The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-06-24
THE UNIVERSITY CITY

IL Is a gOO0 tnlnS LOT person WheH
visiting neighboring towns and cities
to note the improvements and desira-
BILE features of the place, compare
them with your own town and thereby
be made to feel that there are others
In this world besides you who are
striving to do something to enhance
the beauty and prosperity of their re-
spective communities.
We found this in abundance in
Gainesville. which indeed is a really
attractive city with many beautiful
homes and such wide streets made at
tractive by rows Of splendid oaks. One
street especially pleasing to the eye.
with its group of trees in the center
Of the street.
We took creature comforts at the
White House, a model hostelry own
ed by Major Thomas, a live wire pro-
moter in the University City. Here we
met our old time friend, Ben Kaufman
who has charge during the day Of the
office and he has lost none of his
pleasing ways that made him SO pop
ular the years he did similar service
at the Montezuma hotel, Ocala. Ben
is synonymous with the word fidelity,
and his services are appreciated by
Major Thomas and the guests of the
hotel The White House is splendidly
located on one Of the principal streets
OF the town and it's environments are
such that all who confront they are
pleased. The hotel Is up to date In
every particular. Everything is roomy'
airy, sweet, clean and Its appoint
ments are as near perfect as they can
be made. The menu is good and tooth
some 1t is well patron1zed and DUR
ing the winter months was overrun
with custom that demanded good ser
vice and got it. paying for the same
with pleasure. Its cold storage plant
is just what such a hostelry needs
Its kitchen Is clean and sanitary. We
saw and examined it; no waste or dis
agreeable doors. It's table is supplied
by its own dairy and such milk and
cream leaves a memory. Chinamap
runs it's garden and he has learned the
art we'll. His vegetables when cook
ed as they are by the White House
culinary department, are indeed delec-
table. We understand this Celestial
In really making his garden source
Of considerable profit. in which returns
Major Thomas gives him an interest.
Through the kindness of Mr.. Nc
Cooke, of the hotel, we had the pleas
ure to inspect one of the real show
places of Gainesville, the palatial
home Of Major Thomas, that occupies
the center Of say four city squares and
Is several blocks to the east of the
hotel. 1t is in style of architecture OF
the bungalow type, large, roomy and
attractive. The building is two stories
and a basement and contains seven
teen rooms and every comfort and con-
venience is on every floor. It's inter
Tor is finished in mahogany, and also
are it's furnishings. Each bedroom set
costing the price of a cozy cottage. Its
stairways are of the easy grade, the
steps of which are made of birch and
in lightness of color contrast beauti-
fully with the dark trimmings and
ratings. We have never seen any
thing finer and more complete in the
way Of home, and in our way OF
thinking there may be homes in Flor
ida more costly. but none that appeal
to the eye and sense Of real comfort
and luxury than does this magnificent
dwelling. 1t is reputed it cost 100000
which will assist the reader to realize
1t is indeed a beauty, a thing Of pleas
ure and a JOY forever to it's popular
are being enhanced in beauty by add
ing fresh planting of trees to already
many stately and outrageous oaks
dotting the grounds here and there.
Major Thomas Is engaged in many
enterprises that speak for the finan.
cial. commercial and realty interests
of the city and factors in it's develop.
ment. growt hand progress. He is &
lover of fine horses and has them; has
q blooded stallion that is indeed al
equine beauty and was pronounced a
the Tampa state fair as beautiful al
equine as ever trod the sands Of the
state.
Major Thomas was one of the gen
uine boosters for the location of the
state university in Gainesville and hi
foresight has added materially to hi:
bank account, by buying a large trac
OF land leading to the universit.
buildings, which he has subdividet
and sold many lots that are beins
beautifed by many attractive homes
Gainesville boasts and justly a
e possessing the largest hardware firm
between Jacksonville and Tampa, tn
Baird Hardware Co. They have jus
completed an immense brick ware
house on the site formerly occupied b.
the Sutton cotton ginnery, between
the two railroad depots AID very con
venient to receive and dispatch freigh
shipments.
The new government building is
thing OF beauty. 1t should be for
cost $169.000. 1t is three stories an
basement. The front is adorne,
with six imposing columns. That it will
be we'll ventilated and lighted is evi
dent for we counted 81 windows o.
the west side Of the building
The business conditions of the cit
must be gratifying for the fifth banl
has just been opened.
The town has a very roomy and i'm
posing school building with a com
modious auditorium. The Wilson an
Hyde dry goods establishment DC
cupies splendid business buildings
built expressly for the business an
flooded with light so that it's we'll fill
cd shelves and counters can shov
their contents to the greatest advant
age.
The new Masonic temple is a build
Ing all point to with pride, while tn
city has many fine churches. non
more SO than the new stone Episcopa
church. which Is as attractive insid
as 1t Is imposing and graceful in line
from without
The newspaper business of the cit,
Is really in the hands of Editor Me
Creary Of the Sun, which paper he ha
quarter Of a century. MAC" as ev
H.