The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-03
the STATEMENT OF Mr.. MEN,
ZIES

the Atlantic Coast Line railroad. he
was a clerk in Mr.. Frank Papy's office
when that gentleman was traffic man
ager for the old F. c. & p, afterwards
the r. r. & N, now the Seaboard AIT
Line railway.
That dates back to a long time ago.
In his statement before the meet
ing of the Florida railway commission,
held here last Monday and Tuesday,
Mr.. Menzies said among other things
that the railroads were built TO bene-
NJ the interior of Florida especially,
as the boat and steamship lines could
look after the interests of port cities.
We think that that is a correct
statement OF the facts. We think
that there is no doubt but that was
the theory the people had in mind
when they donated large grants of
the public domain for the building of
these railroads.
But how have the railroads lived up
60 that theory and taken care of the
interior?
When these lands were first grant
cd as a bonus for the construction OF
these roads Mariana. Quincy, ITALIA
hassee, Monticello. Madison, Live Oak
and Lake City were as large. or larger
than Tampa, and almost IL not quite
as large as Jacksonville.
Scarcely one OF the places named is
any larger today than IL was fifty
years ago.
How Is Il with Jacksonville, Tampa,
Pensacola and Miami-our port cit
iesf
They have grown all out of proper
ton 10 these other places.
Does Mr.. Menzies believe that they
would have made this phenomenal
growth II they had not been given ex-
cessively low freight rates?
Their harbors were OF course con-
tributors TO their growth. but was II
not the railroads that gave them
their greater impetus. for they made
very slow and infinitesimal growth
until they had railway connection.
Why did they grow while the inte-
rior cities. enjoying the same railroad
facilities. though not the same freight
rates. remain stationary?
Was a not because the port cities
were given exceedingly low rates, and
the interior cities were fed out of an
entirely different spoon? We think
90.
Were not the products that gave
traffic 20 these roads grown in the in
teriorg
The peninsular portion OF Florida
has the same story TO relate.
n has been a large contributor To
the freight tonnage OF these roads
cut the growth OF It's cities is all out
Of proportion TO the growth of the port
cities.
Let's see how this freight tonnage
has increased
In 1890. Sass. 900: 1908. $4,000;
aeos. i0.5G5. 600: 1912. 100000.
These are very startling figures.
This tonnage consisted largely o.
products furnished by the interior
such as logs. lumber. turpentine, ros
IN. phosphate. lime, fruits. vegetables
etc.
Vet In all this scope of countr,
there II not a municipality that car
De properly called city. and so fal
a. We know. except for a few lumber
and planning and crate mills. there II
not a solitary manufacturing estab
liuhment nor a Wholesale establish
ment worth while.
Does Mr. Menzies really believe
with these conditions as the fruit o
their policy. that the railroads hav'
dealt fairly towards this vast INLAND
empire so blessed with natural ad
xantaKesg
Does he not believe that II the rail
roads had bent their energies with thu
same determination looking towards
the building up OF cities and indus
tries IN the interior by making the re
spcctiye county sites basing points. Of
a. any rate giving them the benefit o
the same rates enjoyed by port cities
that they would not long since have
grown into cities with all the name
implies SAY scrapers and all othel
aaiuncts7
We are confident on that point.
u seems 20 us that the railroads are
iookinE through the wrong end OF tbs
Telescope. and are standing very mucl
On their own light By bleeding the In
terror for an g. can stand. and trans
fasing thls blood into the port cities