The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-02-14
(By Jack Edward Dadswell

b,OOO FCCl 0NCt A<uhCi0hOg NNOs Al
The Harding Invitation Ship
swept over Lakeland at 9:22 O'CLOCK
today enroute from st. Petersburg tc
St. Augustine with appeals from Ap-
proximately 10000 persons for Presi.
dent-eiect Warren @. Harding to visit
the Sunshine City for few hours
With che heavy headwinds at this al
titude. Lieut.. John P. Wood, pilot,
vas struggling against odds that
probably will delay our If1ight a few
hours If we make st. Augustine by
four o'clock this afternoon. as
planned, an eastern wind will have 10
favor us as We approach the East
Coast. sr
Because OF the excess load Of fuel
for so long journey, the Invitation
Ship" was sent last night to st. Pc
tersburg Beach. One of the finest
landing fields on the West Coast is
under construction there. This was
necessary because of the entangle-
ments surrounding the bay-front
field at st. Petersburg and the need
of a long taxi before taking OF. At
the field was a delegation of local per-
sons who shouted their regard to
Harding. calling him by his first name
in many instances, and crying Bon
Voyage as the Invitation. Ship
slowly lifted from the beach.
1t was shortly after o'clock when
We hoped on. As we passed over st !.
Petersburg. slumbering under e blan-
ket Of fog. we could barely discern
the outlines OF some OF its prominen.
ediflces. We were less than two thou
sand feet. Gradually we assembled as
we approached Tampa Bay. to an al
titude of nearly six thousand feet from
where we could drift ashore in. case
the engine failed its function in so
precarious position.
At one thousand feet over Boca
Ceiga bay the air, seemed calm and
slogged With moisture. 1t was colu
and penetrating. AS we rose we be-
gan to feel the strength Of a head
wind over the mainland and It: be-
came warmer, augmented by the
fiery wash from the Invitation
Ships great motor.
AS we swept over Tampa bay, We
got above the mist and could make out
the skyline Of Tampa on the Horizon
silhoutted against the sun. The fog
was lifting or being swept away by
the descending wind. I'he great red
orb cast out million streaked rain
bows in every direction. A glorious
sight is Tampa bay from an altitude
of six thousand feet just as the sun
creeps over the edge of the earth! As
We approached Tampa, tine domes OF
the Tampa Bay Hotel threw out a
semblance of Turkish atmosphere
The fog thinned and the scarlet refee-
ton OF the sun shimmered on the wa
ters silhouetted the masts Of a hun,
dred schooners in the harbor.
AS have Travelled over Tampa In
an automobile have been surprised
that one may. go from one end Of the
city to another In an hour Of casual
riding From the air, 1t doesn't seen,
possible that the population of Tampa
could remain with the city spreading
in every direction and appearing tc
be miles and miles of reautfful homek
buildings and water space. From the
air Tampa Is a beautiful spectacle
It's courthouse Beenaa to loom thou
sand feet into the air and Franklir
street seems to stretch for miles from
the harBok esstvard 1ifr only al 10.
or two to break Is string-like direct
over tns heart 81 the citslw slIdet
downward to an altitude OF one thou
sand feet. When weN were directl,
over the heart of the city. sent TIM
story to the earth with q copy 81 Th,
Tourist News. autograph and I'D
dressed to tho mayor, In . tiny para
The most hazardous part OF on
journey. Tampa bay Is In the back
ground. It has disappeared In the dis
tance and we are struggling sgains
q heavy wind toward Oflando. Wher'
we viii get flei. ssi'
1t locks as though II were but arb
bon,e white slit, Il you. pdease
stretched across the green earth. In
tetsperssd hlpng IT. course wa grl
passing t0MAa and Xil llAgeac 4 f0rG6
mylmaf + alB NOT lbB what ~ arl
but we are going Onward watching ev
cry turn ia the road and following 4
carAftilfy. Now and tiieH / se6 Lieut.
wood leanitls ovgt fl,1 hide Of the s IN
vitati0h snip e1tltI iIizir& the roAl
ana chhuklnk oil 44r5'5b 'bf hOidinI
the Ship on al ali lie IIR Tie Wind b
&, that the copfpe Nili nok e1oei(e 'iIs 81
6af see what 1ef',a - '> i lse n q