Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-02-02
IN SUNNY FLORIDA.
James A. McGown Writes interest
ingly of HIS Trip.

To the Editor of The American:
We left Ellsworth November 81,
and after spending Sunday with
friends in Portland, we sailed from
Boston November so on the Ocean
S. S. Co.'S steamer City of Rome,
leaving Charlestown dock at 5
O'Clock for Savannah, Ga. Every
stateroom had been taken, and she
had list of 1876 passengers, mostly
tourists to the South.
Among the passengers was quite
a party of Hancock county people
Capts. Charles and Fred Hodgkins
and wives, of Lamoine; John Hodg-
kins of Bar Harbor, Mrs. Bragdon
of Sullivan. and Mrs. McGown and
myself, who, with other Maine tour
lists, drew all the seats at the cap
tain's table He was a Maine man.
The first night and day out we
had good weather, but before we got
to Hatteras it began to blow, and in
creased to a gale on the following
night. As usual under such condi-
seasick, especially the ladies, only
three appearing in the dining saloon
at breakfast. On Friday we made
TIE ollOdl dAICI WAiSh
the wind subsidized and we had fine
weather.
We locked at Savannah Saturday
morning. We had a few hours to
look over the city, which we i'm
proved, then took the train for Jack
sonville. The road runs through
very unproductive part of Georgia,
near the coast line, with no large
towns and very little cultivated land,
and only the remnant of the once
splendid pine and oak forests. We
were at Jacksonville on Saturday and
a part of Sunday, having little OPP
portunity of seeing the city, but we
attended the band concert in the
park, which is cry fine and beauti-
fully Illuminated at night.
Taking the Sea Coast line from
Jacksonville on Sunday, we came
through many Interesting cities and
towns and saw much of the improved
and cultivated C .trus lands and gar
dens, large ora lge and grapefruit
groves loaded with fruit. We ar
rived in Tampa the same night, and
registered at the Tourists Bureau
in City hall on Monday, Dec. 6, and
secured rooms in what is known as
the Heights, about mile from the
business section and in fine resi-
Dental district.
This is a city of about $4,000 in
habitants, and is said at this date
to be entertaining more than 5000
tourists. The streets and avenues
are almost all constructed of brick
or concrete roadway, wide and
smooth, with splendid concrete side
walks bordered by variety of ever
green trees, among which the palm
and oak are most numerous. The
residences are line specimens of home
architecture, with spacious piazzas,
usually on three sides. There are
many fine specimens of the high-pil-
Jared old southern style, but those
of more recent construction are
largely of the bungalow type, which
apparently is very satisfactory in
this climate.
The city does much for the enter
tainment of tourists, devoting large
rooms on the first floor of City hall
to bureau Of information, where
all are requested to register, and
where space is given for correspond
ence. free postcards Of Tampa views,
and free stationery being supplied.
On the fourth floor are rest rooms,
one especially for men, where games
are played and where you can ar
rangeto meet friends. There is what
is known as the Tourist club, with
a duly-elected board of officers, hold
ing Monday afternoon meetings in
the Casino at Plant park, and a
community sing at the same place
on Sunday. The Casino will seat
$500 people, and is often filled to
overlooking by tourists There is a
band concert in the park every after
noon exert Saturday, at 3 o'clock.
Saturday the same band plays in
Court House park afternoon and
evening.
There are many places of interest
in or near the city, to which the club
arranges excursions. Our first was
to Sunset Beach on the Gulf coast
about twenty miles out. We went
in autos, going through West Tam
pa and returning by way of the
Ocean boulevard, a beautiful drive
close to the shore. We have also
been, by trolley, to Sulphur Springs,
very remarkable boiling spring,
about 100 feet in diameter, from the
reservoir of which flows stream
that would turn mill. The water
tastes strongly of sulphur, and has
a temperature of about blood heat.
There are men and women bathers
at all hours, the spring being light
ed at night.
At this place is located the "Alli-
gator Farm" claiming 5000 alliga-
tors, from the smallest to some that
must be ten feet long. We also en-
joyed picnic at Ballast Point,
beautiful sea-shore park of acres,
with a casino, dance hall and me-
nagerie. Refreshments were served.
The band gave concert. and moving
pictures were taken. This park is
about ton miles out, and we went by
special trolley cars.
Another very interesting ride was
to Lake Thonotoesassa, one of the
largest lakes in the state, being as
large as Branch pond. We were
entertained at the fine old southern
home of Dr. and Mrs. Stebbins. This
is one of the largest orange groves