1885

The secretary and Mrs. Austin arrived in St. Petersburg, Fla. for their 27th season on October 30. As has been their custom every year since their first visit in 1923 except the years when gasoline restrictions were in force, they came by auto. The vast improvement in the roads as well as in the machines makes motoring much easier than formerly. The first trip in 1923 consumed 16 days for the 1600 miles now made in five days.

Florida is expecting an even better season than last year and judging by the number of out of state cars that passed us on the road she will not be disappointed. Most of the roads south of Washington are smooth, level and straight and the temptation to speed over them is hard to resist. To one accustomed to the crooked roads of New Hampshire 50 miles per hour seemed sufficient speed, but many others had different minds.

Florida is greeting her winter visitors with a 3% sales tax, an innovation that is causing many headaches and considerable confusion. The information went out, unofficially it seems, that rents for the season paid before November 1, when the law went into effect, would not be subject to the $% tax. The regular patrons of many of the hotels throughout the state were informed of the apparent opportunity to save a worth while sum, and presumably many did so, for when an official ruling came out saying that season's rents were taxable even though paid before November 1 there were loud remonstrances from the hotel people, who claimed that much ill will was in the making. How that may be remains to be seen.

Secretary and Treasurer, 433 Fourth St. North, St. Petersburg 4, Fla.