The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-10-27
TO "sooDLEeANk Bill.
with apologies to Edgar Allen Do,

~ A~uSdT Allen Poo
Hear the hoot-toot of the whistle On
the train, ie Oh
How its echo and re-echo will re-
. main re
Ever more menace to the slim ,la5
ed nerve, :"
Ana It's iong continued blowing only
To arrest commune alton
To suspend all conversation
q TIL It's echo mas subsidized and you
hear your voice again.
BOW II toots and boots and baIlovs
On the balmy air OF night:
And tbs vibratory wavelet
Fills the passengers with fright
Now advancing-then subsiding
Now it's high and then it's low.
But at every provocation
Hear the music of it's blow
You may know
It is So
Fast or SLOW
High or low
Blow! BLOW! BLOW!
Hear the merry boot and tootle of the
blow.
(Author unknown, and says he does
not want to be known either)
Perhaps no more popular engineer
ever pulled the throttle of an engine
on a log train. a fast express or a
"Scotty" special than Mr. William
Mayer We say William reservedly,
because the pleasing and accommo-
dating engineer of the Ocala North
ern prefers to be called plain bill"
The old story of William, when a baby.
Willie when grown to the age of four
teen, and Bill when reaching the
age of manhood, may have something
to do with it, but if so it is only nat
ural
This same engineer, who has ham
died all kinds of trains in his thirty
years of railroading. even likes the
sobriquet of "Boodlebank Bill" given
him because of his constant boosting
OF Burbank and the other colonies of
the New South Farm and Home Com
pany.
Bill has always been one of u.s.
He it was who. operated the first train
to enter Burbank and Fort Mccoy.
That was something like two years
ago, and he is still operating the first
trains and specials being hauled over
President E. p Rentz's railroad, now
nearing completion through all of the
colonies and town sites of the New
South Farm and Home Company.
We didn't ask the president of the
railroad for information concerning
this particular situation regarding
BILL" but we know that he is care
-ful, always reports for duty, has the
welfare of his employer at heart and
has his mind on the many lives that
.are entrusted to his care every time
he takes his engine from the round
house. He has never had serious
accident and the only life he has been
accused of snuffing out was that of a
COW, and "Bill' gets little huffy
when accused of this, for he ayers If
he is guilty he knows nothing about
1t.
And let it be said right here that II
"Boodlebank Bill" ever runs over any
thing but the rails it is not his fault,
for he is strictly on the job when II
comes to giving out notes-no,
screeches of warning. In fact, when
the fireman is not ringing the bell
"Bill" is foot, to-o-t, T-O-O-T-lng
and not a man, woman or child along
the entire road and in Ocala, Wnere
several other railroads center, but
can tell that the Ocala Northern pas
senger train is coming into town.
Even the hackmen know the whistle
so we'll that they never leave for the
station until they hear the blow,
blow. B-L-O-W of bills" whls-
tie.
"Rilr' is a diminutive little chap,
but he makes up for size IN PUCK
and the way he orders his crew ABOUT
would give credit to the commanding
general of the German army. But
withal he is courteous and gentleman
" at all items. His own countenance,
his large black eyes, his easy manner
all denote kindness and considera-
ton for others.
Mr.. William Mayer is member OF
MYRTLE Division No. ESQ, B. of L. E.
one of the oldest divisions OF the
state of Georgia He is married ana
lives in Ocala.-New Florida