The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-14
Winter Visitor Writes
Interestingly of Lakeland

adding TO the beauty OF the surround
ings. Walk to the end of a street in
any direction and you come to one
Of these clear. sparkling bits of blue.
bordered with cottages and groves or
fields of berries or garden truck.
Lake Parker. the largest one. is 9
miles wide and miles long
What about good roads here? Well
The aboriginal trail through the tim
her is sandy. The wheels sink down
and then down. and progress is slow
But listen
Polk county alone has bonded for
one and one half millions of dollars
for good roads that are now in pro-
gress of construction. something over
200 miles
Lakeland is also a great railroad
center. having 80 trains day pass
ing through from the main road and
It's three branches. The phosphate in
dustry calls for large amount of
transportation. as well as the fruit
and vegetables. II is stated that sew
en- millions of dollars are invested in
the phosphate plants of Polk county.
The steam car service and the jitney
cars make it easy to reach Tampa,
the gulf coast town thirty-three miles
west of Lakeland
For several winters past TAMPA
has held what is called THE Gaspa-
rilla Carnival" and this winter the
South Florida fair was held in con-
nection with 1t.
Gasparilla was noted pirate of
early days, who ravaged the gulf
coast and captured what was then
the nucleus of Tampa At this car
nival his impersonator and crew sail
into Tampa Bay and demand the sur
render OF the city The keys of the
city are given them and a scene of
great festivity follows. Each day. for
week. parades and evening festivi-
ties call the crowds from all the sur
rounding country. and Lakeland con.
tributed large quota.
We were among the number for one
day leaving Lakeland about s a. m.
on one of the jitney cars. and re-
turning about 5 p. m The drive is a
pleasant one. a part of the way the
road being brick-paved one in good
condition, and what is called a
"clayed' road the rest of the way.
Many fine homes are seen along the
way. as well as some pioneer homes;
some fine groves and fields of garden
truck tor what had been) some tur.
pentine groves. and much uncultiva-
ted land. We passed through sever
al small towns and the larger and
fine one of Plant City.
Arrived at Tampa, we wendell our
way with others over the haaasome
bridge across Hllsboro river past
Tampa Bay Hotel. to the Fair
Grounds This hotel owned by the
city, is worth mentioning. as it and
the grounds surrounding it covers
some eight or ten acres laid out with
great variety of shrubs. trees, vines
and plants. beautifully kept, with fine
walks and drives. The cost was sew.
cral millions of dollars.
On entering the Fair Grounds we
saw the usual collection of exhibit
buildings. merry-go-rounds. Midway,
eating stands. where apple and or
ange juice and coca-cola were sold.
and at first glance one night almost
think they were at northern coun-
ty fair.
Once inside the BUILDINGS you wara
not in doubt. The familiar products
of our northern gardens were well
represented. but we were more in
terested in the unfamiliar things: cot
ton. okra. dasheens. yarns Zone
weighed SO lbs.). cane pineapple. cit
rus fruits. bananas. ctcs also the
angel fish. devil fish. gropers. red
snappers porgia; in the minerals.
shells, sponges. A booth was given
up to cigar making by some skill
up to cigar making by some skilled
workmen. where we could watch the
process from start to finish II is
said more cigars are made in Tampa
than in any other city in the world.
We visited the machinery depart.
ment where the latest for citrus
fruit packing was exhibited. improved
farm machinery and farm electric
lighting. The womans building was
very attractive. with some of the
most exquisite fancy work have ever
seen. The colored people had build