The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-27
BOB MEYER BRINGS GLOWING REPORT OF
 STATES PROSPERITY
People Are FIocking to Florida and Every Line of Business Is
 FIOurishing

Old Ponce de Leon would notice a glorious change in the land where he sought the fountain of youth if he should awake and again start roaming looking for a winter resort, was the opinion of Robert R. (Bob) Meyer of Jacksonville. Fla, who arrived in Birmingham yes- terday.
 As owner of the Empire laundry MT. Meyer has business interests in Birming- ham and visits this city at frequent in- tervaIs.
 However, if is as hotel operator on large scale that Bob Meyer is best known. MT. Meyer owns the Hotel Wine coff in Atlanta, and recently purchased the Hotel Windsor in Jacksonville. He formerly owned the Seminole In that city also.
 According to MT. Meyer, Florida is en- toying genuine boom which is pouring millions of dollars into the corrers of that commonwealth.
 During the past year" he said. "the manufacture of munitions of war in the north and the middle west has created new crop of millionaires. These people had to have an outlet to spend their money, and as Europe was closed to I them they swarmed to Florida"
 Well, Jacksonville as the gateway to the state, must be prospering.p said the reporter.
 Tt is as never before" was the re- ply. '1The hotels are overfIowing, busi- ness of all kinds is very much improved. and the bank clearings of Jacksonville have broken all previous high records.
 fTox,k that prosperity has smiled The whole state is affected. On both the east and west coasts the reports come in that the hotels are overcrowded. In fact old Ponde de Leon, if he should awake from his long sleep, would have plenty of company in his search for the fountain of youth this season. Everybody is going to Florida-and going Tor a good time with plenty of money-and they spend it.''
 How is the weather?" inquired the scribe. Would Ponde de Leon approve of the weather?''
 ''The weather is the best in the his- tory of the state.' was the emphatic rejoinder. If MT. Ponce de Leon showed up this winter anywhere in Florida he'd think he was in heaven, sure enough.''
 'Is all the prosperity of Florida di- rectly attributed to the overflowing tour- ist tide?" was the next question.
  the price of fruit has held consistently firm this winter. which has enabled the fruit raisers to make money. The price cn naval stores is also in good shap and that makes money plentiful There is also much building about Jackson vile, and in other cities of the state
 "As for the tourists, they are coming in such numbers that the steamship lines are adding on steamers just to handle the traffic and the railroads can hardly furnish adequate transportation for the great number Of people desirous of visiting Florida this winter
 Where do they all come from?'' "Oh, Florida is its own best adver- tisement. You see. last winter the people Hooked to California, but this year they are coming to Florida. Why? We'll just because after trying both places the peo- pie who have money have decided that Florida, with its balmy breezes, excel- lent hotels and genial people, Is, in fact, the winter playground of the country" MT. Meyer is returning to Jacksonville tomorrow night.