The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-08-24
NEWBERRY CELEBRATES.
A DAY IN wEsT AlAcHuA
Senator Call and Local Aspirants for Of
fee 0rate and Eat Barbecued Meat.
The Boys and Girls Eat
Ice Cream and Dauce
0cala Sends up
GoodlY Delega-
tinn

by the Towering Pinep of Lady
Lake and Ocala, Samuel w. league,
took special train for Newberry,
Alachua county, 10 assist those good
people to officially celebrate its birth
| and prosperous commercial career.
That portion of AIachua county,
through which the new Plant short
cut passes, between Archer and High
Springs is new country, sparcely set
tied, and until phosphate was dis
covered and the road built, it was en-
-tirely given over to the COW men.
Within the past six months, New
berry, from pine forest, has grown
into the most prosperous village in
west Alachua. Six months ago it had
no existence on the map, now it boasts
of three large stores, doing the most
prosperous trade of any mercantile
houses in the county, two hotels, a
number of residences, lumber ON the
ground for more houses, the finest de-
pot on the Plant short cut road and
tributary to it the trade of sixteen
phosphate mines, consisting of the
following firms and employing the
number of men indicated: Little
Bros, miners and manufacturers of
fertilizers, Jacksonville, 40; Anglo
Continental Guano Works, operated
by Messrs. G.. Thalheim and Jas.
Chambers, SO; the Daisy, Pelican and
Atlas mines, owned and operated by
Mr.. b. Arentz and Car tain Thayer,
60; Messrs. Camp Bros, two mines,
100 convicts; III. f. Dutton & Co.,
Gainesville bankers and cotton fac
tors, 40; Mr.. Wright, two mines, so;
Mr.. Wade, %; Excelsior, so; High
Springs Company, 200 convicts; Mr..
Carlisle, 40; Anglo-Florida, 20 and
Simmons, 80 men, with total of 625,
which makes it the most important
output of phosphates for number of
persons at work and tons mined of
any point in the state.
With these facts before one it is not
difficult to account for Newberry's
prosperity and phenomenal growth.
So importont has Newberry become
as a commercial point and the mag
nitude of the mining operations
around it that very sanguine persons
predict in q few years it will become
the commercial rival of Gainesville
as well as competing county site,
have a railroad running to the his
toric Suwanee river ten miles to the
west and have direct water transport
tation with Mobile and New Orleans.
To encourage every one in believing
Newberry is town of destiny and
will grow to large proportions one
need but be reminded of the fact that
no portion of Florida las shown finer,
richer or more abundant phosphate
deposits, their devels pment being in
its infancy and the fine timber and
farming land thanking it on every
side.
1t is pleasant to reflect that this inn
portant center of trade is the creation
of Ocala boys, the league brothers,
Frank and Sam, ably seconded by J.
M. Slater, one of Alachua's pioneer
settlers, and Messrs. Hodge and
Knight, also residents of that Sec
ton.
One hundred and sixty acres of land
have been laid off in lots and when
the proper time comes they will be
put on the market, which will be next
winter, though parties anxious to buy
are being accommodated weekly.
Most of our readers remember the
fact that the leagues are South Caro-
linians by birth and the place Of their
nativity Newberry, and with lauda-
bic local pride they gave to their new
town the name of their birthplace
and intended that the name of the
postofiice should bear the same name,
which was temporarily frustrated by
a Dostoffice near by being created and
called Newburg, but this place having
been overshadowed and eclipsed by
the new town of Newberry, Newburg
postoffice has been discontinued and
through the efforts of Senator Call
Newtown postoffice will be changed
to Newberry and all parties interested
have been made very happy by the
prospective change.
The Messrs. leagues feel very CRATE
full to Florida's senior senator for tax
ing such an interest in the place with
out their special solicitation, but later
developments have disclosed the fact
that Senator Call has an especial lik-
ing for the name of Newberry, having
secured his wife near that place in the
old Palmetto state many years ago.
We had almost forgotten to mention
the wonderful and phenomenal sinks
and grottoes in and around Newberry
and the fact that the nearest river to
that section is the Wacasassa.
1t IS not difficult to note why New
berry's live merchants enjoy so pros
porous a trade when it is stated it is
the only pointnearly midway bel ween
Archer aud High Springs, distance
OF twenty-five miles, while Gaines
vile is twenty miles to the east.
The leaders in trade at that point
are the Williams brothers, who oper-
ate the largest general store in Alach-
ua county, and anything from cam
brio needle to steam dredge can be
found, while G. Easterlin not only
sells goods, keeps hotel and runs d
livery but is said to be the best shoe-
down. fiddler IN Alachua county and
is always In demand at barbecues and
dances.
But we must not forget to say on