The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-11-10
RAILROAD MUST BE RETAINED
People Along the Line of the Ockla-
waha Valley Fighting Against
Its Being Torn Up

wanna tditey FIShLIHg Against
Its Being Torn Up
Friday nights meeting of the Mar
ion County Board of Trade was given
! over entirely to the discussion of ways
and means to retain the Ocklawaha
Valley railroad service through the
northeastern part of the county.
A large delegation of citizens from
Fort Mccoy, Bay Lake, Orange
Springs and Burbank were on hand to
enter their protest against the sus-
pension of train service on this road
after November Both, a notice to this
effect having been served on the pat
rons along the line several days ago.
A delegation from the Palatka Bus
mess Mems Association was also
present to urge the necessity of con-
tinuing the service.
A petition signed by 500 patrons of
the road between Ocala and Palatka
was handed in. The petition cited
that thousands of people living along
this road were entirely dependent
upon it for transportation, and that
it's removal meant practical confsca-
ton of their properties, as their dis
lance from any other railroad made
it impossible for them to follow their
various lines of trade, farming, lum-
bering, logging, and last, but not
least, trucking on scale that would
make them factor in providing food
for our armies now in operation in
Europe.
Speeches were made by the prom
inent- business men of the several
communities most vitality effected by
the proposed closing down of the
railroads service, and in each in
stance it was claimed that such a
movement would bring calamity to
not only the business enterprises To-
Gated along the line and dependent
entirely upon it for transportation,
but actual bankruptcy upon the hun
dreds of farmers who have invested
their all in lands adjacent to the
road. :
While actual service is not to be
discontinued until November Both, it
was reported to the meeting that in
structions had been issued for begin
ming the tearing up of sidings on Nov.
18th. In view of this, it was decided
to appoint committees from the sec
tons effected to take immediate ac>
ton to prevent actual work of tax
ing up the track until the case can be
heard by the railroad commission or
other authorities. President Gary ap.
pointed as Ocala's committeeman D.
E. McIver, T. /. Arnold, D. S. WEIGH,
w. D. earn and L. R. Trammeli. The
other committeeman named were
Walter Wilson of Fort Mccoy, r. NJ.
Chaffee of Burbank; E. Jenann of
Bay Lake. Those who will represent
Orange Springs, Palatka, Rodman
and Kenwood are to be named immed-
lately.
The following resolutions were
adopted with the request that they be
used by the committee as basis fol
their appeals to the authorities to
prevent withdrawal of service OF the
road.
Whereas, it is commonly known.
that the, Ocklawaha Valley railroad
will be discontinued and the rail taxi
en- up and sold on or about the. 30th
| day of this month, November and,
Whereas, said road has hitherto
been used mainly to sell lands ada
cent thereto, and many. purchasers
have been induced to buy and settle
on said lands who will be vitality af-
fected to their injury by the discon-
| tinuance of said road; and,
Whereas, it is fact that the said
Ocklawaha Valley railroad has re-
fused TO accept several hundred car
loads of business TO assist in the prof
it's of said road; therefore be it
Resolved, That we appeal to the
state railroad commission to prevent,
if possible, the discontinuance of said
road.
In several speeches it was intimat-
ed that the Georgia Southern & Flor
ida railroad might be interested in
proposition to take over this property
as an extension, and the committee
was instructed to also look into this
feature of their work toward secur-
| ing the continuation of the Ocklawa-
ha Valleys service.
The meeting was one of real en-
thusiasm and if hard work and earnest
effort prevails the Ocklawaha Valley
will continue to do business
THE RAILROADS SIDE