The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-07-02
GOOD WORK OF GEORGE GILES
Reviving Great Industry and Making
Ocaia Important Market for
Long staple Cotton.

may be engaged in and especially so
TO record the business career Of men
whose business judgment. enterprise
tries whose prosecution has led to sue
terial conditions of those whose minds
and efforts have promoted these en-
terprises, but added to the sum total
Of the prosperity, growth and progress
of the community in which these
Industries have been fostered and built
up.
Such a person is George Giles. who
years ago saw the long staple cotton
of this section neglected for other in
nOvations in trade and products, no.
tably the cultivation Of the orange,
which in the minds of many then
seemed to them speedier road to
competence and comfort. But the
great freeze Of 1876. which in
night swept from existence the toll
and treasure Of years. which left the
country in a deplOrable condition, men
of means losing their all in a night
No one saw this more clearly than
George Giles and remembering what
Marion had been in the years previous
to the orange craze, was the first to
turn his attention to the rehabilitation
Of that industry and though his means
We're limited, his faith was unbounded
and his persfStency of the enduring
kind and by constant effort, both by
personal solicitation and his plan,
which is a ready and convincing one,
he showed a host Of people, who own
ed lands that were lying idle in an un
productive state, to go to work and
again grow the long staple product
and he in his limited way would do all
in his power TO assist them and find
a market for their product.
This was no easy task. but he new
tagged in his zeal to promote his
pet scheme and the result of his per-
sistency and judgment finally won,
until he became the recognized author
ity in speaking for the cultivation of
this important staple and took great
pains to see the best seed for lis
growth We're secured, planted and a
guarantee market found for it
1t was this effort Of his that again
made Ocala an important market for
the long staple cotton and enabled a
host Of farmers to materially better
their home conditions by its cultiva =
ton.
He not only saw that those who de-
sired should have the best seed at
tainable, but that the quality of the
product should receive the highest
price. for he established ginning
factory that received the result OF
their labors and made ready market
In all this his opinion and judgment
became the accredited agent through
out the country. his advice and assist
ance was sought and accepted and the
cotton ginning firm Of George Giles &
Company. of which he IS the principal
owner. became a recognized and I'M
portant factor in building up this in
dustry and greatly benef1ting those
who persistently followed his counsel
and today a host of farmers in Marion
and adjacent counties are his 1rmes,
constituents. because his counsel and
advice has resulted In material better
ment.
AS George Giles prospered and his
savings grew, he became interested ir
other Industries. He became genera
| manager of the mercantile firm of r
NJ Giles & Company. who have beer
doing a constantly growing business
| AS the town grew and his busines:
kept pace with it, he saw the neces
| sity of organizing a realty and invest
ment company, known as the Metro
| politan Realty < Investment Co, anC
those interested with him. knowins
the good Judgment displayed by hin
| in all the enterprises he advocated
| and became interested in. made hin
president and general manager Of thi
| important organization. the object o
! which is to assist the deserving to Sc
cure homes and farm property. Th,
| company is proving a great success.
| That George Giles Is recognized as
: man Of fine character. as we'll a
possessing more than the usual amour
OF business acumen, he assisted II
! creating the Cooperative Workers o
, America, a fraternal insurance societ,
which is succeeding admirably. He i
president of the association. HI
! study of the cotton conditions OF thf
| section has easily made him the fore
most man in that industry and the f1rn
of George Giles K Co. has become no
only the largest buyer and dealer +
the long staple in this section, but tn
! firm enjoys the unusual distinction o
| making the best statistical report o.
the cotton crop, and the same has new
er been discredited in the savanna
iiidIhSt ms Is indeed pfeSt1ge ina
and firm can feel proud Of
| Not only has George Giles become tn
head of the cotton industry in thi
section, but his active mind. ever O
the alert to benefit the agriculture
classes. with whom he Is prime fav
orite. soon saw the Importance Of tn
velvet bean to the farming and stoc
interests of the county. as fertilize
and a beef producer and became act
i've in its Introduction and growth an
now II ranks a $ one Of the staple pro
ducts OF the soil and a large factor i
making the meat supply of the coun
ty. as velvet beans know no superio
as meat producer. the cattle an
hogs. who soon learn to love it. bein
easily fattened in sixty DAYS. produc
ing meat in tenderness ari juicyneS
the equal OF Western stall fed meat.
The usefulness Of the velvet bea
as a fertilizer for the soil nd a mea
producer soon spread beyond the con
fines Of Marion and the state of Flor
ida and a demand sprung up from othe
states, which Giles & Company under
took to supply and now the firm
accredited the largest and the mo:
reliable velvet bean seed dealers
ing TO every portion of the globe an
each season thousands on thousand
Of bushels are distributed for the Gu
tiva tion Of the plant product.
| George Giles Is a large hearted an