The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-16

wide. majestic stream. the smiling
shores on the right bank and the an
broken wall OF green on the left. An
occasional vessel, river steamer, tug
Or launch was met. al coming up
,.u2-l. About five o'clock, as We |
saoa4 around 2 wooded point, the |
tall chiDlne~s. towers and spires Of
he Gem Ci,y reached up into the |
sundown. ana rassing through an
other draw and a small feet OF
boats. the C.sy Of Ocala, after an
eight and three-quarter hour run,
ran alongside her Palatka dock.
The captain, mate and steward
stood by the gangplank TO see their
guests and passengers ashore, and
received many thanks fer courteous
treatment, and compliments for the
swift and pleasant run.
The boat with this trip finished
very successful week. She had a
big list every trip, and most Of the
! time carried her full capacity.
During. the summer. another boat,
somewhat bigger and faster will be
built, and next season there will be
boat each way every day. The
daylight Line" has made a name
for itself, but it is really only at
{ the beginning of its career.
Not only is it bound to grab the
| bulk Of the tourist travel, but many
| of our own people will use it. A
citizen of this state doesn't know his
Florida till he has taken the Okla
waha trip,
great deal of the popularity of
the Daylight Line is owing to the
efficient work of Charles Rodoff, who
solicits business for the boat at the
Palatka end Charlie sure is onto his
job, and having a good thing he has
master hand in pushing it along.
Most of the passengers on the
boat registered at the Putnam
| House, PaIatkas famous, old-time
hotel A trife too old-timey per-
haps. But there is an atmosphere of
quiet old-fashioned comfort and ele-
1 gance perVading most of it, partic
ularly in the office and parlors, with
their soft lights, and big fireplaces,
and the dining room, which has
served as ballroom for some of the
most brilliant social assemblages in
East Florida The cuisine is fine and
the charges are very reasonable.
But the management should put in
electric lights. Travellers used to
the illumination of the arcs and in
candescents,, feel themselves in
semi-darkness under the Putnam
gasjets.
Speaking OF electricity and gas,
Ocala can give Palatka points on
how to provide both. Our municipal
plant gives far better, cheaper illum-
ination than the company that fur
nishes the Gem City electricity. We
don't know what candle-power a
Palatka gas jet has. but it looks like
a candle power sure enough along
side Of one Of Charlie Hunters shin
ers.
Palatka is a pretty town and evil
IDENTIFY prosperous one. The streets
were lively and all the stores were
!. doing a good business. The brick
pavements never fail to awaken ad-
miration of visitors from other Flor
ida towns. And its collection of beau
tiful homes won for Palatka the
: name OF The Gem City" three OF
four decades ago.
But when man looks at the
mighty river that washes the feet
of the town, he cannot but wonder
why the people Of Palatka let the
railroads so hold them down with
freight rates. They have a highway
right TO the wharves of New YORK
land Baltimore. if they would use it
If the good Lord would change tht
course Of that river so it would run
by Ocala, the Brick City would
make Jacksonville come down of
her perch in short order.
However, Ocala doesn't do all she
might do, as the writer realized Sun
). day morning, as he climbed on tn,