The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-06-28

ing manner. He was most ably as
sisted by Mr.. G. 4. Childs, Mr.. Harry
A. Hannah, secretary of the Eustis
board Of trade, Mr.. j. F. Mey er, one of
the leading real estate men of Eus-
tbs, DR.. A. F. Reed, the most enthusi-
nal, and last but not least, Mr.. E. L.
Ferran, president of the Eustis board
of trade. Mr.. Ferran has devoted con-
siderable time to gathering data for
the government and is one of the
most active workers of the board of
trade, and if the ship canal is ever a
realization a great deal of credit will
be due to his individual efforts.
We then returned to Leesburg and
were met by Mayor Dozier, who took
us over the ground in a most thor
ough manner, and not only explained
to us the advantages to be derived
by the merchants in the cities along
the route of the canal in the way of
reduced freight rates, but he also
showed us the great possibilities in
the matter of lands to be reclaimed
by the proper drainage of the lands
to be affected by the proposed canal,
and also what it would mean to his
city as a winter resort if the beauti-
full surrounding country were prop
erly opened up for tourists and agri-
cultural purposes. Mayor Dozier is
one of the most hearty supporters
that the trans-Florida canal has, and
he has not only devoted considerable
time to the project, but he has spent
considerable money in advancing the
project that will mean so much to his
native state. Florida might well be
proud of a citizen like Mr. Dozier, and
| am sure that all of your readers that
have the pleasure of knowing him
personally will agree that he is the
kind of man that will do more for his
state than any other kind that it is
possible to find
After spending the night at Lees
burg, we left early the next morning
for our trip down the Oklawaha riv-
er to the large plantation of Kyle &
Young. Mr.. Young is one of the hard
est workers along the route of the
proposed canaI, and | feel that he has
done more towards getting the atten-
ton of the government attracted to-
wards the state of Florida than any
other one man or any other one en-
terprise. He and his partner have re-
claimed from the Oklawaha river
over forty-five hundred acres of the
richest land in the state, and he,
through his personal efforts, has prov
en- to the government the possibilities
that a canal across the state are ca
pable of. He not only extended the
hospitality of his home to the party
but he accompanied us on our way
to the end of the trip.
We then went down the Oklawaha
to Silver Springs, and spent the night
in Ocala. Then was Ocala's time to
prove that her board of trade and cit
liens generally were also interested
in the project. Mr.. Ed Carmichael
very kindly rendered us the use of
the City of Ocala" in which to COM
plete the circuit, and to say that the
party had a most enjoyable trip would
hardly express the feelings of any
member of the party. We were join
ed on this last lap of the trip by
Messrs. James knight, Louis Lang, ].
D. Robertson, VIM. Richie, James
Johnson, Henry Livingston, Ed Car
michael, Arthur Cobb and several
others, who not only know how to
make everyone have good time. but
to talk to Uncle Sans representa-
tives and convince them of what is
most needed for our welfare.
Mr.. Carmichael excelled himself as
host, and when we were met at the
mouth of the Oklawaha by the gov
eminent boat, the Hillsboro, we had
secured from Capt. J. R. Slattery and
Mr.. Braxton, his assistant, the assur-
ance thta the people along the route
of the proposed canal had convinced
them of the necessity of a TRANSITION
ida ship canal, and that they would
unhesitatingly recommend that the
government not only continue the
survey now in progress, but that the
canal be carried to completion.
In conclusion, l wish to thank the
various boards of trade for the cour-
tesies extended to the engineers OF
the government, who were the guests
of the Ocala board of trade. and to
me personally, as secretary OF the
Ocala board of trade, and for the CO
o-ooo+;op that fhnv gave nS in MT