Montgomery County sentinel., 1918-03-22
Tam pas Bigness.
Tampa, Florida, March 18th, 1918.

great resources Of the farming country
about Tampa. have said very little about
Tampa proper. So after being here over
two months, must say few words about
the marvellous chapter of civic growth in
an obscure fishing village that becomes the
metropolis of South Florida. Tampa. the
most rapidly growing city in Florida. is
located at the head of Hillsborough Bay.
thirty-six miles from the blue and amber
waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Its great
industries, natural advantages and climatic
conditions, together with its wonderful
shipping facilities and its proximity to the
Panama Canal, all tend to emphasize its
enviable position in the front ranks Of the
greatest cities in the South. Its popula-
tion Is now seventy-ive thousand. OF this
the white American population is As per
cent; foreign white, IS per cent. and
the negroes. rs per cent. Tampa became
town in 1847. The Government gave
the little village townsite Of 100 acres
and the name of Fort Brook was changed
to the Indian name of Tampa. Tampa
has one of the finest and best protected
harbors in the world. 1t is thirty-six miles
long. The entire naval forces of the United
States would have ample room to assem-
BILE in its waters. Tampa is the nearest
city to the Panama Canal. distant one
thousand, two hundred and twenty-five
miles. Tampa's public schools. there are
twenty of them. cost $630.000, and more
than $4,000 pupils are enrolled. There
are sixty-seven churches The denomi-
nations represented are Jewish. Adventists.
Baptist. Congregational. Christian. Chris
tian Scientist. Episcopal. Lutheran. Metho-
dist. Presbyterian, Reformed United Breth-
rem. and Roman Catholics, which is the
finest church in the city. The ships act
ually under construction at present in
Tampa represent an estimated value Of
nearly twenty million dollars and the two
ship building companies employ four thous-
and hands. Tampa leads the world in its
cigar output, having over two hundred
cigar factories. had the pleasure Of visit
ing the Cuesta-Ray & Company factory.
the largest one in Tampa. They employ
nine hundred cigar-makers. Their output
is one million day. They make cigar
that retails at $l50 piece. Cuesta- Ray
& Company have a standing order for
these cigars by royal edict Of the Court Of
Spain. 1t is said that one Of Tampa's
lawyers smokes this $l.50 Guiana. | also
had the pleasure Of visiting the largest
cigar-box factory in the world Its output
is twenty thousand boxes per day. The
boxes are made from wood grown in Cuba
and Mexico. These boxes pass through
about twenty-five different hands before
being completed. Tampa has the largest
phosphate e-loading elevator -l200 tons per
hour. Eighty per cent. Of the oranges
grown in Florida is shipped from Tampa.
Si2ty-five per cent. Of all incoming freight
Of the State is distributed in Tampa terri
tory Port Tampa is nine miles from Tampa.
During the Spanish-American war troops
embarked from this port. II Is also at the
end of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
The hottest day registered since the Gov
eminent Weather Bureau began keeping
records here, back in 1890, was only 90
degrees, and temperature Of 81 degrees
has been recorded only fifty-three times in
27 years. Tampa gets the cool breezes
from off the waters of Tampa Bay and the
Gulf of Mexico Tampa has six parks. De
Soto Park is a palmetto grove Of Spanish
moss, great place for children. City Park
possesses that great live oak tree 18 feet
in circumference and covers one acre Of
ground. This is the tree De Soto camped
under in 1889. With the exception Of one
large desiccated patch. it is perfect and
looks as if it is good for thousand years
yet. 1t is far ahead in size Of the elm that
the Father of our country stood under when
he received his commission in 1776 at
Cambridge. Tampa has beautiful City
Hall and many other handsome buildings
and great many clubs and orders. Among
them is the Centro- -Austuriana, composed
of Latin-American membership. This is
the finest in the city. Centro-E -Espanol is
club of Spanish American citizens. Cir
culo- -Cubano is Cuban club. Italian Society
L'Unione club Of the Italians.
have had the pleasure Of meeting quite
a lot of the F. F. F. of Tampa and have
found them very courteous and pleasant
people and appear to be pleased to have
us tourists with them.
] forgot to tell you about the most i'm
portant club in Tampa. and it Is the largest.
over eleven hundred members and repre-
sent Maryland in this club. It is known
as the Tourist Club and we have lots OF
fun. And the mayor Of Tampa. d. B. Nc
Kay, addressed our club and said it was
the largest gathering that he had ever
talked to and was much pleased to appear
before the Tourist Club. and il we would
come back to Tampa next winter he would
gives US anything we asked for, etc. We
have over $240 in the treasury, and we
voted for this money to 60 to the Red
Cross.
Quite warm today. only 88 in the shade
Well. think I've given you few out
and in lines Of Tampa. so will close this
letter by saying have gained 8 pounds
Florida is Paradise. and Tampa the Gar
den of Eden. minus the serpent.
c. c. CRAWFORD.
Circuit Court.