The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-06-10
The Wonderful
Story OF Florida

for 500 miles or more.
When the first railroad was built
into Lakeland, farms that had been
bought at So an acre were cut up into
building lots that sold at $25 to $50
each. Today they are bringing from
$3.50 to $5OO-the same lots. And
this is the story of all the other
growing cities and towns in the State.
In the new town of Lake Wales with
500 inhabitants, friend told me Of
"a building lot that he bought two
years ago and for which he is now
offered five times the purchase price.
Florida has the climate and the
sunshine, but it had them before the
railroads and good roads were built
and nobody knew of them. The best
evidence of the States natural
wealth is that the Florida East Coast,
the Atlantic Coast Line and the Sea.
board railways are all extending their
spheres of influence. The State
needs lateral connections from coast
to gulf and is rapidly getting them by
rail and highways, yet it had scarce
ly highway worthy of the name
good road" when Mr.. Flagler pro
jected his railway along the east
coast Merchants at Tampa, ST. Pet
ersburg, Winter Haven, Orlando, Kis
simmee, Sanford, Lakeland-every
where | went this winter-spoke OF
the good business they had had this
season. They attributed it to the
rapid extension of good highways and
the increasing number of motor tour
lists who are the visitors that spend
the money.
The most interesting discovery il
Florida this winter was that the
State had highlands and that thu
region in the pine hills of the inter
ior, dotted by hundreds Of pictur
esque lakes, is attracting the touris
as never before. The visitor Il
Florence Villa, not far from White
Haven, has pointed out to him mod
est shaft marking a grave in littl
; enclosure. He Is told that it is il
memory of DR.. Inman who, while il
) search of health some 30 years age
located in this beautiful highlan
lake region, built a modest home an
planted an orange grove. His visi
ing friends were so pleased with tn
: prospect that the doctor was con
9 PEELED to build small hotel to a,
I commodate them and this develope
into the present expansive villa wit
/ its many hundreds of guests ever
0 winter.
r His orange grove, with wealth {
It fruit every year, is still better m
9 mortal Of the man with vision. An
X now this delightful region of LAKE
n and pines and orange groves is dc
d ted with prosperous communitie
v including Lakeland, where the oil
@ timers pitch quoits all day long in Il
IT park Winter Haven, Lake Vale
o Haines City, Lake Hamilton, Orland
Winter Park, Kissimmee,. Sanford al
a many others. Here is the home
n, the orange and the grapefruit, for Il
II water in the numerous lakes he'll
st keep off the frost and the altitude
Is favorable factor.
ID Motoring from st. Petersburg v
1t Tampa and Lakeland, through til
le lake region, one observes thousan
st of orange groves, but there are va
st stretches of untouched land, much
fl it very fertile.
Id The orange has brought the tour
a into closer touch with Florida. ]
lie goes there from the frozen North ju
~ for a brief visit. He is so charm
ex. with the sunshine and the fruit tn
es he wants to enjoy more of them.
Of he covets grove or farm. He C
es be accommodated. Ten-acre or ev
five acre orange groves can be h
is for cash or on the installment pl
Ia and the purchaser is relieved of
ed the care of taxes and maintenan
ly The seller will clear the land a
e. plant the trees, and care for them I
h five years, when they begin to be
IN profitably. He will continue to ca
n for them thereafter, on a PROTESTANT
IN basis. Truck farms and castor be
err farms are also offered on SINH
| terms.
to | am very much interested in
ly literature of one of the railroads a
of its offer of real farms" of from fol
I'M to one hundred and sixty acres
nd virgin land, in Florida, partly clear
Is, and completely fenced, with a fl
he room bungalow, barn, well, two pi