The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-22
KNITTING FACTORY FOR ocALA

SeVeraI months ago the Star an I
nounced that George Giles had In con-
the establishing of cotton
knitting factory for Ocala among 9th
er and many good things he has done
and is doing. At that time he had
just begun the construction of the big
st. George Block and had an idea
that he might use the second floor for
this purpose. He changed his mind
however and made hotel of it, and,
now that the knitting factory is mas
terializing, will have TO build other
quarters for it.
Giles phoned Star reporter this
morning to come down TO his cotton
gin as he had something to show him.
The reporter went, took the freight
elevator to the third floor of the build.
ing and found big, strange looking
machine, all set up, belted and thread
ed from dozen huge spools of knit
ting cotton, and at once, there fash
ed through the reporters mind the
promise that Giles had made him,
months ago, that Ocala was going to
have a cotton knitting factory and it
looked like he was going to have to
put it in.
Sure enough, all set up and running,
right here in Ocala is one of the very
latest and best knitting machines, for
knitting women's underwear, capable
of making IL dozen finished garments
in an eight hour shift, with only the
labor of one woman to tend it.
The machine was set up and tested
out by skilled mechanic sent here
for the purpose from the factory The
Star reporter saw it in operation and
saw it reel off the long, tubular shap-
ed knitted web, almost as fast as a
salesman would unwind calico from
the, bolt. The work of the machine
is perfect and from the quality, looks,
and feel OF the finished work and the
twine used in its manufacture, one of
these garments will outwear several
of the average garment of commerce.
George Giles said the machine was
only temporarily located in his cotton
gin, that. it will be moved soon, to-
gether with many more to follow it,
into other and more convenient quar-
ters.
AS far as we know, this is the first
knitting machine to be ever installed
and operated in Florida.
Other machinery will be ordered
in a short time, and the full and
complete factory will be set up and
in operation, and stock company
formed. The full list of machines
that will be ordered is lengthy and
runs into much money, but they will
have to come, as Giles says, and be
here pretty soon too. For many years
he has seen the possibilities of a knit
ting factory for Ocala and decided
that he would never rest content til
he had it in operation.
AS to his ability to finance the bus
mess, we have only to point to the
| fact that he and his associates have
+ c
/ SIS, 900 realty and investment com
pany, $4,000 bank, with a great dea
of building in the city, and that al
of his enterprises are doing well ant
making money.
Men, of both his own and the whit,
race have learned in this part of tn,
state to appreciate George Giles for
what he is worth and means to tn
community and are proud that he j
I what he is and that he happened t
do these things in Ocala and Marion
county.
i Giles will arrange time, withii
the next few days, when anyone
J white or colored, who is interested il
:. this new venture, can call there an
see what few of them have ever seer
I a modern knitting machine at worl
: and what none of them have ever see
before, such machine in Ocala.