Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-02-12
Letter From the Sunny South
who with Mrs Neal. is tourtno this southern staas

The following letmrh has been received from Warren G. Zeal of Roa mnda
who with MrN Neal is touring the southern a"es)
On our departure from Philadelphia on December the 10Th. the
weather as exceedingly cold, about 10 degrees above zero, and we still
experienced cold weather until we were opposite the Virginia coast, then
we we're obliged to discard some of our winter clothing, this being the first
real warm sunshine we experienced since leaving Cape May.
After seeing nothing but a vast expansa of water for two days and
nights W rounded the famous old Cape Hateras in safety, which is better
known to all ocean going vessels as the sailors graveyard, :" but we we're
compelled TO be strapped to our beds in our berhs in order to avoid a
general shaking u. There were a very few of us who we're able to venture
on deck the next morning, not to say anything about eating our breakfast.
This was the worst experience of our ocean trip. The following day we
were all glad when the captain told us we were due in Savannah, Ca, at
midnight, and the next morning when we awoke we were tied up to wharf
which was utterly surrounded by immense bales of cotton in readiness to be
exported.
We were allowed one day in Savannah, the quaint old southern town.
Here re were obliged to discard some more of our winter apparel, the
thermometer registering seventy two degrees, in many instances boys run
steamship once more and started on our voyage to Jacksonville which was an
unusually fascinating one, especially to northern folks, who have never been
south before. Daylight the next morning found us It the entrance of the
beautiful $. Johns rvr with its narrow banks, laden with its palms and
ferns and its moss covered oaks 1t all seemed a perfect paradise as the
steamer wendell its way up the narrow river. After twentyfour miles of this
tropical scenery we were glad enough to sec the church spires SIM the distance,
of Jacksonville, Fla After a few minutes we were told by the captain that
we had reached our destination and were only glad enough to get on land
once more.
Jacksonville is more of a metropolitan town than a northerner has
idea of and is up.to-date in every respect. Its hotel accommodations are
equal to those of Philadelphia, and its parks, with its handsome palm trees
and its beautiful flower beds of roses, voets and poinseha in full bloom.
But one has not seen the south until you visit the orange belt which is
located about 200 miles south of Jacksonville. This journey takes one day
by train and lands you in Orlando, Orange County, where hundreds of car
loads OF oranges are shipped weekly Upon our arrival here we became in
htuMed with the place, as is the casey with nearly all tourists. We have a
cottage only a few feet from a lake, and only a step from our porch to pick
oranges.
In our garden one see strawberries, cabbages, peas, onions, toma-
toes, beets, etc. The climate is simply Is near perfection as you can make
it, providing you hold the sun in one hand and a waterp pot in the other.
The thermometer never gets below 90 and often raises to 80. There arr
II lakes inside of the city limits, some of them being 100 feet in depth;
this affords excellent fishing at all times of the year. The wateri in general
is great, some off nearly perfect
Orlando, called "Ihe City Beautiful y and it looks the part, is situated
almost in the middle of the state from all points of the compass, and is a
picturesque and quaint city of about 5000 or TO- 600 population, but has
the airs and convenences Of much larger place and is the county seat of
Orange County. tits the one little city that appeals tt me in which to
spend the winter vacations for a few weeks or months of comfort.
The streets are wide and spacious, and arr bordered with live oaks.
magnoias, palms and other tropical tree. and shrubs, making shady walks
and drives in all directions. The residences are surrounded with ample
gardens, where you can see growing in profuson oranges, grape fruit,
bananas, and many fruits and flowers, roses of every variety are in album
dance. Churches of nearly all denominations, some of them being quite
ornate edifces, a fine country club at the end of shady lane, and the
finest golf ground in the whole state. The inhabitants are cosmopolitan
many of them from the west! They welcome you with the "glad hand
and maintain a fine tourist headquarters. There are no saloons here, and
few, if any undesirable citizens One doesn't even have to lock their doors
upon retiring at night predict some day that Orlando will be to Florida
what Cape May is to southern New Jersey I could write many more good
things about Orlando, but must close as e are going out for the afternoon
to visit a 40 acre orange grove. You will hear from me later as it is my
intention to visit many more cities of the 'sunny South"
WARREN c. NEAL