The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-04-18
A Trip Through
Georgia And
Tennessee

Manchester, Tenn, April 16.-Hav-
ing decided to 60 North this summer,
after two years in the South. most
Of which time was spent In the ALI
gator State Of the orange. grapefruit.
and lake country of Florida--I con-
cluded to 60 as much Of the route as
appearedpractical by automobile, This
was for two reasons: for business,
and because / did not wish to enter
the frigidNblizzardy Buckeye State |
before the first Of May. In fact, win |
ter there has some years fingered
in the lap of spring AS late as the |
middle and last of May. l was there |
when it did so. l decided this time
to take my chances on the first Of
May, "hit or miss" knew IL the
cold chit" me then. 1t would be only
a short time before 1t would miss"
lime.
The truth is, q winter stay In Flor
ida kills ones capacity to realize fully
how distressingly cold. and even dan
gerously cold, the weather may be
along the Ohio river and north OF It.
This Is the cause of 80 many tourists
leaving the Lakeland region and other
parts of Florida In March and the first
of April. The spring fever has seized
them, and in its wanderlust grip. as
they are basking In the comfortably
warm sun and air of Florida, they
imagine It will do to return to the
Northland. Some Of these people
have gone thru years and years Of
cold Northern winters, and they
should permanently remember the fol-
lowing glaring, sad, tough, lastingly
true fact about Northern climate:
When there is an exceptionally mild
winter, there follows q desperately
cold and late spring-usually, or as
rule.
Now, Northern folks, you'd better
stay
In Florida until some day
Folks North write cold has passed
away.
Till summer air itself has spread
Your country DER, and cause to dread
Is left behind within the past:
Then, skipping gaily, go "hone"
fast.
I had learned enough about the
country between Jacksonville and
Folkston, Ca, to avoid the automo-
I bile line and take the train. That
, highway Is q disgrace to Florida and
Georgia combined, but, regret to
4 say, It Is not as bad as the line from
Folkston to Waycross, which I tray'
! eled per auto.
went from Waycross, by National
highway, thru Nichols. Douglas and
. Ocilla to Fitzgerald. The last three
are good towns, Of 1000, 5000 and
1000. Fitzgerald is fine looking
place and an excellent business point
It was built by Northern people and
capital and they compose most of the
population.
:, From Fitzgerald ! went by train ia
Cordele, the most sharky town Of
Georgia ever stepped into. Its high
J way robbery prices are as bad Of
I Miami. Tourists would better not
= stop in Cordele--not even for a lunch
Thirty-five cents for a little dish Of
| (canned) beans, the two Greek res
litaurants charge, and there are no 9th
or restaurants there but the railways
lunch counter, and that Is as bad.
said to a man born and reared In that
region, "Cordele is q disgrace'
Eyes, It is" he answered, dis
grace"
got into an auto at Cordele and
had fine ride over the splendid high
way to Macon. Those great peach
orchards 10 to 20 or rs miles south Of
that city were a sight to behold
Some of them are as large as the i'm
mense orange and grapefruit groves
near Winter Haven, Fla one-half
three.quarters, and mile along the
road, and as far back. Thousands Of