The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-09-04
MAJOR LADuE's LETTER


snags and hyacinths and securing a
six or eight foot channel to Dunnel-
Ion, had been reported on adversely
for the reason that the traffic does
not justify the contemplated improve
ments.
If we may be pardoned for saying
it we shall volunteer to say that that
does not occur to us as being a tit
reason. 1t does not occur to us as
being a sound reason. We regret to
say it but it occurs to us as being only
an excuse and a pretext.
When did the traffic Of country
ever justify the building of rail
road, the digging of canal or the i'm
provement of river?
When the first railroad was built
through this section did the traffic
at that time justify it? Not at all.
Jacksonville then was not larger
than Ocala is now and Tampa was
but little bigger than Micanopy.
There were no orange groves, no
trucking, no turpentine farms, no
phosphate mines, no lumber mills.
The building of the road promoted
these industries; had we waited for
the development of the industries be-
fore the building of the road we
would be waiting still.
And see the towns that have sprung
into being since the railroads have
been built?
Gainesville, the University city, Or
lando, the beautiful capital of Orange
county, Kissimmee, Plant City, and
many others.
Suppose that Mr.. Flagler had taken
the position of the board of engineers
of the war department before build.
ing his wonderful railroad down and
along the east coast to Key West,
would it ever have been started?
1t was called "Flagler's folly" and
the Florida pioneers looked upon that
section as too "onery" and unpromis-
ing for anything on earth. But look
at it today. See the beautiful, pro-
gressive cities that have sprung into
existence, and the magnificent traffic
that the building of the road has pro-
NOTED.
When the Union Pacific railroad
was built across the Rocky noun
tains to the Pacific ocean, did the
traffic justify it? Why, bless you, no.
Some of our most eminent statesmen
believed all that country was a will
derness and a waste. Behold it to-
day,
Did the traffic over the Isthmus of
Panama from the gulf to the Pacific
justify the expenditure of nearly a
half billion of dollars for the digging
of the canal?
The canal was built to promote the
traffic.
Our board of engineers have gotten
the cart before the horse.
The board of trade of Dunnellon
tabulated in splendid shape the i'm
provement this river would promote.
1t told of the richness of the With
lacoochee valley. Rich in soil, rich
in timber, rich in phosphate deposits,
rich in climate, rich in possibilities.
Florida has more seacoast than any
other state in the Union-her sea-
coast stretches along a distance for
twelve hundred miles, yet see how
scant and grudgingly appropriations
are given us!
Millions upon top of millions are
appropriated for New York, Boston
and other harbors, yet not one word
of protest is ever heard, but when the
improvement of the rivers and har-
bors of the south are contemplated an
almost universal protest is filed, and
an attempt is made to make the coun-
try believe that it is nothing more nor
less than a big steal, done for moth
ing else than to serve some personal
end.
We are trying to improve the Ok
lawaha river from it's mouth to the
upper lakes, covering a shore line of
perhaps seven hundred and fifty
miles, which, like the Withlacoochee
river, is rich in resources and posi-
bilities-a section which is visited by
thousands and thousands of tourists
annually-yet in our efforts we are
confronted in speeches of congress
men and influential publications with
stuff like the following:
eve have a crooked creek that has a
crooked name,
And grabs a crooked million while in
a crooked game.
To make a crooked water-power run
up a crooked hill