Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-03-02
A FLORIDA CARNIVAL.
Interesting Description Of Pleas
ant Trips in Sunny South.

ant lTlpS IN sunny 6OuUns
To the Editor of The American:
In a letter to The American un-
der date of January 81, mention
was made of the coming South
Florida fair and Gasperilla carni-
val, which filed the dates from
Feb. to IL inclusive. The dis
play of fruits and vegetables, of
stock and fowl, of art and manu-
facture, was wonderful. The
great resources of Florida were dis
played to the best advantage.
The fairgrounds have extensive
exhibition buildings some of them
over 700 feet long, built of brick.
Quite a few are substantial, two
story buildings, and are all well
lighted. There is an immense
grand stand, half-mile track and
a midway covering acres. The
space inside the track was an avia-
ton field; airplanes coming and go
ing through /the day. Every build
ing on the grounds was decorated
with flags and bunting and strung
with electric lights, making the
whole grounds blaze of light at
night.
One building was filled with farm
produce, canned goods, needle
work, school work and livestock
exhibited by the Negro Home Max
ers clubs of the state twelve coun
ties being represented The Mexi
can exhibit filled large two-story
building. The Canadian exhibit of
wheat, corn, oats, vegetables and
fruit attracted much attention.
The attendance was 100, 900 and
the management reported surplus
of 100000. Some of the business
streets were decorated, as were
most of the public buildings, and
were Illuminated at night.
On February IL the Tourist club,
SAP strong, went by steamer, up
the Manitee river to Bradentown.
We were taken in autos all over the
town and to extensive orange
groves and celery farms. Although
the town has railroad and steam
boat communication and is beauti
fully situated, it has the appear
ance of going to seed" no new
buildings being built. There are
large hotels, good business streets,
fine courthouse and schools and
miles of paved streets. A mile
long bridge connects with Pal
metto. At De Soto park the Tin
Can tourist camp now has a popula-
ton that runs into the thousands
The park is over one-fourth of
mile square, fronting the bay, well
shaded by oaks and palms, fur
lights, a large casino police and
Waterman and proper sanitary
regulations, all at the expense of
the city. They have a regular or
ganized club under the direction of
q "Vice-Regal Can Opener" and
put on minstrel shows, community
sings, etc, for evening amusement;
while fishing, horseshoe pitching,
checkers, ETC., have big following
in the daytime.
Come to Tampa to camp, help
yourselves to the town, stay as long
as you like, have good time-and
come again" appears to be the
spirit behind the reception of the
motorist. From Maine to Califor-
mia; from preacher to plumber;
they are all here in one big, happy
family.
The Tourist club made an excur-
sion to Clearwater Beach, going
and returning by special train,
ride of forty-two miles. At the
station we We're met by the board
of trade and taken in autos to the
Belleview at Bellaire, one of the
largest hotel properties in Florida;
also through the business and resi-
Dental sections of the city, then
over a two-mile bridge to Clear
water Beach, said to be the finest
on the gulf coast. Clearwater is
one of the finest places we have Wis
tied; nice parks, paved streets,
well-stocked stores, good hotels
and fine Residences live wire"
coming town.
Tampa is the largest cigar manu-
featuring city in the United States,
having 104 large and 2O7 small
cigar factories. with between 49,
900 and 10000 employees, largely
Cubans and Italians. The weather
continues fine, the thermometer
one day going up to So.
JAMES A. McGOWN.