Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-06-09
Petersburg, the Sunshine
CityNof Florida.

seen. L ne llI1flIS VI Liie Sity oAS ohS
mile square. The east side is built
right up to the sea wall of Tampa
Bay for one mile. The streets run
north and south and the avenues
east and west. Tampa Bay is east of
the city and the Gulf of Mexico is
west. 1t is six miles from the bay to
the gulf. You get the<sea breeze each
way. The Board of Trade told me
that there were $4,000 tourists who
spent the winter in the Sunshine
City. Ohio alone had 4,3oo. 1t is said
that this part of Florida is the finest
climate in the United States. There
are twenty-one states represented in
the public schools of the city.
The country is perfectly level for
miles. 1 haven't seen any farms, only
truck farms, and they are small and
very few. The money crop is fruit
growing. All kinds of tropical fruits
and flowers grow here. Surely this is
of a truth the land of flowers and
fruits. My brothers son-in-law has
an orange grove. We spent the day
there and I gathered as many as /
wanted of real ripe oranges.
arrived in St. Petersburg April
16 and we had for dinner Irish po-
tatoes, beans, squash, tomatoes, on
ions, beets, roasting ears, celery and
strawberries, and all came from my
brothers garden that day. We have
them daily and all the fresh fish
from the Bay at any time you call
for them.
This is "a pleasant place to live in,
with its evergreen verdure, its state
ly pines, its streams, flowers, vines
and sweet music of the singing birds.
There. are more mocking birds here
than I have ever seen anywhere, and
they sing day and night.
No malaria here, and they have
no cyclones and tornadoes. Some of
the most palatial homes and grass
lawns with flowers of every kind that
I have, ever seen and many that I
have never seen before.
| I have often heard of the glory
and beauty of this Sunshine City but
ssthe half has never yet been TOLD" +"
When I arrived they told me that
most of the tourists had gone, but it
seemed that there were almost as
many then as "John saw"
l am going in the salt water head
and ears, for what is sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander, and
if going in the surf is good for the
other fellow its good for me.
1t is two hours ride on the boat
from this city to Tampa. The public
highway to Tampa is about thirty
five miles paved with brick. Florida
has, am told, 900 miles of her roads
paved. 1t is 273 miles from here to
Jacksonville land the state will soon
have the highway paved with brick
all the way. Florida is long way
ahead of South Carolina in good
roads, and caring for her old veter-
ans. They are paid $4,000 month.
The Memorial Day, which was the
26, was big day. The Blue and the
Gray were again in line. The floral
offerings were wonderful to behold.
Money is plentiful but it is cheap.
Everything is high. Washwomen get
three dollars a day and work about
four hours. A man gets five dollars
a day for plowing, furnishing the
horse and plow. Everything is sold
by the pound. One can get room
and meals at two of the hotels for
the small sum of twenty-six dollars
a day. One thing that 1 notice-the
ladies' dresses are long, their skirts
touch the shoe tops. l like that. You
see no sickly people here. They are
robust and fine looking.
The city park is full of natural
forest trees and the moss hangs in
great hanks from five to eight feet
long like it was put there by deft
fingers. All kind of games are played
there by both men and women; seats
for thousand people.
The boat landing is something over
a half mile from shore. The electric
dock is built that far out in the bay,
wide enough for the street cars and
two tracks for automobiles. It is a
great place to fish along the dock.
T. RUSSELL, WRIGHT.