The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-04-09
AN AUTO SPIN

In company with Mayor John ID.
Robertson and State Attorney E. w.
Davis, the editor OF this paper took
an auto spin Tuesday as far as In
verness, in Citrus county.
He had not been to Inverness since
the early discovery of phosphate, and
he found that the whole face of the
country has undergone transforma-
ton. There are phosphate plants in
all directions, and Governor Gilchrist
NAV we'll boast of the fact that Flor
ida is rejuvenating the WORKOUT soils
of nearly all the earth.
The number and magnitude of the
plants are something wonderful. We
visited the plant of the Southern
Phosphate Development Company,
near Inverness. The plant is just
nearing completion. We understand
that something like one hundred and
thirty-fve thousand dollars have al
ready been expended on it and the
phosphate deposit is scarcely yet in
sight There is twenty-seven feet or
over-burden to be removed (Which is
no child's play before a ton of rock
can be mined, and after the over-bur-
den is removed, then the owners have
to take chances. 1t is this faith that
is making Florida the great state that
it is and the greater state that il is
sure to become We have scripture
warrant in saying that faith can re-
move mountains, and since seeing the
faith that spends hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars in erecting phosphate
plants with never a doubt but that the
rock will be found, though concealed
many feet below the surface, we are
strengthened in our belief in the Bib
lical story
We are glad that We have the men
with the faith and bravery that see
hundreds of thousands leave their
pockets before receiving a dollar in
return. This is the nerve that devel- |
ops great industries and builds states. |
We are glad that we possess these |
neryy, gritty men.
Inverness is growing rapidly. Hous-
es are being built: cottages. beautiful |
in appearance, are adjoining many |
streets trade is developing: a bank |
has been established: a newspaper |
gives the weeks chroniclings, and the /
citizens are buOyant and hopeful
Floral City twelve miles away. is |
also growing, and it likewise has a .
bank, and the deposits in these banks
are steadily increasing, which is a
straw indicating that the winds are
blowing in the right direction. and
that good times" are ahead.
We returned via Dunnellon, and no
city can pride itself on a more con-
slant and steady growth. 1t is really
remarkable A brick hotel. a brick
bank. a splendid weekly newspaper. a
cOmmodious school building, several
churches. and blocks upon blocks of
stores are some of the evidences that
confirm the story of its phenomenal
growth
Just for the moment a number Of
phosphate mines have shut down Il
which, of course, has caused more or
less of q depression in trade circles.
but it is believed that this condition
is only temporary. and when the wave
is safely passed that the plants will
reopen with greater activity than
ever.
Florida certainly has a very bright
future, and especially this portion OF
It.
Inverness is distant about thirty
five miles from Ocala The road is
sandy for the greater part OF the way.
yet we made the trip in a little more
than two hours. When we shall have
good roads all over the state, autoing
will indeed be a luxury, and the say
ing that life is nOt worth living
will be eliminated from our literature.