Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-08-03

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There Is evidence Of great prosper
ity in our nelghboring city. Palatka,
and The Sun, can assure her sister
town that none are more eratiied over
this condition Of affairs than Gaines
vile.
The editor Of The Sun had the pleas
ure Thursday Of spending a few hours
in the Gem City BY the st. Johns. and
noted with pride the numerous Inn
provements OF Importance which have
been made there within the past year.
The city now boasts Of its own water
works plant an up-to-date system OF
sewerage. and last but by no means
least, elegant yitrifed brick streets
The class OF buildings, both business
and residential. are Of the highest
order and most modern type. which
Is another indication Of the prosperity
OF the city and her people.
PalatIa, which is most advantage
ously situated in a position to COM
mand large commercial trade, Is
taking advantage OF this position, with
the result that her merchants are pros
pering, and money seems to be sec
ondary consideration there.
Gainesville has always entertained
the warmest feeling for her neighbors
by the 81. Johns, and feels sure that
that feeling is reciprocated. When
that proposed hard road between the
two cities Is a reality, we may become
more neIghborly. as It means run
OF little more than an hour by
auto. The enterprising citizens OF
Palatka, Interlachen and intermediate
points have encouraged the move Of
hard road by liberal subscriptions,
and about seven miles between Pa
latka and InterIachen have already
been constructed. II Is the intention
to interest the Alachua county peo-
pie. with view 10 having hard road
constructed between Gainesville and
Hawthorn, Where connection will be
made from that point to PaIatka, max.
Ing continuous hard surface road
between this city and the st. Johns,
drawing US even nearer together in
a neighborly and commercial way
But this road win not only tend as
a matter OF comfort and convenience
to those living along the route. Sew
eral years ago Mr.. Martin Griffin. a
weil-known capitalist and Wholesale
business man OF Palatka who has &C.
cOmplished a great deal in the up.
building OF that city. conceived the
idea OF this road and regular line
Of freight and passenger automobiles.
AZ that time Mr.. Griflin pointed out
the fact that, Palatka enjoying the
advantage OF water rates, could oper.
ate freights from the 80. Johns
river wharves 20 the very doors
Of the merchants OF Gainesville. who
have been compelled TO submit to un-
reasonable requirements in the mat.
ter OF freight rates, being unfortunate
~ an inland city. where the railroads
have the situation IN the balance. by
securing a cheap wnter rate from the
Eastern markets 10 Palatka. and a
reasonable rate from that point 70
Gainesville by heavy auto cars, II VIII
be readily seen the great saving IN
freights which could be accomplished,
Mr. GFiffin's ideas were not only good
but feasible, but IN some way they
became lost aud ineffective, This sug.
gesii9n seems more possible now than
ever. however. owing to the advanced
prosperity Of the two points most In
terestcd.
Paiatka Is now awake, and We feel
sure that her progressive citizens are
willing 10 venture anything for the
uphuilding OF their city and les sur.
ronndinga