The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-19
STRIKING FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT
EXODUS TO THE SOUTH

cate that fully 500 cars day are now going
South. Three persons to and 100 days
of travel' would indicate that 100000 per-
sons find the Southern touring a pleasant
relief from bucking snowdrifts.
Travel South by Automobile
Rivals That by Train and Boat
In all, about 400, 900 persons will go
South this year.
These figures can be checked up some
what with the hotels. The total winter re-
sort hotel capacity Of the South is about
111,0oO, but as much Of that is out Of the
beaten track and there is no way of find
ing out whether these hotels are full during
the whole season, the enormous total of
travellers they would suggest cannot be re-
lied upon. There are some famous places
of recreation, however, which are filled from
the time they open until the end of the sea-
son, hotels in resorts such Asheville, Pine
hurst, Aiken, Southern Pines, in the Caro-
lnas; Augusta and Townsville, in Georgia,
and Belleaire Miami, Palm Beach. st. Peters
burg, Daytona and st. Augustine in
Florida.
The total hotel capacity of these places is
1861. 1t is true that during the height of
the season at each place, a month at the
Carolinas in early winter and the month of
February in Florida, the fortunate mortals
who park themselves in The Breakers or
the Royal Poinciana and similar hotels stay
put and don't move out. They are winter
regulars and are looked upon by the man.
agement as the mainstay of their business.
But at the beginning and the end Of the
season, both In the Carolinas and Florida,
there is a tremendous number Of transients
whose stay Is comparatively short, SO that
the average stay at most of these hotels can
be reckoned at about two weeks. That would
give population In these better known no.
tells for three months of about 100000 per-
sons The other 10000 find their way to
the smaller places and to. bungalows cot
tages and boarding houses.
1t is from this great majority also that
the bulk of the revenue comes. One is apt
to think of FTorida-for Florida is the Ultima
Thule Of the Southland, and has more recre-
alton places than all the others put together
AS a place dotted with million dollar homes
and surrounded by a protecting fotilla OF
costly yachts or craft engaged either in con-
Quoting their owners to the fishing grounds
or Bimini. depending on individual tempera-
ment and thirst. But, as matter of fact,
the great majority OF the people who go to
Florida are neither enormously wealthy nor
great spendthrifts.
Bungalow colonies are growing all over
the State built by people of moderate
means who go to Florida not for pleasure
oHly' OUT IOr tne1r health. iHcre arc IL 10
said more old people in Florida than any
other State In the Union: they go there to
keep alive. Then there are the great middle
class, people with large incomes, who do
not go to Florida every year. but who Nnen
they do go there have a rousing good time.
The people of wealth, whose names as
ISOLATED with Palm Beach have made II one
OF the most famous resorts In the world.
are very few In number, but make up for
that by the vast amounts they spend In en-
tertainment. Most of these people DO not
go to the hotels. they have their own homes.
winter palaces by the summer sea-
These varying pocketbooks have caused a
great variety In the decoration and cost OF
the hosteries, which seem to spring up all
over Florida. There are places for the rich
man. the poor man and the man who has a
large family. but has the money and dis
position to give them a good time. There
are places like The Breakers. where one can
spend $40 day land up" to modest little
hotels. whore 80 and 81 day Is charged for
room and meals. In nearly all of them the