The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-13
BOARD Of TRADE
DID MUCH WORK
Report of the Years Achievements
Submitted TO the Meeting
Last Night

night officers for the new year were
elected, a report Of the work of the
organization during the past year was
submitted, the proposed amendments
to the constitution and bylaws were
adopted and there was a discussion Of
a program of work for the future. The
president was directed to appoint
committee to determine at once
whether it would be possible for the
county TO employ highway engineer
with view to doing away with the
present inefficient system of road
building. 1t was pointed out that un-
der the existing laws the board of
county commissioners cannot pay an
engineer a sufficient salary. The COM
mittee to be appointed by the Board of
Trade is to find out whether the citi-
zens will subscribe sufficient fund
for the employment of an engineer
pending a change in the existing laws
at the next session of the state legisla
ture.
lie OIilCGIS IOI LAiE llS" CetL C1SSbIN
last night were C. G. Rose, president;
Robert MacKay vice president; H.
d. Stokes, treasurer. The members of
the board Of governors elected were
J. M. Thomas, John III. Taylor, John
L. Edwards, A. C. Blowers, j. ]. Gerig,
Carl Ray, Ocala; E. c. Beuchler, An
thony; B. J. Benson, Dunnellon; R. L.
Lytle, Stanton; Nathan Mayo, Sum-
merfield; W. M. Gist, Mcintosh. Mr..
Robert MacKay as vice president is
ex-officio chairman of the board of
governors. One of the amendments
adopted last night provides that on
March 1st the name Of the organiza-
tion shall be the Marion County
Chamber of Commerce.
The report of the secretary on the
work of the organization during the
past year showed many accomplish
ments and the financial statement
showed the organization to have a
substantial balance in bank.
The accomplishments of the organi-
zation during the year are briefly as
follows:
A membership drive in February
resulted in the securing of 242 mem
bers with a membership totaling 815.
In addition to this, % members were
signed up during the year, making
the total number 278, and the total
amount subscribed $8O90 During the
year the number of members lost
thru death, removal from the county
change of business and resignation
was 26 leaving a total of 252.
The Board of Trade published what
has been conceded to be one of the
best, if not the best, illustrated book
lets that has been gotten out by any
city or county in Florida. An edition
of 13,500 copies was printed. Over
100 copies of the new booklet have
been distributed to date to the prin-
cipal ticket offices and information bu-
reaus of the railroads and steamship
lines entering Florida, to the informa-
tion bureaus of commercial organiza-
tions in the state, in accordance with
a policy of reciprocal handling of lit
erature, and to other organizations
and information bureaus. Since the
last annual meeting six thousand
copies of last years booklet have
bee ndistributed. Many hundreds OF
copies of the new and old booklet have
been distributed in the office of the
organization.
A card index of all inquiries con.
cerning the city and county has beer
maintained and these inquiries have
been followed up.
Three issues of the Marion County
Floridian were published in April
July and November, and were mailed
to those to whom the booklets were
sent as follow-up, and hundreds OF
copies have been given out in the of
flee.
The Board of Trade prepared anc
had published more than 239 new:
articles totaling more than 1900 col
umn inches and this last figure shoulC
be multiplied several times as most O
the articles were published in fivt
newspapers. Moreover, many of the
news. stories gathered were HANDLED
by the Associated Press either by tele
graph or mail. Many favorable edi
torials in the press of the state hav
resulted from these articles. Man,
of the articles have been reprinted il
part or as a whole in the Farm ant
Livestock Record, the Farmer an,
Stockman, the Florida Grower, ant
the Manufacturers Record, magazine
of large circulations in this and othe
states.
Photographs and information wer
furnished for the tourist bulletins o
the Atlantic Coast Line and the Sea
board Air Line railroads; for pub1ica
tion in the Florida Guide of 1922
for publication in the tourist bulletin
issued by the state department of ag
riculture; for Queens Gardens an
Forward, magazines of large nations