The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-19
BEAUTIFY-USE PEARLINE,
POTASH AND PAINT FREELY

To the Council, Board of Trade and
Citizens of Ocala:
There has ben so much talk about
civic improvement, beautifying Ocala,
making parks and other needful
things to attract and hold the tour
lists and desirable homeseekers so
that they will "tarry awhile with US"
during the winter months, but as yet
very little has been actually done to
obtain the coveted goal.
Other towns and cities are talking
very little, but are working like Tro-
jams, building, remodeling, beautify-
ing and accomplishing wonders. Let
the citizens get busy and clean up the
town and vicinity; remove the un-
slightly debris; use pearline, paint and
whitewash freely and show our ener-
getic northern tourists that we take
pride In our town and the wonderful
environment which nature has so Law
ishly bestowed.
A progressive western farmer view
ed our state, especially Marion, the
banner agricultural county, and re-
marked "that the Florida farmers
seemed to prefer cultivating stumps
in preference to stable crops; he never
saw so many stumps on farms any
where in the United States. The peo-
pie were actually too lazy to dig or
burn them"
Talk about civic centeri Why that
movement was started four or five
years ago; a score or more of blue
prints were sent in by famous artists
and architects and the hearts of
many lovers of ga city beautiful" pal
pitated with eager expectation, when
10 and behold their dreams were
smashed into smithereens by hand
full of "petty politicians" who defeat
ed the bond issue by a majority Of
thirty-fve negro votes.
Then, too, one of our most beauti-
full and useful assets, the public IL
brary, the pride of the American Lii
brary Association, was bitterly fought
for three years. Now pray tell me,
what citizen would be willing to do
without this library? 1t is the only
complete-in-every-detail building in
the city.
This civic center could yet be made
a Joy forever where tourists and citi-
zens could bask in the glorious Flor
ida sunshine all winter, if the Board
of Trade, county commissioners and
the various woman's clubs would with
their energy and finances and con-
certed effort center on this one par
ticul spot until it was completed.
The Atlantic Coast Line brick de-
pot could be converted into a COM
munity building, to include the rest
room for a small amount of money.
1t is a substantial building, the gen.
eral contour attractive, with park
on one side at the rear of the Ocala
House and is centrally located.
The civic lot could be converted
into beautiful playground" for the
tourists and citizens by making ten
mis- and croquet courts, putting IN a
fountain, lawn swings, comfortable
seats and beautifying the grounds.
Remove that barn-hke restaurant
which is an eye-sore TO the lovers Of
civic art. 1t would cost quite a sum
TO fit it up and it would still be un-
shapely and In, the wrong place. No
doubt a deal could be made with the
railroad company, with deferred pay
ments, and q now useless vacant
building could be used to great ad-
vantage. 1t would cost thousands of
dollars to build another substantial
building ike this one. There is also
an ordinance, unless it has been re-