilson 'lead) where the Wilson Family and a few others lived. These roads and the Bridge had been declared County Reads and was maintained by calm Beach County. A school- house had been erected at the Northeast Corner of the Monet and Prosperity 'arm Road. Faith Sunday, "r. McLaren had Sunday School and Church services for the neighberhood. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace who owned a Nursery were also active and their activities were transferred to the Kelsey City Commissary when Kelsey City was building. When Mry onners developed his Miracle Mile and a tool road from Canal Point to a Twenty Mile lend, most of his land was below water. He diked and drained his fields and e s brought over many Belgium and Holland Families to work his land. When water came out of the ground to cover his dikes and fenses, Mr. Conners crops and farm animals were destroyed. He gave up farming and the elgium familes (Maheus and Relatives) moved to Prosperity Farms. They furnished garden products to Hotels and Restaurants for many years. Singer Island could be reached by boat er the Blue Heron Boulevard Wooden Bridge -8- iy Chas. A. iiraneh. in RivieraBBeabh. Shell Rock covered a parking space at the East enddof the bridge and a sand road led to the Blue Heron Hotel Site on the Ocean Front. Mr. Paris Singer, originator of the _Everglade Club in Palm Beac*, had this Motel under construction. Knowing that there was no room to build a golf course, Mr. Singer sold 11 Kels y on the idea of constructing an eighteen hole Golf Course South of the East Coast Canal adjacent to Lake W.ath. Mr. Kelsey was told that the Blue Ilieron Hotel Guests would use his new Gold Course. Paris Singer could vision many worthy ideas when some one else was willing to furnish h finaneies. i�`e suggested that a Castle Motel be built at the East end of falmetto Road, complete with moats and drawbridge. Mr. Singer's Freneh Architect Friend would draw the plans for the 'Castle' and the Golf Course Clubhouse. When needed, a second eighteen holes could be constructed between the Kelsey City Golf Course and the North Course which would be named 'The halm Beach Winter Club'. Mr. Singer's Friend drew up plans for the Castle and the Clubhouse. Mr. lelsey bought back some acreage he had sold in PresP erity r arms which would be in the way of construction. e hired a noted Golf Architect in Massachusetts to lay out the Course and had a Canal dug from the East Coast Canal to a slip, complete with Wharf and starts, in front of the propeedd -sitb of the Clubhouse. Excavation materials were used to raise the elevation of the land where the Clubhouse and first Tee was to be located. The slip would allew the delivery of materials direct to the Clubhouse by water transportation, which otherwise would have to be hauled up the Prosperity Rarms Read. The Arnold Construction Co. contracted to build the Clubhouse. Mr. Nichols and Mr. Kelsey's mules began the clearing and grading for the fairways. A Pumphouse, deep wells and a prstorageessure pressure tank was constructed. The Kelsey City Nursery, with 1vir. Blakely supervising, provided the landscaping. `dater pipes and sprinklers were installed on all the fairways and greens and connected to the Clubhouse. The first Golf Architect died and the Canadian Champian was hired to finish the Course. By Nov. 1st, 1926, most of the work was completed and all I had to do was to finish so that the Course could be .s� opened for the winter season, settle with the contractors and find money to maintain the Palm beach Winter Club and Clubhouse. The 'Castle Motel' was never past the blueprint stage. The 1928 hurricane saw to that combined with the Florida Land Hust and other factors. I know about this as I had the Architectural Plans in nay possession for nearly fifty years. I do not know who instigated the building a road near the Ocean from Jupiter to Aelsey City. The Florida State Road Department prepared plans with a right-of-way which Would have passed through both the "elsey City Golf Course and the Palm lieach Winter Club. kir. j'elsey had no standing with the Road Department but with Mr. Singer's P restige, the two entered into a contract with the State or r. Kelsey to donate the -9_ By Chas. A. Branch right-of-way from Palmetto Road, Kelsey City to the ast Coast canal Co. that would 11 not harm the Golf Courses. Mr. Singer and Mr. Kelsey also contracted to build the, road at the estimated cost of the State Road Department. This work started at First Street in Kelsey City and ran to a bridge which the State had built over the Earman Canal and northerly between the Clubhouse and slip to a pprtially completed Bridge over the tast Coast Canal which the State was building. Sunday, Nov. 21st, 1926, iyir. ttelsey called me to say that the State of Florida was cancelling the Singer -Kelsey Road Contract and asked if I could do anything to keep this from occurring. I left Kelsey City at 10:00 AM the next morning for The State Road ')ept. at Tallahassee and had an office conference with the Chief Engineer on Tuesday. I ascertained the trouble and gained approval to continue the Contract under my direction. I arrived back in Kelsey City at 4:fM Nov. 25th, 1926, full of Thanksgiving Day food as there had only been five passengers in the train-)iner, &obit Rock the help of Mr. elsey s mules, a sand pumping and the and Road Surfacing Contractors, it did not take long to met State Road Specifications. It was the custom to make the 7CFC Payrolls in the WPB office and Mr. Burr would pay the employees in the field each Saturday at noon. I was advised that Mr. Kelley desired that I do this work and try to collect the revenued needed to cover these costs. I was told that property sales were mostly non-existant in the WPB Office and that Mr. Kelsey had accepted a 'Binder' on a down payment from a New York City Syndicate for the sale of his undeveloped holdings for Fifty Millions. The first r'ayroll I saw was on Nov. 13, 1926. There was no break down of Project Costs and no distinction between the FCFC projects, Mr. Kelsey's personal holdings or the j'elsey City Improvement Items. All told, it ran over $6,500.00. I began a study of conditions by asking Mr. Hopkins why so many accounts remained uncollected and if he would send out notices for payments due. In turn, he asked me how long I wanted to remain in �lr. lelsey' s business. It did not take long to discover that all Corporation, private holdings, Kelsey City Projects and Golf Courses was lumped complete as Mr. kiseyts Private Affairs. For pure business reasons, I was going to treat each one as single entity, in spite of the faet that divisions of Mr. "elseyis Interests was owned by him 100%. I found that Kelsey City 4ater Works consumers were metered ad a sliding -scale for gallon use was charged each user. If a meter was not working, a minimum monthly charge of $1.00 was charged. Most of the meters were out of use and even the $1900 was nvt being collected. So I brought Edgar Johnson down from Melbourne to repair meters and collect bills. The Blue Goose itestaurant, regardless of daily receipts seemed to lose about the same amount of money each day. I asked Pierre Mueller if he could run itail but I better talk with r. Kelsey before at a profit. Ue said he could do s©e easily, -10- By Chas. A. Branch he did so. Mr. !'elsey told me that any loss the klue Goose had could be charged to aadverttsigg, but not to let it get out of hand. When I suggested to Mr. Ramsden that The Kelsey City Golf Course Green Fees should be used t aintain the cost of its maintenance, Mr. ftamsden told me that he had taken Mr. Kelsey's money down to his W'Est � tP ' 14each Office and would continue to do se. I suggested to the City Officials that it might be well to take over some of the costs which belonged to maintaining Kelsey City and received a stony silence. I knew that Mr. And Mrs. Samuel keloey `ook a great pride in the Kelsey City Nursery and in the way they had developed its business. So I suggested tokir. kurr, that r. Kelsey turn the whole thing ever to them, let them collect all receipts and pay off all labor and maintenace of equipment. This was done soon afterwards. I found that Mr. Kelsey's Payroll contained items which I could not determine any value received. I notified some grocery stores that the FCFC would not be liable for grocery bills, Newspapers that no advertising would be paid fer unless authorized beforehand and some names were eliminated from the Co. Payrolls. The first payroll which I authorized was around $2,000. 00 less than the amounts being paid at the WPB Office. 0n the back of the first sheet, I listed a detailed list of the projects covered by the employees and the amounts eharked to each project. Within the week, Mr. Burr called me to say that the WPB office was filled with residents of Kelsey City suggesting to hr. Kelsey that only my dismissal could keep his City from being ruined. Mr. Kelsey requested that I bring down the payroll to discuss with him. When I gave Mr. Kelsey the payroll, he took a pencil and began to delete names at random saying " Wha t s this man doing, Cut him off, ete ". I turned the payroll over and told Mr. elsey, " here are the Project costs. You tell me which projects you wish to delete of demiaish and I will take care of the employees". The result was that he suggested that Many of the Projects should ha a increased. I replied that I would do what I could with the money available from each project. Later, "r. Burr told me that Ivor. !'elsey hated to have people complain to him and tried to placate each person. However, he was very pleased to see that I had cut the payroll more than one-third. By Christmas time, many former emp1eypes and business men in Kelsey City viewed me as being a skunk in a chicken yard. The feeling was se bitter tat some of the second and third generations of those families have not yet changed their minds. Much work had been accomplished on the calm Be®a0 Winter Club duri, g the last two months of 192A. Twenty ears of 0jus Marl and topsoil were placed on the fahrways, the Clubhouse had been decorated and furnished, the Kitchen had been placed in charge of Miss Fauleoner, A golf 'Pro from near Chicago was installed and the Highway was completed. On January WI, 1927, the Course and Clubhouse was opened to the rublic for the first time. -11- By Chas. A. Branch. During this three day opening, when no fees were charged, many of the l'alm Beach Social Plect drove to the Course or came up Lake Worth in their yachts to unload at the slip.Mr. Kelsey escorted many of his friends from the top upper bedrooms to the basement locker rooms. I remember hs pleasure in explaining to some French and Italian ladies of Nobility how wood worms were trained to chew holes in the bedroom ceilings and doors to make pecky cypress lumber. All the visiting Golf Pros and some residents of West ijalm Beach tried out the fairwpys. Mr. Kelsey bought a special bus with PALM BEACH WINT7R CLUB paitt4dean both sides. This made AM and PM rounds to all the Palm Beach Hotels to pick 'up residents and then delivered them back when they desired. It was not until 3'an. 15th- a 8aturday- that Mrs. Kelsey and children, Mrs. Burr and two daughters and Mrs. 'L5ranch had a chance to try out this new Bus. Jan. 22nd, 1927, a muck and sawgrass fire broke out in the North side of Kelsey City. Starting near the garbage dump near the FEC RW, It swept eastward until it nearly reached the Kelsey City Golf Course. We fought it with many ECFC employees and our dragline, working day and night. It started to rain on the 24th and this was the first time I ever saw bubbles starting at the surface of the muck, rising through a foot of water to break on the surface with a wisp of fire in each one. It was explained to me that the reason that there was no farming in much of Prosperity 11' Farms was because fire had burned off the top soil, leaN;ing nohing but ocean, sand. \;- 0,74, x-A/4/ 4,"" iCoAri The Chicago Golf Architect who had designed the Kelsy City Golf Course requestedvivvj 4,; LA t -1--etta4ete--, cti that I l'iake up a foresome to play the Curse, I told him that I did not play golf and 1 he said that I, as Fianager, should ,use a golf Club when I inspected the fairways in order ) •-tetet a f*-fee---th-e---- 'to get a feel for the lila'. Our Pro loaned me a set of clubs and with the help of my - companions, I managed to shoot a 49 for any first nine holes of golf. At his suggestion I tried to get a round of golf pyed each week at each course while tournaments were held. Sunday, Jan. 30th, 1927, we invited the Burr Family to have noon lunch with us at the IC -aim Beach Winter Clubhouse. Tw of the McLaren Girls, who may be able to read this History, waited at our tables. Afterwards, we took pictures of the families in front of the Clubhouse. These same pictures have been used many times for publicity for the Cities of Lake Park and North PaffimBeach and the Golf Course. I gave one of them to the Lake Park Library for future use. February and '"arch of 1927 were busy months. The work was fast and furious and iu Golf Thurnarnents and dinner dances were plentiful. On Feb. 5th, r. Hughes, a Company employee, gathered up two sacks of oysters in the upper part of J-Jake Worth, one night.to show one where they could be qiatained. Feb. 25th, I worked most of the night tp prepare a report on the KelsyyL'ity Water Works for Mr. Kelsey to present to the Town. arch 14th, 1927, the l'armers Bank and one other in West l'alm Beach Closed and Mr. ha-4, 7-ao1.,--r in ih 'larch .25th, )77., Th K,lsev Ci 7 Claikunity Clubhouse -12- By Chas, A. Branch. was opened for the first timelappropriate ceremony and entertainments. 