The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-08-30
THE GROWTH OF AN AMBITIOUS
FLORIDA CITY
Lakeland Tells of Her Advantages in
the Printers Railroad Gude-Her
Board of Trade Tells of Her
Attractions

Attractions
Lakeland's board of trade has con-
tributed the following to the Printers
Railroad Guide, which is intended to
help along her boom:
Lakeland will shortly begin paw
ing its business streets with brick,
and residence sections with asphalt
blocks. In addition to the paving,
the city has contracted for the sanl-
tary sewerage system, and a city hall
in keeping with the population of the
place.
prosperity is not waiting to knock
at the doors of Lakeland, but has ev-
identity entered and taken possession
of the city. A number of large build
ings already under way, TO be carried
out during the next six months, foot
up over a half million dollars. These
developments include a $4,000 freight
depot, 100000 ice plant, $4,000 post
office building, $4,000 auditorium,
$4,000 hospital a 200-rOom hotel, and
many residences to cost from $4,000
to $4,000 The Atlantic Coast Line
railroad has just completed a fine pas
senger station at cost of $4,000.
Probably no city in Florida is growing
more rapidly than Lakeland.
with the great amount of develop
ment work that is going on in and
around the city, her population is in
creasing with such rapid strides that
the proposition of caring for her in
crease in the number of her citizens
has become a problem. Houses are
in such great demand as to preclude
ing for the great thrush, and, though
building operations are going on as
rapidly as possible, hundreds of home
seekers who have come here to locate
permanently and have to content
themselves in hotels and boarding
houses, and these are overrun The
city has grown SO fast that it has
taken practically all of the available
capital of those at the head of the va
rious big business enterprises in
Lakeland to care for their own bust
nesses, hence there is no idle capital
in the city with which to build homes
for rental purposes, and Lakeland,
through its enterprising board of
trade, is calling for outside assist
ance-for outside capital to come to
Lakeland and build homes.
The growth of Lakeland is sub
stantial and is based upon trade con-
ditions that are permanent and last
ing In addition to being the fnan-
cial, industrial and social center of
Polk county, Lakeland is peculiarly
blessed as to climate. It's extreme
elevation-more than 200 feet above
sea leveI-gives it complete freedom
from malaria and similar diseases,
and a climate made ideal by the con-
stantly blowing sea breezes in the
summer, and by the surrounding nd
protecting bodies of fresh water in
the winter months. Elevation and
water protection practically eliminate
damage from frost.
I'm 1884, a mere spot in the wilder
ness. it has long been the center of
the lumber and turpentine and phos-
phate industries, thriving upon the
growth of these, while the hundreds
Of beautiful homes which now sur
round it's several lakes, took form and
attested to the wealth of their own
ers. With the passing of the lumber
and turpentine operators came the
citrus fruit grower, and the intensive
farmer, until today Lakeland is the
center of the strawberry industry OF
the state, and its oranges and grape
fruit command the highest price per
box paid in Florida"