The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-03-19
Mr.. ALFRED AVER
To the Editor Ocala Banner:


A generation has come and gone
since Mr.. Alfred Aver pulled up the
patrimoniaI stakes at his old home in
South Carolina and pitched his lent
on the generous bosom of our county
| During all those years he has neen
a good citizen and has set at least a
fairly good example He has not in
dulged in riotous living. He has seen
reverses and has been no stranger to
hardships. He has planted groves,
vineyards and truck farms and has
taken chances with the balance of US,
and whether he lost out or won out,
he has been buoyant and optimistic
at all times
Some time ago he took a little trip
off, and thought that his observations
might be interesting to some of your
readers and jotted them down with
no thought, am sure, Of engaging in
a temperance controversy, and I am
sorry that he has been misunder-
stood.
He just has a habit Of iOtting down
his impressions for the press.
When he first settled in Marion
county, for fear that he might after
wards censure himself for doing so,
he made a trip through the western
country, and upon his return he gave
your readers the benefit of his OBJ
servatiOns.
may say Cby way Of parenthesis)
that have been a subscriber to your
paper for long time. and have sew
eral old copies filed away.
Mr.. Ayers letter is in one of these
old copies, but as it is somewhat
lengthy merely submit your com
ments on the same.
This letter appeared in the Ocala
Banner of October 81, 1874.
The following are your comments:
Better Than Politics
Mr.. Alfred Aver, who has been on !
an extended trip through the west. /
to his home in this county on
last Wednesday.
Mr.. Aver is from South Carolina. /
and a few months ago purchased a .
handsome property on Lake Weir, in .
the southern portion Of this county:
a body of water, by the way, so pictur- /
esque and lovely that it may Justly
a ct yvInI tho Il a Cnv,C Of do
Before establishing himself perma-
nently in this county, however, Mr.
Aver wanted to satisfy himself that
there was no place in the United \
States he might like better So with
this idea in view, he set out for the
great west, and extended his trip as
ar as Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. /
and after making a close and careful /
examination of the relative advan-
ages of these states, he returns, we
ire pelased to say, firmly convinced
hat there is no state in the American
Union so rich in natural gifts as
florida, and is now better pleased
han ever with his beautiful lake
shore home.
Mr.. Aver reports the west as be-
ng greatly overestimated and it's ag-
'icultural interests in a great meas
Ire a failure. Its winters are long
md severe; home markets of little
,alue and transportation excessive;
uel scarce and expensive: malignant ,
diseases prevalent in many districts;
he climate severe and subject to sud-
len and extreme changes; grasshoD-
Ders, fifty thousand to the square foot, !
md lands expensive to buy and hard ,
o cultivate. These are only a few
# the disadvantages he reports. and
While we do not rejoice over the {
drawbacks and misfortunes of others. 6
his no doubt accurate account of the
reat west. of which so much has been
aid in its favor, certainly ought to
make FlOridians better satisfied with S
'lOrida and do their level best to T
ring others to il. who. like Mr.. Aver. ,
With capital and energy, will help to
ush it on TO that plane of prosperity '
which surely awaits it. t
Mr. Aver brings with him three =
am goats one a pure Cashmere and
he two others a cross between the I
cashmere and improved Tennessee i
reed. He also brings two pure Ma t
emo bucks, which he purchased out 2
f the identical flock that took the
rst prize at the Worlds Fair at Lon L
on, and again at Paris. With these Z
ne bucks he expects to improve the Ii
ock of sheep and goats he purchased ! 9
this county some time since.
we congratulate the county upon Il
he ACQUISITION of so energetic and t
aluable 2 citizen. and the introduce G
on Of few more immigrants Of tho
ame pluck and determination. and Il
no rand development and nroerori-v &c
Marion county is fixed fact" il
It does seem TO me that one who s.
as been amongst us as long as Mr.. Q
yer has and has worked so unremit- o
ngIy for the development of tn, !,
ounty, should not be treated with in o.
'lerance because he gives his i'm
ressions of the liquor traffic in other
-ates as it appeared TO him. a
Let's be fair-minded and broad i
inded about these things. q
OLD TIMER" s.
"
In line with a suggestion in This III