4r. kelsey s Birthday was l'iarch 2Ath, 1927 and to celebrate his 38th year, a Golf Tournament was held at the Palm Beach Winter Club and my name was drawn as his opponent. The calm -peach Social Season was nearing its end and on March 29th, out poif Ijro, Mr. Butler, left for his northern duties. Mr. Hoffman was chosen to act during the summer months. The Kelsey City Community Club had been formed by "r. e1sey. When Lots were sold in Kelsey City, each deed required that $1.D0 yearly would be collected per Lot by The Kelsey City Tax Roll. This money was to be used to erect a Community Clubhouse and to maintain the structure and activities for allits citizens. The .6ast l'art of the Civic Center, Blo3k 19, was dedicated by the City to the Community Club. The krnold Construction Co. built the Clubhouse and took a mortgage back to cover most of its cost. Its March 25th opening was well attended and was the first of many entettainments. Mr. Kelsey started buying land in this area as soon as June 1919. Some of it was owned by the Florida Coast Line Canal and Transportation Compnay previously. Ile had sold more than twenty sections to Land Speculatbrs within a twelve mile distance North and West of Kelsey City. To determine between the separate deals, he had created Letter Companies, i. e. The B Co., K Co., BgtK Co., K&B Co., etc. requested that I locate these properties so that I could show them to any new Owners who desired to see their land. The 7CFC furnisied me with a Model T Ford which could travel over forest lands, small stumps and some water holes. I found some of the 'Dection Corners (Long pine stakes with the Sec. Numbers cut in the stake taps) when they were lotted in water. Meny on the dry land had been destroyed by frest fires. Only one owner, from j'ew York City, appeared to see his acreage. After a wild cross country ride, I came to the edge of a large water hole, somewhere near the. present Florida Turnpike and the Donald Ross Roads. I pointed out a pine stake that was in a large water slough about 400 feet to the Northwest. I told him that it was the Southeast Corner of his property, which ran a mile North and one mile West. He took out his deed and abstrtat and offered them to me for my trouble and $1.00. When he told me the size of the Mortgage on this Section, I thanked him and refused his gift. Mr. Kelsey had sold the two miles north of the Palm Beach Inlet (Now Singer Ili) for cash to Mr. Biddle. It was some later that I ever was told about this deal. I never did find out how these deals were bandied, or if they were personally owned by Mr, lelsey or were FP-FC properties. After all, Mr. i\elsey owned CFC 100 %. While Mr. Aelsey was operating in Palm Beach County he became interested in a project South of 6anford, Fla. The Leneva Peninsula was a tract of land lying between Lake Harney and Lake eneva on the St. Johns River. Mr. "elsey had directed that it all was to be purchased by him, Orange Glyytpas, Grazing Fields and Wild Lands, fpr as little expenditure of L'apital Funds as possible. He had been interested in this area by some "ashington DC. politicians and New York speculators who had '-13- By Chas. A. Branch. believed that it could be sold as a Governmental Institution. Mr. J. C. Bills, tr. and Family lived at Genetta, Florida, and had a Law Office in -anford. Ile was a graduate of the Harvard Law Schbol, had represented the Federal Government in Puerto Rica as an advisor on Labor L8WS. While there, Concha, a native PArl, adopted their family and became a house maid who lived with them until she died in Geneva. She refused to speak English and the Bills Children, John, Louis and Douglas spoke SpainLslrefore they did 7ng1ish. Concha was a wonderful person and all the children thought of her as being their 'Little Brown Mother'. Returning back to the States, Mr. ills was appointed as one of three trustees in the Ponzi Case by a gederal Judge in Boston. When this case was closed, Mr. and Family came to Florida and opened his legal work in Sanford. Their home in Geneva was a Florida Rustic Dwelling in the center of an old orange grove. In the early fall, r. ?,elsey and Mr. Bills inspected one large acreage plot near the St. Johns River. It was a beautiful sight of blooming goldenrod as far as the eye could see. Mr, Kelsey, with Senator liays, went to New York City and invited a Committee of interested parties to see his Golden 1)ream and finalize its sale. About three weeks later, they arrived by car to the same spot visited by Mr. Kelsey and Mr. Bills. All they saw was three miles of waterilcovered by about a foot of blackened stubble because the St. Johns River had flooded its banks and killed the beautiful goldenrod. The Committee left in disgust ard the land deal was dead. obtain Mr. J. C. Bills, r. took over the legal work for Mr. elsey trying to xmiyag)e s any values that "r. Kelsey could salvage from his Geneva -eeninsula Operations. Such a large area was envolved that it was a long and tedious endeavor. One Kelsey City Resident came to the AFC Field Office the last day of each month anl handed "r. Hopkins rent on eighty acres located near the site of the North Palm Beach County Courthouse today. Mr. Hopkins gave him a receipt and told me that I never' abld have to go to that 'Farm', as payment was never missed. One corning I took the MoTeI T Ford, drove to the end of the Prosperity Farms Road, through cow pastureBeiAnd over a sand trail to a two story wooden building. No one answered my call so I went to the doorway, saw a large copper still and about a carload oft sugar and cracked corn. The house had broken partitions and floors and was a wreck. Beside the house were barrels of corn mash, partially buried, and a water pipe leading to a hand pump.Dead rats, a possum and a raccoon were in the barrels and a rattlesnake was left hanging over the water pipe. So 1 left as quietly as I had arrived. The next time I was in West l'alm Beach I stopped to see Sheriff Bob Baker in the Courthouse. I told him what I had seen and he asked me if I wanted the still lift) there. When I said that I had no use for it he told me that he would look into the matter. About April 30th, 1927, on the way to the office, 1 saw a column of smoke in the North- By Chas, A. Branch west. When I arrived where the still had been, the fire had destroyed the dwelling and was burning the brush nearby. So little was left that ''wondered what hild been left to burn. I could not see any persons around and later, I heard only rumors as to the cause of the Fire. I think that 'ake fark has one family today who might know more about this incident than I know. May llth, 1927, 'elsey advised me that Mr. Hopkins would be leaving in a few-daY.s. When I asked him why he was leaving he told me that he was going back to i.osten to avoid the rush. veryone was selling Florida property when they could find a buyer. 44 -.(est sales were naper ttansfers of equities as very few people owned lands in full values. axes on many uarcels of property was left unpaid and business was slowing down, bank failures were freezing assets. I realized that my work was to settle ivir. Kelsey's obligations, maintain his interests until a solution could be found and to add no construction that would contribute to his financial troubles° June 7th, 1927 was election day and Mr. liansen was elected to be Mayor. With Mr. Birehard out of office, every-611e knew that Mr. l'elsey's influence in the operation of his Town was waning. Of the original Tents Officials, only Mr. tamuel 26Iake1y was left. The residents of Lake Park had plenty time to attend card parties, social events and play golf at the two courses.They seemed to be En14ming 1rteIayforntheir trbubles while expecting him to find money to maintain their existance. June 28th, 1927, the Burr Vamily and Mrs. Branch and son, Merrill, left for a vacation in Michigan to visit relatives and friemds. Mr. Burr, Mrs. Branch, and sister Ella Hine returned by auto August 2nd. Mrs. burr and daughters came back by train August 27th. This allowed Mr.burr and myself many hours to discuss business conditions, etc. in my field office. I berbAve that it was about this time that Mr. Kelsey- went to l'rance, Holland and England to buy dishes for the Palm Beach Winter Club Dining ROOM and for Miss Faulconer's Coffee Shop. While he was away I found that his Fifty Million sale of his unimproved properties was being cancelled. Not being able to contact him, I notified l'Ar. .15elsyy when he arrived back in West Palm Beach. Someway, he '3id not seem to be too much surprised. Some of those dishes still exist today. During this vacation time, 1 had more time to investigate Keisey City activities. hiie both Golf Courses were closed at night, they both showed signs of many visitors. The TOWN had one Police Officer whose only transportation was his bicycle. When wanted, e ceuld be found around Poston's 1-.ecery Store or the Postefice, seldom at the Town 414all. I can't remember of his ever making an arrest, a few drunks might spend a few hour in a Town Hall waiting room, but nothing else seemed to happen. 14e knew where every one was, what they did, all strangers who came by and helped some to the Town Limits. lie seldam spoke unless he was addressed first. It seemed to me that he knew all my activities, sometimes before 1 knew them myself. When he talkte women, h addressed -15- 6has. A. tranch. them as 'Madam'. One evening when I was making the rounds of the Clubhouses, I saw a ear parked by the side of the 'Slip' at the i'alm Beach Winter Club. t found our Officer helping a First Street ttesident pack his load of liquor sacks for his Monthly trip to Chicago. As nothing was said afterwards about this encounter, it seemed that we had a better understanding and I had gained a little respect. I still believe that this man was the best Peace Officer "elsey City ever had. summer and fall of 1927 was a very busy time. I don't have the dates at hand for these events which follow, but they can be determined from legal or recorded documents. The Florida State Road Department had settled the Singer-Aelsey Contract for the Road now thru North Beach on US "1 by sending kr. 4Se1sey a check. Ae requested that I settle with r. Singer. From what costs I could find, I determined that,- considering Mr. Kelsey's land values- a large loss had ben incurred. My first and only meeting with saris Singer was at his Everglades Club Ljffice. He seted me in full light while he sat in a shaded nook under the oil painting of himself. I told him that a fair share of his loss was $10,000 and 1 was dismissed with his statement that he would see Mr. Aelsey. Waving a business meeting in Kelsey City, I returned there and contacted Mr. Aelsey about 3:00 PM. Mr. Kelsey congratulated me on making such a cheap settlement with "t. Singer, say ing that Mr. Singer phoned him that he would accept $10,000 for full settlement and sent his 'decretary over to collect Mr. 'telsey s check. Naturally, I did not tell hr. 1Ce1sey what I had proposed to Singer. ivr.Felsey asked me to contact the Arnold Construction Contract to settII their work for the 7CFC. Less than half of the 100 houses had been completed. I found that the 7CFC had neveaad any cost flgures on the work and had no basis on what was a fair settLemeiat. J. Y. and Berman Arnold meet with "r.e1sey and agreed to cancel their pantact, taking over some properties instead of cash, etc. Under the circumstances, they were not only fair but generous. Mr. Kelsey's mules were eating thiAr heads off with little work to do. Ile had made some deal with a lumber firm near Indiantown and asked me to go there and see if could get some cash out of the deal. When I contacted the Lumber 'wner, he told me that r. lelsey's mules had died and he showed me receipts for the mules that were visable. I couldn't argue the point he made when I saw the work they were doing. The water consumers in ielsey City were pressuring the Town Commissioners to take over Mr. Telsey's Vlater Works. They mutually agreed on a rice for the entire system from wells to hylrants, the Town taking the Water Works and Mr. -Cielsey unpaid ax ecevots for his property in the twuno The -elsey City Nursery was removed from the 7CFC by Mr.elsey creating a ompany with Mr. & Mrs. elsey and Mr. & Mrs. Blakely being stockholders. This ended ixo later by "r. and Mrs. Blakely being sole owners, By Chas. A. Branch. I remember Mr. Kelsey sending me to St. hugustine to determine the values of tugs, commissary, dragline and snag barges anchored there. They were part of the equipment of his Florida East Coast 'anal Co. The Federal Government wanted the channel deepened and widened and was threatening to condeem his property. Ihen "r. Kelsey did surrender this danal later, I doubt if he ever received anything but a pap az credit for his properties. The -Vali of 1927 was a bevy of social events. Oct. 4th, Mrs. Kelsey gave a party at the Blue Goose estaurant. It was about Oct. 7th that .letty Houran was married to Jr. l'earson and resided at her home on Ave.'Et. The lelsey City Golf Course was busy each day and each night there was a party to attend. Uct. 22nd, my Birthday was celebrated by having the Burrs, Harts and Pearsons in for 4idge. It seemed that everyone was trying to discount the financial depression around us. Nov. l7th, 1927, Mr. Telsey and Mr p Burr came to the Field Office to talk about money matters. I agreed to continue working for the r,CFC at a salary of 50% of what 1 had been receiving. Nov. 24th, Thanksgiving Day, the Blue Goose entertained the Burr Family and ours at a wonderful dinner. At Christmas Time, the lelsey City Golf Course had a large tournament and on January 2nd, 1923, a large crowd attended the formal opening of the e.lsey City Town Hall and the F7C R-W station, both of which had been constructed by the lirnold 6onstruction Co. • p. A -17- By Chasc, A. Branch. A young man 7enown to me as r. amilyy told me that he operated a flying field in Knoxville, Wenn. andssid he would like to use his Fairchild in this area during the Winter Season. I had a 'Strip' prepared for himjlocated just North of the Carman Canal and West of the rrosperity Farms Road, Jan. 9th, 1928, he gave me a ride over the Ocean and the Palm Beach linter Club. When we opened the Club 'an. 12th, Smiley entertained our guests by flying low over the Clubhouse and chasing many players off the greens and fairways. That Winter Season the talm Beach Winter Club was well attended. I will relate a few of the incidents which may prove interesting. Mr. Al Jolson became so interested in entertaining men in the locker roam that he forgot what time it was. A worried l'alm Beach Matron called me, asking one to remind him that he was due to appear at a Charity tall in Palm Beach in two hours time. I drove him over to the Playhouse so that he would not be late. '.Then Mr. Wm. .6nierbialitt, with a party of friends, visited the Course, I suggested he sign the register for himself and guebt for accounting purposes. he signed a V and seven crosses. One sweet young lady in her middle twenties, played three or four times each week with elderly gentlemen. They were delighted that she only won from five to ten dollars from each of them. Mrs Phipps protested to me that our i'ro. wanted to charge her Twelve dollar for a dozen Dunlop Golfballs, when her Home'Pro sold thm to her for Nine Dollars. I showed her receipted bills showing th+eir discounted price to us was $9.75. Se paid the ,t12.00 but still believed that it was a rip-off. , Al berney was leading his '/..other s (Ben) orchastra at the iltmore Muletree Inn Wining Room and played ofiatnAkth guests. He signed in for one fair companion asiP. Sugar'. Iwo gentlemen from the Bronx played almost daily. 