The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-06-21
ORGANIZED MOVE
FOR new ROAD
of One Member from Each
County Interested Will Work in
Behalf of Proposed Highway

AS q result OF a meeting nelQ ldSL
night in the Board of Trade room, at
which was present large delegation
from Sumter county, more organiZ-
ed effort will be made in behalf of the
proposed highway from Ocala to
Tampa along the tracks of the Sea-
| board Air Line. A committee of one
member from each county interested
will be appointed to direct the effort,
to gather all possible data showing
the Importance of the proposed route,
and, if possible, to get members of
the state highway commission to go
over the route along the Seaboard,
and the proposed route from Brooks
vile to Tampa, on a trip to be made
by the committee. The plans are for
the committee. having gotten togeth-
er all the data it can, and reinforced
by a large delegation from each of
the counties interested, to go before
the state highway commission in Tai
lahasee on July Sth.
1t is. clearly understood that the
proposed highway parallel to the Sea-
board will be in addition to the Dixie
highway and to road No. 5, down the
west coast. Those interested in the
route along the Seaboard point out,
however, that the state should nos
spend federal aid and state funds on
q road straight south from Brooks
vile to Tampa, because such road
would run through a stretch of coun-
try that is practically uninhabited
and unimproved. 1t is pointed out
that the proper routing for the west
coast road would be from Brooksville
to Aripeka and thence south along
the coast. The position is taken that
the roads should be routed so as to
serve the greatest number of people.
An early construction of the Seaboard
route will be asked for on these
grounds.
1t was stated last night that the
Tampa board of trade and others In
that city favored the route straight
| south from Brooksville. Those In
favor of the Seaboard route say that
Tampa, and especially that city's
merchants, should favor this route,
also, because of the greater volume
of trade.
i 1t was stated that the people of
Pasco county would not vote to spend
money on the proposed road through
the center of their county, because of
the fact that the center of the county
is undeveloped.
The expenses of the committee to
direct the efforts in behalf of the Sea-
board route are to be paid out Of
funds to be raised in the several coun-
tiles. 1t was decided last night "that
each county interested in a road lead
ing south from Gainesville, following
the Dixie highway to Ocala, and from
Ocala south, paralleling the Seaboard
Air Line railroad to Plant City and
thence to Tampa, appoint one men,
Der of a committee whose duties it
shall be to gather information and
u solicit funds from the several coun-
ties, to bear the necessary expense of
promulgating and bringing to a reali-
zation the building of said highway,
and having the same designated as a
national highway; tho expenses of
said committee to be paid by the sew
, eral counties" 1t was decided also
"that the committee be empowered to
organize with a chairman, and that it
have a secretary, which it shall en-
ploy if necessary, and that it shall
have full authority to take such
measures as it shall deem necessary
to carry on the work already outlined
} and that its secretary shall keep such
Organization in its county advised of
developments being made"
!, At the close of last nights meet
1f
8 field, was elected to represent Marion
: county on the committee, and the
} Sumter county representatives chose
4 Mr.. J. NJ. Archibald of Center Hill
4 The other counties are being asked
to name their committeeman at once
ard a meeting of the committee will
{ take place in the courthouse at Bush
nell, on Tuesday, June "a, at 3 p. m.
federal time. There is very little time
r between now and July 8, and the com.
:. mittee must work fast.
Early in the meeting last night, Mr.
Nathan Mayo stated that the people
y OF Summerfeld would not make any
: effort to have the Dixie highway di
. verted through Summerfeld. He saiC
that it had been very generally re
d ported that Summerfeld was making
e an effort to have the Dixie highwa.
routed through that place, instead O
around the north and east side O
}. Lake Weir.
s Speeches in favor of the proposes
y Seaboard route were made by Nh
}. Nathan Mayo, Summerfeld; Mr.. A
Nj Roland, Bushnell; Mr.. ]. T. McCol
lum, Bushnell; Mr.. E. S. Vining, Wild
o wood; Rev. ]. w. Taylor, wildwood
t, Mr.. j. NJ. Thomas. Qcala. Others join
/. ed in the discussion.
The follovuipo, r.,a,a v,-o-o-A e.