The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-08-04
THE MAYORS VETO
Is Opposed to Granting Right of Way
to the OcaIa Northern Railroad
Company On Osceoia Street

Company On osceoIa Street
Ocala, Fla, Aug. 2, 1911.
President and Members OF City Coun-
ell, City of Ocala:
Gentlenen-A certain ordinance en-
titled an ordinance granting to the
OcaIa Northern Railroad Company
the right to lay its tracks on Osceola
street, in the city of Ocala, has been
handed me for my approval or disap-
proval.
As l consider this ordinance ill-ad-
vised. am forced to veto the same.
and give the following reasons for
/ ny action:
:. I do not approve the manner III
which this proposed ordinance was
passed. Thirty days prior to the last
meeting a proposed ordinance on this
subject was submitted to the city
council, and referred to the judiciary
committee, and at the meeting Au-
sust I, 1911, the attorney for The
Ocala Northern Railroad Company
appeared during the. session of the
council and handed in to the judiciary
committee the present as a substitute
for the original ordinance, and this
member OF the judiciary committee
Immediately presented it to the coun-
Gil as a substitute. Council then put
it upon it's second and third readings,
and passed it. The object of the le-
lay between the first and second read
ings is to give opportunity for inves-
tigation by the council, and objection
by citizens, and the substitution Of
another ordinance defeats this end,
and, to say the least, is bad practice.
This is an important subject and in
wolves. II my opinion. the donation to
corporation OF public property, and
should have been thoroughly investi-
gated. and every possible safeguard
given to the public.
:. do not believe that the condi-
ton Of the street and it's surround
ings Will warrant the council in grant
ing the privilege mentioned in the
ordinance. Osceola street at ne
point named is very narrow, and IN
the present condition barely allows
for the passage of one team on the
vest side OF the Atlantic Coast Line
tracks, and none at all on the east
side, # another track is placed in
the street on the west side, as pro-
vided. by this ordinance, the street
will be impossible. The streets of
the city are for the general use Of the
public, and as such are public prop
erty, and the city council has no right
to grant them, or their use or occu-
ipation to private parties, when such
use or occupation will be to the ex-
clusion of the public.
8 The railroad company is not
prohibited by this ordinance from
blockading the streets or permitting
cars to stand thereon, nor are they
required to keep that part of the
street occupied by it paved. as the
balance of the street is or should be.
4. The proposed ordinance prohib-
it's the company from constructing a
freight depot along Osceola street. A
strict construction of this prohibition
would go no further than to prevent
them from constructing a freight de-
pot along the street. They might, if
they saw fit, construct their depot a
short distance back on their own
property, and thereby evade this re-
striction.
Taking it all together, it seems to
me that the proposed ordinance is a
complete donation of public property,
without any safeguard thrown about
the grant, and that it will result in
a loss to the people.
Hence | veto it.
Yours respectfully,
]. d. ROBERTSON, Mayor