7ach, separat14y colifidid, at the beginning of the season that they were playing for 100 a put and 50 a hole, shofting about 120 for a round. The night before the season ended, each told me that of tile killing they were going to make next day at $100. a put and $2,000. a hole. Both shot a 71 and broke even. Mr. Jules 1asche walked around the Course for exeeise. lie spent an hour one lay telling me of the Golf Course they were going to build just North of Ue. 1 knew the location and suggested that his friends might do well to employ me to supervise its eonstruction. They hired a noted Pro for the work and built the S5minle Club. After completion, the next Hctober season of high tides, they found many of their fairways under two feet of salt water. Later, Mr. 13asche told me it that it cost them a million dollars to pump in soil to raise the Course,above sea level and that it would have been better for them to have listened to my suggestion. However, the spoil area did create the present .Lake in Juno Beach,- a little known fact. -18- By Chas. A. Branch. Mrs. "elsey was su-prised with a Birthday Party at her home, Jan. 22nd, 1928. I had been priveledged to meet Mr. "axwell Morris, a noted bridge expert from ew York City and we entertained him , eb 20th, 1928, with a home dinner and bridge afterwards. I had not realized how bad things were financially until r. Burr and Family left to go back to Michigan for new employment the same day. For some time previously, an Income Tax Examiner had contacted me asking question about the business of the rCFC and Mr. elsey. I had little knoT4ledge of facts in queation, but tried to beccontteous and honest with such data that I knew. Fvil-ntly he had spent months ggthering data fmmthe West ralm Beach ffice and News itms and Public Records, under what he considered were hostile conditions. One morning he appeared at my Field ')ffice with the statement that he had to reptA to an Uff.icer of the FOFC that he was riling lhitns with the l'alm Beach County Clerk against the 'TUC, Mr. "elsey's personal holdings and was bringing charges against "r. Kelsey. He stated they would be filed at 2 PM in four days. r. Kelsey was in "ew York City and 1 contacted him by phone about thirty minutes after the IRS man had left. When I told him what I knew, Kelsey reoplied, 'They can't do this to mat. ;a33ured him that they could and would do so. Mr. "elsey agreed to leave on the next trAin he could get to return to West Palm Beach. I next called Mr. H. 0. Hart, our Income Tax Advisor, giving him theyfabolie knowndAAA4s. Mr. #art said he would take steps for a joint conference in the WPB Office, the minute that ''Ar. Kelsey arrived. The meeting began with iir„ elsey, Mr. H.O.Hart, MI. tart Winters, Miss Houran and myself present. Mr. "elsey asked what had happened, mr. H. O. Hart answered and then gr. Winters, our attorney, was requested for his opinion. ne advised hr. "-elsey to ga into bankruptcy. Mr. Kelsey said that he could not do that because he did not owe that kind of money. Mr Winter said that he might just as well leave and before he reached the door, Mr. Kelsey gave him an IOU for his services to the CFC. After fitr. Winter departed, Mr. l'at said that he had anticipated what would happen and had arranged to have Mr. J. C. Bills, tr. available for the conference. A telephone call brought Mr. Bills over in five minutes and advised that, providing a proper indebtedness could be found for the 7CFC, a krusteeship could ba established and filed before the Federal Lien would be established. Mr. ielsay asked inc what inflebtedness I knew of and I replied about 05,000. Mr. Hart told me I was wrong for all Officers and man employees had never been advquated paid for theIrservices and expenses. For instance, Lr.elsmy had never drawn one cent for all the time he had been President of the PCFC. When everything was listed, "r0 i1ls prepared a yf',V The J. C. Bills, Jr. Trusteeship for the debts of the PCFC. Thisfiled in the Palm --°each CitIzt Circuit Court about four hours before the Goverhment liens were filed. the Govrrnma.nt became a secondary lien against the PCFC. -19- By Chas. A. i6ranch. March 2(,th, 1928, Mr. Kelsey advised me that he soon would be leaving for New York city. e asked me to stay on with Mr. dills to look after his property. We agreed that I would receive $50.00 a week as expense money and I could collect more when cash became available. I add the following notes for what they are worth. April 1st. The Palm Beach Winter Club was closed for the season and I spent all day with friends there. Received a set of golf clubs from our Winter /pro. April 5th. Mr, Nmuel Bickford, friend and business partner with "t. xs'elsey in the Restaurant Business, visited with me at the Kelsey City Golf Course. June 5th. Election Day. Spent the evening with Mr. Poston and Family getting returns. Dr. -6arker, who ran the Drugstore, Mr. Ed "eweIl, 13ensel, Florence Coffin and Mr. Poston were elected to positions in Kelsey City. Mon,Iay, June 18th, a sign en the bank Bui!ding announced that the Is-elsey City tank had failed. two other Jianks in West Palm Beach also failed, leaving the uentral Parmers the only open 16ank. I had deposited checks in our l'ank on Saturday, so called the payers of the check, directing them to notify the banks cancelling payments. Then I called Mr. Bills, saying I was taking steps accordingly. He came to my office to find what I meant and when I told him, he laughed and said that it would take someone like me to think fast enough to do the right thing at the right time. June 28th, Dr. and Mrs Pearson (Betty Houran) asked us to move into their home on Ave. E, rent free, as they were leaving to pratice Ili Miami. The Arctitect that had desined her home was the French Friend of Mr. Singer. When they tried to lay it out for construction, they found it was so wide that the front could not be placed on her Lot. So they put the front on the East Side and en end to the Street. If it looks funny today, that explains why it does. June 2)th.elped Mr. Bills pick out a house to the ast of The Houran House that could be made available for him while in 'elsey City and his Family. 'hen we went swimming in the Ocean. July 2nd. Mrs. "'ranch, Merrill and I moved into the Houran House (Pearson) July 3rd. Mrs, J. C. Bills, t'r. and Boys joined Mr.. Bills in Kelsey City. mrs.- elsey and Mrs. Branch helped them obtain F,CFC furniture, dishes and linens for their new place on Ave. E0 July lAth, Mr. Bills, Jr. and i'amily returned to `seneva. July 29th. Mrs. branch substitued for Nr. tamsden at the Kelsey city Golf Curse. She showed the Colored Caddies that she could use my Luger when she hit the Center of the 0 in the Golf Course sign. August 2nd.r. Bills, r. returned to ."elsey City. August 3rd. mi.-. Kelsey ;turned to pick up Mrs. Kelsey and both took a three day trip to Cuba. Mrs. Kelsey was more cheerful and less worried afterwards. -20- By Chas. A. Branch. Tilugust 5th. Mr. H. 0. Hart and his newly arrived Brother, italph, had dinner at our home, with -dridge afterwards. August 7-8th. A btorm of hurricane for*es hit Kelsey City. It damaged the tile roofing and shrubbery at the homes where Mr. i1is and we occupied. It was the first time I knew that it could blow so hard we couldn't hear it, just see the rain going by. August 10th. Mrs Branch and Merrill left to visit her relatives and friends in Michigan. I staid here to repair storm damage to our homes. August 29th. Mrs Branch and Merrill arrived back to elsey City by traln from har Michigan Visit. Sept. 8th. Mr. Bills, Jr. picked Mrs. 13ranch and Merrill up for a trip to his home in 'eneva. All the children had a wonderful time and they arrived back on Sept. llth, happy but full of red bugs. During the early summer, Mr. lobert White, the CFC i'lechanis, asked my help in designing windows for a storm shelter he wanted to build at his home. He told me he had been born in Texas and uas taking no chances. He had this completed when he came in the office on Sept. 13th and asked me if I saw that a storm was reported way out in the "tlantico I went to the Lighthouse at Jupiter for a weather report and did not like what I was told. Sept. 15th. I took all our employees and set them to work boarding up all our properties for storm damage. They were working on Mrs, elsey's home when r. ills, Jr. drove by. He stopped to ask what was the reason and then came to my office. I told him what was reported from Jupiter, that the storm was headed for Kelsey City and 'est Calm Beach. We called Mrs. Kelsey and Ars. Iranch and arranged for Mrs. /ranch and Merrill to ride with "r. Bills to 6eneva.wrr-41171.7 Mrs, l'elsey with her children were to drive her car ahead of "r. Bills for Geneva also. I was to follow later in the day with our car. Many of the natives were laughing at my work because the day seemed quiet and fair while the edge of the storm had all ready reached Bermuda. I left about 9 PM for Jupiter and got my last report from the Commander -in - charge. e was just getting the women and children in his storm shelter as a few gusts of rain came by. He gave me the latest report and I continued on to Melbourne. It was midnight but I could see light through the boarded up windows of the Melbourne Hotel, I stopped to see the Manager who was my ftiend and gave him the Jupiter report. e called over some people in the Hotel Lobby, who proved out to be New York City Reporters and Fox Movie -tone employees healed for 'The Storm'. They called their "ew York FAditors, who asked me to talk with him. Afterwards, they all were directed to go to I).elsey Gity at once, so they could report the storm at first hand. 1 continued o to Geneva, reaching there at (,:30 AM, Sept. 16th. It was too late to go to sleep, so M r. Aills and 1 went down to the t. Johns Iliver and fished until dinner time. -21— That Sunday, `)ept. lAth, 1928, while fishing with 141r. i11s, one could sense that far to the South something was happening far beyond the normal control of man. Several times I remarked, " Am glad to be here and not there". "aving had no sleep for 48 hours, 1 went to bed early. hen 1 awoke the next morning, I was told that 4.1 the storm had turned over Lake Okeechobee and passed up the midile part of the State. /MA, large amount of citrus fruit lying on the ground was evidence of the strength of the wind. All telephones were out of order. I joined Mr. Bills to a trip to Sanford at the newspaper office there. They had no news except some garbled report from a Ham perator that West Palm beach was destroyed. When Mr. Bills turned to me for a suggestion, I advised that we return to Kelsey City before martalljaw was declared. We returned to geneva, laaded the car with a five gallon tug of water, canned goods, etc and left at noon Sept. 17th for Kelsey City. At Jupiter , we found the road blocked by the top of Ir. Bowers Store. From there south we ran over telegraph poles, glass, down trees, etc. until we turned into the yard of ivir. 14il1s house on Ave. E. around 9:30 PM. The car lights passed through the front door entrance and shown all the way out into his backyard, The entire west wall of the house lay flat on the ground, the roof hanging by the corners. Our house had lost the roof over part of the building. The garage apartme4hat had been built between ills and our house had been blown over our house and was scattered on the North side of Ave. E. Part of it had been blfin thrbugh our screen porch and living room and out the front window. Our backroom bedroom had its roof intact and we decided to spend the night there. Only the garage West aall and roof was gone but the Mod1 T Ford still remained. With matches and candles, we managed to to crawl, fully dressed, into a wet bed, for the rain was still ES1ling. At day break, Sept. 18,0, we opened a can of beans and drove off to our West PalmBeach °Moe. We did not see one building that was not damaged. Parking the car at the Courthouse, we walked between draglines and trucks clearing the street of concrete blocks and rubble. The entire roof of our second story office was missing. A soldier guard cleared us and as we started to walk up the stairs to our office, r. Bills picked up a green colored document. It was a writ he had left in the iron safe which had to be filed in the County Clerks Office that morning. Upstairs, everything but the heavy ftrniture had been blown off with the roof. We stood their stunned, trying to evaluate the damage. When 1 turned around, Mr. Samuel Bic was coming up the stairs. "e was on his way to New York City and he said he would tell Mr. ,Kelsey to stay away and that we would handle the mess. 