The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-11-07
SEEING THE SEABO ARD

Since the ungentle roast that the
Star gave the Seaboard passenger sta
ton last summer, Mr.. Halle and his
assistants have labored under the i'm
preston that the paper had it in for
them, and it was to dissipate this
roneous idea that the editor took them
down an armfull of olive branches
Sunday.
Mr.. Halle and his helpers, Messrs.
Harris. Cordero, Raysor, Shuey and
others, are clever and competent rail-
road men and do all in their power to
accommodate the traveller. They keep
their shabby and out-of-date depot in
as good order and appearance as they
possibly can, and it isn't their fault
that one of the two biggest railroads
in the state has a station in Ocala that
would hardly be appropriate to Bald
win. AS for the station itself, it was
about equal to the needs of Ocala a
dozen years ago. Since that time,
Ocala has grown and If the Seaboard
station hasn't shrunk, 1t looks like it
has.
Mr.. Halle chided the scribe for visit
ing his depot before at night instead
of in the daytime. Outside of the
pleasure of meeting Mr.. Halle, it's best
station to visit 1t at night, because he
can't see it so we'll. About the best
to be said about 1t is that it could be
worse.
There has been some Improvement
-at-the station lately 1t is now kept
ing rooms until midnight or later. The
lights are very feeble, however Il
would be almost impossible for any.
one to read by them, which is dis
tinctly hardship on many who have
to wait for overdue trains The ligh,
over the north door to the white wait
ing room is one little globe, about the
size of henfruit. 1t is away up under
the caves and has a coat, overcoat and
vest of smoke and dust on it. Its
dimness makes it difficult for the tray-
eler to read the bulletin. and makes i,
likely that he will step on a freight
train if he should walk out of the
door without due generalization. There
Is no light over the door of the colored
waiting room, or If there is this writer
mas never seen it in operation, tho he
has been by there many times al night
the last time, Monday night.
The Seaboard's stinginess in regard
to light is ridiculous. The writer has
some years ago, seen one of the night
men go to the baggage room, take a
little 16-candle globe out of his pocket
attach it to the wire outside the door
turn on the light and after attending
to his work go turn the light off and
take the globe back to the freight de-
pot. OF course, this was in the early
part Of the night, before the trains
were due. but just CINE such pen
nywise damphoolishness in one of the
biggest railroad services in the South
The Star is informed that it was the
intention of the Seaboard to build a
handsome, up-to-date depot and that
the plans had been drawn when the
union passenger station movement
started and in consequence the work
was held up. This policy was in direct
contradiction to the Coast Line which
has improved its passenger station un-
til it is one of the prettiest in the
state.
Since the city has had Frank Halls
hshpond filled. there is a vast i'm
provement in the open space in front
of the station. Before filing it up,
however. the pond should have been
dragged to make sure that none of the
men who have mysteriously disappear
ed in the last five years found their
fate in its depths.
AS aforementioned, Mr. Halle and
his assistants are clever and compe-
tent railroad men. They do the best
they can with the means at their dis
posal and are never lacking in per-
sonal courtesy or precaution. They
can't furnish plenty of light and 9TH
er things that the traveller has right
TO without paying for them out of
their own pockets. They are also very
loyal to their road. and the editor of
the Star confidently expects Mr. Halle
to lick him the next time they meet