The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-02
JOHN RosERTsoN's
LATEST PROJECT
(Citrus County Chronicle)

tCltruS County ChrOnlcle)
Hon. ]. D. Robertson. mayor of
Ocala, who came to this city with j.
III. Spencer of the same city in the lat
ter's car, accompanied by Mrs. Robert
son and Miss Mamie Hendon of (;eOr-
gia, TO attend the meeting of the state
automobile association, visited the
Times office his morning accompanied
by Hon. A. J. Knight and presented a
proposition of undoubted merit.
! Mayor Robertson is an enthusiastic
advocate Of good roads, and he has
practical ideas on the subject. Being
a civil engineer and surveyor he has
had experience in this line of work
His proposition is that if the people of
Tampa will secure the building of an
air line road from this city to Brooks
ville-a continuation of Nebraska av-
enue-he will arrange for the con-
struction of a straight road from Ocala
to Brooksville. This would reduce the
distance from Tampa to Ocala to
eighty-two miles, a trip which could
be made on a good road in an auto
mobile with all ease in three hours.
Mr.. Robertson says he has already
canvassed the matter with interested
parties, and he is assured of coopera-
tion-in fact, he felt justified in prom
ising the construction of the road
from Ocala to Brooksville if Tampa
will guarantee the road from this city
to Brooksvlle.
Further, Mr.. Robertson thought
there would be little difficulty in hav-
ing a road built from Ocala to Jack
sonville, on an air line. He is appris-
ed of a project of the promoters of a
big colonization enterprise to build a
considerable portion of such a road.
This would reduce the distance from
Tampa to Jacksonville to 164 miles.
The matter was discussed last night
at the automobile clubs banquet. and
was enthusiastically endorsed. Such
highway would prove a source of
great pleasure and convenience to
Floridians using automobiles. and
would induce many visiting automo-
bile owners to tour the state.
"A crooked road is an abominat tion."
declared Mr.. Robertson. Let us build
on straight line, always from one
center of population to another. and
the smaller communities could build
branch roads to connect with the main
road.'-Tampa Times. Feb 2S.
We do not know of any man who is
more enthusiastic than John Robert
son when it comes to good roads. Out
of his own private funds. he has sur
Neyeu out an air line fCaQ from the
end of the hard surfaced road five
miles south of Ocala to Stokes Ferry
and thence to a point on the Dunnel-
lon-Inverness hard road near the old
syndicate mines, and has had the
same grubbed of roots and graded
and it is a most excellent road for au-
tomobles.
With a little attention. the road
from Inverness to BrooksVille which
was recently strawed by the citizens
interested in the Times automobile
race to Jacksonville, could be kept in
good shape, and could be used until
the construction of the hard surfaced
road from Inverness to Floral City.
which latter road the board of county
commissioners of this county are un-
der promise to construct as soon az the
repairs are completed on the road
north to Dunnelon. With the COM
pletion of this road, Citrus county
would furnish hard surfaced road
/ all the way through the county, except
NAout one and one-half miles on the
southern end. and that could very
easily be built if fernando would fall
in line and build on to Brooksville.
A good automobile road does not
necessarily need to be hard surfaced
foad-a sand road is all right if it is
straight and clear of stumps and
roots, with the sleeper hills graded
down.
We here tender to Mr. Robertson
any services we may be able to rem
der him in his project.