'le handed me two $1,000. bills and told me to pass it around to individuals who would need it Itt.L.-e most. ''ater, when 1 gave him an accounting of where his money had gone, he phoned me that my report to him was unnecessary. That was his type of Charity. -22- By Chas. A, Branch. When "r. Kelsey picked up his Sunday (Sept. 16th) paper he read the headlines West Palm Beach destroyed- details later. The night editor of the Times was taking liberty with our conversation from "elbourne. The reporters reached Oliver's Garage Ind because it was raining, stopped there° They staid until the wind blew the roof off and the windows out and spent the most of the storm on the west side of the FO R-W embankment where they had some protection from flying missies. When they took pictures they started at the Pioneer Hotel and got as far as the City a11 r. elsey was Joking at NYC papers and pictures and one shilwed a 'West ialm B05h Hotell with the the entire side blown out, showing each bedroom with firniture exposed to the rain. After a while he recognized that this was his Pioneer Hotel. and I stopped at the "elsey home to see what was needed to repair it. 'Tad' Kelsey had refused to go to eneva, saying if there was a storm, he wanted to see it. 4e and his Boy Friend (Still a resident Of Lake Park) staid in his bedroom until the bedroom dormer window blew off. They crawled in the dark to Ed. "ewell's home, which also was damaged, qnd finally up to the City Hall. The water had started to run in their frontiAoor as the was four feet of water in First Sto On the way, Tad was FIR, in the head with a flying board„ The water was so high that the City all Block was covered with it and the lower floor had about one foot of water. The upper floor was dry. It was being used as a "ei L;ross Storm shelter and was filled with dazed,people whose homes had been destroyed. All the clay tile was gone from its roof and never has been replaced as a cheaper roof was installed later. The structural members of the roof had been lifted by the wind and spltt and in spite of the repairs, is still visable today as stem danage. Windows had been blown in but was crowded for several weeks by storm victums. 7very storm and shop was damaged and many were never repaired. I add this paragraph for thoe residents in present Lake Park Condos, Sidney 6 apon owned the only house on Lake Shore Drive just south of Kelsey Ijark. They noticed the water starting to come in on their floor and then a window and door was broken. Sid and his wife, Mimi, started up.the.stairway and stood on the second Story floor watching fish swin around their antique furniture and crystel dishes. In order to keep out of the water, Mimi stood on the toilet began to recede. Sid marked the high water mark it visable while he owned the property, knowing seat. It got that high before it on the side of his house and kept that no one would believe it without prof. In Riviera Beach the rater backed up to the FFC R-W tracks. It left one 110 foot Coast Guard Boat in the backyard of one of the largest bootleggers in that Town, many people said that the Lord was protecting him. It was a f'ew days before I got up to the Palm Beach Winter Clubhouse. A thirty foot cabin cruiser that was anchored in the Slip rested on the side of the road. A part -23- By Chas. A. Branch. of the roof over the dining room was stripped off and the whole place needed a little work. The picture which mr. Torno had painted for Mr. Kelsey and which had been placed on the North dining room wall was damaged. This and the roof was thefirst things i had repaired. The last time I saw. that picture, it had been cut to an oval shape and was in bad reoair. It is a shame that so many people who have control of property, don't know the value ofiworks of art but consider them junk. The property between the courses was blown flat and many trees were down. A few that lived were bent at a western angle and some remain that way today. ilhe lower fairways of the Palm Beach Winter Club had been covered by as much as five feet of salt water. Just west of the course one of the Prosperity arms 6wners had been blown into a ditch a dl4-e4ft when he wanted to escape the high waters and was drown. One lady who lived in the west part of Eelsey City had her baby blown from her arms. They found it next day partially covered with sand. One Boy who lived near our Field Office was helping his crippled Father while it was blowing down. His 'rother was on the other side as they left the door of their home. The Boy was hit in the head with the end of a 2 by 4 and he died a few days later. -very able bodied man jumped in to get homes repaired so that they would be weather proof. The Rel Cross had plenty of building materials. The Arnold 6onstruction Company helped organize needed work. No one asked what they would be paid and all -worked. I never saw more people being so generous with their trbme and labor. As my golf course labor terned up, they were. sent to help with building repairs. Mrs. Iranch and "ts. KeIaey came back with their families on Sept. 2lst to home partially dried out. Sunday, '''ept. 23rd. We rode around taking pictures of the stibrm damage. It was not hard to get over 100 pictures, many of which I have filled with -the Lake lark Library for furture use. Mr. il1s had been staying at our house as his home was unlivable.. The Blue Goose Restaurant and Miss #ainconer's coffee :hop were so badly damaged that both closed for good and both l'ianagers went North. Mrs. "elsey and Mrs/ Branch spent a lot of tEme shipping dishes to Miss Faulconer. Nov. Ath was not only our 13th wedding anniversity but was election Day. We rode with r. Poston, who had his grocery store operating again and Dr. 13arker, who had been appointed administer of the closed Kelsey City dank to get election return‘. Mrs. A"elsey was with us and was delighted when she found out that "r. Hoover had been elected President. Mr. Poston and Dr. Barker were both 'enocrats. They had been reelected to Town Offices and helped in repairing storm damage. '''veryone was busy with the repair work but on Nov. 8th, Mrs. Kelsey, 1."'r. Bills and the-*ranah's saw Al Jolson in 'The SintiggFooli. It was nice to talk with him again. Nov. 15th, r. Bills took us to St. Augustine for Trustee Business and the next day W arrived at geneva. While Mrs. iJranch and Mrs. Bills were busy shopping at Orlando, -24- By Chas. A. Branch. 'Ir. Bills and I went to the St. Johns River and returned with a good supply of bass. (backs and snipe. After a few more days of good hunting and fishing, aturneS with l'Ar. 13111s on Nov. 23rd. Kelsey City Commissioners had not collected the $1.00 a lot to maintain the Community Club for same time from Lot Uwners. They owed the Arnold Construction Company for mortgage and interest payments.The Town agreed to sell the last End o*lock 19 to the Kelsey Community Church so the area could be used for Public ijurposes. The Arnolds brought suit against the 2own and other interested parties to foreclose their mortgage, which was not contested. After receivil.ing title, the Arnolds transferred Title to the the r.elsey Uity Community Church who assumed the mortgag43mount oweing to them. On December lr-th, 1948, the Church did not have a meeting as it was closed for storm repairs. Thanksgiving Day had so many at the Kelsey City Golf Course that our son Merrill ca'3died with some of his friends. The middle of December was a busy time with Mrs. Blakely, Mrs. McLaren, Mrs. "elsey, Mrs, branch and others buying presents for the Christmad Tree uelebration in Kelsey ijark. Mr. kglsey and son, au1, arrived back DaT ember 21st for the Christmas Holidays. and "Family came back ljec. 2rth. of-Gelf Of Golf. Being the flu season, when ivir, Bills had to go to Miami on business, Louis and Douglas Bills were left in Concha's care. The month of January was so busy with The next day, while repairing the Kelsey City Golf Course iam, I hurt my ankle. Jan/ lst, 1929, after Xrays and treatments 1 was able to get in nine holes local affairs and meetings that it slipped quickly by. Jan. 31st, Mts. tranch's parents arrived from Michigan. They stayed until April 29th and enjoyed every moment. A business man from Flint, Jim Redd, and a friend was located in lest l'alm Beach on March 9th and after a little persuasion, staid aroundhere for a mont1;1. Mr. Bills had an accident with his car on March 14th and Mrs. 14ills arrived the next day to help him. Mr. Uncle Harry and Aunt Alto drove in from Flint, Michigan, March If-,th and staid with us until March 2Ath. March 17th, we entertained Mrsranch's parents, the Redds and Uncle Harry and Aunt Alta by driving to the Glades where we had dinner at Pahokee. They never forgot that Sunday dinner and had a better idea of. the Glades after that. May 30th, 1929, a farewell party was given at the Community Church in honor of Mrs. Kelsey. The place was crowded with her frnds and B1115 made the closing address and 1 recited a short poem. Her daughter, Mrs Beatrice K.Atkins, mailed me a copy of it, which Mrs. "elsey always kept. I received it Feb, 12, 1979, 50 years later. June 4th was election day and Dr. Barker, Mr 'amuel Blakely, Mr. "agan and Jimmy 1-1ess were elected Town Officers. June (,th, Mrs. "elsey left with her Family to join Mr. Kelsey in Jersey City, N. J. This was the end of one phaze of the life of our Town. My.elsey had been a promoter whose interest had been in the wellfare of his Project and the residents of this area. As such, he never held back one cent for his own benefit. riis payments came in his satisfaction derived in seeing things grow. -25- By Chas. A. Branch. June 21st, 1929, Mr. i11s and I went to Geneva on business, returning the 24th. July 2fth, the Kelsey City men put on a show at the Community Church to entertain the ladies. It was a great success and long remembered, July 29th. Mr. Ramsien had stopped working at the Kelsey City Golf Course when Mrs. Kelsey left. Mrs. 1)ranch filled in for the summer and it was a large day when thirty people paid the $1.00 green fees. She kept a supply of sandwiches and cold drinks on hand and several of her lady friends would join her there to play bridge several times eaclr, week. She staid there until Oct. 19th, when Mr. Morgan returned. Having sold some property in Flint and not wanted to place it in local banks, I bought Liberty Bonds on August 19th and Iteb. 22, 1930, State and County lax Uertificates Sept. 20th, 1929, paying $378.60 for one of them. On Jan. 3rd,. 1930, I bought 100 shares of Bickford;, Inc. stock. The only purpose to metion this is to show what ijalm Beach Residents were doing with what money they had, i.e..County Sheriff, Tax Assesors, ax Colle/tors, the Courthouse Crowd, Pederal Emplyyees4nd a few mailmen. A hurricane was reported Sept. 25th and passed by key ',4est on the 28th, giving us 70 miles per hour winds. October 8th, Mr. thJls and I went to miami on business. 1.4 ..‘je went to Geneva on Nov. lrth, combining business with a duck hunting trip and came back on the 24th. Nov. 21th, I took Merrill bird hunting through the area now occupied by North Palm Beach and we spent Thanksgiving Bay there, On l'ec. 19th, we attended a Banquet at the Tuscawilla Club in West Palm Beach where the ast Coast anal Proposition was discussed. Also had a turkey dinner there ft,t-given by B. D. Cole, Jan': 17-,h, 1930. Dr. Pearson, l'etty and their baby visited us bec. 21st, 1929 and staid with friends until Dec. 29th. My Mother came by train from "ichigan of the 21st also , spending the Christmas Holidays and left on the 10:45 PM train, Jan 30th, 1930 to her posttioAon as a Librarian. Mr. "amsden had been injured in a car accident, -)ec. 21st and died Christmas 1.1?ay. I sat on the Coran'ers Jury later and we decided that it was an 'Unavoidable Accident'. The Church 'ervices were well attended on Christmas alai the 1930 Lew Year. The purpose of these above details was to show that the lesidents of l'elsey City had began to recover from the effects of the 1928 'turrucane, each in their own way. The only manufacturing plant that survived was Chrisagg s Mill Works. The Tron Works, Concrete Plants. Laundry, andjsmall firms had moved to West 1-alm Beach. Mr. ”agan still ran the Ice Plant. The Rubber iactory was now Frank Gollattscheck's filling station with his wife as assitant. Mr. A A Poston and wife did a large credit business with their Gracery tore. Mr. BIk513 had repaired the Nursery and hal acquired acreage "est of Town to plant additional shubbery and trees, retri2y4d from damaged and unwanted properties. The "elsey City Golf Course had been kept in operation on a year round basis and the Palm Beach Winter Club was maintaAned so it could be used during the Winter Season. By Chas. A. Branch. The "elsey City Community Church, which welcomed all denominations, had good leadership under Rev Calhoun the A'rnold arni1ies, d Newell and wife, The l'icLarens, ors. Kelsey, Mrs. 13ranch and the other ladies who attended the Ladies Aid, Youth Qroups and Sunday School. The Christmas Holidays, New lears and Faster always had special affairs which was anticipated year round by the Children. Much of the Church's financies were derived from dinners the Ladies servbd7at the City Ilan Mirror Room. The School House was used by an active group of the PTA who helped out in Scholl Plays, the Boy Scout eropps and npecial activities to keep the children busy and the parents happy. The teachers joined in this work but it seemed to me that a Spirit of Commitment could be raised for better results desired. The Kelsey City Hall had been