The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-11-23
A TRIP TO THE
SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY

In company with Mr.. Robert Strip
ling, the suave, gentlemanly and sue
cessfuI solicitor Of the Florida Protec-
tive Life Insurance Co, of Jackson
vile, we went down TO LevOn yester-
day. He to talk life insurance and he
editor Of the Star to extend the Stars
growing subscription list-both expo
ditiOns were successful.
We found the big mill Of the Nc
Gehee Lumber Company just wading
through the pine logs and turning
them into lumber of the large and
heavy variety at the rate Of seventy
thousand feet day. While there is
no let-up in the mills activity. yet
Manager J. ID. Scruggs. a very pleas
ant gentleman. remarked that the COLI
ditiOn Of the mill business at the pres
ent time, owing to the depression in
the price Of lumber and the recent f.
nancial panic, made the trade poor
orders were curtailed, which made the
state Of the manufactors anything bat
easy sailing and their lives were not
of those who repose on beds of f1oweIy
ease. They are however up to the
situation and propose to maintain a
steady front and carry their opere-
tiOns to a successful issue, when times
will be more propitious than now in
conducting a large outflow of lumber.
While there we ran across W. J.
Frink. the alert bookkeeper and tel
egraph operator for the company,
whose cordial smile and warm clasp
OF the hand are worth several miles Of
sand road to meet. =. II. Hill, a re-
cent arrival from Cincinnati and in
charge of the company's large and
well stocked commissary, was on the
sick list. but his affable assistant :.
]. Walters, was on hand and very
obHging.
Hr. T. X. Slaughter was certainly
busy in office consultations. He is
real busy man, as he looks after the
sick and unfortunate of both mills,
the Levon and the McGehee mills, be-
sides the large country practice he
enjoys. which gives him little time for
recreation and little rest for his tired
body after long and persistent drives
looking after patients.
We looked in on the blacksmith, Mr.
]. A. BROKER. and his dusky assistant.
c.. w. Taylor: shook hands with En-
gineer Robert Carter of the log train
and his co-worker of the Dallas train
w. s. Warnock, that brings in cars for
lumber and then returns them laden
to the Seaboard Air Line.
We met Mr.. c. p. Moore, in charge
O. the planning works, a recent arrival
from Cincinnati, who is i'm charge Of
this department during the sickness
of Mr.. Woodward, who is also the
proprietor and with the assistance of
his excellent wife runs the mill boarl-
ing house and to the satisfaction of
their patrons.
We saluted A w. Clements in charge
general superintendent of the mill
proper and during the noon hour was
adjusting machinery to have it ship |
shape when the so minutes for toe
noon meal had expired. We paid our
respects to Mr.. Clements son. who IS
the engineer in charge; also w A. /
Dock. who Is the machinist OF the MIL |
and can build one from the ground up. |
There were several other pleasant |
gentleman we met whose names have
escaped US. but who were very social. |
Levon is a busy place and from \
early morn TO dewey eve the buzz on /
the big saw and the rattle Of the ma 1
chinery awakes an echo around t1sh 1
Lake that tells OF its productive power |
as the acres of waste pine lands at 1
test. At present the company is get |
ting their logs to the northwest OF the /
mill and about three miles distant. |
where they are cutting some very large /
and fine trees.
Rube Perry. who supplies the fresh /
meat for that section. has closed up /
his meat market business. as he found (
il TO be a losing business
AS we were returning home we ran /
across Joe W. Davis. OF Summerfield |
who with his fine team Of matchc'l
blacks. was on his way 70 George 4
Lovelrs for a fresh supply OF cane /
syrup. the very suggestion Of which /
made Mr. Stripling's liHs moisten for
the love of cane Juice and we followed !
Mr. Davis TO Mr.. LoVelfs. where sure
enough. the juice ran riot. and so CID
we in quenching our thirst with the
delicious LIQUID. for not only did We
irrigate our parched and dusty threats.
and flooded the sluice boxes but "S-
turned with samples Of the finest sE-
rup we have ever tasted. thanks TO the
generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell.
whose hospitality We shall not forget.
While in that section we heard some
splendid reports of the Pedro school.