20th Century (1901 - 1950)

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There were 681 students registered in the Biloxi Public schools in January 1902.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, January 8, 1902, p. 8)
In January, Thomas Bendelow (1868-1936), a Scotsman in the employ of A.G. Spaulding & Sons of Chicago, arrived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and built two golf courses at Pass Christian and one at Biloxi on the J.H. Keller (1830-1908) property between Lee Street and Keller Avenue and north of the L&N Railroad.  The Biloxi course was nine-holes and only 1941 yards long and referred to as Keller's Green.(The Daily Picayune, January 12, 1902, p. 4 and The Biloxi Daily Herald, January 15. 1902, p. 1 and January 29, 1902, p. 8)
The Bowers Bill, introduced by Eaton J. Bowers (1865-1939) of Bay St. Louis, was crafted for the conservation of the Mississippi oyster industry, passed in the State Legislature.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, February 6, 1902, p. 1)
 
Contract for the NBVM Catholic Church was let to J.F. Barnes & Co. of Greenville and Biloxi for $15,558.  Brick structure 132 feet by 55 feet, 60 feet tall, and bell tower 140 feet tall.  Architect Theo Brune (1854-1932) of NOLA.  Bid did not include: overhead ceiling, plastering, and wainscoting.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, February 7, 1902, p. 1)
In May 1901, C.S. Jackson of the Detroit Photo Company made color images of Biloxi landmarks: Beauvoir, Light House, and interior of the G.E. Ohr pottery.  Exhibition of these images held at the Montross Hotel in February 1902.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, February 25, 1902, p. 8)
The $125,000 Federal Building, a post office, customs house, and Federal court, for Biloxi was approved on June 6th.(The Biloxi Herald, March 31, 1908, p. 1)
       
Joseph E. Combel Hardware Store
 
[Founded at Biloxi in May 1902 by Joseph E. Combel (1853-1938), native of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on left in image. Uriah S. Joachim (1888-1977) et al acquired the business on West Howard and Magnolia in March 1918.  Mr. Joachim became sole proprietor in 1948 and renamed the enterprise Combel's Merchandise Mart. Courtesy of Donna Maria Wagner Wallace-Scotia, New York]
       
 
Florestile Boullemet Howard (1824-1902), native of England, and mother of Biloxi philanthropist's Frank T. Howard(1855-1911) and Harry T. Howard (1856-1930), expired on April 28th.
    
The Summer Pavilion, a public recreational facility situated in the water between Reynoir and Croesus Street, opened on June 18th.  It was 104 feet by 40 feet with a lofty roof and an awning on its perimeter.  Dances were held on Tuesday and Friday.  Charles M. Wilkes was the manager.(The Biloxi Herald, June 14, 1902, p. 8)
        
Reverend J.B. Brooks of the Israelite M.E. Church and his committee planned to submit to the Biloxi City Council on July 1st, a petition signed by residents in the vicinity of Main Street and Division Street protesting Sunday baseball games by Black players.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, July 2, 1902, p. 1)  
        
TheBiloxi Sanatorium was chartered in June by Dr. H.M. Folkes (1871-1926), Harry Turner Howard (1856-1930), W.K.M. Dukate, (1852-1916), Lazaro Lopez (1850-1903), Dr. M.C. Talbot, and James H. Neville.(The Biloxi Herald, July 5, 1902, p. 2) 
      
The corner stone was laid on November 27th for a new school building on Point Cadet financed by Harry T. Howard (1856-1930), philanthropist.(The Daily Herald, November 26, 1902, p. 6)
The Mississippi State Oyster Commission was organized on September 1, 1902.  Robert M. Mosley (1865-1910), native of Kemper Co., Mississippi and two term Biloxi Marshal and former policeman at Meridian, was the Chief Oyster Inspector from 1902 until his demise in November 1910.(The Daily Herald, December 1, 1910, p. 1)
      
The Biloxi Electric Street Railway & Power Company was charted on December 17th by J.M. Bell, John Carraway (1873-1931), E.C. Joullian (1863-1931), Lazaro Lopez (1850-1903), W.K.M. Dukate (1852-1916), et al.(Harrison Co., Mississippi Chattel Deed Bk. 5, p. 339)