The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-04-12
PUTTING MR.. COLLIER
WISE TO THE PAST
Ocala, April 10th. 1920.

Ocala, April 10Th, l92O.
Editor Star: May I be permitted
to state a few facts as I see them
with reference to controversy between
A. c. L. r. r. company and city of
Ocala.
For the past few years public SEN
timent has been led to believe that the
A. C. L. r. r. Co. was trying to steal
part of our city property, block our"
main streets and ruin our city.
Whereas had our council some years
ago given the A. C. L. fair deal by
allowing it to block few streets that
are seldom used, we would have an
up-to-date freight depot, also the A.
c. L. shops, which are now located at
High Springs.
Have we ever stopped to think what
this pay roll would have meant to our
city? Then again, the families that
would have had to live here.
The city council turned down this
proposition mainly because public
sentiment was against blocking few
streets south of town, when these
streets are the most seldom used of
any in the city, with the exception of
the crossing at Third street. People
coming into town from either section
south rarely if ever use these streets.
AS stated in your paper, both the
A. C. L. and the S. A. L. have given
Ocala the cold shoulder, so to speak,
as our crossings are in disgraceful
condition, and practically wreck a car
or truck every time one has to run
across them. At the same time be-
lieve that the A. G. L. and S. A. L.
will treat us right if these matters are
brought before them in the proper
manner.
AS a transfer and storage man /
have had considerable dealings with
&. the different railroads entering our
city and must say that have received
fair treatment upon all occasions.
We want all the railroad facilities
we can get and l would like to see the
city council. the board of trade
and officials of the railroads get
together and do all possible for
the upbuilding of our city, and know
from personal experience that we will
get these necessary improvements if
we try hard enough, in the right direc-
ton.
Yours for the best interests of
Ocala and Marion county,
Eric J. Collier.
MIR. Collier means well. but we are
afraid that his letter will make any
well-posted citizen, who has been in
Ocala twenty years. laugh.
There is at present not any contro-
versy that we know of between the
city and the Coast Line. The blowout
over the present additional track on
OSceola is owing to the carelessness
of the council. The railroad was ask
ed to put switch in at a certain
place and is not to blame if it was
willing to comply-that is, it if it was
not aware there was opposition. And
it was not aware there was any OPP
position until the Star began airing
the matter.
There would have been opposition
months ago if the people had been
aware of the proposed switch. They
were not and the Star was not. At a
meeting in September Mr.. Sam Chris
ton appeared before the council and
made the following request:
Ocala, September Is, 1919.
To the Honorable City Council:
Gentlemen: We beg to ask that you
in your meeting of this date grant the
Pillans & Smith Grocery Co. per-
NIT to build it's warehouse on lots two
and three of west half of block 70,
Old Survey, Ocala, Fla, and to cross
from Osceola street with railroad sid