The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-03
TRYING TO MAP
ROUTE TO TAMPA
Most People Seem to Prefer the Road
Along the SeabOard
(Tampa Times)

=
the interests of federal aid road be-
tween Tampa and Ocala, paralleling
the Seaboard railway through the
counties of Marion, Sumter, Pasco and
Hillsborough, was in the city today
securing the signatures of Tampa
business men to petitions to the state
road board asking that that body
designate this road as part of the
down state road from Jacksonville to
Tampa. This means that it would be
one of the first roads built and that
it would thereafter be maintained by
state and federal road departments.
In the party were the following:
Nathan Mayo. chairman, Summer
field; c. A. Lock, Dade City; Frank
Cotton, Dade City; DR.. j. c. Knight,
Plant City; Wayne Thomas, Plant
City; ]. NJ. Archibald, Center Hill; G.
d. Bridges, Wildwood; d. w. Swicord,
Coleman; c. B. Harrison, Bushnell;
W. w. Huckaby, Dade City; S. P.
Bower, Zephyrhills; A. NJ. Roland,
secretary, Bushnell. They were well
organized and the committee divided
Tampa into three districts working
other business houses for an endorse
ment of the route.
"How does Plant City feel about
this route" Wayne Thomas, editor of
the Plant City Courier, was asked.
I'VE are for it, absolutely" was his
reply.
Would Serve Good Section
"This route would take visitors to
the state through section that would
show them much of Florida's natural
resources" said Nathan Mayo, of
Summereld, spokesman for the party.
| "Not only that but it will serve a
larger proportion of our home people
than any other route that has been
proposed. This is of Importance, too,
for the home people will use it even
more than tourists. 1t will be of
more importance to Tampa than any
( of the other routes proposed for it
passes through more towns and will
serve more people.
"We are not opposing any other
route. Not at all. We want all the
roads we can get, but we believe this
road has claims to precedence that
should not be overlooked. We hope
to have the influence of Tampa In
pushing the road"
FhezdeIegation went before the
meeting Of the state road board at
lTarpon Springs recently and will at
tend the next meeting of the board at
Tallahassee, July 8. 1t is expected the
board will outline the route at that
time.
1t has been the intention of the
state road board to lay out several
main highways which shall be gener-
ally along the shortest and best lines
One will run from Jacksonville to
Pensacola. Another from Jackson
vile to Miami and third from Jack
sonville to Tampa.
4 Three Routes Discussed
! From Ocala south there are three
routes being discussed. One is the
route the gentlemen here today are
pushing, roughly paralleling the Sea-
board railway. Another runs from
Ocala to Dunnellon and down through
Inverness and Brooksville to Tarpor
Springs and Tampa. This is said tc
be 129 miles long, while the Seaboard
line is 109 miles. Another route would
run via Dunnellon to Brooksville and
then cut straight souGh for Tampa
All three have their advocates.
> Following is the mileage of the
. Seaboard route with the names OF
the towns reached and their distance
from Ocala:
Ocala, Santos, z; Belleview, IL;
Summerfeld, IA; Dallas, II; Oxford
, 10; Wildwood, %; Coleman, %; Sum.
, terville, 80; Bushnell, 80; st. Gather.
inc, AZ; Rerdell, AT; Lacoochee, 55;
Trilby, 56; Dade City, 63; Creerl, 68i
Zephyrhills, "; Crystal Springs, 49,
!, Knights, S5; Plant City, 80; Dover
94; Seffner, 50; Mango, 100; Tampa
1O9.
Following are the county chairmer
of the organization having the pro
position in hand: Marion county
Nathan Mayo, Summerfeld; Sumter
J. NJ. Archibald, Center Hill; Pasco
J. F. Stebbins, Zephyrhills; A. M
Roland, of Bushnell, is acting as sec
retary of the organization.
The petition which theyare asking
Tampa business men to sign is ad
dressed to the state road board and /!
as follows:
The Petition They Garry
J. eve, the undersigned, business
t firms, corporations, business men ant
citizens of Tampa, respectfully asl
: the state road department to grant ;
federal highway between Ocala ant
a Tampa paralleling the s. A l. rail
way to be designated as federal ali
highway and to be built with the he'll
: of federal aid funds; also to urge tn