The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-01-15
MARION'S HARD ROADS
Hon. n. w. Long Explains and De-
tends the System Under Which
They Are Being Constructed
They Are Bein

They Are Being Constructed
ED BANNER: AS there seems to be
| some opposition to the system adopted
| by the board of county commissioners
/ in the construction of improved roads
! in Marion county. a word of explana-
ton seems to be in order.
I. I lay down as specific and gen
eral proposition that no plan of opera
tiOns, either private or public, can be
successfully executed without system.
2. That the board of county COM
missiOners, after close thought as to
the best system of constructing i'm
proved roads for the people of the
county so as to give the greatest bene-
fit TO the largest number of people,
adopted the system of base line roads,
east, west, north and south, and to
guard against what one writer COM
be located and to connect with the
base line roads not nearer than two
miles from Ocala, these branch roads
to be located and constructed as the
building of the base line progressed
the base line roads to be built in length
in equal ub-divisiOns, so as to give
each sub-division of the county an
equal proportion of good roads. The
clamOr of two prominent localities Of
the county influenced the board to re-
lax its system and adopt two addition
al base line roads. Another road in
the direction of Camp lizard has been
located three miles and a half, on con-
ditiOn that the money to construct it
be furnished without interest, which
will be done by the broad-minded and
progressive firm of Munroe and Cham
bliss. The several base line roads have
been constructed beyond the limits of
the Ocala election district. a branch
road has been located, opened and put
in as good condition as circumstances
would permit from Lowell to Fleming
ton which is for the benefit of the peO-
pie Of the northwest portion of the
county; another from Anthony to
Greenwood etc, which is intended To
be continued until network Of branch
line roads viii permeate every impOr-
tant locality of the county. 1t requires
no argument to demonstrate that the
county site should be the objective
point of the several base lines of the
county. and in order to accommodate
the greatest number of tax payers the
construction should begin at the OBJ
jective point. 1t is important to have
good roads from fertile centers to the
nearest depots. especially in the vege-
table raising localities Of the county.
The assets at hand will not permit TAX
ing up that line of work at this time.
AS it is reasonable and right that
the people of localities who derive a
direct benefit from a good road should
pay more than those who receive an
indirect benefit. Chapter 5239 Of the
laws of Florida was enacted into law
by the Legislature of 1903, which pro-
vides for establishing special tax road
districts" as provided for in an older
law for establishing special tax school
districts" and which has worked we'll
The first mentioned law is respectfully
recommended to all vegetable growing
centers, to be put in operation by them,
as they will be the direct benefciaries
of them.
In round numbers, the county COM
mfssioners have constructed about fifty
miles of road out of lime rock, flint
rock, phosphate pebble and clay, and
kept them repaired as best they could.
Especial attention is being given to the
roads on the clay hills and fiat woods
and conservative estimate will show
about fifty miles of that character of
roads as being so improved by addi-
tiOnal work on scientific lines as to
make them almost equal to our paved |
roads This makes a showing, in round |
of about one hundred miles (
of improved roads in Marion county
that have been constructed under the !
present system of building and work |
ing the public roads.
In obedience 10 a demand from a |
large and respectable element of tax /!
payers of the county, seven free ferries |
are being operated and maintained in |
the county at an annual cost to the tax |
payers of the county Of $1,000, for fer
rymen. flats and fixtures. I mention |
this to show that the county commits |
sioners are reaching out to accommo- |
date all classes and conditions of tax /
payers. The class benefited by free !
ferries do not expect, and will not re-
ceive. very much direct benefit from i'm
proved roads for years to come. The
problem to solve is more money with
out additional taxation, and if possible |
without bonding the county. The last /
4