The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-12-30
WHAT A NEW
Conner THINKS
Of LAKELAND
PR0F S. B. GROOM WRITES HIS
HONE PAPER HIS IMPRES.
SIONS OF THE CITY.

| AIuhStauu ulSu oSuOOIs WIOtC tuC lVl
lowing interesting letter to th
Princeton. Ky, Leader, which W
take pleasure in reproducing, as 1
gives much information about Lake
lands growth and progress:
Lakeland, Fla.
Editor Lcader--YOI asked me tc
write and tell all about my trip and
Florida. SO here goes. TO begin with
| had Il choice OF routes at Fulton,
and chose the Seminole Limited, via
jackson, Tenn, COrinth, Miss, Birm-
thgham. Ala, TO Jacksonville, Fla.
This run is made with no changes
and in twenty-five hours. while the
Dixie Flyer. running by Nashville
and Chattanooga. Tenn, and Allan
ia, Ga. is about three and One-half
hours longer.
| JacksOAville ! found To be a live
town Il little more than twice the
size OF Paducah br, with the vim
and aspirations OF a ei,y the sizc
OF Louisville. Recently ncr Board
~ Trade persuaded the governor to
call special session of the I.egis.
laturc to enact SO a. l-iws enabling
the city to build municipal wharves
and make other improvements in the
water front along the st. Johns riv-
cf, The city paid all the expenses
incidental to the session and in re-
turn the entire time taken was three
Gays at the expiration of which the n
laws, duly signed by the governor.
were in the hands of the Board Of
Trade. II there is any one thinks we
arr slow down here this will change
is opinion.
Lakeland is a little more than 2OOa
miles southwest Of Jacksonville. and
as the \. {. l.. railway is practically
ltllout opposition in this State, SER
vice is.slow hut reasonably good. We
ere only thirty-two miles from Tam
pa. hence are more neigh borly with
her than with lax" as we call it.
We arc Some city" ourselves. fors|
with population Of little under1
S'"oo, W" are doing some great,l
things. The letter head above
shows something Of our status
school affairs. To III" list ot twentJ
i've names above an cloclltion teachl
or was added last week. Tho SCHOOL,
board is negotiating Il loan of $685.
w, $4,000 to he used in adding AMI
assembly room and some additional}
class rooms to our present quarters.
;nd the remainder 10 build anothers
grade building in the south side Of
the city. School opened with an en.s
foliment OF 500 and will in al prob.
ABILITY reach Loco by rhristmaa "
We have three banks. the usnaN
| number of business and professional
rrms, no saloons. several manufacl
l'rihS concerns, and a citrus ex1
elanse that markets almost the enj
Tire citrus crop of this and portiona
OF adjoining counties In additioni
this Is quite a railroad center and is
division pont on the \. e. l.. The
shops for the southern division are
here, and We manage TO keep three
switch engines busy with the fruits,
vegetables and phosphate rock we
snip from this part of the State. Il
We are building new and largep
quarters for the postoflice and Ice Gil
Storage Co. Other new buildings@
are an Auditorium. capable of seat
ing 1900 people-will be the largest \
In the State-a fine siN-story tourist
motel. an apartment house. and resi-
dences by the dozens The Mtthod- 4
lists are building their third VI. E.
church, making twelve in all With.
In thirty days work is due 10 start
on a $4,000 city hall. and bonds q
nave been voted to eXpend a quarter Il
Of million dollars on street paving n
and sewerage
Lakeland is named from the great
number of lakes in and around it n
There are seven lakes within or part. IL
lv within its Incorporated limits
ranging i'm size from Lake Beulah
which covers about Ten acres, Il
Lake Parker. which is seven mlle'
long and three broad Lake Parke'
forms the northeaSt boundary OF tne
town for mile and haif and
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