The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1904-12-31
PRETTY And PROSPEROUS
st. Petersburg; One Of the Best Little
Seacoast Cities in Florida or
Any Other State

Any Other State
Ore Of tn. most beautiful little cit
les on the coast Of Florida is st. Pc
tersburg. on Tampa bay. and six miles
from the gulf on the west side. across
TIE long p-ninsular on which the town
81 situated. and which is one Of its
greatest advantages. as the salt wa
ter On both sides. for many miles
makes the entire peninsular from Tar
pom Springs south. almost free from
frost.
The writer remembers sailing up
Tampa bay about fifteen years ago. and
passing St Petersburg, and all that
showed from the bay was Il little di-
lapidated cattle wharf and two or
three little homestead houses and a
cabin or two. and probably further up
there was a little country store. Now.
an accurate census taken of the place
by the Times. and published as a di-
rectOry. gives the resident population
AS 2221 people. III addition there are
now. within the town limits. 1000 yis-
itors. mostly from the North. and by
the first Of February the number will
DE- twice that many. Indeed. the city
is put to its wits end to furnish hotel
room and rooms i'm private families for
the many visitors. We cite an instance
to show the demand for rooms. which
is only a fair average: A family. man
and wife with an ordinary sized resi-
dence. with eight or nine rooms. in
addition to reserving room enough for
themselves. get $50 for room rent for
the balance of the house. This will
last for four or five months. and in the
summer most Of the rooms are filled
with Southern visitors. who appreciate
the delightful breezes. good fishing and
unsurpassed bathing
st. Petersburg needs. and will soon
have, Il big resort hotel 1t would he
full all winter.
Standing on the pier head. mile
from the shore one can count just now.
and as is the case at almost any time.
from ten to thirty new roofs. Build
ing Of residences and business houses
never ceases in this town. Many Of
the Northern visitors own their own
handsome homes. and from winter Wis.,
itOrs have become SO charmed with the
place that they are now permanent
citizens. and now the visiting is done
at thu. old home in the North.
\ few of ST. P-tersburg's posses
sions are Il good bank. An opera house.
seven hotels. a score Of boarding hOus-
rs. four bakeries. eight churches. two
live newspapers. the Times and the
Sub Peninsular. a good sewerage sys-
| tenn. electric street railway. which is
being rapidly extended up the bay and
across to the gulf at Pass-a- Grille
! two livery stables. a barrel factory
three curiO. two jeweiry. ten grocery
one furniture. two hardware. six dry
goods stores. and many others. a paid
fire department. splendid asphalt side
walks. and the streets are now being
paved with vitrified brick and curbeG
with granite: city water works. own.
ed by the city: electric light pant. ar
artificial stone company. two planinf
mills and novelty works. telephOn,
system and long distance system: OH,
Of the finest auditorium buildings il
the South. an annual chautauqua. al
immense fair building. with an annua
3O-day winter fair. a graded and higi
school and manual training school.
This is one Of the most successful
orange growing sections in the state
and ships large quantities of citru
fruits. Small groves by the score ar
being planted out and are given tn
best Of attention. and in a very few
years will be bearing heavy crops q
fruit.
The independent Line Of steamer
have double daily service betwee
Tampa and thu, Manatee river point:
and dozens of launches and sailin
craft are plying on the bay. on regula
trips or for charter.
4 few croakers were heard to 81
4 few years ago. You are buildin
ahead of your needs. both in residence
and business houses: there is going
be a reaction and Your town will /
HAT and dead" But the reaction nevs
came. except in a St-adier. surer an
more healthy growth. and you do n.
hear the voice of the peSSimist thel
:, any more. Some there We're who sai
that there was nothing to back II
town. nothing 10 Civ. il support. b,
this also proved To To- idle talk. and
is now conceded by all that nothir
short of some terrible disaster w
prevent 81. Petersburg from becomil
- a city.
rREAMEoN GIFTED