The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-17
MR. RICHARD n. EDMoNDs AND
PARTY VISIT ocALA


Reclamation Business
From Tuesdays Daily:
Mr.. Richard II. Edmonds, editor of
the Manufacturers Record of Balti-
more. and party, consisting of Mrs.
Edmonds, Miss Edmonds, Mr.. Clark
and Mr.. ii. w. Tn. Lydeman, of Hol-
land, are visiting Florida for the pur-
pose OF studying its conditions in the
spring.tIme, and making a report of
observations through Mr.. Edmonds'
extensively read trade paper.
Mr.. Edmonds has visited Florida on
several occasions in the winter time,
but has never seen it at any other
season OF the year, and he wants to
get himself in touch with IS, so that
he can speak first hand.
lie was astounded when Mr.. Flag
Ter told him that the East Coast rail-
road had so far exceeded his expecta-
lions In the traffic line that he found
Il almost impossible to furnish cars
20 move the products of the truckers.
Mr.. Edmonds wants to know what
We are doing in the middle and west
ern section of the state. We shall
leave 1t up to him to say whether or
not he found us with our hands folded
or sitting in front of stores, whiting
on dry goods boxes.
SIR. +. s. Kyle, of the firm of Kyle
and Young, met Mr.. Edmonds in Jack
sonyllle and persuaded him to stop
over in Ocala Ii was his intention
60 pass right on through to Tampa.
Mr.. Kyle telephoned to some of the
prominent business men what he had
done. and Mr.. Edmonds and party
were met at the train with automo-
biles. occupied by Mayor Robertson,
Mr.. y. c. Chambliss of the Munroe
and Chambliss Bank, DIR. j. c. Boozer
of the Commercial Bank, Mr.. c. II.
Lloyd and Mr.. Frank Harris, editor
OF this paper.
After lunch at the Ocala House
they were conveyed in automobiles to
the Kyle and Young properties on the
Oklawaha river.
The party consisted of the follow
ing: Mr.. T. C. Chambliss, Mr.. Ed
monds. Mr.. Lydeman and Mr.. T. d.
Lancaster. Jr.; DIR. j. C.. Boozer, Mr..
r. c. Muncaster, Mr.. Clark and Mr..
Claude Haycraft: Mr.. T. S. Kyle,
Mrs Edmonds, Miss Edmonds and
driver: Mr.. and Mrs. c. H. Lloyd, Col.
John NJ. Martin, Mr.. Young and Mr..
Frank Harris.
The Kyle and Young property is
something over eighteen miles from
Ocala and the party left the Ocala
House as the city clock was striking
the hour OF three. We made the trip
without accident and arrived at the
point OF destination about half past
four.
We stood on the banks of a newly
made canal and were shown a stretch
of fOrty-five hundred acres of land,
the most of which is now under culti-
walton, and which, less than two
years ago, was several feet under wa
ter.
Before Messrs. Kyle and Young
took hold of 1t they were told by sew
eral negineers that it was impossible
90 drain II, but Mr. Young is some
what of an engineer himself, and
went to work on plans formulated by
himself
He purchased a dredge boat and
other apparatus and in less than two
years the land was drained, and IT
now has its second crop growing up
ON ii.
He performed the great undertake
ing on sheer nerve and faith.
He says that when the canal was
completed and the course of the riv
or changed and the waters began tt
flow on the land into the canal thai
dead fish covered the newly drained
AAAAs anu IA - Va bWO
the buzzards from far and near con
gregated there and for a week Oh
more enjoyed a feast.
To tell how perfectly the land has
been drained it is only necessary te
add that our four automobiles wen
entirely across it without once get
ting stuck in the mud. notwithstand
ing the fact that we recently had {
heavy downpour OF rain. and it is gen
orally acknowledged that we have hat
the wettest spring in many years.
The soil is as black as ones hat
and goes down TO a depth of an,
number of feet There is not a rocF
nor a stump in it anywhere, hence
the most up to date machinery is be
ing used in its cultivation. Plows
drawn bV a fractions engine and al