The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-27
Winter Haven Chamber Commerce
Tries To Euchre Lakeland And
Auburndale out of Their Rights

Elsewhere, sound charmingly in
teresting- to the visitors who
have nothing else to do except
meander around admiring Col.
Gotrox's winter home and Judge
Bignoise's orange Grove. But
the Chamber OF Grafters must be
informed, gently but firmly, that
Polk county is NOT digging up
two million plunks in real money
for amusement purposes. The
hotel district is perfectly well
come to dig up its own hotel
money for the pleasure of its
hotel guests. At this rate, we
expect the Chamber of Efront-
cry to demand that Polk county
build it few golf links and ten
MS courts next week. The fact
is, the county is selecting these
roads for business, for use, for
strict practicability and nothing
else. The Observation-Disclosures
Haines City stretch is a direct
link in the Tampa Jacksonville
Highway. AS such, it will be
travelled by hundreds of thous-
ands of persons yearly, persons
who want to go about their bust
ness and get from coast to coast
without delay. 1t is the most
natural and direct route. 1t
sticks to business, and doesn't
wander. And the claims of these
people, as well as of the multitude
OF workers and wealth producers
IN its territory, are greater than
the wishes of the few hundred
who might prefer to JOY ride
around scenic loops where a car
IS likely to run into it's own rear
seat on some of the turns.
Resolved, that the road from
Auburndale to Lakeland be a
nine foot road instead of a fifteen
loot road" There, that's the
very climax of impudence, isn't
it? Auburndale is six miles
from Winter Haven, and Lake
land ten miles further away. The
road between the two places is
strictly their own affair. 1t does
not come anywhere near Winter
Haven or concern it in any way
Lakeland and Auburndale have
proven, in fair and impartial
hearing, their need of and RICH,
to fifteen foot road. Winter
Haven has as much right to say
anything about it as about the
road between Warsaw and Petro
! grad. Whence does this Higf
and Mighty Chamber of Grump.
get the privilege of deciding wha
other sections far beyond theil
domain are entitled to?
/ And yet, a bit of pity mus
lningle with OUR righteous wroth
Poor old Winter Haven must Sc,
defeat staring it in the face, mus
feel itself slipping on the dow
grade, must realize its own hol
lowness, if it feels itself driver
to such a desperate measure a
this. Observe, there is not in al
the resolutions one single CLAIM
OF natural advantage or othe
merit that would justly entitl
Winter Haven to what it wants
Winter Haven does not deman
these roads as her rightful due
she merely seeks to snatch ther
as plumber from more fortunat
towns. In other words, it is sim
ply regular Cossack attempt a
robbery, pillage, and looting.
And at the end the little Joke
appears. Winter Haven wants
road from that place to Dunde,
and wants it built with the spo
of a raid on Auburndale an
Lakeland. Clever little schem
isn't it? Only trouble is, the ia,
payers will want to know VIII
such a road should be built at al
1t will be nice for the few peop
in Winter Haven who have
transact business in Dundee, an
for the fewer in Dundee WI
have to come to Winter Have
1t will be nice for the few inhal
ltants per square mile of inte
vening territory. 1t will be pc
> fectly lovely for the few wint
visitors who own groves ther
But, beyond this, what?. Not
;, ing, and this isn't enough. II
resolution hasn't one soiita
word to say about the advantag
!, or need of such a road. The
! is nothing, to be said. Perha
= Winter Haven cherishes seer
Il hopes that they will be able
4 divert all eastwood traffic by Il
= road and thus leave Auburnd;
: and Lake Alfred wholly shut o
:, in the cold. If so, it is a forlo
= hope-a very sad, sorry, hopele
d hope.
Last line: Unanimous
!, adopted" That is a very intere
= ing fact. 1t shows every me-