The Washington times., 1906-02-22
SOUTHLAND SIGHING
FOR WINTER GUESTS
Washington Weather Seems
to Suit the Tourists.
HOTEL MEN ARE WORRIED
Join With Railroads in Coming to the
Capital to Drum Up
Trade.

Washington today enjoyed the weather
served them as a holiday dish by the
weather man. But while Washington
people. particularly the working classes,
who have a holiday, were happy over
the opportunity OF enjoying the day out
DOORS a vail of dismay went up into
the clear skies from the far Southland.
Why do Washington people go South
for the winter when the city is pro-
Vided with d semi-tropical climate, is a
question that frequently has been asked
lately. The answer is. they don't. That
explains the wall from the South, for
hotel managers in Florida southern
Georgia, Alabama, and New Orleans.
Saze dejectedly upon the hotel register
with but a few names written daily
Washington people who had contem-
plated going South have changed their
plans; Northern people who were en-
route to Florida or New Orleans for the
Mardi Gras, but made the usual stop
over for a few days in the Nations Cap
ital. have found il so delightful here
and, fearing that il would be too warm
for comfort in the South, are remaining
in the city. Reservations in the big ho-
reIs at Jacksonville, st. Augustine, Palm
Beach. and other popular Florida re-
sorts. as wen as in the big hotels OF
New Orleans. have been Cancelled by the
score the past two weeks.
Alarm in New Orleans.
New Orleans. particularly. Is alarmed
over the unusually fine weather in the
North. When the hotel and railroad
cancellations began pouring in, a meet
ing Of the Carnival Association, hotel
managers, railroad people, and others
interested. was hastily brought about
and Il was decided 10 at once double the
amount Of advertising and despatch a
score of prominent men ana strong
mixers socially TO the large cities of
the North and East.
Although the principal carnival days
will be next Monday and Tuesday, clos
ing with Ash Wednesday, the opening
of Lent. the festivities already are on
and by Saturday will be intensely inter-
pstiug But without Canal street ana
ST Charles avenue flooded with visitors
Ia gay holiday attire, the carnival VIII
can obtain SO 10 $50 daily for an ordi-
nary s. room. they Will fan 10 get rich
quick which means failure to them, as
everyone knows VINO has ever Nlslled
the quaint old Southern city at Mardi
Gras time
Railroads Get Busy.
Similar action toward drumming up
business has been taken by the roads
running into Florida and the hotel
mana gers there. Both the Flagler and
Plant railroad and hotel systems great
Iy concerned have sent small army
of social agents up to NaShlnStOn ana
The North, and according TO the state
ment OF a Government Official, most
liberal inducements In the way of
hotel rates are being made TO such
people as would prove an attraction
The best and most profitable business
of the social birds OF plGmaEe OF MI
EratoTV nature Is procured by stages
y certain larze c0terie OF New York.
Boston. and Philadelphia people who
spend, in the aggregate. several hundred
thousand dollars IN travel each winter.
first come to, Washington for the gay
social season following the HOLIDAYS,
Thev then drift down to Hot SPRINGS,
Old Point. or into the CarolnaS and then
into southern Georgia. Alabama. or
Florida. Cuba. and the Bahamas till the
Mardt GraS season. From New Orleans
and Mobile they maze the western tour
in the early spring. or else dTTJ back
slowly. taking different route from the
one by which they went
According 20 the gossip in the hotels
last night. scores of these people who
got past Washington are even yet bask-
ing in the sunshine at Hot Springs and
Old Point. having abandoned all inten-
tons of proceeding further Southwark.
and in a few weeks they will begin COM
ing back through Washington
Southern Travel Light.
According 10 local railroad and steam
shin officials, Southern travel has not
been so light in years as this winter.
The many attractive cruises in tropical
waters that have been advertised ex-
tensively have failed to draw in a paw
ing manner.
While local hotel managers are happy
ones over the the seasons business, they
are having their troubles endeaVoring 10
accommodate their guests Leading
hOstlerieS have been crowded 10 ca
pacity for two weeks. since people first
began coming in for the Roosevelt-LonK-
worth wedding, and it is impossible for
small party 10 engage any sort OF &C
commodati0n a any Of them, or even
half a dozen other prominent uptown
hotels without making a reservation a
week or two in advance. A visit to any
of these hotels Of an evening will con
vince one that social life in Washington