The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-06-01
THERE is NO WAR
ON THE GAS COMPANY

Editor Star: In reply to the
Banners article of May 10Th head
ed, Whats the Meaning of 1t ALL"
l will say the meaning of it all is,
there is no war. No one has been
thinking of declaring war against
the gas company. No one has ac-
cused it of conducting business in
restraint of trade. AS to fighting OPP
position, it has none, as far as the
gas plant is concerned, but has one
of the strongest competitors in our
electric light plant that gas can
ed it of raising rates, neither am l
in position to say what the rates are.
Quoting from an article in the
Times-Union recently, where electric
current cost &c. per k. W., gas should
be bought at 40c. per thousand feet;
our rate is &c. per k. W. for cooking
purposes, hence gas should be
bought at 6Oc. per thousand feet to
be as cheap as electricity in Ocala.
Why make war on the gas plant?
Electricity will vanquish every gas
plant in Florida. There are SO
many things that can be said in fav-
or of electricity and here is one that
has been of so vital Importance to
the city of Ocala for many years,
been discussed more than anything
else and is not solved yet. The gas
company, no doubt, has to pay high
freight rates ON all dts raw material
from which to produce gas and there
is no freight charge on material
used from which to generate current.
No tax, no tariff, no nothing; It is
furnished absolutely free by our
Creator.
The Banner says further, the gas
plant has paid no dividends since it
has been operated by it's present
owners j have no reason to dis
pute it; its my opinion that it never
paid a dividend since its construc-
ton. We did notice a marked i'm
provement in the gas lights since
Mr.. Hunter became manager of the
gas company and he has labored
early and late to accomplish the pres
emit efficiency of the gas plant
l admit everything In the Banners
article of May 10Th, what he claims
for the gas company, excepting two
items. First, there is no war on the
gas company. All that has been said
by me was necessary to show up the
electric light proposition, and exist
ing conditions relative to the position
our president of the city council oc-
cupied in connection with the man
agement of the Ocala Gas Company,
representing competitive interests.
The second item, that the gas COM
pany favors the cheapest possible
electric service. This sounds real
good and / hope it is true, although
in my article of the 30th to the Star,
the information had and quoted was
to the contrary.
As to there being a niger" in
the woodpile somewhere, l agree
with the Banner. Ever since our last
election when concerted
action in politics defeated honest
John Taylor for reelection of coun-
Gilman from the second ward Why
was it? What was it all for? Did he
rob the city treasury. What crime
did he commit? John Taylor was
one of the best and truest men that
ever served on the City Council of
Ocala. The showing he made for the
electric light plant. while he was
chairman of the light and water
committee, are open records. Why
was he defeated by a stockholder and
private secretary of r. S. Hall, prin-
cipal owner of the OcaIa Gas Plant?
Will anybody please answer my ques-
ton? From that time on suspicion
ed niger" in the woodpile. II
have been trying to smoke him out
ever since and if l ever get him, he
will no doubt be of a different color
than the editor of the Banner ex-
poets to see.
Now referring again to the Banner
motto. fair play and a square deal"
Having been reader of the Banner
for a great many years, / rememb Der
we'll the fight 1t made for the under
dog. It has completely changed