The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-01-31
ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS, AND
ALONG RIGHT LINEs7

beauty and fragrance Of flowers.
Perhaps trade is not as good today
IS it was yesterday, or perhaps it is
not as good this month as it was last
month, and they are at once seized
With the idea that the state is grow
ing backward instead of forward, and
as gloom succeeds gloom, soon the
whole universe becomes overcast with
. leaden sky and nowhere does a ray
Of light penetrate or a silver lining
appear. !
But let US go back TO a single life
and see how marvellous have been the
changes and the Improvements with
In that period.
The editor of this paper was born
after Florida was admitted into the
Union, and the improvements that
have followed so rapidly upon the
heels Of each other seem almost in
creditable.
When he was born there had not
vet been constructed a single mile of
railroad in any part of Florida, unless
il was the one now obsolete TO the old
town Of St. Joseph
Now. glance your eye over the map
and see how the state is cobwebbed
with these great arteries Of COM
merce!
Indeed, when the editor of this pa
Der was born the neigh of the iron
horse" had only become familiar 10
few Of the principal cities in few of
the states Of the Union.
The "tinder box was just begin
ming 10 surrender its place to the
friction match.
The "tallow dip" and the huge sill
yer and pewter "snuffers" were a part
of the paraphernalia Of every well reg
ulated household.
The "fint lock" yet held its own and
such a thing as a breach-lOading, ham,
merless shotgun had not yet entered
into ones most idealistic dreams.
Ocala and Marion county were not
yet given a place on the map-Ma-
ZION. Sumter and Lake all formed a
part of the territory Of Alachua.
The cities of the state were ITALIA
hassee. Pensacola. St. Augustine. Tam
pa. Key West. New Port, St. Joseph.
and one or two more places about the
size of Santos.
Our statesmen in congress were
just beginning TO eypend their ridi-
cuIe on Ncrse's telegraph. whose wires
now girdle the earth and climb over
mountains and under seas. and like SO
die the earth and climb over noun
tains and under seas, and Ike SO
many sensitive nerves. instantly con
veying anything happening at any one
point TO the remOtest parts; indeed
now the very currents OF the air are
hamessed TO our service, and through
the same We keep in touch with ships
at sea.
The crcat perfecting printing press
es. type writing and type setting ma
chimes. and hundreds of other inven
lions that We now ind so useful il
our every day life, were all unknown
at that period.
The Concord stage coach. with it
relay OF horses every twelve mile
we thought a rapid and most luXuri
Gus mode of travel and the weaJhe
was just as cold then as now, and III
roads were far more eXecrable.
We made fires in the early morn
ings by burying live Goals in the ashe
the night before and the fault-finder
were much more rare in those day
than now.
Making progress! Well, We CUES
Open your eyes and behold th
things that are to be seen.
Florida dotted over with beautiful
thriving towns and cities, and wher
a little while ago were wood, mOras
and swamp are now peaceful home
and fruitful orchards.
See the magnificent Pullman vest
bule trains speeding as fast as steal
can carry them, headed direct fro
New York through Florida almost
Key West making the trip quick,
and in far greater comfort than Il
trip was formerly made from Oca
To Jacksonville.
We behold Mergenthaler typese
ting machines. cylinder presses. ele
trio motors in nearly every FloriC
printing Office, and electric lights. tt
ephOnes. hot and cold water bath
and Injuries formerly denied 10
king in nearly every home. and on Il
farm and in the marts of ira,
hundreds Of Industrial activities bu
lily at work. tell a story of the marc
of progress so marvellous as TO res
almost like a fable
See the sky-scrapers that so quick
followed on the heels of tho invpnrir