The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-29
Another Chapter From the
Editorial Party
SCENES FROM FLORIDA
Pleasant Time Among the Very
HospitabIe People of That
State
I. N. TOMPKINS

reached GAINESVILLE at about noon on
Monday, March l4.after daylight run
through a most beautiful section OF
Inc STATE. GAINESVILLE. said TO be the
largest town In the state, is the
county seat of Alachua county and
the seat of the state university Tor
young men only, the university Tor
girls being located at Tallahassee,
as stated before.
lue ciuy Was gaily decorated with
flags ana bunting Tor the Tin Can
Tourists Jubilee, which was TO be
held there during the next three days.
Tne organization known as the Til
Can Tourists is OF national extent
and consists of tourists who travel by
automobile carrying their camp
equipment with them and living en-
tirely in the open. All towns IN
Florida provide camping grounds
laid out like miniature city with
well lighted streets, having water
and sewerage and equipped with a
general kitchen and laundry. We
were met at the station by citizens
of the city, who took us in their
autos to this travellers city where we
found over 1000 tourists from nearly
every state in the union and more
arriving every hour. There were
cars from Minnesota, Texas. Cali.
fornia, Maine, Illinois, Montana, and
seemingly from everywhere cars OF
every description from the wreck of a
tin lizzie" to an aristocratic sedan.
From the Tin Can Tourists City
we were taken to the university
where a most delicious luncheon, in
GLIDING my favorite apple pie with
served by the boys of the institution.
During the meal there was music by
the college orchestra and quartet and
a few short, clever speeches by
prominent men Of the city. After
luncheon there was a short drive over
the splendidly paved streets OF this
beautiful little city, then to the train
and on our way to Leesburg.
Our train arrived at Leesburg at
out on the Grass Fibre spur to the
site of the paper pulp mill. The mill
is in process of erection and will
manufacture paper Pulp from saw
grass, of which there is about 1900
acres on Lake Griffin alone. The
project is being fathered by the pub
fishers of Florida and bids fair to
become an important industry.
Here began the great orange juice
blocks of ice were followed out and
filled with delicious refreshing orange
Juice and sweet orange and there
was no limit to the quantity allot-
ted except the individual capacity of
the guest. Tampa cigars of the
best quality were to be had without
the asking and out of anticipation
of THAT was coming by way or en-
tertainment in Leesburg and Lake
notch, but at that we didn't let 1t
soar high enough to equal the ac-
tuality.
The train returned us to the city
and after Sticking up a bit we
were conducted to Yagar park where
tables 400 feet long had been con-
structed, and loaded with good food
enough to feed small army. Two
beeves and three hogs had been barba
cued for the feed and there were
hundreds of real home grown" cakes
of many kinds, and plenty or coffee
and ice orange and grapefruit juice;
but no speech. making, the committee
In charge preferring to let the coun-
try speak for itself.
There was a band concert and
street dance in the evening and some
went to the movies for change, but
wherever we went in Leesburg, even
at the laundry, our money was not
accepted, the badges We wore being
Each member of the party was given
a dozen sweet, juicy oranges to
lunch on after returning to the car.
Awakened In Early Morning
We were awakened early Tuesday
morning, March Is, and given copies
of the Lake Cronics, published at
Travares, Fla, by the Lake County
Chamber of Commerce and edited by
Secretary w. B. Powell. On the
nf al 10
ty showing the lakes, towns, roads
and railroads, with program for the
day and complete description of the
trip through the county, written in
such a humorous vein that it Pro-
duced many hearty laugh when we
referred to it for -niformaonit
referred to it for information.
Breakfast over the motorcade was
formed and we were fortunate enough
to draw Mr.: and Mrs. John Freeman
of Olivia Tor our companions, Archie
Porter for driver and a new Chand-
Ter for the car. 1t was a most
delightful trip through Umatilla,
Eustis, Mt Dora to Montverds for
luncheon at the Montverds Industrial
Nschool. This school is only eight
years old, and its plan was new to
me. Its slogan is going $3.50 with
dad" for the pupil, evea if he had a
uluSI
work out half of his tuition. Don't
think from the description that the
school is reformatory, for it most
decidedly is not, but just a good
school where boys can take an AGA
demical course and at the same time
learn agriculture, horticulture, en-
gineering, printing and many other
useful trades and occupations and
be taught how to be clean, loyal, 100
per cent American citizens.
Luncheon over we journeyed on
over hard surfaced highways, past
wonderful orange and grapefruit
groves from which the golden fruit
was being harvested around beauti-
ful, clear water lakes, set like gems
IN the landscape; by comfortable
farmsteads with good buildings, silos
and herds of fine fat cattle, grazing
on the rolling pastures covered with
luxuriant growth of red top natal
grass: over pine clad hills; on,
through dark, low jungles Of cypress,
maple and magnolia, whose depths
the light of MONDAY scarcely pene-
trates, through the pretty and pros
porous looking towns Of Clermont
and Groveland to Moscotte where
our train was waiting to take us to
n kt-<. so1f