The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-03-12
Letter
From The Sunny Southland
By Vim Il. Smith
Tells Of Good Roads And
Cities Of Florida
Orlando, Fla, March 8


for publication, when I wrote few
weeks ago. Since then l have been
asked to write again by several Knox
county friends, and, as the good
roads project Is being SO much dis |
cussed by THE folks at home,
wanted to tell what Is being done |
here in that matter, SO I am writing |
again.
Several counties In this part of the
state have been holding their county
fairs during the month of February.
The proprietors of the Windsor hotel
have a very fine auto, and through
their kindness we we're invited to go
with them to the fair in Seminole
county, Sanford is it's county seat and
is q miles from Orlando. mention
this to introduce the good roads ques-
ton. The weather was fine and we
had very enjoyable ride. What
made il more particularly so, was
the condition of the road between
here and there. More than half the
distance is already paved with brick
and each county expects to have Its
| read paved from the corporation line
| OF its county seat to its county line,
within the next six months, that will
connect the two towns with a road
paved with brick They are doing all
their paving with brick, they think it
cheaper in the long run as 1t Is so
much more durable.
The state furnishes no part of the
funds Each county has to do its own
work in making it's good roads. The
property inside of the cities Is not
subject to tax to help make roads
outside of their corporations. You
will see by an item in a clipping
send you that Hillsboro county is
spending one million dollars in max
ing brick roads. Tampa, its county
seat, has forty five miles of its streets
paved. The voters of Orange county
%. which Orlando is the county seat,
voted by quite majority in favor OF
bond issue to the amount OF $500, 900
to be used in making good roads and
the county commissioners have con-
tracted with companies for the build
ing of fifty-seyen miles of brick pave
ment and the work is now being done.
Although the streets in Orlando seem
to be nearly all paved, 1t has voted In
favor of issuing bonds to the amount
of 100000 for making more pave
nlent and the work Is now being done.
i was talking with q friend of mine
from Knox county who is here this
winter. We were talking about what
the people here are doing with their
roads and the amount of money they
were spending for that purpose. He
said to me, what would our people
at home think If asked to do what
IL being done here?" The taxpayers
here think 1t enhances the value OF
their property much more than II
costs to pave the roads.
Orlando is the liveliest and most
progressive town of it's size that
have seen anywhere. The last cen
sus gave 1t a population of 5000. II
now claims ten thousand. That would
make it about as large as Mt. Vernon
1t has the finest churches and the
largest per cent. of church going peo
pie. 1t has tweuty-seven hotels. The
Curtis House would be n small affail
: compared with most any one of them
The Windsor Is one of the smaller
, hotels. 1t is two-story building apt
r has veranda ten feet wide under Z
: substantial roof it's full width in from
: and its full length on both stories
{ The aggregate length of its porch II
! iSA feet. There are settees ant
swings with cushioned seats on tho
. porches more than enough to accom-
, modate all its guests.
The hotel inspectors were here
few weeks ago, inspecting the condl
ton and arrangement of the hotels
!, They came without any warning 81
there could be no preparation 70
them. l read their report In the dali
papers. They found them all in goo
condition and commended some O
4 them, the Windsor among them. TO
l. tho clean and sanitary condition Il
: which they are kept
Orlando has golf grounds, tennl
d grounds. croQuet grounds. ground
4 for pitching horse shoes. and a tou
n lists rest. where all sorts of innocer
l. games are played.
1t has 750 automobiles; 1t has II
x streets swept and the rubbish haule
a of every day; 1t has no red light di
D. trict and no jungles adjoining 1t. w
d have been here more than two month
Is and / have not seen nor heard OF
Y. drunken man since | came here. A