The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-18
THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA
XII.

IlOA VI hldIl4 J tOO4N 10 EOleS Oh !
this East Coast trip, even as | had
taken none on that thirty-ive years
before, but the barest sketch / could
make from memory would fill half a
dozen columns. If | could have stayed
in the town two weeks / could have
written at least 250-page book on it,
and / am conceited enough to believe
it would be interesting. But viii not
attempt any description, for this rea-
son, if no other, that so much has
the city been written about that most
of the Stars readers have read bet
ter stories about it than | could write,
not to speak of considerable number
who have seen it.
Mrs. Beck drove across what | sup
pose is the upper part of the town, to
the bay shore and then over the cause
way across the bay to Miami Beach.
Having taken US over the most inter-
esting part of this seaside suburb, or
rather town, we recrossed to Miami,
had dinner at an excellent cafe, and
then drove thru the business center,
the principal residence section and
down to Cocoanut Grove and back,
every yard of the drive being filled
with interest.
What impressed me more than any
thing else about Miami is that it is
building for the future. Up to this
time, except when some man or cor
poration, laid out boom town, and
generally failed, the public work on
cities has been an afterthought, and
dictated by pressing needs of the
present, and mingling the new with
the old has resulted IN a patchwork,
which we do not notice, because we
are used to such things. But the peo-
pie of Miami, when they go else
where, will notice the difference. The
town is probably doing more work for
the future than any other town in
America, and therefore in the world.
The people seem to have decided that
they will build and arrange for their
comfort and that of their children,
and future residents, and that the
children, brought up in comfort and
cleanliness, and the future residents,
coming to find those high qualities,
shall help to pay for them. But it
would seem that the work that will
ensure the burdens of the future will
also supply strength for the future,
so none need stay away nor view the
days to come with dread.
What impressed me most was the
great causeway across the bay from
the city to Miami Beach. Here in
deed is a great work. Of course,
there are greater, but has any been
built by a. community of the popula-
ton and financial strength of Miami
1 hardly think so. And it is built
mostly for the benefit Of the common
people. This coast is described as a
millionaires' playground. but every
day men. women and children obtain
SO per cent of the good of it. And so
it is with this causeway-the people
go across it ten thousand strong to
enjoy the breeze and the bathing at
the beach, and every once in a while
along comes a plutocrat in limou-
sine, getting no more good out of it
than poor man with Ford.
The streets ofsMiami are fine. They
are laid off with regularity; they are
well-paved and clean. The traffic reg
ulations looked good to me, and bet
ter was. the conduct of the people,
keeping out of each others way with
the nonchalance of long experience.
But they have to park straight against.
the curb in Miami. Not room to park
at an angle. One of the city's few
faults is that the streets are little
too narrow.
While the business center is not so
extensive as that of Jacksonville or
Tampa, it is as well equipped and
more conveniently arranged. And,
judging by what l hear, people can
obtain as much or more for their mon
ey as in other Florida towns. The
shops and stores were beautifully ar
ranged-a genuine temptation to buy,
the ladies in our party declared.
Mrs. Beck drove us into the back
yard of a big hotel, and there we
found the remains of little old Fort
Dallas-the only thing | remembered
from my first visit-and I didn't re-
member that very well.
There are lot of Ocala people in
MAMA hundred families at least
counting one person living by him or
herself as family. wanted to see
them all-but that would have taken
a week, so l saw only two. One was
Miss jefferson Bell. society editor of
the Miami Herald Miss Bell is from
Marion county and has eyceptionaI