Smyrna times., 1924-04-09
MRS. JENNIE E. BELLS TRIP
TaylOr's Bridge Woman In Florida
Tells of Her Winter Experiences

Tells of Her Winter Experiences
Editor of Smyrna Times:-I just |
came home from Florida after spend
ing the winter there. l couldn't help !
dropping you a few lines to tell you
how beautiful the climate was there. /
While was receiving letters and pap
ers from home, telling of the discom- |
forts of snow and ice and etc. In |
Florida it was just like our nice Sep |
tember weather. l sat in the park at |
Tarpon Springs in the warm bright
sunshine beside the beautiful palm
trees, talking with people from diff
ferent States, in talking with them
found l was talking with some of my
relatives, Clevelands from New York.
l visited st. Petersburg and Tampa.
Tarpon Springs is where l made my
home while l stayed in Florida. The
great industry of course was the
sponges. The Greeks dive for them.
In the Gulf of Mexico there are
thousands of dollars made out of them
Boats came in loaded with them.
There were oranges and grape fruit
enough raised to supply the world.
rode for miles through orange groves,
one orange grove had three hundred
acres, the owner of the grove said he
could not make any money out of
them, the freight was too high. They
were loading them in trucks and
throwing them in the gulf. They
look beautiful on the trees, the or
anges and blossoms. The northern
people have built winter homes
and go there for the winter. The
Floridans say they have had an un-
usually severe winter. l joined the
tourist club. They had grand enter
tainments once a week and big sup
per once a month. 1t was a good
place to get acquainted with the peo-
pie from all over the world. They
gave me pin that shows one part of
their building. Tarpon Springs, known
as the sunny south because of its
bayou which is in a semi-circle form
alton. The bayou is situated at the
end of the town and the Anclote river
flows into it and from it boats go to
the Gulf of Mexico. AS we'll as being
the ideal place for fishing, it is a spot
of beauty. The main street, TarpOn
avenue, leads down to the water
where a beautiful cement pier is built
with wide walks all around the bayou
Lovely boat houses are located along
the water front and beautiful palm
trees all around the bayou. They
had their annual winter carnival there
which was fine. Among the sunshine
and flowers it lasted two days. TarpOT
avenue was decorated for the occasion
with garlands of spanish moss en-
twined with smilax and flowers. The
lamps, which are set like floor lights
and look like so many large moon!
among the palm trees at night, wert
covered with red and gave a soft mys
r teriOus glow to the town. The en-
, trance and landing at the bayou wer
decorated with an arch of many col
\ ored flowers. The electric lights wer
covered with Japanese lanterns. TIL
4 stage was filled with its gaily cos
f TUNED singers, and upon the ripplin
= water and listening to the singing,
f seemed too beautiful to be real. TIL
: most unique part of the program wa
e an illuminated fleet which came be
/ fore the program. A sound of fire
+ works and cannon in the distance, al
: nounced its coming and the leadin
), boat was all lighted with roma
: candles and fireworks. Then came tn
e decorated pageant of boats, and the
/, were all beautiful. One boat whic
r was made up as a great white autt
n mobile, took the prize. People fro
n all parts of the world visited the tow
A lady came from London, Englan
just for the carnival and returned sa!
S ing the long trip was worth while.
II