repaired and the storm damaged books from the Kelsey City Library was stored in an upstairs room with little attention. Its Council Chambers was filled each Meeting Night by residents who viewed their deliberations more as entertainment than business. I think that this was the attitude of some of the Council ".embers, as they only received a dollar for each meeting. Most questions arose about the use of the Mirrored ''ance floot where the Telsey City olunteer Fire Tiepartment and the American l'egion held dances. I knew that a Bond Issue had been sold to provide more storm sewer drainage and Street Improvements. Some of the money had been frozen when the Banks closed but I could not hep wondering if some of the money was not beienvused for maintenance instead of construction, as nothing was being done. No one else seamed to bring up that question. The Arnolds wereory busy buying up storm wrecked properties and storing materials for future use, when needed. They had a great demand for rebuilding damaged properties that were reopening for homes and business° The Hess's were trying to promote the soft drink business in Miami while Mable Jane, Jimmy's wife, taught'dancing classes in a storm damaged building opposite the City "all. Yost of the ladies stayed busy with local social events all most daily. Tbeh family seemed to have been adopted by -a colored family who depended on them to furnish food, a place to stay and who could bail out their men when_ they needed bail money. Each night, strangers could Jepend en a cot and supper at the City "all and each morning, a trip to the City Limits, Some Professional ljeople daily went to their offices in West t'alm Beach as people still became sick or needed legal advice. I was busy trying to get Payroll Money. During January and ebruary, I was able to contact ir.axwe11 Morris, ridge -xpert, a few friends from Michigan, Mr. Ralph Hart, and Mr. Repogle in a alm Beach Stock MarkeY °Mee. H- a-ivised me to sell some stock which I had just bought each time he saw me. I finally did sell it at a 300% profit;- it was the only stock in 1930 which closed out the year higher than it was at the beginning. I was lucky. The Drake Lumber Co Mills had been damaged by the 1928 Hurricane and never opened again. Ihe living quarters had been destroyed and only two families -27- By Chas, A. Branch. 4. 1 remained. By 1930, a few people began to make their residences in Kelsey City, • replacing those who were leaving. i'Ar. Bills made a business trip to tanta Domingo, but rei.-irned r,eb. l2th. Mr. Morgan, Golf Pro., returned Notth so Mrs. trench began working at the -elsey City Golf Course "arch lst. The Greenskeeper at the Palm Beach Winter Club agreed to keep it open for the summer season. April 13th, while playing golf with Drs. Stone and 600dman, I hurt my back. Xrays showed that i had pinched a verebrae when I had an accident testing cars many years ago. Dr. Stone advised against an operation but told me to go to bed when it hurt. The Palm Beach Board of Education Area was broken into three Districts, District 1 ran between the North CountyLine and the North Line of Wast Calm Beach. extending to the Wset County Line someyhere in Lake Okeechabee, including L'anal Point, ?ahokee andBelle Glade. Mr. Parry 6ackson of Jupiter was its gember and was Jell qualified and able in being its member. He had supported a bond issue to build a High School in Jupiter and many of its rooms were idle. Mr. 'ackson was right but many Taxpayers resented the rise in taxes. The Glades iv-ons believed that all school support was being spent on the East Coast and that their schools lacked representation. Mr. Poston had been selling insurance theta while his wife attended the grocery store in Kelsey City and knew the political situation. 0 'r. Poston, r Raulerson, r. arker and "r. Bills talked to me and, in a weak moment, i concented to file for nomination May 2nd, 1930. the Primary Flection AJay was June 3rd and I won on the l'emocratic Ticket, as did r,Poston, who was running for a county Commissioners °ffiee. Because of a trick Florida Law which disqualified Republicans gs ineligible to run in the Primary, it meant that we would be elected in the November 4th election, unless defeated by write-in votes. The time spent in the 'ake area gained me some liVe-long friends. Mrs. Branch and Merrill left by train June 24th for Michigan to take care of urgent business matters and see relatives and friends. A tonsil removal slowed her return but she arrived back August 22nd. August 26th, T drove her to see a ten acre plot I halaaquired thrangh a Ta foreclosure, with Mr. 1;ills acing as attorney. It was located in Prsperity farms just south of John Maheuis land and he rented it to gx=ow more vegetables. At this time, Ibbelieve that less than ten per cent of land were paying State and County Taxes. Any business in West i'alm Beach could have been bought for 50% of its first mortgage amount. I had just sold 40 acres west of the Seminole Golf -ball standpipe for 300.00 to a "ew York speculator. ge kept 61., two years and then let it go, also refusing to pay taxes. A quarter of a mile on the ocean front near the present Juno Beach City kiall was offered to me for 1,000. by an Owner who was leaving for California. I refused his offer and it also went for taxes. can eople today say that it/never again happen, but should we receive a few Russian Bombs via Cuba, 1 wonder if history might be repaated -28- By Chas. A. Branch, Mrs. Branch had resumed work at the 45elsey City Golf Course August 23;..d which allowed me to spend more time on other duties. ON Nov. 3rd, our son, Merrill, while leaving the Golf Course on a bicycle, was hit by a truck of colored workers. Thy drove him home, I was called and with one look, I began to rush him to Good Samaritan Hospital, leaving friends to call fir. Stone. rie worked two hours Wching hi ip up and did not let him come home until Nov. 6th. Carlos Wilson was in the Hospital at the same time with leg injuries. Merrill did not recover until 'ec. 13bh. Nov. 4th was election 'ay. Mr. l'oston was elected as County Commoissioner, Pat these for District IT tarry B}nson from District III and myself from District 1 were elected Members of the l'alm each Coulity Board of tt'Iducation and Mr. Joe Youngblood as Supt. of Sch9Ils. Nov. 30th, Mr. Morgan returned to the e1sey City Golf Course as fTio which relieved Mrs. 'ranch of watching business there. A week before I had been invited to go duck hunting on the St. Johns qver and at Ritter Island near elle Glade by Herman Arnold, Jake Boyd, County Engineer and Beputy Sheriff ewell. Same local politicans were wondering what kind of a person I was. Thgksgiving Day, Christmas and New Years saw large crowds on the two Golf ';ourses. A, Jan. (,th, 1931 was the first meeting of the New Schilll Members at the Court House. Much of r. Bills time had bean spent in the defense of Mr. iel-seyi brought against him in the gederal ax Courts. A local attorney was acting as a 'Master' to gather evidence to be presented in Washington, D.C. One allegation was in regards to a million dollar bond issue of the PCFC. As no record had been acknowledged in any Income lax Reptt it was inferred that "r. elsey had not xxo reported his profits. "r. 'ills had brought this issue to me previously, stated that they lacked MT. Kelsey signature to validate them and asked me to put them Jr. where Mr. 4Selsey and he did not know where they were. I placed them in the iron safe in my office, which'pontained only records and correspondence and never was at loced. While "r. 1411s was giving testim0/ the masters "earing, Mr. Bills was asked, "What happened to the million dollar bond issue of ECFC and whate are they ow?" He corrected relied, "I do not know". I told the Master that I had evidence of this matter and I was called on for the answer. 1 was asked the same question and replied, " I placed these worthless Bonds in an iron safe in my office. They had no value as Ar. Aelsey had not signed them as President of the FCFC. The first time I entered my office after the 1928 hurricane, I found the heavy records scattered about what was left of the floor and the safe entirely mpty. The step had scattered the Bonds and other papers in the saw grass west of Town and not one had every been reported as being found. Ir any exist at this time, that is where they are". My Bills -gave a sigh of relieYe While the "aster smiled and said "It will be so recorded". Truth was stranger than Fiction. -29— By Chas. A. Branch. Wh?n the cases were brought up to the ax Court in 'Aashington, r. 'ills, who ha l one of the keenist legal minds I have ever known, presented r. e1seys case to the Court. Mr. H. 0. Hart spend hours with testimony which proved that P.r. "elsey was not guilty of any att,mpt to defraud the Government. 'hat he, Hart, was 4 , responsible as Tax L,onsultant,• for any minor errorsthat was presented as evidence and that "r. "elsey when he signed the returns, was unaware of their contents. Th9 Court rightly exonerated Mr. ifelsey of all charges that had been brought against him and no action was taken againat the J. C. Bilis Trusteeship who now handled all 73FC business. Years afterwards, the people of 11.elsey City were led to believe that Mf. Kelsey (lid nothing to keep the/gown from stagnation. True facts reveal that it, was the Government made tit impossible for Kelsey to act otherwise, combined with the ederal Depression and the F]orida Land Bust. The purpose of spreading this idea was to divert the attention of the Town s lesidents from what was being done to them by those who wanted to gain financially. The 1931-1932 experience as being a Memicer of the PB Co. 'oard of ducation taugh me that I had no business in politics. l'egally, the Supt. of '')chools was a Clerk of the school Board in his duties. School Trustees were supposed to pass on the proficiency of ieachers and report personal to the Board for appointments. I found out that the school trustees were advised by "rs. Youngblood, who ran Joe's office, and tat the best jobs went to her friends. I'lany of them were wives of vlest galm Beach Lawyers and Professional 'len who would keep Joe in °ffice. It did not, in my attempt to better advance educational proceeduresiieeA) gain —rs. Youndbloodtfavor. The Pork Chop an in Tallahassee was considering a hnw law calling for 'tate Monies to be distributed on a Pupil 7nrollment tasis. he Teacher thought that it would Five them less work for more money, so all supported it. What it did do, was to lax about nine Florida Counties enough funds so that the rest of the 'tate Counties would be 'School Tax Frvet.On •April 14th, 1931, Mr. loungblood and I went to a Tallahassee meetin g before the law was to be acted upon. The enator from Pscambia County asked me if I was a7ainst the Bill. When I told him I was, he said I might just as well go back to West 1-alm 'each as -tey were going to pass it anyway. I replied by complLtMenting him for so ablely representing his Distric and them for electing him year after year. .11 'e led me to his desk and offered me a drink of hard liquor, saying he was glad to met a man who knew a bad deal when 114saw one. Joe and I returned April 17th, the Taw was passed, I had gained the disfavors of the Teachers. but also the friendship of many tankers and Business Men of South Florida. 44acking State adequate funds, many Teachers were being paid in scrip which antcs and grocery stores would honor, holding them until theycould be redeemed. -30-- By Chas, A.. Branch. When I suggested at a Board i*1'eeting that Acreage in Riviera each and a ec,,ion of Land between Pelle 61ade and 1-ahokee be obtained for a dollar an acre plus legal fees under the MURPHY ACT, Mr. Reese and Mr. Youngblood thought I was crazy, Glade Trustees were told 1 was trying to move rahakee High School to elle Made and the residents of Bane Olade were told was trying to move th/im-s to Ijahokee. The same lands were afterwards acquired at a cost of over $10,000 an acre by subsequent ':jchool °fficials. ith the cooperation of r0 Dills and the ?,elsey City Council, tlock 70 and the Intervening street was deeded to the School Board for playground purposes. 4hile Mr. eese was absent. 