The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-26
CARVING OUT BLoxHAM COUNTY


At 1880 last evening. the delegation
from northeastern Levy and north /
western Marion arrived at the Board /
of Trade rooms and was cordially |
greeted by President Chace and secre- |
tary Rooney, who were soon after re- |
inforced by other members of the
board.
The delegation consisted of DR.. S. II. |
Bitch and Mr.. J. B. George of Bitch |
ton, Messrs. J. p. Epperson, l. c. Hes !
ter, D. E. Williams, John Harvey, S.
Phillips, II. Wooten, r. H. Reddick and
J. y. Willis from WiIHston. It was a
remarkably fine looking delegation,
and If the gentlemen from Levy are
representative of their county in looks
and brains, it will be well for Marion
TO heed the Stars hint to go over and
grab that northeastern corner out of
the neighboring shire.
The delegates were helped to feel at
home by Mr.. D f. McIver, who knows
them and their neighborhood very well.
From the number of people arriving,
IL was soon evident that the Board of
Trade room was not large enough for
the meeting, so the crowd adjourned to
the circuit court room, which was
kindly placed at it's disposal by Sheriff
side the visitors were President Chace,
Secretary Rooney and Messrs. F. E.
Harris, H. c. Chambliss, w. T. Gary, E.
T. Helvenston, ID. w. Tompkins, J. p.
Phillips, Arthur Cobb. George MacKay,
j. NJ Meffert, D. Z. McIver, Ben Rhein-
auer, Fred Magaw, G. c. Pasteur, c. H.
Clements, F. W. Ditto and reporters
for the Times-Union and Star.
Against division appeared from Levy
county, Mr.. Pinnell, a prominent citi-
zen of Bronson.
The ball was opened by Mr. Phillips
Of Williston, who set forth his side of
the case in eloquent and diplomatic
utterances AS an orator, Pericles had
nothing on Mr.. Phillips. His county
division points were SO deftly wrapped
up in good roads cotton wool that you
didn't feel them cut until you saw the
blood running He was so well prepar-
ed TO move that section out of Mar
ion however that he brought along the
skids, and they were well creased, in
the shape of a resolution that he and his
friends desired the Board of Trade to
pass. 1t was a peach of resolution
and so innocently worded that it would
have been adopted by some bodies
without dissent. But the Ocala bunch
and greeted the resolution with
smoker.
Mr. ]. N. Willis followed Mr.. Phil
lips Mr.. Willis was not diplomatic
as Mr.. Phillips. He put the case Of
county division more bluntly.
DR.. Bitch and Mr.. George presented
the grievances of their section. They
told of the bad condition of their roads
and the way in which they had been
sighted in the distribution of county
funds. There was considerable weight
in their arguments, and they were
listened to with respectful attention.
Mr.. Pinnell of Bronson spoke against
division from the standpoint of the
people of western Levy, who would be
left by it hardly enough county to do
business.
During the debate some nice little
maps of the new county were passed
around. These maps show a dividing
line between Marion and Bloxham be-
ginning a little east and south of Mic
anopy and running south on a line
with Irvine and Fairfield to a point
due west of Lowell thence west about
five miles, thence south almost to
Leroy, thence west to the county line.
1t would take all Levy county from the
present Marion line, along the Withla-
coochee to the gulf, run along the gulf
coast to Wacasassa Bay, then turn in
land to a point due south of Meredith,
and run straight north to the Alachua
line. The following was printed on the
back of the card:
Area OF Marion county is 1910
square miles.
AREA of Levy county is 1,133 square
miles.
Assessed valuation of Marion coun-
ty is approximately S4,OO0,000.
Assessed valuation of Levy county
is approximately $2,700, 90.
Area of Bloxham county is approx
imately $40 square miles
Assessed valuation of B1oxham
county is $1,570,000.
THE population of Bloxham county
is approximately $3.50
Number of registered voters, petit
tioning for the new county is So per
cent of the voting population"
The Star reporter asked the dele
gates why they didn't include Dunnel-
Ion in their new county, and they sur
prised him by saying they didn't want
it, which was an unmerited slight on
the Phosphate City.
All the gentlemen were heard with
respectful attention, and almost all
agreed with them on the question of
roads, but gave them no comfort as to
county division. Short talks were made
by Messrs. McIver, Chambliss, Chace
and Rooney, and one or two others All
agreed that Marion should at once i'm
prove the important highway running
through the Blitchton section to Will
liston. DR.. Chace said the Board of
Trade couldn't be expected to pass any
resolution regarding county division.
Mr.. Rooney moved that a committee be
appointed to urge road Improvement
on the comm ssioners, and his resolu-
ton passed.
The meeting was a pleasant one, and
the participants parted with express
sions of mutual good will. The visitors
came TO the city in autos, and nearly
all returned to their homes after the
discussion was over.