Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-11-22
PALM BEACH SUIT
AND A PALM LEAF
R. M. White & Son, Mexico, Mo.

K. NJ. White e. Son, Mexico, Nc.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Nov. IA.
1917. Dear Sirs: Last Sunday, L
being a beautiful day, a friend of
mine came with an auto and we
drove out to Fort johnson, some IL
miles from here, it being the only day
they admit any one to the training
barracks. There are 800 carpenters
working there every week day for So
per day and they will not let them be
bothered by sight-seekers.
The buildings they are putting up
are nearly all two story, quite large.
1t is going to be a large training camp,
about three miles long and two wide.
All those men have to come to Jack
sonville for their lodging and board,
which makes lodging and board very
scarce and high. Rooms that rented
at So a week ago, when l came down,
now rent for Sc, and are hard to find.
New houses are going up all the
time, and thousands of tourists are
coming in by rail and boat. Mr..
Lovelace and sister and sister-in-law
came in from Kansas and we AN
vassed the city for three rooms for
light house keeping, but they failed
to be suited. | expect they will rent
a small cottage for six months. Ev-
er since l have been here the weather
has been ideal, sunshine every day
and 80 degrees at 2 p. m. each day.
Those workmen, who go to their work
at the barracks every day, with
their dinner pail, start at A a.. m. OIL
large boats. Their work is on the
banks, of the st. James River, which
is 30 feet deep and will carry the
largest gunboat.
Yesterday my niece and | went 10
n of the largest picture houses
and it was crowded at 25c; | heard
several say as they went out that it
was the best picture they ever saw.
You ought to see the people in our
parks; it is like a circus. When it
gets hot in the afternoon they go to
the shade, as the sun gets very hot
fer them in their winter clothes. l
wrote TO Mrs. Van Horn that / was
wearing my palm beach and straw hat
and with a fan under a palm tree, |
keep myself comfortable, when it was
very cold and freezing in Mexico.
She wrote "Why, the very idea; you
tanning yourself in a palm beach,
while we yer nearly freezing"
My neice and took a stroll to the
big park that has the zoo in it, and all
kinds Of animals. 1t has the larg-
est black bear / ever saw and the
smallest monkeys. They are about as
large as a gray squirrel and they new
er were still. They jump from the
top of one tree to the top of another.
There were thousands of men ami
women watching them.
| see the Nelson's are all well, ex-
cept Matt. We were up there to call
on him. He has been sick for the
last week, but is up now. Sam, his
brother, looks like he has never been
sick, and still making money. Our
banks are, full and more coming in,
as all the tourists have their pockets
full of green backs. Our tropical
fruits are very backward and are
quite green. The dagos are selling a
few on nearly every corner. The
other day when we were out SOM fiji
teen miles in the country we. were
within half a mile of the 100 acres OF
orange grove that was set out by Har-
riet Beacher Stowe, the lady that
wrote "Uncle Toms Cabin" when
one of our tires gave way. After
half an hour fooling with it, we had
to throw it away and go home Is
miles on the rim. Such roads as are
here we ought to have all over Au-
drain. Some tourists are going to
Palesko, and Green Grove Springs;
they can go by boat as they are on the
river; then go by car to Taft and
Kissimma, then to Orlando; this is a
splendid place, and then go on to
Lakeland. This city is building up
faster than any other in the State
Then on by boat to Fit. Meyer; good
fishing there, if you like the sport.
Tampa is the best fishing place on
the globe. Best wishes.
CEORCE KARRICH.