The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-06-11
THE ROUTE OF THE DIXIE HIGH
WAY


To the Editor Banner:
A little while ago the Ocala Even
ing Star very kindly gave space to an
inquiry of mine relative to the def
mite location Of the line of route of
the Dixie Highway through Ocala,
and as some of our citizens have since
said to me that / had Started some
thing" and it was matter to be now
considered.
Every citizen is interested in the
matter and ! know of no one better
qualified or more willing to assist in
this matter than yourself. For gener-
ations you have opened wide the col
umns of your paper, freely and liberal
ly, for every matter that had for its
object the advancement of the inter
ests of the people of the state and
more particularly of Ocala. Let US
invoke that same interest in this mat
ter.
| did not undertake to suggest
route. ! did undertake to point out
the impractability of the permanent
location of the line, or route as now
indicated by street markers, or guide
posts.
Col Rogers and Mr.. Packham, as
all good citizens should do, in an eff
fort to do something that would as.
sist in selecting the best route, have
made suggestions. In my opinion
they are both in part correct and in
part wrong. / think Col. Rogers is
wrong in having the route leave South
Magnolia at eighth street and pass in
front of the school house. Mr.. Pack
ham has pointed out sufficient rea-
sons as to that to which, however,
others may be added. Oa the other
hand, Mr.. Packham is wrong in
having it come up Herbert street
and then cross Fort King and
continue as now suggested, fer
you will note that Herbert street
is short street connecting Ft King
and Ocklawaha, running north and
south and intersecting those two
streets at right angles, but do not
continue, except by means Of set Off
Going north it enters Ocklawaha some
distance from what may be consider
ed as continuation, to wit, Anthony
road, it may be rs feet, Or more, and
going South it enters Fl. King some
20 or more feet from the
street continuing south, striking both
at right angles, with houses and other
distractions. In fact coming up Her
bert street to Ft. King it takes a
pretty good driver to make the double
curve with a long automobile. Sew
eral collisions have occnrel there
already for the reason that parties
coming up Herbert st. could not see
any Of the other streets, and then
have to make two other short turns
before reaching the Lake Weir road
Going north houses are on both sides
of the street close up to Ft. King
and one cannot see automobiles com
ing from either way on Ft. King.
This much of Mr.. Packham's line is
manifestly not the best.
1t is all well enough to have the
route pass through the city so as to
show the city to the best advantage
but too much emphasis must not be
placed on showing the town, and some
Of the nice houses.
On the same reasoning we might
say let the large sight seeing Pull
mans, with their observation cars,
run around the nice residences and
BUSINESS houses, or why not take in
Silver Springs, ! believe the corpor-
ate limits reach it, or about it, for in
it we have one Of the most wonder
ful sight seeing places in the world
and could be made big asset to
Ocala, and if advertised many thou
sands Of people would come on the
Dixie Highway just to see it.
It might not be SO bad aftetr all.
for you could turn south on the old
Base Line" and come in at Gambler,
or Ocklawaha and not lose more than
one or two miles. This is beside the
question, for we are not concerned
now, except in the corporate limits
of Ocala.
My suggestion is to continue south
on Magnolia street to a point west
at some point on Lake Weir road, say
west OF Mr.. Lewis Lang's place. or at
point little further south on the
Lake Weir road.
Mr.. Harris, the people want inifor-
nation, want suggestions in the in
terest of the public in order to get
the best loaction and not wait until
it is too late, and you have always
been found in this line on all public
matters and your assistance would
be. valuable.
/ cannot conceive that any one can
have any special personal interest in
the matter, so let US as citizens try
and do that which is for the best.
Yours very truly,
W. S. BULLOCK
P. S. Excuse me, l really had for
gotten it, as all have. / did notice in
your issue Of the fourth inst, a con
M nicataion from some one who must
have been ashamed to have signed his
name, and when we read the article
you cannot blame him, which article
ls signed "One Who Wants Ocala to
Grow With no Outside Heir
NV. what a name He is in a class