The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-06-14
THE COAST LINE YARD
AND FREIGHT DEPOT

1t was supposed several months
ago that the city council and the At
1antic Coast Line had come to an
agreement regarding the arrange
Enant OF the yard and the new freight Il
depot, the plans approved of requir-
zng the road to clear South Fourth \
and Main streets and build a new
warehouse, in consideration of which
IT was to be allowed TO close South
Sixth and Seventh streets. On rep /
Eesentation of some leading business
men. the council required the road TO
lay its lines so that teams hauling Il
freight to and from the warehouse
should not have TO cross railway
track. After considering this reas-
enable request for some months, the
Eoad announces it viii grant it, pro-
viding the council allows it to keep
South Fourth street closed and add
10 the tracks now across South Fifth.
III also evidently intends, some of
these days, or nights, to put about
aassIf a dozen tracks across South Il
e; ghth street, but it isn't saying !
faR at of course It intends to straight
s4n It's main line and run it parallel
with Osceola avenue to the city +
south limit, thus putting the freight
yard on the western side instead of t
she eastern.
several members of the councill
and a great majority of the people
arc in favor of requiring the Coast
Zine to remove all its freight houses
and yards to its property south OF
South Eighth street. The yard it is
now intriguing for north of that
street is only pocket yard. 1t wont
cold more than fifty or sixty cars,
maybe a hundred if they were pack
ed close together. 1t won't hold an
ordinary freight train on any but the
main track 1t is impossible for any
man wise TO railroad ways not to in
fer that when this yard is in opera
zion working crew will be rushed
in TO lay as many tracks as the road
Wanfs across South Eighth street into
ats own property. 1t could be done
easily any night, or as far as that is
sg.cmcerned in two or three hours
such things have frequently been
done in railroad history, and it will
TIE done here unless the council
Stands fatfooted and demands the
G.zGyss rights, which it can easily do.
All that section from South Third
street to the .citys southern limits is
well situated, and if it wasn't for the
railroad yard it would be good resi-
cianre district. It's right between
cur school houses, and it will be an
amending menace to the children
xFho will have to cross it twice every
day
The railroad people are handing
euI lot of talk about difficult
grades, ETC., which is the sheeres1
gull, There is not and cannot be
railroad grade in Ocala that viii
amount to anything to a modern en-
gine or engineer.
"A member of the council said t.
s.ha Star that the city owns trac
eaf land in the north side of town
contiguous to both the Coast Line
and the few manufacturing plant
that have been maintained in spit
at excessive freight rates. The city
gss said, might be willing to trad
aIfb the Coast Line for a proportion
ate amount of its property in TIL
aseuih of town if the railroad woul
ugRf its yard in the said northern 10
cation. 1t seems TO the Star that
would be a good deal all around
The railroad could have a bigge
ward and freight warehouse in a bet
ser location for the purpose, and
Ghere was only a single tract all tn
7zay thru the southern part of tn
e:ify, that section would build u
amazingly in a few years 1t is
good location, and only the railroa
-Fard is keeping it back.
1t is to the interest of the Coas
Lime TO help the city and not to hal
xass it. The more prosperous an
neSter looking the town, the bette
E0r the railroad.
Let the council serve notice on tn
railroad to clear the streets of il
tracks and freight depot, or rattle
shack, in a reasonable time, and al
peal to the railroad commission,
q doesn't, and there will be som,
thing doing. A number of cities
1ae United States have compelled tt
railroads to move their tracks con
r5laGeIy out of their residence Sc
f5Jns, and Ocala can do the san
thing if she sets about it.
The Pensacola News, which is We
Eaard TO satisfy in regard to the VOL
CT the legislature, speaks highly
L., ~ 10 tan