The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-04-13
GREAT rs FLORIDA
LIMITLESS ITS
OPPORTUNITIES
Entering Upon a Realization OF
Great Possibilities
GREAT NATIONAL PROPERTY
Wonderfully Endowed by Nature
for Becoming Region OF Sur
passing Beauty-A Veritable
Flower Garden.


Mr.. Richard H. Edmonds, edi-
tor of the Baltimore Manufacture
ers' Record, who spent the winter
in beautiful Daytona, gives out
the following about the destiny
of our state:
"Let me start by saying that in
my opinion Florida is now enter
ing upon a realization of its great
possibilities. 1t is an unique
state, having no duplicate in A
merica. 1t is<as ] said some
months ago, one of the greatest
assets of the nation,
"This state hardly belongs to
its own citizens.
cit is a great national property
of infinite value to the whole
country and in Florida hundreds
of thousands and ultimately mil
lions of citizens of other states
will spend part or Ill the win
ter. Tens of thousands of peo-
pie of moderate means as well as
the rich will own their winter
homes in Florida.
"More and more will these
facts grow upon the country. The
rate at which this movement will
expand will depend upon the peo-
pie now living in Florida and the
railroads of the state.
Persistent effort should be
made to let people all over the
country understand the advan-
tages Of having homes in Florida
with a view to spending six to
eight months of year here, and
spend the summers elsewhere if
they so desire. There are tens
of thousands of fairly well to do
people who want to live quietly in
country of good climate and
who long to be away from harsh
winters. They have reached an
age where they desire to get out
of business and settle down to the
fullest enjoyment of ( advancing
years,
Florida is the ideal place for
them. 1t is not too far away, as
is California, and here people are
not cut off from the world as out
on the Pacific coast.
"The amazing growth of Cali
fornia is largely due to the settle
mcnt of this class Of people from
the central west and the east, and
they went to California because
they hal never been made ac-
quainted with Florida s superior
ity.
"The ease of housekeeping in
ones own home or in rented
furnished homes, the abundance
of fruits and vegetables and fish,
the exceptional advantages for
raising poultry combine to make
it possible to have every comfort
and luxury in the food line.
"All of these facts should be
impressed with unceasing energy
upon the whole country and the
railroads and the towns that fail
to make this a conspicuous part
of their work and to advertise it
freely and persistently will fall |
short of their opportunity.
:" AS one of the tourist points of |
Florida, the region from Ormond |
to New Smyrna, on the mainland |
and on the peninsula can be made
a focusing region for great pro-
gress. Some of the things sug-
gested about this region will ap
ply to many other parts of the
state also.
"In a section so wonderfully
endowed by nature for becoming
a region of surprising beauty, at
tention should be given to the
largest possible development of
the idea of the "City Beautiful. r"
This section should become a YER
table flower garden whose fame
should be as wide as is that of
Portland, Oregon, for its roses.
In order to do this, there should
be a friendly but active rivalry
n growing flowers and beautify-
ng yards front and back.
"The superb shade trees should
De as ztalously guarded as in
some New England towns where
4 man cannot cut a tree on his
,wn ground without the consent
If the authorities. Every tree on
he streets should be saved from
.uthless injury by those who do