Compiled by Steve Hathcock
Padre Pavilion Construction to Start This Week
Construction of a recreation pavilion on South Padre Island to accommodate 1000 persons at one time is expected to get underway this week.
The green light for construction was officially given by the county commissioners’ court last week when a contract to build the $124,954 structure was formally awarded by Adams Brothers of Brownsville. The diamond-shaped building, 230 feet long and designed to resist hurricane winds and shifting sands, will be built in Isla Blanca Park. The contract calls for the pavilion to be completed within 180 calendar days.
The construction site in Isla Blanca Park will be between the cabana area and the Jetty Restaurant. (Editor’s note: this was originally published in the Port Isabel Press on Dec. 27, 1962. Originally known as “The Sea Pavilion,” the Isla Blanca Park Civic Center, boasted over 15,000 feet of floor space, room enough for over 1,000 people to attend a convention or a party function. The original peaked roof was damaged in 1967 by hurricane Beulah, and was replaced by a very modernistic design that lasted until the building was demolished in the 1990’s. For the next 30 years or so the Pavilion hosted a variety of functions such as conventions, dances, receptions, reunions and even as a church.)
Salvage Firm Awarded Half of Galleon Find
Six-year-old litigation over who was entitled to treasure recovered from a Spanish galleon sunk off the coast of South Padre Island came to an end this week with the ruling by U. S. District Judge Reynaldo Garza that Platoro, ltd., is entitled to half of the treasure or value of same for its work.
Judge Garza accepted a professional appraisers value of $294,618 placed on the treasure, which the state of Texas has kept under wraps, claiming the salvage firm was due nothing for its work. The dispute hinged on an oral agreement between former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Sadler, in which the salvage firm said it was to receive half the salvage for its work.
Sadler later denied the agreement. In his ruling, Garza said that the state should play Platero $131,248, or turn over half of the artifacts to the firm. The salvage firm worked about three months in 1967 off the coast near the Mansfield cut, bringing up items from the sunken ship. The ruling also provided that Platoro is to pay two valley divers, Jeff Burke, $8750 and Billy Algoe, $3000 for their work in recovering the treasure. The galleon reportedly was one which sunk in 1553 during a hurricane. Items recovered include a cannon, cannonballs, various gold items, rare coins, large discs of silver and crossbows. The treasure is stored at the University of Texas. (Editor’s note: this was originally published in the Port Isabel Press on Dec. 27, 1973.)
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