The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-10
THE RIVER ROUTE
Commercial Bodies of This Region De-
termined 10 Have Water
Transportation

The different commercial bodies of
this section are down to business and
are going to make a good commercial
waterway of the Oklawaha river and
solve the freight rate problem for this
group of inland cities. The Ocala,
Leesburg, Eustis and Tayares boards of
trade have been hard at work on this
for some time
They begin to see daylight ahead and
are having their enthusiasm renewed.
Major SIattery of the southern board
OF engineers stationed in Jacksonville,
and whom the government thinks So
from captain to major, after a thorough
survey of the river. recommended that
the government appropriate a large
sum of money to dig a better channel
from the mouth of the Oklawaha river,
Lake Dora, and that a maintenance
appropriation of $4,000 be provided to
keep IT up afterwards.
committee from the Leesburg
board of trade met the board Of gov
erners of the Ocaia Board Of Trade
some hours in this city this afternoon,
and had an earnest session. Much good
was accomplished and many interest
ling short talks made. This committee
was composed of Messrs. l. E. Dozier,
B. F. Watts and l. NJ. Johnson. Mr.
Dozier did most of the talking for the
committee. He is a clear-headed bust
Iness man and has made a life study of
/ the conditions on the Oklawaha river.
He was born and raised in Leesburg
| and saw the time when the river was
the towns only means of getting
| goods in and out--long before there
was a railroad. They enjoyed, if slow,
a much lower rate than now by the old
stern wheel steamers of those days. He
has owned and operated steamers on
the river and lost one of them in. it,
which was the means of his obtaining
the attention of Congress and an ap-
preparation through Mr.. Sparkman of
$4,000 to do a little work the
stream. Mr.. Dozier says we must ask
earnestly and steadily for no less than
i Major Slattery's recommendation, for
no less will accomplish what we want.
/ People of Leesburg and the commun-
lily Whereabouts stand ready as soon as
the work is done 10 put $4,000 into a
company and operate steel barge on
the river and are willing to give bond
it will be done.
l..
J are going to put on a fne of steamers,
whether the river is deepened or not.
The session adjourned. having agreed
that committees from Leesburg. Eus-
It's, Tavares and Ocala will meet in
ILeesburg next Sunday, April Is, at
which time Major slattery and four
other engineers will be there and will
visit the Oklawaha river and inspect
the work done by Messrs. Kyle and
Younge, and it may be that trip of a
J more extended nature will be made
down the river IL the gentlemen can
spare the time.
After this meeting and conference it
is thought the board Of engineers as a
unit will endorse Major Slattery's rec
ommendation and that the appropria-
ton will be secured if not during the
extra session of Congress, at least al
1.-The next regular session.
| The Ocala members of the Board OF
TRADE who were present were Messrs
10. &. Meffert, A. c. Cobb, c. Carmichael
J. E. Chace. ]. C. Boozer, z. C. Cham
bliss, w. A. knight, T. S. Kyle and the
new secretary, J. D. Rooney.
Mr.. Meffert, chairman Of the board OF
governors, appointed the following
COMMITTEE to go to Leesburg: Judge w
is. Bullock, Secretary J. D. Rooney, T.
8. Kyle. Mr.. Carmichael and others
will go over to the river to meet the
party there.