The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-05-07

Harry Clarkson, president and gen
eral manager of the company and
demonstrators for the American
Steel & Wire Company, We're most |
agreeably surprised at the large at
tendance in response to the invita-
lions sent out. All realized that 1t
is a busy time with the people, espe-
cially the farmers, and the Marion |
Hardware Co. certainly appreciates i
their attendance.
One hundred and twenty-five re-
sponded, among them being several
from Citrus county, quite number
from Sumter, Levy, Lake, Alachua
and Putnam counties.
The splendid, full-course dinner
was served by the Harrington Hall,
Mr. Clarkson having turned the mat
ter of the dinner over to the hotel
entirely He told Mr.. ]. ]. Retkur,
the steward, what was wanted, and
there was no needless delay in serv
ing the guests.
Tables were constructed in a hol-
| low square, taking up almost the en-
tire floor space of the armory. The
dinner service was brought from the
hotel and the meal served in the
same style it would have been in the
1 dining room of the Harrington.
There were many good things to eat,
commencing wit hsoup and ending
with coffee and cigars. There was
great abundance of food prepared,
enough for twice the number pres
ent Mr.. Clarkson never does things
1 by halves and ran no risk of being
| short with the dinner. The roast
turkey and dressing met hearty re-
ception and received a number of
encores during the meal.
As soon as the guests had finished
eating, Mr. Clarkson thanked them
for their attendance and introduced
Mr.. R. H. Clemme-, of the American
! Steel & Wire Co., who, he said,
would address them on the merits of
the company's steel fence posts.
Mr. Clemmer proved a very enter
tanning talker and has the happy fac
ulty of getting right down to the
heart of things and explaining them
in a simple yet entertaining way so
that his audience thoroughly under
stands the talk.
Mr.. Clemmer stated that steel
fence posts had been made for sew
enteen years and exhibited one made
and in the ground that long, which
he had removed and carries with him
to exhibit. The portion of the pos
below the ground showed no appre
cable deterioration, and he said tina
towers for wind-mills, in use for 4:
years, made of the same metal, no
rolled galvanized iron, were as goo(
NOW as the day they were erected
He touched on the great advantage
of small metal, fire-proof, rot-proo
t-practically everlasting post owe
the big, heavy, cumbersome woot
post, that at the best would only las
a few years, and liable to be destroy
II ed by fire and expensive to replace
ETC. Wood is becoming scarce an,
in a few years will be more so, am
his company realized that the fenc
builder of the country had to com
to the metal post.
Seventeen years ago, little com
pany in Bloomfield, Ind, began tn
manufacture of hollow steel fenc
post. With every facility Of the vas
corporation at their command. the
have not been able to improve o
this post, except in the matter c
fastening the wire to it. Three an
a half years ago his compan
bought out the little concern, givin
quarter of a million dollars fo
its plant and patents and began tn
manufacture of the hollow steel posi-
in large quantities. They are con
ing into general use in the middl
west, and through the eastern state
and his company is now pushin
them in the South and in Florida fc
the first time. One of the pos
weighs l 8 pounds and can be drive
into the ground by man standin
in a wagon, cap being provided
fit over the top of the post for tn
purpose. They can be set in fe
minutes and are ample in strengt
- and resisting power to hold til
Z fence against the stock. They ma
Z cut some through the soil unde
+ heavy strain, but will not bend G
|: break and are easily righted to place
z The Marion Hardware Compan
T was selected as one of the % bes
! dealers out of 500 in the state I
( handle the posts, and has bougt
z and has now in its warehouse cal