The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-03-23
LOCAL FRUIT GROWERS.
THAT GATHERED IN THE COURT HOUSE
SATURDAY.

THAT GATHERED IN THE COURT HOUSE
SATURDAY.
A very respectable gathering in
numbers convened i'll the court house
Saturday of Ocall and surrounding
orange and vegetable growers or those
interested in it.
Mr.. G.. M. Brown was made chair
man and David Williams secretary.
The objects and purposes of the
meeting were stated by F. G. Bufftim,
G. NJ. Brown, I. Il. Munroe, j. d.
Buckalew and others.
Many suggestions were made when
the temporary organization was made
permanent. Mr.. Buckalew said he
had estimates that within a radius Of
six miles of Ocala no persons were
gagged or interested in growing
fruits and vegetables, of these some
thirty enrolled their names in person
and were autL orized 10 speak for as
many more of their neighbors who
could not be present.
1t was suggested that those who
joined this local organization could
become members of local club near
er their homes in case such organiza-
tions were effected.
Mr.. Buffum stated that since the
movement of organizing the fruit and
vegetable growers into a union he had
ccrresponded with box men, nail men,
paper men, and railroad officials and
gave in detail the amount that could
be saved on each item. Instead of
paying ii cents for box material he
showed that in buying in large guam
titles the amount could be reduced to
1-5 cents, and on every other item u
large saving could be made. He read
a letter from James Menzes, traffic
agent of the J. T. & X. w. railway,
saying that the movement would
meet the cooperation of the railroads
and he had no doubt large concessions
in freight could be obtained.
General Bullock was called on for q
speech, to which he consented, and
while commencing NJ. Buifum's un-
tlring and unseltish motives in effect
ing and promoting the union of the
orange and vegetable growers and his
saEgine belief that in this union those
mos. vitally interested could III Ike p
cents box, securing large concessions
in freight rates, and that on his crop
| Of $1,000 boxes he could effect saw
ing of $4,000. lie, General Bullock,
was not 80 sanguine as Mr.. Eufium as
to what the railroa,ls and transporta-
tion companies woull voluntarily do
for the producers of this country.
|, The General had more filth in a
railroad commission, fairly and
equitably formed, allowing The roads
a representative on the board, than
through any other agency and from
this sta .ement, incidentally remarked
that lie had been one of number of
prominent citizens Of the state who
had formulated an address and put
certain reforms, which should be de-
manded by the democracy of the
| common wealth, one of which was q
state railroad commission. For this
| act of free born American citizens he
and Others had been harshly, unjustly
and unkindly criticised, stigmatized
as office seekers, disruptors of the
party, sowing the seeds of dissen-
lion and generally causing distrust in
the ranks of the party. The General
said his motives in his efforts 10 reform
the democratic party anl aid the
producers who gave the bulk Of frei yht
to the railroads was unselfisll and sim
cere. He went into this move
ment to help himself, for il Mr.. Buff
fun could see $1,000 a year in it for
his interest he and all others must
reap their share of the benefits accru-
ing.
The meeting was a good one and
General Bnllock's speech was we'll re-
ceived aud heartily cheered.
Among the prominent growers
present besides those named were III.
w. Long, DR.. Gillian, Tom Sstrunk,
Will aud John Chambers, Carl Har-
ter and NIyron Gillett.
The rules of the local club are that
when any three or more membefs
call Oh the chairman for meeting
the same must be called.