The Press., 1919-04-10
WELLINGTON
Orlando, Fla.

Dear Mrs. Preston:
 We have just returned from a sev- enty-mile auto ride to Daytona, on the east coast We crossed the St. Johns river on float" which three men pulled across by hauling on two wires, the wirs sinking after passing over the float. Sinking of the wire allows steamer to pass over it. Three autos can be carried on one trip. We went first to Wilbur by the Sea-" very beautiful village with one big hotel Fifty-five dollars a week is the charge for the cheapest room. We spent the night at Port Orange, and next day mOtored to Daytona. This is unique city. I doubt if there is any like it in the world. The shade trees in the city streets are the original forest trees. They are not in straight lines of course. In one street we passed through mighty tree stood in the middle and the street divided and passed both sides of his majesty. Be- tween the paved sidewalks and tray eled part of the streets there is grassd grown space in some places fiftee or more feet wide, and in this space the forest trees stand in all
 0an Agroups and of different kinds, just as in their forest growth. sIt is unique ardsssssszrisingly beauti E@sxskss3 IsTssSscsS, the Halifax river, I mile wia There are four bridges across the river at Daytona leading to Daytona beach, long strip of sand dunes, from half mile to three times that distance in width. This sand ridge extends for many miles up and down the coast. Oppo- site Daytoia it is laid out in streets, with splendid residences, stores and a regular city life. Passing through this we came to the Atlantic ocean and the famous beach. It is the most beautiful speedway in the world. The hard, moist sand is ideal to drive on. Fortunately there are no speed laws on the beach. We turned northward, after passing through a big hotel, which has passage way through for autos and a cemented pathway over the dry sand, else an auto could never get to the beach. Then for miles and miles, with the ocean rollers dashing their waves on our right, we passed by three townships on that drive, then turned and drove twice as far to ing forty miles an hour. A flock of flying sea gulls few yards from us we passed with ease. Mrs. Brown took trick at the wheel, as did Mrs. Bachert and the army lieutenant who was with us. Far to the. eastward there was a blue cloud that was so exactly the color of the sea that it was impossible to tell where sea ended and sky began. The car wheels barely leave mark on these hard sands. We passed some ladies on horseback, rid ing astride and many pedestrians. The beach is so wide there is abund ant room, but once on the beach with an auto you can only "go ashore" where places have been made for that purpose. As soon as the damp beach sand is passed an auto is stopped by the deep sand instantly. In all the miles we travelled there were only three places where we leave the beach. We returned to the mainland at Will bur by the Sea, dined at Port Orange and by 6.30 p. m. were back to Orlando again. The orange trees are just commencing to blossom; they blos- som again in June and have two crops mature the same season. Our thanks were given to your nephew, Fred Preston, for half-bushel basketful of grapefruit and oranges, brought us as a present, a few days ago..
 Geo. A. COsgrOve.