'Ir. Bensen and I voted to build a combined Gym and I'layhouse at Boynton and Aelsey City to replace storm damaged Properties. "r. Reese and "r. Youngblood intended that no construction money would be spent I outside Palm 'each and West alm Beach. They didn't like our action. The Kelsey City opened 'ian.18th, 1932 with a large party for the P2A. larly in 1932, I suggested that my successor in Office should come from the Glades area. my. Salavatore of Pahokea agreed to become a candidate for my job. Business Men suggested that I should run againstr. lAblthod and I filed for the June Prirnary. After I filed, another man was bfought in to lessen Joe s compAttelQn. Joe and I entered into the June 28th primary and when the votes ware being counted, I was over 400 vote ahead with three Precinces not being counted nar Sheriff akers home. Mrs. Youngblood told the Sheriff that Joe was losing, so after the vote was finally declared in the three precincts, it was reported that ± had lost the election by 28 votes. The next morning, •I was awakened by a man who asked if I was going to ask for a recount. I told him to go back and tell Sheriff Baker, that knowing that he was the legal custodian of the 'County 'allet Boxes, I would be crazy to ask for a recount. Weeks later when I met Sheri laker, he told one that If then was anything I wanted in the future, he would see that I got it. I told him that thet was nothing he could give me for I never again would rum for a Public Office. At the next session of the State Legislature, a Bill was passed changing the qualifications of Superintendents of County 'Schools. It raised the standards of those,/seeking office so that only people who held 'ducational degrees could qualify. School Board Members at that time were paid $50.00 a month with no expense allowance. For the time I spent, it amounted to less than 250 an hour. "any citizens thought we were overpaid. I had been so busy that my last payment from the J. C. Bills. ri'steeship was on ()et 3lst, 1931. Rowever I did spend a lot of time in consultation 11 with Mr. i11s about the F:elsey's properties. His son, Louis, spent sto much time with his kather that he attended TgPB High School with my son 14erri1l. They never forgot the 1 had disband thir High Schonl Fratrnities, _31_ By Chas, A. Branch I had rented Mrs. Aelsey's Burr Huse to NT.Callahan who worked in a Stork Broker's Office in Palm lieach during the Winter 8eason. One morning at this Office, I saw Mr. Rorick, Investment lianker at Toled9,0hio. His Son-in-law owned $5,000. of elsey City Bonds and his firm had bought up a lot of defaulted "liverglaie l'rainage bonds at about 4 on a dollar. As we had meet previously in a business way, he asked me if the�a1rn Ileach Residents were honest, why didn't they pay thr Bonds? I told him he could easily get redress by using the Murphy Act to own all that land, and than he could pay up the debt owning him. tre laygh/ed and said he just wanted to be raid the monwy due him, he did not want the land. A few years later, in order to establish Florida's Credit with Jew York Bankers, a law was passed making Florida responsible for all legal District Bond i-ayments, and Bonds and interest was later paid at full values. I had moved into a home in Block 17 of Itelsey City on Ave. E, acquired iAth Mr. Bills help by using the Murphy act where the State of Florida gave me a Master's Deed. Most of the new arrivals in Kelsey City were doing the same and we were gaining many fine residents. The Callahans invited us to a Christmas Dinner in 1931 and we found r. & Mrs. rown, "r. & Mrs. Getchel and Mr. & Mrs, Fd "ewell there. We got home at 230 AM. New Years night , the (jang was at Fd '‘ewells home and we returned home at 5:30 AM. Jan 2nd,1932 was spent at "r. & Mrs. CormacY/, Mrs Cormack taugh4n Northboro and ehtertained many Teachers and friends.1m7m 111..e.A,t. We got home at 3:30 AM. As all of us had little money, all pitched in to help being social individuals. During the were depression, I think that people/at thr best for no one had anything to lose. Many residents went West of Lake Park and put in patches of turnips, tomatoes aril other garden vegetables. The Lake Worth Lake bottom provided razor-edged clams where the presint Mariana is now located. Upper Lake Worth grass beds provided all kin-3s of fish and pomp,no was favored. Ducks rafted in the Lake by the thoudands or a. feed under the mangroves. Many, by the use of a cast net, graced a table for a Sunday dinner, Fred Newlms, uetchel and I used to get the legal limit in an hours time. derman Arnold, Jake Boyd and others who owned bird dogs found plenty of birds between the two Golf Courses. The short,line gave evidence of raccoons, possum, wild cats, rabbits and some times, deer and cougers. While the depression was at its w5rst, a man from Detroit offered me a thousand dollars a month as rent for the Citbhouse and slip of the faIm Beach Win-ber Club. No one had that kind of money except Gamblers, so I asked him if he had taken the matter up with Sheriff taker. When he asked, 'Who is .)ineriff4aker? If he gives us trouble, the Ucean is wide and deep', I raalized that he must be talkimg for the Purple Gang. So when I to'A him I knew he represented them, Ile smiled, shook hands and said he had a date in Polk County. I had remembered that Mr. Kelsey had once wanted to start a Dog track in this area, W had 'Sounded out Sheriff Baker' who said he would let him know how it would be -32- By Chas. A. Branch. r-ceived. As Nr° 4adley desired no cheap form of Gambling in Palm 14each, it just 1. so I*Dpened that a Cuban Resident suggested to Mr,Kelsey that they would like to have him build a track in Ilavana. The Cuban Government cooperated by supplying cheap labor and materials Three days later no an 'Attendence Tax' Entrance ee. He was and gave nr. Kelsey a gala opening with a parade and large crowds. one attended except those working there. The Government had voted and placed a 8uban soldier in each collection booth to collect the told that he was under contract to furnish each employee a years work so he returned to lorida leaving thcitrack with the Government when they released him from his 'Labob Contract', poorer by wiser. Boleta and the L'uban Lottery flourished and Bootlegging had been accepted as a necoesity. When a Federal Agent boarded a Riviera J6each incoming boat from West End, they were sometimes greeted by a nheriff's deputy who told them that the County had confiscated its cargo. They would watch the liquor sacks being stathked in the Courthouse basement 'As Evideneet. The County l'rose4or was from a well known 'Jupiter t'amily and when he ceased to represent the County, the Sheriff's Brother was elected to the °Mee, two of the Sheriff's Deputies lived in Riviera Beach and the established members of the 113oltlegging %trade had little opposition° A newer generation of people wanted to get in on the Quick money, so they began to use seaplanes and light planes to bring loads in from Vast End. They began to bring packages of 'Dope', using hankerchief parachutes to drop thblr parcels on the runways of the relsey City Golf Course and the 1-alm i3each Winter Club. It increased the cost of maintaining the lairways. "r. Cormack hated the Drug raffic and we watched some early mornin.g delAveries on the fairways and the cars which picked up the packages. One morning, after a hurried departure of a tru'lk, Mr. Uormack found a valuable rifle, which he kept. 1i It was some time later, I found out that r. Corfflack knew some of the Federal i4arcotic Officials in this County. Things began to grow a little rougher in this neighborhood. A few boats were founin the ocean, empty and burning with no occupants. Federal Authorities began to use planes to chase the incoming ones. One of them tried 1933, and didn't make it. Feb. 25th,/Sheriff Bob 'aker das unexpectedly. The same ay, Ruth d.etchel was buried. eating oysters from the north end of Lake Worth. er husband and Ed Less was also sick • but recovered. This was the beginning a new way of life for local residents. Lake Worth had become contaminated by fresh water and sewage, due to controlled drainage and the increase of population. Some of the local residents eventually moved to rain 16each. Those who could profit by the depression, acquired property there at low values, like the Irnold Sewells, et al. their places were taken by a younger group, amoung whom was Howard Flynn end others who became interested in puttirgnew life and activity in "eIsey Gity, to fly under a bridge in 'ake worth buried. He had passed away very She was sick wit- typhoid after -33— by Chas. A, i'ranch. The year 1933 was very hard on everyone, including local residents of this area. ffleach 3rd, 1933, Pianklin Roosevelt was declared t'resident and that same I/ay a Nat1onal Holiday was declared for all banks and FinancialYintitittbns. Any one who had a little money in the yank could not use it, and all were equal. It had been so bad Christmas Bay in 1932, that 9.r. 1i11s and I had suggested to our wives that they go down to the damaged Blue Goose Restaurant and the Coffee house, and pick up any silver or dishes they wanted as Nristmas rresents. March 5th, 1933, a brush fire swept over Kelsey City so close to our homes that it became a problem to save our cat and her kittens from the back yard. April 29th, "r. l'osto;)., Mr. Mock, Mr. Marchant and I meet to discuss a proposed Charter Change for Kelsey City. I had not been back to Michigan since 1925, and having no full time job, I left "'ay 17th by bus for Flint. Flint had had its Michigan Bank Holiday before March 5th, and my properties there needed attention. July 7th, 1933, a small hurricane damaged the roofs of the two houses 1 had in elsey City. August 13th, 1933, Mrs branch's Mother became ill and she and "errill left by Bus for MicItgan August 25th. ''ser Mother was operated en August 28th. September 4th, 1933, a full sized hurricane passed over "elsey City and Ralph Hart wired me that both houses had damaged roofs and wet furniture. Our Son 1'1ex-rill had been sick for same time and on E'Jept. 18th he had an appendix removed. He left Hurley Hospital in Flint Sept. 25th and that night I left by Bus to return to I.elsey City. Just as a comparison today on Medical Costs, his Hospital Costs were $42.00 for the week and his operation cost was $80.00 for surgery. With the recovery of both patients, Mrs. ranch and "errill were able to arrive back in elsey City Ljctober 17th. 'n the meanttime, I hhd been busy regiring the storm damage In the houses which proved to be considerable. Dec. 4th, 1933, "r. Poston stopped by to tell me that Mr. :Take Boyd, County igineer, wanted one to work for his Dep*pkaent. The Federal Government was making funds available for Public Work to help unemployment and to relieve Welfare Workers. In order to qualify applications, subveys and cost estimates were necessary to show that each 'roject came within the provision of the Law. Mr. Boyd asked me to head up a survey party and as they were in all parts of Palm Beach County, he furnished me with a car to make the necessary studies. I went to work the next day. aan.23th, 1934,, 1 was transferred from the County i)ayroll to the C. W. A., and on .14j. 19th to the F. F. R. A. Payroll. i don't know why these changes were made. lily notes tell me that on May 25th, "r. -boyd sent me back to the airport again, but on the County ayro1l. e had asked me if I could design. an airport which the cihamber of 'ommerce was sponsering. He told me it had to be made to Department D7P.RTM7NT Specifications Of the lederal Commerce/and the 3*.ection of Land on the belevedere r?oad. T. 7ot the Specifications and began constructiln, using Welfare Labor. -34- By Chas. A. Branch. was The first thing I found out/that we had to have more land to have he length for one runway. This was obtained and accounts for the change in the elvedere Road as it now exists. A large drainage ditch ran north and south through the middle of the property, so I hired equipment to fill the canal and replac4it with a larger one at the airport's edge. When "t. xioyd told me later that I had filled up property belonging to 'The urainage i'istricti, I prepared deeds for an exchange of the effected properties. I won't attempt to go into all details of my employee with the f91m Beach County from May 2i6.th, 1933 and March lAth, 1936. When a Representative of the ept. of tommerce came down to inspect the location of the airport, he asked the amount of money that was being requested from his dapartment as a Federal Grant. One sponsibz/ asked if they could get $25O,OOO. and he was asked what the cost of the airport would be. Not having an answer they turned to me and i told them the construction would cost more that one million. The w'ashington man told them that he would only recommend the 'rant if they woull ask for 1,000.000. When a Lady was sent from *ashington to be in charge of the F,ederal Welfare, the first thing she did was to return $25,000 of the monthly appropriation, saying that this, being Palm each County, didn't need it. One morning when I Cgme to the Airport site, I found over 200 workemensetti4on wheelborrows or the ground. I asked why they were idle and was told the the 'Welfare -uady' had cancelled the use of all equipment except that to transport the men to Work. When T feached her office, she told me that she had cancelled all machine costs for I had expended my allocation for more than two yearsQ I asked her how I could construct an Airport and she told me to use hand ?abbr and wheelborrows to move dirt. Knowing that Mr. 'ioseph ennedy was interested in the Airport Construction, I called him and was requested to come to his l'alk l'each Home at once. After reporting to him what was happening, "r. Kennedy drove me to the -ifadyls Office and ushered into her Asaistents Office. I. left the door open, and when I saw her departing, caught her and introduced her to r. I?ennedy0 ue told her that he and his friends were helping the Governam:ent to provide the 4e1fare Funds being used in Florida. She said she didn't care where' the money came from but she would spend it as she saw fit. Mr. 4Sennedy and returned to his home at once. Nr. Kennedy called the President at once and it was agreed that his Son,james, world become a house guest of "r. Kennedy within a weeks time, to study the situation. About a Month later, a directive from the ederal 9.?pLta1 came to Florida's Governor, authorizing him to create a tate 6oard to pass on the allocation of "elfare Funds. When the five man Board was appointed, "rs. 'ranch was to represent the Southern End of the State. The next morning after the news was published, the edera1 welfare 'ady called me to congratulate mP about my WifP's appointment. I told her that itm-virt -35- By Ghas. A. Branch. her call would do her no good, that she was on her way out. The ‘Jtate WelearejBbardn had meetings the first week of each month and the 'Welfare lady' was soon recalled to 'ashington. Construction had again resumed on the Airport. Light planes had been able to use the san1Funways as early as Dec. 9th, 1934. Other County Projects in our locality were the Aoad from the "ooden Riviera bridge to the 0cean, The 'Jest Lake Park Road from Kelsey City'est limits to the 'Power LinY ( Now Military Road). 