The Ocala evening star., 1915-09-30
DESIRE A DELAY
Six Months Grace Asked for by the
Railroads in Building the Union
Passenger Station


Passenger Station
The railroads entering Ocala ask
for delay of six months in building
the union passenger station. Their
reason for the request is the falling
off in business, in which the roads
have suffered with the rest of the
country.
No doubt they have reason. The
railroads passing thru Ocala are
running more trains than they did in
prosperous years. The Seaboard
runs six thru trains a day. The
Coast Line runs four thru trains and
ten local trains, but neither road is
doing half the passenger business of
two years ago. The freight business
is lighter, tho of course not so much
affected as passenger traffic, for tho
people can stay at home they have to
have goods.
At the Board of Trade rooms We'd
nesday night, Messrs. Brand and Nc
Arthur of the Coast Line and Parsons
of the Seaboard met a number of
citizens and asked for an expression
of opinion on a request to the rail-
road commission to allow delay in
beginning work on the station. The
meeting was informal of course. They
gave their reasons for asking for a
delay, and promised in return to do
away with some of the causes of
friction that exist between the roads
and the citizens. The meeting was
very harmonious and promoted the
good feeling that has been growing
between the roads and the town of
late.
President Rogers of the Board of
Trade presided. Present were Mayor
Robertson, Messrs. Meffert and Knight
of the city council and County Clerk
Nugent and Messrs. Munroe, Chace,
Taylor, Jake Brown, H. G. Jones, R.
T. Adams, Carroll, Benjamin, Halle,
Malcolm Williams and several other
plain citizens. Mr.. Parsons secre-
tary, a remarkably smart young
stenographer, took notes.
Mr.. Rogers called the meeting to
order, and then Mr.. Brand of the
Coast Line explained the joint re-
quest of the two railroads and the
reasons for his making it.
Mr.. Brand stated that conditions
bad at the time the union depot was
ordered built, were now much worse
with his road, that both passenger
and freight earnings had fallen off tt
an alarming extent and this falling
off in revenue was greater, eacf
month, over that of the month be
fore. He then read from the finan
cial report of his road, covering th'
entire system, and the figures were
rather startling. He stated that hi
company, as well as the Seaboard
earnestly hoped the business men o
Ocala would join them in a request t.
the railroad commission for stay o
the order requiring the commence
ment of the depot at Ocala for si1
months, or to May next, instead o
November.
The Star Wanted Concessions
Following Mr.. Brand, Mr.. Benja
min of the Star arose and stated tn
position of the paper as follows:
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: 1t
my opinion, or rather the opinion o
the paper / represent, that the re
quest these gentlemen have to max
of Ocala is reasonable, and should b
granted, but it will be something O
a concession to grant it, and l thin
that in return they should make US
few concessions that will not cos
them much and will do the city
great deal of good.
Decision is With the People
sIn the first place, the people shoul
be consulted. This is an informs
meeting and has no official standing
1t can express no opinion except tha
of those present, and should bear n
more weight with the railroad com
mission.
Bear and FOrbear
''Times are hard and money
scarce Its the duty of the people
help each other. The people and tn
railroads are dependent on each othel
The railroads couldn't live withou
the people; the people would have
mighty hard time getting along with
out the railroads. Also the railroa
men are of the people. The bulk c
the money the people pay to the raj