The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-03-30
THAT PACKING PLANT
, the editor Ocala Banner:

determined to make Marion county
the most prosperous county in the
state.
The writer recently visited Leroy,
and while there was told some one
dropped dead in the Ocala post office,
on Thursday, and was not found until
the following Monday. but after read
ing an account of the enthusiastic
meeting held with view of organic
ing meat packing plant, am rather
inclined to believe this death oc-
Cured in the Romeo post office, and
not at Ocala.
While / as a farmer realize the ne
cessity of a meat packing plant, at
the same time / regret very much to
see so many of my friends willing TO
put their good moeny into such a
hazardous venture, for does not his
tory teach us that all who engage in
similar enterprises become paupers,
the Armours, Cudahy, Swift, Kinghan
and many others, who have for years
been engaged in the meat packing,
have no doubt long since been reduc-
ed to the very verge of pauperism.
Only a year ago the Armours in
vaded Florida, and erected at Jack
sonville a large and commodiaous
packing plant, and after a few, very
few months operation find it neces-
sary to double the capacity, of the
plant, and I dare say profits of these
few months business will no doubt
more than pay them so per cent on
the entire investment.
Yes, said so per cent, and | mean
so per cent, for did not ship a car of
hogs to this concern, for which | re-
ceived eight and a half cents the
pound, and a few days ago / went into
the o. K. Grovery at Ocala, and Har-
vey Clark charged me 20 cents the
pound for one of these same Armour
star hams, then it must be remember
ed when they paid me eight and half
cents, there was not one ounce loss,
as they utilize the blood, bones, hoof,
hair and all.
Believe me, we are gong TO have .
packing plant, the Ocala Board of
Trade demands it, their secretary,
Mr. L. r. Trammell demands it, and
you crackers should we'll know by
this time, the very name TRAMMEIL
means success, if you doubt it, ask
Bryan, Gilchrist, Wall and others who
have gone up against this name and
they will tell you that success is the
TRAMMELL password.
Not only does the Ocala Board of
Trade and their secretary demand
this packing plant, but every business
house in Ocala and Marion county de-
mands it, and above all the hundreds
of progressive farmers over Marion
county demands it, and their thous-
ands of fat sleek hogs and beef cat
tie demands it. and we are going to
have it, because we are going after
1t, in unity there is strength, and we
all stand united in the meat packing
proposition.
know from actual experience that
the hog crop is the most profitable
ever grown in Florida, that we can
produce meat cheaper than any other
state in the union, that we can keep
our hogs in a healthy growing con-
dition twelve months in the year, that
with little expense we can create
grazing and feeding crops during
every month of this twelve.
Until 1914 l had spent my life
gambling, yes gambling with canta-
loupes, melons, tomatoes, beans, and
other truck crops, and as you all
know the year 1914 was the most dis
astrous ever known in this section OF
Florida; it never would rain and this
long drouth caught me with over $50
acres planted in above crops. When it
finally did rain in June, everything
was literally burned up. after the dust
had settled, l then found l was ow-
ing my bank about 100000 and the
same amount for fertilizers, with
nothing in sight but few, very hogs
and it was these few hogs that opened
my eyes and caused me to cease
gambling, and turn my every atten
tion to the hog industry, for it was
then that sold 20 of these hogs fol
$4,000.
This was a revelation to me, per
feet eye opener, to think the entire
year was literally thrown away, cost
ing me over 100000 for the privi
1ege of wasting a year of my life,
was then a year older. and s4.000.Ot
poorer, / could then see if 1 had bu
planted this $50 acres to general farm
crops, and devoted ay attention t