The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-23
AN APPRECIATION OF
THE LAKELAND BAND

To the Lakeland Band: l would
like to offer a few words of encour-
agement to your accommodating and
social little bunch of band boys. l
am a Northerner, but spend my win
tiers in Florida and derive. many ben
efits from it and therefore consider
it my home also.
My object in addressing this COM
munication to you is occasioned by
kindly feeling toward you band
boys on account of the free concerts
which you are giving in cur beau
tiful park and also in front of your
theater.
There is one thing which / would
like to call your attention to, and
that is the fact that rumors are be-
ing circulated around tow, that you
band boys are about to sci! your in
terest in the Palms theater. Now,
take my advice: DON'T DO IT! You
are just starting in on one of the
most prosperous winters Florida has
ever known and it would be a very
foolish transaction to dispose Of
your theater now after you have la
bored under difficulties during one
of the dullest summers Florida has
ever known.
Let me give you few facts why
Florida will be the biggest tourist
State in the Union this winter and
why Lakeland will get her share of
them. The wealthy tourists who are
accustomed to going abroad each
year will not be able to do SO this
year, nor for many years to come,
on account of the unsettled condi-
lions in Europe. They will natur-
ally seek a warm climate, and Flor
ida, being about the best State in
the land, will get a good supply OF
visitors; in fact, more than any
previous year and Lakeland will get
as many as the rest of the up-to-date
towns in the State and more than
some of them. And then there are
the regular winter visitors who are
always glad to get back to Lake
land. The theaters of the city will
be patronized by large majority of
these people and will average over
twice the amo6nt each night that
they did during this past summer.
Now, here is another advantage
which would like to impress upon
you, and that is the fact that Lake
land is going to have one of the big
league teams down here this win
ter, arran gements have already been
made and the contracts are signed
and it is only question of a few
months before we will have one Of
the teams here with us. Just thini
of the boosting that will give oul
; city; just think of the crowds whit
, will flock here to see them play ant
} to hear you play. Your band con
: certs in the park are becoming NOR
popular every day and you are max
ing wonderful progress. This is du'
: to the fact that you have stuck to
t gether these last few years and mad
good with your music. You hav'
given YOUR services on many occa
sions to the city of Lakeland, to tn
) school. to the baseball team, and t.
: many other public gatherings with
: ont any compensation to yourselve
whatever and l think Lakeland
, ought to be proud of her band
: which she undoubtedly is.
Now, friends, I hope these WORD
will be accepted kindly, as they ar
intended, and that you will be en-
couraged enough to stick and pull
together and make good, for you ar
going to gain in the future VIVA
Won have lost in the past.
Wishing you abundant success,
9 am
Yours very truly,
A FRIEND.