The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27
A LETTER AND AN ANSWER
Ocala, Fla, U. S. A.
Jan. %, 1915.

that you stand good for your proper
tional part.
This issue is unnecessary. To make
it would be grave business error. l
offer you the service of our water pow
er plant for two years on trial. We
will go to every expense necessary
for this trial 1t will cost the city
nothing.
/ ask you, now, as good business
man, are you going to permit this
issue of bonds in the face of such an
offer? Yours very truly,
Florida Power Company.
Mr.. Florida Power Company:
Dear Sir: Yours received and con-
tents noted. 1t is with mingled emo
tions that take my typewriter in my
hands to make reply.
While / am naturally proud to be
addressed as one of 224 leading citi-
zens who hold the destinies of Ocala
in their hands, / am somewhat puz-
zled to know who in Sam Hill are the
other 223. have inquired around
among various leading citizens and
find that while some have received
copies of your interesting letter, some
others have not. Those whom / find
you have neglected are without ex-
ception men of more influence, better
looks, sounder theology and bigger
electric light bills than /. They are
also prominent among those who
think the city should hold to it's plant
thru thick and thin. Among them /
find J. M. Meffert, J. J. Gerig, L. w.
Duval, L. r. Chazal, T. T. Munroe,
John Taylor, ]. d. Rooney and sever
al others whom you should work on
without ceasing, for they are probably
the hardest in the bunch to convert.
am also somewhat faxed at your
desire to save the city money. A few
months ago, you were prominent and
enthusiastic among the enterprising
gentlemen who desired to bond Ocala
for $405,000. In comparison with such
a sum (most of which was refused by
big majority why you balk at $75,-
600, (which was voted by big major
ity) seems to your humble servant
quite inconsistent.
In common with every other public
spirited citizen of this part of Florida,
I am proud of your great hydro
electric plant on the Withlacoochee.
So far as / can see, it is the biggest
and best example of man availing
himself of the powers of Nature in
this part of Florida. 1t was greatly
needed years before it arrived, and
the amount of business it will trans
act will in time, believe, be limited
only by its capacity. I learn with
pride that its current is in use from
the Suwanee river to Tampa Bay, and
I'll be glad to hear it is giving light
and power by the ST., Johns. There is
one little place on earth, however,
where should prefer it wouldn't
drive the motors and light the houses
and streets, and that place is Ocala.
You have made good business
proposition, and / have no doubt that
if accepted it will be faithfully car
ried out. My objection to it is that
/ believe the people should own pub
| lie utilities; that Ocala has started on
the road of municipal ownership and
advanced number of years in that
direction; if she accepts your PROPOSE
ton she will go back and lose ground
that will not be regained except al
great effort, if at all.
You have made US a good, square
business offer, but the men in charge
of our plant say that with new
plant they can do as well or better
and we will have the plant. The elec
!. tric plant has always made good. 1
i has paid its own expenses and helpeC
pay the other expenses of the city
Last year, for some months, we haC
} the lowest rate in Florida outside O.
Jacksonville with its immense and up
t to-date plant. This rate was put OF
by men who were perfectly familia
with what the plant could do. Thei
opponents on the council said it was
political trick, and after few month
: raised it to the present rate. Tn
s raise was made over the vote of tn
e only electrician on the council, VIII
said the plant was more than payin
- expenses at the lower rate. Tn
present rate is much lower than tha
h of any other city in the state tha
d takes its electric current from a pr
vate firm.