The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-04-06

S Keys and the Gulf of Mexico
on one end and Daytona, Seabreeze
and the Atlantic Ocean on the other
while almost in the exact center is
the city of Ocala.
Refer to the ''scale of miles" and
you will find the distance to be nine
ty-five miles. Take a pencil and mark
this line on the map, study it
and you will be impressed first that
it traverses as a whole an almost vir-
gin or new country, yet we all know
that on the west of Ocala it is rich in
phosphate and timber and on the
east in farming and stock lands.
Start on your penciled line from
Cedar Keys and you will see that
railroad built from the gulf to the
Atlantic will pass through Gulf
Hammock crossing the a. C. l.. first
at Romeo, hitting the Seaboard at
Eagle mines, crossing both again at
Ocala, tapping the Ocklawaha little
above Silver Springs. the A. C. L.
branch again at Aston, deep water on
the ST. Johns river at the same place,
the A c. L. main line a few miles
further on, then the East Coast line
at Daytona across the Halifax to
the Atlantic.
Or diverge slightly south, still
striking the st. Johns at deep water,
run right through bottled up DeLand
making for the Atlantic at New
Smyrna. Either route would mean
the construction of approximately 100
miles of railway.
1t would be impossible to estimate
the value of such line of railway to
the entire Florida peninsular, espec
tally to the territory and the towns
along it's line and most especially to
the city of Ocala.
What would it mean? A line of
boats to Mobile or Pensacola or New
Orleans or all three and direct con-
nections with the great west, again,
direct connection at the Ocklawaha
with that rivers trade Capable of
great develOpment) and still again
the St. Johns where the Clyde or
other lines give us water transporta-
ton to the eastern and European
ports and not least tapping the East
Coast securing southern and giving
them western connections.
Could such road be built? Yes: by
the development of public sentiment
among the people whom it would
most likely benefit. Bottled up Cedar
Keys would give half her assessed
valuation for such road, the owners
of phosphate and timber properties
would do their share Ocala would
and should, if the road is built, lead
all others, the large and the small
! farmer and stock man would natur-
ally help. Bottled up DeLand would dive
deep in her pockets, the Clyde on
the st. Johns would welcome this
accession to their territory, and what
wouldn't Mr.. Flagler do for a straight
line from his road to the Gulf while
the people of Daytona and Seabreeze,
which would be made the greatest all
the year resort on the Atlantic coast.
would divide their wealth with the
road builders. And this is the Dearest
outline of the interests involved.
And don't believe there isn't suffic-
| lent water at Cedar Keys for practi-
cal purposes even now. Just look at
the government charts and see that
it would not be a difficult matter to
secure what depths is needed for
present purposes.
Would such a road pay? Yes. and
No Yes if the method of the mod
ern railroad constructor like Hill in
| the west and Flagler in Florida is
followed and systematic and intelli-
gent effort is made to develop the
actual resources of the country
through which the road passes. No,
if the ancient history is followed that
"there is just so much business and
we are going to get it anyhow" A
railroad man said some years ago
that railroading was an exact science.
Judging from very recent develop
ments here it seems to be a very con-
siderably inexact one. The road that
is here suggested should be the best
paying one in the south and abso
lutely independent of rail connections.
What other hundred mile road would
| touch both the Atlantic and the Gulf
and in doing so would cross three
navagible rivers and incidentally tap
other roads exactly eight times.
This road ought TO haul enough coal
! down to the East Coast, where they have
more money than wood to burn, to
pay it's fixed charges. And it ought
to be built a long time before the
Isthmain canal is completed. This
| by way of parenthesis.