The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-12-05
Chamber OF Commerce
Is a Busy Place
Continued from page 81

lowed so many thoroughfares to be |
torn up at one time and we have been
criticised very much on this account,
and for this reason lost some of these |
people. One quite wealthy family |
have been lost to us for the reason
that the wife and family, who came
on ahead, had to post themselves in
the street for a couple of hours late
in the evening looking for the head
of the family who was driving here
from the north in his car. Since
moving into the home they had rent
ed. work on the street commenced,
and on this particular night a deep
hole had been excavated and no
warning light placed, which alarmed
the good woman for the safety of her
husband This caused him at once to
pacR up and leave.
The street work seems to be pro-
crossing slowly, but we are glad that
at least two thoroughfares have been
! completed and opened up and another
| is rapidly nearing completion. The
county road work is progressing but
slowly on account of the inability OF
contractors to get material and equip
ment. Work on the Lee and Jackson
Highway is complete to point about
mile west of Auburndale and coming
this way and with facilities for get
ting material, the road between Au-
burndale and Lakeland should soon
be in good shape. At present it is
barely passable in places, and the
road via Barlow and Winter Haven is
still worse, though the contractors on
this latter route are pushing the work
along. The completed portions of the
road are meeting with hearty APPROX
al on the part of those who have occa-
sion to use them, and we may easily
see how rapidly Polk County will de-
lcompleted.
Polk County, So far has been unable
to interest the Government officials
with regard to the location here of
! any of the army activities. In the
summer we took up with our Congress
, man the matter of securing an avia-
tion camp. but it was found that in
this vicinity there was absolutely no
suitable site available. We are now
endeavoring to find a machine gun
practice camp site, though on account
of contiguous population on suitable
a land, and unsuitable Typographical
y y conditions outside of unpOpulated
!. areas, it is feared again that we are
: unable to comply with the specifica
!, tions. This matter. however, is in the
st able hands of our Congressman, who
: will do everything possible for Lake
X land and Polk County. Arcadia's
l. good fortune in securing an aviation
y base is going to help Lakeland ant
Polk County very materially. Three
million dollars can not be spent OF
= this tremendous piece of work jus
: outside our community without a goot
deal of this money finding its wa,
here. Arcadia is on branch line ant
Lakeland is the base so to speak. AL
the people who travel to and fro will
pass through Lakeland, and our peo
pie must wake up and listen eagerl,
for every opportunity.
There seems to be no chance for II
to obtain suitable place for touris
headquarters this year. and perhap
this fact may emphasize the need s
thoroughly on our people that al
ether year steps may be take to pre-
cure some permanent place. A tow
or ought to be business institution
for the development of all its rt
sources. Tourists and winter visitor
- are a valuable asset. and this asse