Mower County transcript., 1907-03-27
TN FLORIDA
AND CUBA
Thomas X, Dahle of Brownsdale
Writes in an Interesting
Way OF Experiences in
the Southland.
Tampa, Florida, Feb. %, 1907.

Tampa, Florida, Feb. %, 1907.
Dear Friend: y
Your letter was awaiting me or
my return from Cuba. If I should
90 into details and give an adequate
description of where have been anc
what I have seen since / wrote last
it would take days for me to write
and hours for you to read. So Will
try to be brief in everything.
When I wrote you last, we were
still in Jacksonville where we were
over three weeks. Since then, have
been on the go nearly all the time.
After leaving Jacksonville, our hrst
stop of any Importance was at st.
Augustine, the oldest city in the Unit
ed States. From there we went to
Daytona and witnessed the great au-
tomobile races. We saw Marriott
make mile in about 20 seconds
which is going some. There person
will see the most beautiful seashore
in the world for hardness and smooth
ness 1t would almost compare fav-
orably with a skating rink floor.
Daytona is a fine place with good ac-
prices.
After leaving Datona, we did not
stop until we got to Fort Pierce,
where 1 left Mrs. D. while I went
still farther finally landing in Cuba.
After leaving Fort Pierce l made only
two stops before l got to Key West.
These stops were at Palm Beach and
Miami. At the former place I took
in the boat races. I saw the Dixie
Flyer make mile in about two min
utes or at the rate of 29 miles an
hour. I hear her best record is 81
miles. I tell you that is flying
thru the waters. 1t beats all to
see such speed. At Palm Beach they
have what they claim is the biggest
hotel in the world, the Royal Pom
cianna. 1t can accommodate 1000
guests. There are a great many at
fractions to draw the big bugs. They
seem to have just thrown money re-
gardless of cost to make it attractive:
From Palm Beach I went to Miami
and stopped. 1t is one of the incest
cities in the state although small,
perhaps not over 1000 but having
a beautiful location, fine hotels and
surroundings The Royal Palm is
almost as fine and big hotel as the
one at Palm Beach. We left Miami
at 9 a. m. for Key West reaching
there about p. m. Between Miami
and Key West person will see the
greatest railway undertaking in the
world in building a railroad over
the ocean or as they say down there
from key to key over the coral reefs.
hot + vvrf1 10 frS~
in two or three years and when COM
pleted to Key West it will bring
Cuba only 90 miles off by railroad.
At Key West we stopped a few hours
both going and coming bat both times
at nieht so we did not see much. =
We left Key West at 1900 o'clock
a. m. and got to Havana about 900
a. m. of the same day. Havana looks
we'll from the ocean. The first point
of note one sees is the Moro Castle
as it stands on high point at the
entrance of the harbor. After we
got inside we all noticed the wreck
of the Main which has sunk down in
the mud about twenty feet, yet there
is a lot of it above the surface of the
water. I cannot write much of Ha-
vana or Cuba. I saw lots as we spent
pretty nearly every hour while there
sight seeing. We were out in the
country some. On one trip we went
thirty miles and saw some of the
country, saw how the Cubans live,
what they raise which is chiefly su-
gar cane, tobacco, pine apples and
quite lot of bananas but they did
not look WE'LL The soil in Cuba re-
sembles the west coast, Colorado,
Utah, Nevada and California.
Since we came back from Cuba we
have had most enjoyable experiences
fishing, camping out three days and
laying out doors on the bare ground
at night. We left East coast on the
18th and got here the same night.
We have made our home here since
and expect to stay until the last of
March, if it does not get too warm al
though it is too warm now for COM
fort. 1t is getting too dry and vegeta-
ton OF all kinds is suffering. On
Tuesday we had trip on the ocean
about twenty miles or more to St.
Petersberg. Real estate is on the
boom here and this city is growing at
very rapid rate. We are both
we'll and happy but we would like a
sniff OF Minnesota air for a few min
utes as a grateful relief and change.
The party who occupied the house
where he are left lots of oranges on
the trees which were given to us so
we have been enjoying them although
1t made us sweat to get them.
Yours truly,