The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-01-31

er town in Florida, has been visited
with a cumulation of disastrous catas-
trophies. One calamity after another
has followed at the most inopportune
times.
In 1859 the town was almost entire
" swept away by a disastrous ire.
For a long time the town was head
quarters for the orange industry
which had is origin with cur citl-
zens but in 1895 the industry was en-
tirelv destroyed by a freeze the most
calamitous that ever visited the state
For a long time. too, Ocala enjoyed
the distinction Of being headquarters
for the phosphate industry, which
ike the orange industry owed its be
ginning to the enterprise Of her citi-
ems: but the freeze. that caused the
destruction Of the orange groves,
caused the 0ank failures, and those
in turn p4ra.yzed the phosphate in
dustry.
H. i2GiNkt u kllI bcAlihE fNiE7p NSItA'-
Cd the utter annihilation of Marti
City. which was a growing and splen-
did annex. II already had a popula-
lion of two thousand. an organized
city government. street car line, fire
department. etc 1t had as many as
a dozen cigar factories. some of them
very extensive concerns.
iona gOurd grew in a single night
and Marti City disappeared in a sin
gle day.
The cigar manufacturers pulled up
stakes and bodily moved TO Tampa
1t was as complete as the exodus Of
Biblical times.
AS we have stated before the div.
ision superintendent of the Postal
Telegraph Company, than whom no
one was better informed. said that the
region Immediately around Ocala was
he worse hurt by the world war than
any other spot of earth except the
territory Immediately in me war
zone.
Our phosphate mines Immediately
closed down: our turpentine farms
were suspended and our lumber mills
were compelled to cease operations,
as the export of phosphate, turpen
-.ao and lumber all ceased. Hun
lredS Of laborers ware Immediately
thrown out # employment and left
for other parts.
One after another O~a>a has sue
cessfuilv weathered these tremendous
handicaps and setbacks. and ,oday is
once more on the upgrade
The Citrus Fruit Exchange. under
the efficient management Of Mr. 3.
U. Young, has had the best run in its
history. Its record shows that it has
shipped 10000 more boxes of fruit
than during any other season and the
prices have been relatively higher
The H. A. Shaver canning factory
mas done fine business and is so
greatly encouraged that the building
is 10 be completely renovated and en-
larged to double its capacity and it
is expected to grow to large proper
tiOns.
To give an idea of the business it
has done il may be only necessary to
state that it has canned 5000 bushels
of sweet potatoes and has contracted
for 500 acres of beans and other vege-
ables.
1t is going to put in plant for the
manufacture OF peanut butter which
may lead to the manufacture of pea
nut oil
This company has establishments
al Starke. Plant City Miami. Palme5.
to. but Ocala, like good Ben Adhem,
will lead all the rest.
The Taylor Brothers Ice & Pach-
ing Company and Crate Mill IS busy
section of the city.
These young men are doing a fine
business and their enterprises are be
ing from time TO time enlarged They
give employment to one hundred and
twenty men, have large number Of
mules and vehicles and their weekly
pay roll helps wonderfully in the "
riOus ramifications of trade
Had other business ana monied
men stood shoulder to shoulder with
the Taylor brothers Ocala today
would have had a packing plant as
big as the Armour Packing plant at
Jacksenville and perhaps Just as sue
cessfuf.
The Ocala Iron Works has added an
automobile garage to it's extensive