The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-11
FEDERATION OF
WONEN'S CLUBS
Want HELP FOR
THE STATE PARK
Cocoanut Grove, Fla, Aug. IL.
Lear Friends of Florida:

Dear Friends of Florida:
The Florida Federation of Wom-
ans Clubs has undertaken the great
est conservation work of any organ
ization of women in the United
States. The last Legislature gave
the Federatin go acres of land As
miles south of Miami, to be here
after known as Royal Palm State
Park. This contains the largest
growth of Royal Palms in the United
States, many estimated to be 100
feet in height, together with more
than SO varieties of trees, rare or
ch1ds, ferns, vines and beautiful
tree snails. 1t is a wonderful trop-
ical jungle, said by scientists to be
the most unique of it's kind, known
in the United States. 1t is the ONLY
State park owned by a Federation of
Women, and will be to Florida
what the big trees are to California.
1t is necessary that you, as citizen
OF Florida, realize what great assets
the beauty spots of the State would
be, If properly conserved; if, with
the increasing flood of travel ever
turning southwark, with a million
tourists last year, and more each
succeeding season; if, we make the
lure of the South" irresistible. by
multiplying Florida's attractions.
A park endowment of $50 acres
was given by Mrs. Henry M. Flag
Ter, making 1920 acres, including
the park. The plan is to keep the
endowment, if possible, for the de-
velopment of botanical gardens.
Thirteen miles of Ingraham Highway
will be completed from Homestead to
the park by about September L.
Four miles of paths have been cut
through the park. The park is
game preserve and bird sanctuary,
quantities of birds being fed now by
the warden.
AS the warden is living in a tent
and we have no place to receive Wis
itors, our chief concern at present is
the erection of lodge, which should
be finished for the Federation meet
ing in Miami, Nov. 81 to "a. The
last Federation Board meeting in
Tallahassee authorized the building
of lodge to be finished for the in
spection of the Federation, at which
time the formal opening will take
place. Plans are being made by the
local committee TO take the entire
convention to the park, for this oc-
casion. BY winter we intend to be
prepared to serve refreshments to
auto parties and have few rooms
to rent to scientists, conducting re-
search work. !
The Dade County Commissioners
appropriated $1,000 for park pur-.
poses. A short time ago cam
paign was inaugurated to raise a
mile of Dimes" $6,S36.OO, and !
more than $1,000. 900 has been real |
lied for the park fund. If the mil
lion residents of Florida would each |
contribute a dime, $10O,OOO.OO could |
easily be raised for the work and |
that would solve the problem of |
and development for !
some years. We should have for |
use, for building pur- /
poses, by most conservative estimate.
net less than 100000, but $1O,-
100000 would permit more substan-
tial and permanent improvements.
We are taking this means of pre-
the park for your consider
alton and are making a direct per-
sonal appeal to each friend of Flor
ida. Those donating more than a
dime will be helping to make up in
part, for those it will be impossible
to reach, Please send your donation
to Mrs. John Clifford, Park Chairman
+. +. w. c., Cocoanut Grove. Flor
Ida, and renal this "chain letter" to
q friend and they are to do the same.
If you have received a letter before,
Or do not care for any reason to
make a donation, kindly remail to a
friend, so that the chain will not be
broken. We are asking those who /
read the published letter to respond
without waiting to receive one. Ii
All questions will be answered
promptly. Remember, if those who
live in Florida put forth one-tenth
the effort to enhance Florida's at
fractions, as do the Californians for
their State, Florida with her wonder
iul climatic conditions, resources and
beautiful natural growth would soon I
become veritable garden of Eden. I
Florida Beautiful should be the {
slogan. A strong pull-a long pull |
"a pull all together-success Il