The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-12-25
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4
Ocala, De-: li.-One of the best
things your corr espondent thinks can
be said of Ocala as home for pros
pective settlers in the fact that it has
one of the lowest death rates Of any
/ city in the state as is shown by a
compilation of the last statistics on
this subject.
When che is seeking new location
health comes first.
| Ocala is high of altitude and is lo-
Gated in the center of one Of the most
fertile counties in Florida which fact
has been demonstrated by the very
successful agricultural fair just held
here.
$40 Bushels of Corn From Four Acres
There were thirty exhibits from the
Boys Corn Clubs which won encon-
iums from the judges and the Okla
waha Rivers Farms Company was
there with the statement that from
four acres of land it had gathered five
hundred and forty bushels of corn.
This breaks the record in Florida and
gives to Marion county the blue rib
bon"
Work of the Girls Canning Clubs
The exhibit from the Girls Tomato
Canning Clubs nearly filled whole
building and shows what can be done
in this direction. The work of their
hands was simply revelation.
Increase in Citrus Production
Marion county is also regaining her
former prestige as one OF the leading
citrus counties which was destroyed
in the great freeze and for time en-
tirely crippled this great industry.
| In spite of bad year, the VIZ. and
other causes, the past year has wit
messed a great deal of development in
Ocala and Marion county.
Splendid School Facilities
During the year three fine new
brick school buildings have been err
ected in Ocala at cost of more than
100000, $4,000 school building at
Dunnellon, $4,000 school building at
Fellowship, a new brick school build
ling is now being erected at Citra, and
attractive but less costly buildings at
other places in the county.
Private and Public Improvements
Ocala has just voted for bonds for
sewerage and new waterworks and
electric light plant and these works
will be started as soon as the bonds
are validated and sold.
In North Ocala besides new brick
| school building new church has
been built and many new cottages.
| A new and commodious building has
| been erected by the Ocala Iron Works
during the year just closing and an
other splendid building now in course
of construction is an artificial stone
building in West Ocala by H. A. Eau
cett.
Negroes Industrious
The negroes of Ocala during the
past year have been wonderfully busy
They have just completed a very fine
two-story brick building, the upper
part of which is handsomely furnish
ed and is used for hotel purposes for
prosperous people. The lower store
contains a cafe and five stores. The
barber shop is said to be the finest
colored barber shop in Florida. The
negroes also own handsome brick
bank building and auditorium, which
lis an infinite credit to their race.
A colored farmer having captured
the first prize at our agricultural fair
for the best collective exhibit shows
that the. negroes here are thrifty on
the farm as well as in the city.
OcaIa's Club Life
In its club life Ocala is especially
blessed. It's Woman's Club is one of
the strongest and best in the state
and has just completed a very beauti-
full club house, where its meetings are
held, and the building is rented for
many other affairs, both social and
otherwise.
Beautiful Golf Grounds
Ocala has a wonderfully attractive
golf course with beautiful club
house on the grounds. 1t is one OF
the city's greatest attractions. Some
of Ocala's golfers are the best in the
state, and have won cups in other
states in competition with many OF
| the south's best players.
| Ocala has number of social clubs,
and her social life is her most distinct
i've feature.
Ocala also has quite number OF