The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-25
|SHAu THE CITY
SURRENDER ITS STREETSl
tRepubllshed by Reque.tl

(Republished by Requestl
On the first page of taday's issue
will be found the copy Of an ordinance
now before the city council 1t win be
observed by the reader that this or
dinance proposes that the city surren-
der certain of its streets in perpetuity
To the Atlantic Coast Line. 1t will also
be observed that the railroad does not
offer TO pay the city cent in return
for the concession.
1t Is true that the railroad offers to
build a large and up-to-date freight
depot. and remove it's present frame
shanty out of Osceola avenue. but why
should il not do this anyhow, and why
should our little city, which with
economy and good management never
has money enough for it's needs. give
any Of It's territory without a cent of
remuneration to a great railway cor
poration, whose tracks gridiron half e
dozen states, and whose profits every
year more than equal the tax valuation
of ocala?
II Is also true that new depot is
much needed, and that the old one
should be removed from the street, but
the railroad needs the new structure
for it's business more than the city
does, and the old one Is where it is
only on sufferance. If your neighbor
proposed to you that he would build a
new barn on his own land, provided
you gave him the exclusive use of a
road to 1t over your own, the PROPOSE
tion would be just about the same as
the one the Coast Line has made to
Ocals.
| The Atlantic Coast Line owns in the
southern end of the city most of the
ground from South Eighth between
0seeela avenue and Main street, about
five acres. 1t also owns the old
Eichelberger place south of South
Eighth street--a tract of aheu, eight
cen acres, thru which there are no
streets.
The railroad yard as now situated in
the northern five acres is right in the
way of the growth of the city. It ie
| between two sections that on account
of the locatieA of the school houses al
ready have much need of unobstrueted
communication, and the need is in
| creasing daily. What it will be ten,
or five years from now, is easy to
| imagine. To surrender the streets on
any terms would be folly; To surrender
them without pay would be crime,
South Eighth street, we'll situated
recently hardened, with new residences
constantly going up, and already
among our most pleasant auto drives
| is a most important thoroughfare, II
the railroad yard remains where it is
/ it will only be matter of time before
/ 1t has ia be heightened to the south
and then there will be solid wedge
1 a ~, 4Iavz
sections of the city.
The proper thing for the railroad to
do Ia to build Its new depot on and to
South Eighth street. If it does this, il
will take a place as a worker for the
Improvement of Ocala and not as a
selfish stumbling black to its progress
1t will lose no money by so doing. II
can sell every foot of ground it now
owns north of South Eighth street fol
more than it gave for it in a short
time after it takes up its tracks.
/ 1t viii be observed that this ordi-
nance was not framed by any member
of the city council. 1t was drawn up
I've presume. by the attorney for the
railroad and brought before the coun-
ell by request 1t was turned over tc
the judiciary committee and returned
without recommendation. 1t will be
drought before the council some tins
when a representative of the railroad
can appear before that body and try
to persuade it into it's favorable con-
isideratfen, The Star does not think
there Is any probability Of its passing
the present membership of the council
But the same ordinance, or one sim.
iilar, was presented to the council las
Iyear. And very likely the same or
Idinance, or one similar, will be pre-.
lsented when another election change:
the membership of the council 1t look:
like it is the Intention of the railroad
Ito keep it's freight depot and yard Il
their present irritating and ineoRven.
lent situation until 1t obtains a council
to its liking. when 1t can add to it!
property by the virtual conhscation o.
lseveral streets, which are aIread,
worth thousands of dollars, and viii
soon be worth tens of thousands.
The Coast Line may be very sur,
that any council that passes such al
!ordinanee will be pilloried as a huncl
OF rascals in public estimation, and
unless the character or the people o
Ocala greatly changes, its action vii
be headed of and Knocked out In IN
Icourts.
! The Star does not believe In making
war on the railroads. They are anon;
the greatest of public necessities, an
the men who own and operate then
are just as honest as anyone else.
; railroad is no more prone to take ad
vantage of the public than privat
citizen Is 10 take advantage of hi
Ineighbor but it has a better oppor
ltunity. Railroads, like other cor
operations, owned and operated b,
highly intelligent and enterprisinl
men, overlook very few points to thei
Iown advantage; but they make IN
lgreat mistake of thinking ii IS 10 tnef