The Ocala evening star., 1915-06-10
HOW OCALA WILL LOOK
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS HENCE

Seeing l was too far gone to an
swer, Sonny retired behind the coun-
ter, returning in a minute with a
large glass of fruit punch, imbibing
which greatly revived my withered
frame. As / soaked it in, / noticed
paper lying on the handicapped
counter near. 1t was the first, or
a. m. edition of the Ocala Evening
Star, and l perused it with great in
terest finding among other items the
following:
'SThere came to the city last night
and registered at the Ocala House an
aged man, who seems to have long
dwelt in Gulf Hammock or some
other section that has not advanced.
His hair and beard were long and
white, clothes out of date and he con-
versed mostly in the patois called
slang that was greatly in vogue a
score of years ago. Among his pos
sessions were two coins, scent nick
ers, of great seldomness. A Star re-
porter was sent to interview him at
]
o'clock, but he was out viewing the
city from an aeroplane. Another re-
porter sought him at o'clock, but
again he was out, this time in an
auto. We doubt not that one of our
writer's can recure an interview with
him ere the noon edition."
While | marveIed at this exceeding
ly correct and classic language in a
newspaper, became aware of a very
smart looking young lady standing at
my elbow. She was a good-looker
what in years agone / should have
called a chicken, only she had
not most of the feathers pulled of
her wishbone, as in those departed
days. On gaining my attention she
queried:
care you the respected Mr.. Ole
Scooter"
"The same, young lady, at youl
service. Will you have one on me ?'
She looked puzzled, but Sonnie, whC
heard the remark, and well remem
bered its import, came to the rescue
with the information that reporter
were no longer allowed to drink will
their friends. At this astounding in
formation, looked up, expecting t,
see the house coming down.
'Kind sir" said the damsel, evil
you grant me an interview"
"Ill grant you anything / hav
young lady, except my pocketknife." :"
Perhaps, them" she said, "yol
will accompany me to my office. w
can there converse with more comfor
and advantage to both"
was only too glad to comply an
followed her to the sidewalk At tn
curb stood a dandy runabout, mum
bered "Star H." The young lad
helped me to a seat, sat down besid
me, pressed a button and guided tn
car down the wide canon of traffi
known as South Main. Cars passe
rapidly back and forth in such mum
bers their guards almost scraped, bu
their order was perfect and the
; moved as regularly as shuttles in
loom. The "Dead Mans Crossing" a
the intersection of Fort King an
Main was no longer in evidence, cut
ting the corners off the blocks c
buildings making a spacious squar'
in the center of which stood an e1
quisitely wrought bronze statu'
Ceres emptying her cornucopia. Afte
looking at this / was not surprised
note that the former site of .th
Methodist church was occupied by
towering edifice of stone and steel, o
, the portals of which shone in golde
letters, "Marion County Board {
Trade"
: In the building were the stock e.
change, the offices of the Florida Ma
keting Bureau, a branch office of II
Citrus Exchange, the. city offices {
2 the North Florida Fair Association
: and all such kindred organization
| 1t was massive pile, and ever
financial utterance, even a whisper,
:. the world, was Immediately echoe
a inside its walls.
The young lady reporter wheele
), her car into Fort King and headed
west. Passing the Board of Trad
: we next came to Yonge's block, c
the two little stories of which that
a remembered were piled a scor
: George Taylor's printing Office had
generous share of this, showing tn;
: George had prospered, but the JoE
{ Dozier Co., handling thousands
y tons of feed and grain every day, hs
i removed with the railroad to Mort
e Ocala.
: We slackened little to cross o
: ceola, and / looked up and down ii
d wide, straight paved avenue. To Il
e right, the shabby railroad buildin,
and yard were gone, and even Il
e Coast Line men, citizens of the tow
0 must have been proud of the ma
nificent residences that stood whe
o their tracks had been, and far on o.
: as far as l could see. Nearer to
: loomed up business blocks, ON dow
to Adams street and there the ia
tories and mills stood thick. Dow
, at the crossing was a gridiron of RAJ
. way tracks with gates on each sid