Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-09-23
By MRS. LON DIcKEY

Note: Tin digging up road maps to
locate certain towns which appear to
have suffered complete destruction
in Saturday nights storm, find
notes made along the route during
my trip of two weeks ago that might
be of interest to people who, like our
selves, had not seen Florida since the
boom began, and who, also, like our
selves, did not have money to invest
to either lose or become too wealthy
to enjoy bowling along Florida's high
ways in the heat of summer, to see
rather than to be seen.)
Lake City, August 28th, 1926
We are somewhere in the Hotel
Blanche, / suppose. The reason l
am not sure is this, where five years
ago an old gentleman sat in an arm
chair on the sidewalk and placidly
chewed his tobacco while his guests
got their own ice water and what
ever else they could find, there ap-
pears busy entrance to modern
hotel. The registry book is presided
over by two nifty-looking young men,
and on getting out of the elevator on
the third floor we followed the bell
hop around numerous corners, down
several steps, finally turning west
yard and walking block or so down
hall of swiftly closing doors, for
the night was hot, and everybody was
hot in rooms with windows on one
side only.
Indeed, we wake dso far in this
direction | am not sure that we were
still in the same building we entered.
All very tired. Although Hamilton
county gave us a brave welcome on
a big billboard, her roads were de-
plorable, and the detour was worse
than deplorable. White Springs has
changed greatly since l used to go
there, and all yearned to stop at the
beautiful, brightly-lighted hotels.
However, we know our childrens'
weakness for swimming, and this
trip must needs be made hurriedly,
so it is easier to get an early start
where there are no swimming pools.
Next Morning. Yes, we found
when we paid our bill that we were
in the Hotel Blanche, but we are off.
Noon, Silver Springs, August goth.
Mr.. Dickey and Marcia wanted to
turn back and drive around the big
lake at Lake City, but assured them
by the time we got back they would
not even wake up to look at one they
would have seen so many, but they
were still reluctant.
We have dined, and the two (the
rest of us had seen them before)
are riding in the glass-bottom boats
seeing the matchlessly beautiful cav
erns filled with fish, and bits of white
shell that form the brides veil in the
bridal chamber, and many under.
ground wonders. Their faces and
sparkling eyes show that they have
enjoyed it and believe every word OF
the unbelievable legends told them
by the loquacious boatman. Many
people here. I have seen the glass
bottom boats off Catalina Island, and
think this is a much better show.
Night, August goth, Royal Palm
Hotel, St. Petersburg-We crossed
the great Candy Bridge at sunset,
and it was beautiful sight. Found
that we did not go by Orlando any
more, much nearer to come down
straight to Wildwood from Ocala.
Rather uninteresting. Like South
Georgia, only no farms. The land
looks like a total loss to me except
where there are mines of some kind
and scrubby pine timber. Dade City
is quite pretty place. I recall that
my niece, Ethel Boyd, was born in
Pasco county, near San Antonio,
where the timber is still fine and roll
ing hills and orange groves appear
along the narrow paved road.
Except for Tampa Bay Hotel and
it's grounds, which we could see down
under the bridge, Tampa was sore
disappointment to me as for looks,
though perhaps Sidney Lanier was
not near the commercial center when
he wrote Tampa Robins" and other
beautiful poems. However, we were
hurriedly making our way to this
peninsular where we thought it would
be cooler. We must be on the wrong
side of the hotel, for it isn't. AS far
as hotel rates go it might be sum-
mer resort.
The Princess Martha Coffee Shop
is the most charming place to eat. 1t
is all we could find open, everyone
gets out for a good time and to cool
off when dark comes. Most hotel
dining rooms are closed until winter.
Noon, August 30th.-We are din
ing in a lovely tea room along the
north shore of Tampa Bay while we
have the car doped. This was once
Oldsmar, named for R. E. Odds, of
REQ car fame, but it didn't Ego" and
was changed to something else, Tam
pa Shores, think.
We were charmed with st. Peters
burg when after a nice breakfast we
rode around to see the beautiful
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