| TRAVELS OF DURSMIRG VOLUME IV THE ROGUES OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND OTHER SOCIAL MISFITS Chapter 9 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Chapter 9 STAGNATION
Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad was in bankruptcy proceedings in the 1940’s and Ed Ball was poised and
positioning to take it over.
This was the only time that Ed Ball enjoyed public support in his fight with Pepper and the Atlantic Coast Line. Ball was
aided greatly by the railroad unions.
Ironically later Ed Ball would stomp the labor unions and wage the longest business-union war in American history…and
win.
The union bet on the wrong horse because resolute Ed Ball was soon to break their backs.
Pepper’s hostility toward the Florida business community plus hostility from rail unions and the medical profession due
to his support of a national health care plan made Senator Pepper’s vulnerability evident.
This is when Claude Pepper became known as “Red Pepper”.
Ball was then under congressional edict to dispose of the Florida East Coast railroad.
The unions and everybody else were shocked and thrown off balance when Ed Ball opted to retain the railroad and sell
off all his bank holdings.
Ball’s political strategy was a decisive and ingenious move that now the unions would win the battle but lose the war.
Back to the Ball-Pepper story that continues into the 1960s and the longest union-management strike in American
history;
February 3rd, 1963, ten days after the strike began, Ed Ball and his railroad eked back into business.
Hundreds of vindictive acts of aggressive violence and mean spirited sabotage were committed against the little
railroad; removing rails, damaging switches and firing guns at the locomotives. Several wrecks, trains blown up and
disruptive mischief did not stop the trains from continuing through it all.
Ed Ball knew the dangers and ran two specially equipped automobiles on the rails ahead of each train departing the
Jacksonville railroad yard. This was to deflect bombs and spot snipers.
During this strike, Jane and I had our sailboat Dursmirg moored in Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida below the FEC
railroad trestle and witnessed this death defying procession pass several times each day.
In 1977 the National Mediation Board finally called an end to the operating union’s 14 year long strike.
The Florida East Coast railroad went on to became a profitable innovative industry leader.
***
Claude, “Red” Pepper served from 1936 until 1951 in the Senate and then tried twice to get nominated to the House of
Representatives race which he ultimately won in 1963. Pepper stayed in office until his death in 1989 and outlived his
old nemesis Ed Ball by eight years thus ending a turbulent and colorful era of Florida history.
Little old St. Augustine would never be the same again, forever impacted by rogues and social misfits.
Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad was in bankruptcy proceedings in the 1940’s and Ed Ball was poised and
positioning to take it over.
This was the only time that Ed Ball enjoyed public support in his fight with Pepper and the Atlantic Coast Line. Ball was
aided greatly by the railroad unions.
Ironically later Ed Ball would stomp the labor unions and wage the longest business-union war in American history…and
win.
The union bet on the wrong horse because resolute Ed Ball was soon to break their backs.
Pepper’s hostility toward the Florida business community plus hostility from rail unions and the medical profession due
to his support of a national health care plan made Senator Pepper’s vulnerability evident.
This is when Claude Pepper became known as “Red Pepper”.
Ball was then under congressional edict to dispose of the Florida East Coast railroad.
The unions and everybody else were shocked and thrown off balance when Ed Ball opted to retain the railroad and sell
off all his bank holdings.
Ball’s political strategy was a decisive and ingenious move that now the unions would win the battle but lose the war.
Back to the Ball-Pepper story that continues into the 1960s and the longest union-management strike in American
history;
February 3rd, 1963, ten days after the strike began, Ed Ball and his railroad eked back into business.
Hundreds of vindictive acts of aggressive violence and mean spirited sabotage were committed against the little
railroad; removing rails, damaging switches and firing guns at the locomotives. Several wrecks, trains blown up and
disruptive mischief did not stop the trains from continuing through it all.
Ed Ball knew the dangers and ran two specially equipped automobiles on the rails ahead of each train departing the
Jacksonville railroad yard. This was to deflect bombs and spot snipers.
During this strike, Jane and I had our sailboat Dursmirg moored in Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida below the FEC
railroad trestle and witnessed this death defying procession pass several times each day.
In 1977 the National Mediation Board finally called an end to the operating union’s 14 year long strike.
The Florida East Coast railroad went on to became a profitable innovative industry leader.
***
Claude, “Red” Pepper served from 1936 until 1951 in the Senate and then tried twice to get nominated to the House of
Representatives race which he ultimately won in 1963. Pepper stayed in office until his death in 1989 and outlived his
old nemesis Ed Ball by eight years thus ending a turbulent and colorful era of Florida history.
Little old St. Augustine would never be the same again, forever impacted by rogues and social misfits.
These are but a few of the flags that have flown over St. Augustine over the centuries.
go to chapter 10
go to chapter 10