Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-04-05
Dougans Return from Florida

MI. dHO MIS-. VI ID. DOuSdH dIu
grandson Myron Abel returned to
Pennsville the forepart Of last week
after having spent the winter in
Florida. They were accompanied
back by Larmer Marshall, a nephew
of Mrs Dougan, whose home is in
Florida. and who remained for a
short visit. The trip north was made
by auto. Following is an account
of their southern outing furnished
by Mr.. and Mrs. Dougan:
Editor Democrat | will endeavor
to give brief sketch of our trip to
Palm Beach and Miami, Fla. We
started from Winter Haven, Fla,
March g. going south along the east
coast via Kissimmee and Melbourne.
This is the nearest route to the
coast, but the road is not all built
yet. They are throwing up a road
bed through the st. Johns marsh, so
we had to load on flat cars and be
hauled over the marsh by train, a
distance of four miles, which was
we'll worth what it cost. We arrived
at Melbourne at noon and found
that President Harding had just ar
rived on his yacht, the Pioneer, on
his trip down the Indian river.
We paid a short visit to Frank
Thompson who resides at Vero on
the Indian river. Frank has found
his haven in Florida He can step
out of his home and catch a mess of
oysters or fish any time in the year.
He seems to be doing well and is
happy. We stopped over night at
Stewart and went on to Palm Beach
the next day. Palm Beach is a famous
tourists resort We visited the Royal
Poinciana hotel, the largest of its
kind in the U. S. 1t was built by
also visited The Breakers, and saw
many driveways of royal palms and
cocoanuts that were too beautiful
to describe by pen. We visited the
Atlantic ocean, and saw many places
of interest. While here we attend
ed the Seminole Indian sun dance
and carnival, which is an annual
celebration. 1t consists of parade
of many beautiful floats, aerial per-
formances, band concerts. auto polo,
and at night beautiful fireworks fol-
lowed by masked ball.
The following day we journeyed
on to Miami We viewed the homes
of many millionaires, the Deering
estate, Bryan's home, and the big
sub divisions of Miami, also Holly
wood-by-Sea.
We attended w. ]. Bryan's big
Bible class in park of cocoanut
trees. We crossed Biscaye Bay to
Miami Beach on a wooden bridge
two and a half miles long, supposed
to be the longest in the world. The
boys, with hundreds Of others, went
bathing in the Atlantic. After about
three hours here we travelled along
the beach for miles, viewing the
beautiful driveways of palms, and
obtained some cocOanuts.
We next visited the park in Bis
caye Bay where several hydroplanes
are kept, which make frequent trips
to Bahama Islands belonging to
Great Britain. distance Of about
45 miles We returned home to
Winter Haven by about the same
route, having had one of the most
enjoyable trips of our life, covering
a distance of 700 miles.
On March 20, We started for Ohio
and passed through the following
towns: Ocala, Gainesville, Lake
CITY, Live OAK, anu MdulSOn, L Id
Quitman, Moultrie. Albany, Dawson,
and Columbus, Ca; Opelika, Wilkes
Ferry, Alexander City, Admission,
Gadsden, Ala; Gunterville, Fayette-
vile, Shelbyville, Murfreesboro,
Nashville, Tenn; Springfield,
Franklin, Bowling Green, Elizabeth
town, Louisville, Shelbyville, Frank
fort, Versailles, Lexington, Harris,
Falmouth, Covington, Ky; crossed
the Ohio river at Cincinnati, then
on by way of Hamilton, Middletown,
Dayton, Springfield, Columbus,
GAINESVILLE. and McConnelsville, and
to our old home at Pennsville, with
out any mishap. We spent a most
winter.