{"id":15002,"date":"2017-08-07T10:20:26","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T17:20:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/?p=15002"},"modified":"2021-04-19T07:19:16","modified_gmt":"2021-04-19T14:19:16","slug":"chronicling-south-miamis-history-part-ii-baking-dough-at-holsum-developments-through-the-50s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/chronicling-south-miamis-history-part-ii-baking-dough-at-holsum-developments-through-the-50s\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRONICLING SOUTH MIAMI\u2019S HISTORY – Part II: Baking Dough at Holsum & Developments through the 50s"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/a>

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On June 25, 1927, W. A. Forster was sworn in as South Miami\u2019s first Mayor, and the City began its eight decade journey.\u00a0In this second part of our six-part series we note some of the early political issues, and recall the olfactory and economic stimulation of the Holsum Bakery and its impact on this new city into the 1950s.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

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Holsum Bakery fabled water tower at Red Road & Sunset Drive<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"Early Throes of Political Woes…<\/b>
\n<\/b>The youthful city of South Miami, according to city historian and mayor,\u00a0Paul U. Tevis (History of the City of South Miami), struggled to govern itself in the early decades of its existence: \u201cFriction between factions began to show itself; discontent with the Council was manifested by the numerous heated debates or arguments that occurred at Council meetings…\u201d Tevis goes on to say that these debates sometimes ended with irate citizens and Council members resorting to \u201cfisticuffs.\u201d\u00a0 With the mayor as the chief executive officer and the council members as department heads, there were frequent resignations and many instances of strong disagreements between the mayor and police chief. The movement away from a mayor-centric form of government resulted in the voter-approved referendum to change the charter to a city manager form of government, enacted in 1953.<\/p>\n

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The fire truck that saved the city.<\/p><\/div>\n

One of South Miami government\u2019s early purchases (and source of indebtedness) was a fire truck at the cost of $4,150. This humble truck later became the reason the City remained a city. The discord running through the daily management of the city and the resignations grew to such a point that a movement to abolish the municipal government gained enough traction to result in a special election.\u00a0 The election, held June 16, 1931, abolished the City Charter by a count of 184 to 163. The City of South Miami did not operate as a municipality from August 21, 1931 to April 2, 1932.<\/p>\n

However, via a Writ of Mandamus issued by Circuit Judge Worth W. Trammell on May 17, 1932, the mayor and council were ordered to resume governing the city as before. The judge cited the outstanding debts incurred by the city as the reason to compel the elected officials to continue operating the city. The chief debt among those cited by the judge was the fire truck. Yet, even this was not quite enough to quell the discontent, and in June of that same year, another (unsuccessful) attempt was made to surrender the Charter.<\/p>\n\n\t\t