The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-11-16
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
ERS HOLO SESSION
IN THIS CITY
To Consider the Decision Of the ock
Iawaha Valley Railroad to
Suspend Its Sercive

The railroad commissioners, includ-
ing Hons r. Hudson Burr, Royal G.
Dunn and n. A. Bitch, and their at
torney, Hon. d. c. McMullen, met in
Ocala Wednesday afternoon at two
O'Clock at the court house to hear the
evidence in the matter of the Ockla-
waha Valley railroad, which had is
sued notice that it would suspend its
service on November Goth.
The people living along the route of
this road, to whom its going out of
business will entail a very great loss,
issued vigorous protest against the
railroads suspending operations, and
it was to hear their complaints and
the railroads side of the story that
the commission met here
Mr. William Hooker, attorney for
the railroad. was the first speaker,
and began by telling how the road
was first started by E. p. Rentz as a
log road, the various vicissitudes it
has undergone until taken over by the
present representatives in the inter-
est of the bondholders of the road.
How Mr. Davis of New York, who is
now at the head of the road, came to
Ocala few weeks ago and stated
that there was no more money to
keep the road in operation; that they
could raise no more, and the railroad
would have to cease operating, and
that as far as the officials here know,
is where the matter now stands.
Mr.. s. p Hollinrake, the general
superintendent and vice president of
the road, was then sworn in and put
upon the witness stand. For an hour
or longer he was cross-examined, and
many questions asked him by the
commissioners, by Mr.. s. j. Hilburn
of Palatka, representing the citizens
of Palatka, and other places along
the o. v. r. r. line. The question of
rates. the amount of business done by
the road, the value of the rails and
rolling stock. the equipment and main
tenance of the road, the salaries paid
to officials and every detail was gone
into minutely butin our short space it
would be impossible for us to give a
detained account of all the questions
asked and answered. Mr.. Hollinrake
was asked If it were true that his road
had refused business. This, he said,
to the best of his knowledge was not
true. To the question as to whether
the head of the road had entertained
a proposition to take up the rails and
sell them as well as the rolling stock,
etc, on account of the high price now
being paid for these commodities, he
said that he was unable to s.cte.
Mr.. J. " Tarver, the roads auditor,
was next put on the stand. His tes-
timony was principally as to the fig
ures connected with the running of
the road.
A great many men we're present at
this meeting from points all along the
line of the o. v. R. R., and testified
that the suspension of this road means
absolute ruin and desolation to them.
Several firms showed that they are
under contract to do celtain road
work and other business enterprises,
and will have to go to wall if this
road suspends operations, and they
hoped that the railroad commissions
ers would see that their interests are
protected.
Mr.. Hollinrake in his testimony said
that he knew that it was going to
work great harships on many people
but that the road is operating at a
very great loss (the deficit this year
already being s1S,00O), and that it
will be impossible for them to contin-
ue running on such baiss. He also
in his testimony stated that two of
the sawmills along the road had NOV
ed away. as well as many of the set
tiers, and that the prospects for next
years deficit are even greater than
that of this year.
The commissioners heard all the
evidence patiently and at length, and
have taken the matter under advise
ment, and will render their decision
in the matter at the earliest possible