'ridge ftepairs to the Monet Road Iridge at Mci'aren s Home, Road and Bridge work on the telsey City -Jupiter Road, (Now Rd. A-1-A), Rebuilding fhe storm wrecked Road on the Ocean between the Seminole Club and Jupiter. Road and tilidge wort in and around Jupiter, the location and construction of the Road around the North and East side of lake Worth to bite small bridges this side of Airport Beach, and the gathering of Engineering data for the Construction of the Blue leron Bridge in Riviera each and the Flagler tridge in West l'aIm Beach. It had been a pleasure to work with Jake Boyd, County Engineer. He had that rare instinct found in few Engineers which allowed him to work with the Public and accomplish worth while projects in the worst of times. I remember Nov. 28th, 1935, when he came in the office and asked me if I could drive him to Jacksonville in time for a 3.00 PM meeting to present applications to a -Federal 14oard for approval. 'le was very tired from previous activities and was afraid that he might go to sleep. Having hung Deputy Sheriff Embles to the car, frontind back we left before 11)00 AM. I got him up the in time for the meeting and I slept while he did the work required. He drove when we returned, getting back home at 1:00 AN. I have always admired him an.7 his ability and. worth to l'alm Beach County. I hope that future history for all time will record him as being one man who contributed much to ijalm Beach CoulVy. He has earned that honor and it should be recognized and recorded. city During this time, Kelsey/was showing signs of Change. Blakely had been reelected Commissioner in the June 6th election of 1934. The following year, Uormack had been elected June 4th, 1935. As Mr. Poston was spending all his time heing County Commissioner, 'iarney and iethel had sold their grocery. In May of 1935, the Snearer k'amilies moved in from Cleveland with money enough to acquire cheap I'lorida .eroperties. Hans Miller had opened up the 19th Hole, a business place where the residents could gather to have a good time and forget their troubles. The Church held the people together with its Sunday School, Ladies Guild and Youth Activities. Public School activities and the PTA made good use of the new GYM. The City Hall was busy with its dances, dinners, and Fame a sort of entertainment each Council meeting. The Town had no improvements as7any changes in Ownership was being made to the °tate, via the Murphy Act. Small parties between friendly groups were prevalent. While.1)0St working with the County, had not/track of local conditions. "r. Bills was busy with Trusteeship matters and we were in touch at all times. He was doing all By Chas. A. Branch. that was possible to protect the interests of Mr. l''elsey and the vCFC. 1'r. H. O. Hart, Tax Advisor, after IC,lsey had ben had won the case brought by the Government, -Rad until ben busy with the Pitts Case/t that was finished. The Government had then hired him, srit him to California and his brother Ralph Hart, Attorney and Accountant, was taking his place. However, I did not know all the inside deals which were being considered. About Jan. lst, 1936, I suddenly gained more friends who were taking interest in my behalf. T never knew how it was done, but with the help of Mr. Poston, someone hed obtained recomendations in my behalf and on March 19th, 1936 , I was called to Public the tacksonvi11e Office of Federal Giv&I--dorks Adminstration as a Resident Engineer Inspector. I couldn't refuse as the salary was twice what I had been working for. The next day I found myself in Panama °Ity, then transferred to Tallahassee to a larger project. Mr Boyd suggested to the Jacksonville Office that I be transferred to "est l'alm Beach,which had just been funded by the WA, as I was acquainted with Flagler Bridge in my past work with the County. So On Dec. 1st, 1936, I found myself transferred to the Florida "eys as 'hief Resident Engineer Inspector with five Assistants. The Labor ay Stow of 1935 had so destroyed that area that the F7C R...W ended in Florida City. This job covered the distance from Lower matecumba to Big Pine I-ey. After spending * years there and year in -ade county. I was transferred to Greensville, Miss . where the Mississippi River 'ridge with road approaches was not Completed until Dec. of 1940. Transferring from the epartment a Interior to the The Treasurers Ralonstructton Finance corporttion,TI found myself stationed in Washington D. C. 1 spent the Var Years and the dancellation of Tar Contract ijeriod 'Principle as a 1gtae4a4,--Pngineer'. During the later period. of 1947, some of my Assistants of, died froironditions resulting from the stress and worrxr thr duties. ' had been on Per Pim Diem267 days of the previous year while managing a large Office Staff in °Iashington. When I consulted with my Doctor, he advised me 'Quit your job at once, go back to Ilorida and don't do anything for two years'. I asked that my name would be placed and on the next list of 'Reduction of Idersonnal'i returned home Jec. 23rd, 1947. However, my Vacation Leave and Sick Leave kept me on the Payroll until May 15, 1948. During these twelve years, my return to this area was limited to a few days, two or three times a year. While I realized that changes were happening in this area, trt did not know the details. I did know that my city yaxes had increased year by year, and yet, I could sea no visab1e evidence of "uncipal l'enefits. However, one piece of imformation I received was well remembered. 4. fKelsey had an office in uambridge, fitass. and when my duties took me to Boston, if time permitted, I would call him and suggest that we dine together. I don't know if it was in 1944 of 1945, but this time when called,he told me that J.C. was with him. Mr, yelsey and Mr. Bills arrived at the ssex House (Opposite South 'tation) as (.;r1r1-rs ,712t,,ssts and Mr, bills was ill at that time. He seemed to be a worried man _37_ By. °has. A. 1Jranch. but he explained why and how he knew the terms of 6ir marry Uakes All. gr. Walter Foskett, Local Attorney, 15A3-torb,iiii;di4atrator and Execut6r of Sir aarry's fr,state, authorized to appoint his successor, if required, and had sole control until PiTses youngeit Son reached the age of 21; so I was told. Thn covered all the properties been formally owned by the 'CFC, which had/transferred to Sir 'iarry's Company, Aesdem Inc., that is now included in hake Park and North Palm Beach. As Mr. bills began to mention Sir "arry's °akes demise, he suddenly became silent and said little the rest of the evening. mr. Aelsey and I continued with light conversation and after the dinner was completed, they left. That was the last time I saw 4,r. J. C. Bills, Jr and Harry S. ''elsey. Mr. Bills died June 25th, 1945, while returning from a business trip in 6anta Domingo with his Son, Louis, tilr. 'c'elsey passd away in an Orlando hospital in 1957 while on a business trip. As most of the above are public records, anyone who is interested, can find out the contents and dates of the above statements. When I arrived back home, the beginning of 1948, I found that itelsey City was now Lake Park, Dixie Highway was new Park Avenue, all the lettered Avenues had been named for shrubs, flowers or bushes. The only thing left in his name was the lelsey City rark and the Kelsey City Nursery. Some newcomers did not know that M Kelsey in existed. I was intrested/what motbvated this change. I found out that Mr. '4alter Foskett, Attorne'fr for harry oakes, had interested him to use his Canadian Funds inrpurchasing the Unpaid 'fax ,3ertificates from the State of Florida. In this way, approximately 8)% of the t(els6Y City area, the 'elsey City Golf Course, the l'alm Beach Winter Club and most of the lands of the Now North Idalm Beach was in the hands of Tesdem, Inc. Should anyone be interested in meal Estate transactions, I suggest they read that of the Past Coast Finance prporation J. C. Bills Trusteeship Special "arranteed Deed tb, lesdem, Inc. It is a work of art. I have been told, that the price for "r. Foskett's attracting Mr, akes to this deal, was the obtaining the outstanding City a11, 'ater and Sewer Bonds of Kelsey City. Many Owners considered then to be worthless as interest and redeemtion had not been met. So they were gathered in by several citizens of Lake Park who wanted to get some activities in the wan. 14r. caron told me that he had sold his 1,000 Bond for 80. because he did not wish to be labeled 'Antl-Public Ninded! This 1Papert found itself in l'Ar.14'oskett's tiffice, all but the 5,000 held by Mr. Rorick's Sot -TN -Law, When Lake Park was formed, with a new City Charter, the new expected develope- ment did not occur. Defaulted Bonds seemed to be the reason, so a new issue had been voted and approvd by Lake Park Residents to redeem all outstanded londs, as the szile purpose. The new issue was based on the .100% basis value of the old 1Jonds plus all attached coupons. It looked good to the esidents as no payment was requLred for the first three years on the-3a year issue. 1 never did find out who -38—y Chas. A. Branch. owned these Bonds, except the $5,000 mentioned above. However, all future Bond and Interest payments were made to r. Foskett's office and the e80 dollar value of "r. Caron's Bond grew into a repayment value of $1,340. plus a 30 year interett addition, the interest being all f'ederal Income Tax ree. I found that the "elsey City Golf Course had been returned to the jungle. Rather thah maintain a Public Service which ran at a yearly loss, it had been destroyed. The Oakes Family thought it would give the Palm Beach Winter Club prestage if they resided in the Clubhouse while waiting to become residents in Palm Beach. kir. 'akes, being an outdoor man and his children being lovers of horses, decided that a part of the Winter Club would be a nice pla2e for a stable of po ponies and a riding path and field. re The golf course was/built to accomodate this desire by movingsome of the western fairways to the south side. This change made more building lots available for sale in later years but the Golf Course was never as beautiful as it had been. The polo field, stable and paths required much water so all the pipe, sprinklers pumps and other equipment was ripped out of the l'elsey City Golf Course. When the Fake l'ark Tax Roll was prepared, with the help of kir. Foskett's Office, The KCGC area had became assessed as wild land and valued as such. When I reviewed the Tax Roll in 1948, i found Tesdem's Inc. 80% of take Park was paying about 20% of the Ilawn's iCaxes.That gave me a good idea why my Home s Taxes had been getting larger. I did not hesitate to point this out to the new residents, like Howard Flynn and his neighbors. They,also, did not like the influence that "r. Foskett had with the City s fficials. I ran into one item on the tax Roll that was distrbing. I found that the City's aterfront was covered in the Tax Roll in such a way that esdem Inc. could claim ownership of -Lake "orthis Rip/ar6an Rights, A run back of the4 records showed that they hadYbeen placed on the tate and County T5 o11, left unpaid for two years, t're Llertificates had been picked up by a Lake Worth man who dealt in Tax Lertficates and sold to someone in r, Foskett's Office. This was the land that j'Ar. "elsey had belieVed was dedicated to the use of the Public. When I asked "r. Foskett what he was going to d, with the ."ake Front, he told me, ' Pump it in and sell it. Then when it is filled, I'll pump in some more and sell that also'. In the mean time, the Taxes being paid was just enough to make the whole deal legal. There had been some money spent on the extention of streets but I could not find any work being done on the Water System or Drainage. The only industry that had been added was a small business making bamboo furniture. Iffanything else was done, it was the work of private Individuals. The Tom was recovering from the effects of the T;lar. I don't know how long the Oakes Family lived in the Golf Clubhouse. When they moved to Palm Beach, the Clubhouse was left in poor shape. It was not being kept up as was a part of the golfing activities. Some Golf Course P1-34 ttempting to make the Course -39- .By Chas. k. Branch. popular,but lacking maintainance funds, he was running a losing battle. The spirit of th-e community was changed. Where Mr. 1Celsey had owned the place, it was a game with him t.c) promote the Tumn and assist its people. It seemed to me that Mr. Foskett was directing the Tuans activities to see how much he could recve from its residents. • The Town Mayor was one of the most honest men you could find anywhere. He did a lot of work for the church, was very frugal, honorable, a good citizen and desired to further the 'elfare of the Town and its citizens. Someone had sold him the idea that only Mr. Foskett could save Lake -eark. When I started my inguries of the status of -Lake Park, he had reported my activities. Most of the lownis Residents did not agree with the suggestion that the Town would be better off if I left Town. Most people had decided that something had to be done. June 4th, 1948, Mr. 4'easley Streets was elected i'layor. I was sorry for the old Mayor for he thought it was a personal dishonor to be replaced. When I tried to tallY with him, I saw that he was so hurt, that he could not understand. ile finally gave up all interest in Public Activities and €ventually became less active in the Church. I knew the Old Mayor to be so upright himself that he never knew he was being used, Mr..)