The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-06-10
MIRACLES BEING WROUGHT BY
THE RAILROADS, GOOD ROADS,
THE ORANGE AND GARDEN
TRUCK
(By John A. Sleicher, Editor Leslie's
Weekly

On a recent trip to the sunny South
| rediscovered Florida. 1t is a new
State-the Florida Of good roads,
good railroads, superb hotels, attrac-
tive golf clubs, amazing truck farms,
profitable orange and grapefruit
groves, Of balmy nights and sunny
days.
Good roads are opening a new
South to the tourist and the North
erner seeking haven of warmth and
comfort in snowy winter. Never be-
fore have so many motorists been
touring the South as during the past
winter. Give due credit to the FAM
GUS Dixie Highway. | am for Dixie
all the time and for the new progress
sive Dixie, rich and inviting and al
ways hospitable to the stranger.
The Dixie Highway down the East
Coast has had the preference for mo-
florists because it has become so we'll
known. 1t has opened the eyes of the
tourist. Florida knows it and is now
spending more money per capita for
good roads than any other State in
the Union. Good roads are proving
the most profitable investment the
South he's ever made am told that
Florida is now pledged to build "the
West Florida Highway" extending
from Tallahassee, the capital, to the
boundary line between Florida and
Alabama on the west, and that it also
proposes to follow up the old Span.
ish Trail movement of Alabama and
continue the trail through Florida,
along the Gulf Coast, to Tampa,
where DeSoto landed on his journey
to the Mississippi
This trail will cross the State to
connect with the Dixie Highway at
Miami, and proceed up to Jacksonville
and then west again to Tallahassee
thus constituting belt highway
around Florida. 1t is hoped to con
tinue it on to the Pacific Coast-ant
this is no idle dream. Florida claims
to lead the South in good road-build
Ing. 1t has practically assured tn,
success Of it's Dixie Highway projec
across the northern tier of counties
and expects soon to have well
paved roadway from Tampa Bay Il
Mobile Bay. What an attraction TO
the winter tourist! And this is no
all, Managing Editor Bentley, Of tn
Tampa Tribune, former New Yor
Sun man, tells me that one ca
travel by water across the State, an
that from Leesburg, by lake and ri,
err, one can reach Jacksonville. Tn
time is coming when the motor boa
will be as popular in Florida as tn
motor car,
The late Henry NJ Flagler was
man of courage as we'll as of visiol
when he projected and built wit
his own money, the Florida Eas
Coast Railroad. He lived to see hi
vision materialize. His railroad an
his chain of magnificent hotels pl
Florida on the map Witness til
wonderful expansion of winter tours
travel to Florida since the East Coas
was opened on scale of magni
cence that seemed unwarranted. An
now a Flagler system hotel, to cost
quarter of million, the latest Of ii
group, is about to be built at Ke
West the terminus of the railroad
cept for the ferry of ninety mil,
across to Havana. The coast line
Florida extends for over 1900 mil,
and is dotted with winter resorts.
! was among Mr.. Flagler's CUES
when he opened the Royal PoinciaI
at Palm Beach. The hotel locke
over-built though it was then scarce
half the size of the present structur
On the opening day, fearful mort
er" blew in hurting in every directiC
the timber and scaffolds still renal
ing about the grounds. 1t seemed ;
inauspicious sign, but Mr.. Flagl
smiled and believed-and won.
wish he might have been spared
see the Florida of today-not on
along the East Coast with the line
prosperous cities extending fro
Jacksonville down to Key West, al
its orange groves and truck garden
its flowers and fruits-but also t
wonderful development of the We
Coast, and now, at last, of the int,
Tor or highland lake region.
We all know of the growth of Jac
sonville, Tampa, Pensacola, Key We
and Miami-the five largest cities
the State, but how many have hea
of Lakeland and Orlando, and all t
other cities that have shown SUI