The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-12
BOARD OF
TRADE MEETING
Plan to Build Freight and~ Passenger
Line to Silver Springs Assumes
Tangible Shape

n1gnt, ana all present round the pro-
.ceedings very interesting.
President MacKay was out of the
city, and VICE President Chace pre-
sided Secretary Rooney read the
minutes of last meeting and a num-
Der of important documents and re-
ports.
The matter Of docks at Silver
Springs and traffic line to the
springs was discussed. The secre-
tary spoke of the matter in full, re-
viewing the work that had been done
to extend the city limits to the
springs, and showing how it was
necessary to have the docks and con-
ha Improvement He spoke of the
policy of the government in appro-
priating money for river and harbor
improvement only where arrange
ments were made to meet the i'm
proyements at the waters edge, and
cited New York City, with its i'm
mense appropriations for municipal
docks, and the case nearer home of
Jacksonville, which city paid for an
extra session Of the legislature in
order to obtain authority to issue
dock bonds. He gave figures to show
that this Improvement meant re-
duction Of freight rates Of perha ps
50 per cent for the city, repaying to
the people all the expense in year
or two. He spoke Of the Oklawaha
as an artery of commerce, recogniz-
ed by the government for sixty years,
and our nearest and strongest aid
against freight monopoly.
He submitted tho plan of the
board Of governors, which after dis
cussion was adopted with no oppo-
sition. It is set forth in the follow
ing preamble and proposition, and
may be said to lay the foundation
for speedy action in building docks
at the springs and a connecting line
to them:
Preamble
During almost the entire memory
of any and every member of the Ma
rion County Board of Trade, a cry
ing need Of Marion county has been
a fair and equitable freight rate so
that the products of the county
could be shipped out, and the needs
of the county could be brought in at
a cost that did not mean placing the
compared with other points which
could be classed as competing ones.
Many plans have been devised and
some placed in execution, but none
have brought the desired result.
Nearly two years ago the Board of
Trade took up the matter in earnest,
! and the first step toward the desired
end was the extension Of the city
limits east to Silver Springs, thus
bringing to the city the possibility of
a water rate on its freights.
This was a long step in the right
direction, but only one Of the several
| that were necessary before the right
could exist to bring the leverage OF
water freight rate to bear on the
railroads entering this territory. The
second step seemed to be that one
which would provide transportation
from the outer eastern edge of the
city to its business center. Several
plans have been discussed, but the
concensus of opinion tended to the
/ building of an electric or other pow
er driven railroad. and after that
i had been practically agreed upon
/ there came the question of how il
/ was to be done, and two possibili
T. ties presented themselves. First
the enlisting OF local capital; and
second, if that were net found pos
sible, then to present it to outside
capital. But how was it TO be got
/ ten into concrete shape so tha
either local Or outside capital could
know what it was to get in exchange
for the money it would invest
board OF governors. and a joint con
ference participated in by the mayor
and city council. and your board o.
governors, the matter has been ST
thoroughly thrashed out that your
board OF governors desire to presen
for your consideration and approval
the following:
Proposition
That the board OF governors o
the Marion County Board of Trad
form a corporation, under such nam
as may be selected. the purpose o
such corporation TO be those neces
sary and desirable 10 enable it to ac
qpire franchise, Or franchises t
build and operate any kind of SUI
face railroad, within the county c
Marion to acquire land for such DIlI