-treets had newly arrived from Chicago and was entirely different from the Old l'iayor. He needed a large Tum to operate in, so I felt he could serve well in a small one as no one was about to fool him into bad decisions. The first thing he had me do was to review the Courthouse records of land. Ownership in Lake Park. I then rewrote it the entire assessment roll, properly describfang/into legal parcels so that it could be reassessed with same semblance of equity. Taking the same values of the improved parcels of lands that were individually held. on. the old rolls, I applied cornparitive values to all Tesdem holdings and covered thoseVtems of that comoany which had prerciously been omitted. The end result was that now fesdem was paying nearly (,0% of the Taxes, where -before it was 20%. individuals were paying less taxes wihout a reduction in their assested values. The new chhrter allowed unpaid taxes to the Town to become unpaid without any penalty or interest charges. A few business men would allow their taxes to be unpaid. for thre' fears, then appear at a Council meeting and pay up all three years at a discount. ghoulesdem -ecline to pay their City "'axes yearly, the Town would default its Bond required payments. So they had favored aLesdem in previousZyears. I called this to Street s attention, wrote a new ax Ordinance based on the State Law which had been approved by the State Surireme Court. The new Mayor had brought up tl-e new ordinaance, said it would help in getting in more money and it was acted on in three meetings and passed.It Alas not publicized. The other City Commissioners were much conserned when Tesdem refused to pay their City taxes on time, saying they were unjustly taxed. Streets told them he thought that eslem might change its mind. So we went ahead with the legal procedure to advertised the selling of t.17_ed reslem Taxes, notifA#6hose conserned legally, and set a day for the -40- By Chas. A. Branch. Fale of unpaid taxes due the City. The day before the 'ale Qate, a diest ?aim Beach Attorney entered the Clerk Uffice and inquired about the unpaid faxes. I was in the next office and knowing that he must be representing iesdem, I went out to answer his qSatton and showed him the new ordinance. When he saw it, it quickly checked it to see that it was the same as that of the tate, went to the phone and made a call. 'le said that he would be back within the hour and for me to stay in the office. When he came Taxes plus back he handed me a check for the full amount of all the tesdem the penalty charge for all their Lake t'ark Property. he asked if I had some one lined up to buy them next day and I told him that there were plenty of people who would like to have the Tesdemperties in the same manner that they had acquired them. One of "r. Blakelys duties as Town Clerk was to make up the Tax Roll each year. PA he proper time he had always presented it, with no comment. When "r. 6treetshad ha given him the Taxroll, I knew he did not like it, but said nothing and voted for it. I had worked nearly three months on it and with i'layor 'treets and I gave him a invoice for 00.00 for my morkb. It amounted to less than 2% of the raxes gained over the previous year. When it was presented to the Council for payment, "T. Blakely smiled and voted for it. The Kelsey. City Nursery, besides its location on the old Dixie Highway in Lake ?ark, now had a ales 4Cfice in Palm Beach. Tje kw of Mr. Foskettis reaction to the whole deal. During 1949, Lake ark officials asked me to help out with the Budget, Tax Roll and the preparation of some much needed L)rdinances. The most, costly it of Town Taxes was the paymenY on Bonds and Bond Interest. Singer fsland was being activated as a growing community, by "r. Edwards. Riviera Beach had been advancing when Mr. Lewis, acting for his Chicago 'atholic Church Foundation, obtained the title to a large amount of the 1zn. Both had used the same mkiethod to get control as had Tesdem, Inc. The obtaining from the "tate of Florida a Master Deed from the buying up of unpaif taxes. While these communities were growing, Tesdem had only sold a few Lots where Churches were constructed, etc. The obj0ect of these sales was to advance the worth of the other vacant Lots owned by tesdem.When ;ake Park residents complained about the Town being dormant, their minds were diverted briticism of Mr. ;Selsey. June kh, 1949, a proposition was presental to me to represent esdem, Inc. in their relationship to Lake Park. The agreement was that besides a retainecrfee paid monthly, 1 would recieve a peraentmetri on all of resdemis properties that could sell. Knowinti why the offer had been made tome, I accepted it because I kw - , New iork City people who wanted to buy all of tesdem's holdings. I moved into tesdem s Field Office the next day and on my behalf, bought up 20 lots in Lake Park for $5,000. from individuals who had their property for sale. I soon found out that 1 could/make sales for Tesdem as "r. Poskett would accept no offers to sell. 1 resigned .reb 28th, 1950. -41- By Chas. A. Branch. hr. Foskett had been interested in only the choice take -IrmitimmErtniferfytia2 the 7CFC as controlled by the J. C. Bills, Trusteeship. This left a vast acreage west of Lake Park wholly in the hands of Mr. Bills and, later, Ralph Hart. I knew now why my fri_ends had assisted me in obtaining the Government Job in 193. It got me out of luwn luring the time thaOesdem Inc. had obtained its ownership of lake l'ark -Lots and had accomplished the new bond issue approval to pay off the old outstanding Bond indebtedness. The actions of Pr. Bills Mr Ralph Rart and a few of Mr. Kelsey's friends in dealing with Mr. Foskett had been motivated by their desire to salvage something for Mr. & Mrs. elsey. Their are few Attorneyswwho would so faithfully plac a clients interests above their own. It was a/priviledge to work with r. ills and enjoy his company. I was prlad to be his Frnd and one of his amily When Sir tarry Oakes youngest child reached the age of 21, tady 'akes must have decided to sell all the properties held by esdem, Inc. I have spoken about the 4ew Iork City People who had desired to purahhse its holdings. I doubt if they were allowed to offer. make a formal sales p-rtmT!.. The property was sold to a Chicago man who had been indited by the .frederal Governtent on a charge that he had defrauded War eterans by using the mail. A suitable down payment and a larger mortgage amount had been accepted. It was reported that if this buyerailed to meet the mortgage conditions, it would revert to Mr. Foskett and his associates. When the mortgage expired, the buyer was in a Federal ranitentiary. Mr. lv-k6Arthur appeared the date the Mortgage was due and paid "r. Foskett in full for all Tesdem's Dunerships. 1Te had been assigned the l'rison Inmate's interests. (Insert Pg 4) I leave the story of Lake Park and North t'alm each early existance at this point. Theto are others who are more qualified to bring the story up to date. I do not believe that Sir Harry Cakes ever contributed a thought ta this area unless it was on the advise c reommedation of Mr. valter Foskett. The Palm Beach Winter Clubhouse began to deter- iorate with his ownership and little has been done to save it since that time. Should it cease to exist in the future, it will never be forgotten by those who remember the services it provided in the past and which was enjoyed by so many when times were hard. It appears to me that, after Sir Harry' s death, Lady Uakes main desire was to get rid of these properties as soon as. legally, she could. I am sorry that I could not mention all who, from time to time, made a contribution to Lake l'ark. 'riefly, I should mention the Collinsworth Family who bought Poston's Grocery Store and are still rssidents, nr. fiagan, who made ice for the Community, Judge lward Newell, who with his wife, continued needed services for this area until they passed away, "r. Commack did not survive a fall from the roof the City hall while trying to save the Taxpayers Money and r. Howard Flynn and his friends who have never let up their fight to make this City -of Lake Park a better place to live, erman and J. Y Arnold, even though living in lalm 1Jaech, never lost interest many made in this area and. contributed m, ch to its welfare and.W-ty >q11 contribution for the -42- By Chas. A. Branch. Church and Schools in this area. I take pleasure in recounting that my Son, C. Merrill, it helped bring new life to the "ommunity Church which allowed/to f'esume regular Sunday Services. Also, as the only National delegate from the State of Florida, he acted to help combine two National Church groups which has resulted in hake Park's Community United Church of Christ. The Snearer Family contributed one Son, Karl, who fought -gUcEIR distinguished valor in two World ars an-3 as Colonel, was placed in Charge of Sagimo rrison in Japan. The Ross amily and the Wilson Family gave their sons to the Befenae of the Nation and are remembered by named Roads in our area, the DONALD Ross and the ELLTSON WTLSON ROADS. au all the men who have contributed to this area, there are three who should be remembered for all time. They, in their separate ways, have left marks which cannot be erased. Regardless of Progress made since they were active, they have helped make it possible for others to profit and add to our Towns of Lake mark and North calm The First is "arry S. Kelsey. To him, it was a game, a great experience. "e was a man of vision and dreams. He kept nothing for himself or his amily, as he was an optimist. When adversity struck, he was the same cheerful, hopeful' and helpful' person he was when he could command Millions of Dollars. e died the same way. The Second was Samuel Blalcely. He was a silent ma who was always there. He and his wife were the Kelsey City Nursery and he contributed much to the beauty of the Streets eisey l'ark and lawns. He rode the tides of public attitudes, rough and calm seas, and wiM) uncanny instincts managed to gather the foam and store it 2mmxstlozmxitxx for future use. #e has left his wisdom with his progeny. The Third is A.A.(Barney) Poston, helped by his good wife, ,Bethel. For more than twenty-five years, he represented this area as Palm each County Commissioner. 7e was the all around good person and every person down on his luck could find a willing ear with Ljarney. He had the ability to play politics and help each community or person in their time of need. Finally, wheretstood on his record' instead of un- reachable promises that liave people hope, they forsook him. Barney was 'ON7 GOOD GUT! and the people of this area should honor him as such. A recital of the past means nothing unless it can contribute to thoughts of the future. Mother tature is fickle and the 1928 Cane can and will come in the future° The burning ships of the World War TI period may in the years to come be converted into bombs and rockets from thousands of miles away. As progress in the form of growth has on come to our Towns, iwe can ask ourselves, considering the Ofects/onvironment and the personal way of life, has it been worth the resulting-changes7. How long can the people stand the trends of being governed,starting with the devaluation of the Gold Dollar? Will small City Governments be eliminated by the deands of its people for the protection of the forces in 4ashington, D.C.? "ave everybody forgotten the examples of Rome and arthagef As -for me, 1 consider that 1 am lucky to have lived this long,- and ask nothing. Block 100 of "elsey City and others nearby was only about 4 foet above sea level en.,ka saw grass slough. A dredge had bean hired to .tut its way from the arman River anal and fill the low land with sand. It created a lake and when finished, the lots could be sold as Lake Pront -eroperties. This area was then replated into more suitable sqles lots. West take -eark Road and a bridge was built, 1 1 Mr. cArthuris representative confered with me about the conditions of the storm present water, eftlita-sewelAs-and sanitary sewer systems. 'He stated that M. l''carthur had plans for improving the entire City of. Lake Park and suggested that he would - allow me to option up to ten lots, before the work was done and Mr. 4Arthur raised the sales prices of the lots to reflect the improvement costs. T showed him drawings of a new set of water mains, storm and sanitary sewer$/ system that I had prepared for the City of Lake ?ark, but which the City Council had considered because because of lack of funds. T suggested to Mr. 4'4Arthur's representative, to4c1016,should he have the welfare of the City in his thought, that he finance the City by buying up a Bonding Issue as Revenue Bonds and see that it would be completed in his best interest and I would make my drawings available to his engineer. I never m heard from any of the '''6Arthur Administaation again. And I bought no options. Mr. George Brockway, Consulting for ;fake Park, requested that I cooperate with him in the improvement p1Ans for the City. I made a report to him Ainfith full details. He made his report to the City with estimates of costs. ThiA was used as a basis to sell all public utilities ownd by the City of Lake Park to Hr. M!4'itIrthur's Company at a give-away price. However, some of the Commissioners did buy up optiond ofi lots, before Mr, liArthur raised the prices later. Mr. l'elsey had sold lots in elsey City and then had houses built for sale to future residents. Public improvements had bean built to accoxnadate the improvements. Mr. MArthur had his companies build the improvements, sold his lots to builders who speculated that they could sell houses, including improvement costs, to future residents. Mr °alter Foskett, representing l'ir„ dakes, did neither, jdgt e ping the pvei9.01.-ty property of Aelsey City, the Palm leach Winter Club and the land between, until tiady 1/4)akes could force the liquidation of her holdings. Mr. MtArthur's buying of the Lake Park ater Works Was the beginning of his many Public Utility ventures. Shia Public Demand cause inuncipalities to purchase , r the Companies started by him, I'axpayers will again pay for the costP4of a systcm which Lot Buyers paid when they bought the lots, pima Inflation effects. Before Mr. MArthur ade his purchase of this area, the lands of North falm Beach were an intregal part of Kelsey City ('-'ake Park) and a history of this area was the same, as there was no North Palm Beach. Mr. Kelsey would have sold this part, but could not because of reasons beyond his control. Mr. Foskett, for it _arry and Lady Oakes,would not sell any of it. That's where Arthur stepped in.