The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-06-03
AID TO THE INTERIOR
Long and Short Haul Law Will Give
Ocala Better Chance
to Grow

]. c. Privett, in a letter to the
Metropolis from Tallahassee says:
One of the greatest victories
achieved for the common people of
this state during this session of the
legislature has been the passage of
what is known as the long and short
haul bill The bill provides that no
railroad company shall charge more
for a. short haul than it does for a
long haul over the same line, and in
the same direction. 1t is an exact
copy of the interstate commerce act,
relative to the same matter. The bill
further provides that railroad
company may upon application TO
the railroad commission, secure re-
lief in certain instances from the APP
plication of the bill, where the en-
foTcement of the provisions thereof
would be confiscatory 1t also pro-
vides that the present rates shall
under no circumstances be raised
where the rates have been reduced
to meet water competition.
1t would seem strange to many
people, who have not informed them
selves upon this question. that such
bill would be necessary, for it GER
tainly seems strange that a railroad
company should charge more for
freight from Jacksonville to Talla-
hassee than it does from Jacksonville
= obo
more from Jacksonville to Ocala
than it does from Jacksonville 10
Tampa, yet, this is the case.
AS result of this discrimination in
favor of the seaport towns, the inter
Tor of the state of Florida has long
been at the mercy of the railroad
companies.
The argument of the railroad COM
panies has always been that it is nee
essary to lower the rate to the sea-
port city in order 10 meet water
competition, but a close examination
of the rates from Jacksonville to
Tampa and from Jacksonville to
Ocala, will disclose the fact that that
argument is certainly not logically
carried out, since, on many articles
the rate is much lower from Jack
sonville to Tampa than from Jack
sonville to Ocala, and on others,
higher, Notwithstanding water cem=
petition on all articles.
Not long ago | was discussing the
establishing of a factory for Ocala,
with interested parties, who were
thinking of spending some money
there AS soon as they examined
the freight rates, however, and found
that they could secure a much better
= rate over either the Seaboard OF
Coast Line, from Tampa than Ocala
they Immediately declined,
As an illustration of this unjust
discrimination, the rate on first-class
y freight per hundred pounds is as fol
lows:
From Jacksonville to Tampa, 81
cents from Jacksonville to Ocala, 6:
cents from Jacksonville to Leesburg
6S cents,
On second class freight; From
Jacksonville to Tampa, 49 cents
from Jacksonville to Ocala, 5S cents
On third class freight: From Jack
sonville to Tampa, "a cents; from
Jacksonville to Ocala, so cents.
On -four, the rate from Jackson
Vile to Tampa is 21 cents per bar
rel, and from Jacksonville to Ocals
is 29 cents per barrel.
Ocala is used as an illustratio
simply because of the fact that Ocal
is about halfway between Jackson
vile and Tampa.
0ne-half million people will be a
fected by the provisions of this bill
and l predict that while it may tax
several years for the railroad con
mission to satisfactorily adjust thes
rates. that the interior sections
the state will ultimately cease to
Disseminated against, and a town
the interior will have as much chan,
a to grow as a town on the sea coas