The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-05-27
CONVINCED Of GREATNESS
Of MARION COUNTY

Exchange Men While With ms Re
ceived the Most Favorable
Impressions
Editor Star: Many of your read
ers do not fully appreciate the scope
and bearing it will have on oul
county from the visit of the repre-
sentatives of the Citrus Exchange
Having been with these gentlemen
since they reached our city and heard
their comments on what they shave
seen and learned OF Marion county
can truly say it would be most in
teresting reading were it compiled
and published. Suffice it to say, no
set of business men have been more
thoroughly convinced of the great
ness of Marion county than these
men and they are a unit in voicing
these conditions in their future
/ work
After Sunday spent in visiting
Lake Weir, the Carney grove, out to
Silver Springs, down the run for 10
miles and back-to have heard these
/ men commenting on the beauty, the
scenic effect and wonders of this trip
were gratifying.
| Mr.. Allen, in charge of the Texas
territory, located at Dallas, but
| whose people are all over California
| man having seen practically all our
| nation has to show. proclaimed the
effect and beauty of Silver Springs
and Silver river unsurpassed any
where. He said: why, Rooney,
all l would want is this in California
six months; the whole world would
know it and | would be worth mil
lions. You don't grasp the impor-
lance, the gigantic grandeur of such
a golden opportunity. And / sadly
had to admit it.
Oh, if We could only wake up, and
grasp and use these great possibili-
ties and have thousands and thous-
ands coming here all the time to wit
ness what we have.
Monday morning all aboard the
big auto of Mr.. E. E. Dobbs, he at
the wheel. We're soon spinning up to
Citra; overtaken enroute by Mr.. I.
F. Bennett, who had been one of
Oca1a's citizens right on the job from
start to finish in entertaining these
gentlemen, tightening up our load by
taking three of the party and on to
destination with us.
Arriving at Mr.. Borland's (who
by the way, is a Marion county
booster right, We were met by his
wife and other citizens. Soon up
| rolled a Mcintosh car with our good
friends, Gaitskill, Gist, DIR. and Mrs.
Walkup to join the crowd. Into
wagons, buggies and carriages and
out thru the many magnificent
groves around this delightful town,
all interested in the way each grove
is handled and citing the different
brands packed, shipped and sold by
the different managers, made
pleasant feature of the morning,
| with final windup at a large pack
| ing house near town, who's 1 dis
| remember, and oh, my. there the
good wives and many other citizens
had gathered. A long table the full
| length of the packing house, bedeck-
ed with beautiful flowers and laden
ed with such an abundance of good
eating" and as We were seated,
wonder of wonders, the ladies began
to serve hot. steaming fish, fresh
caught from the famous Orange
Lake, coffee and orangeade. Silence
was peculiar for awhile, yet not
strange, when looking down this
| most splendid dinner prepared for
| the occasion. When the cigars were
| started around. Mrs. l.. D. Jones, the
| splendid specimen of manhood, man
ager of the exchange, arose and in
a few we'll chosen words of praise
for our people, eur county and cour-
tesies, Introduce. his different staff
representatives, who gave splendid
short talks along lines OF the work
of the Citrus Exchange and how
they proposed thru this coming in
contact with actual conditions TO be
better prepared for future handling
Of Florida citrus fruits to a greater
advantage. These speakers were fol-
lowed, by special request, by your
secretary, and judging from what
those present said, must have met
the occasion opportunely
Honest, | feel proud OF each and
every citizen who has aided and CO.
operated in the entertainment Of