Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-10-11
PITY THE SMALL FRY.

PITY THE SMALL FRY.
If all the railroads in the United
States that are not earning dividends
for the stockholders were ordered
dismantled by the courts, may we be
permitted to humbly ask: "How ma
ny would be left?"
May we not say in the language of
the famous Indian chieftain, who
asked after all his kith and kindred
had been slain: "Who is left to
mourn for Logan?" and answered
his custom by replying: "Not one!"
May we be permitted to ask still
one other question:
If the United States government
can loan to our big, supposedly veal
thy interstate railway systems mil
lions of dollars amounting to bill
ion or more, in order to put them on
their feet, why can not the state gov
eminent of Florida at least remit for
a season the state taxes due from the
little Ocklawaha Valley railroad until
it can-like the bigger systems-get
upon it's feet, especially as it is MAX
ing such heroic efforts in that direc-
ton?
For the state not to do so seems
suicidal.
The state government would not
be injured thereby; on the contrary,
in the no distant future, it would be
greatly benefited, and to lend its aid
to keep this road operating would be
almost a priceless boon to the many
good citizens living along its rotei
and in the end the state and county
governments, and the bondholders as
well, would reap a rich reward.
If the road is ordered dismantled
be retarded for years; the state ane
county will be deprived of tax rev.
enue that will annually grow larger
If the road is ordered dismantleC
and the present state and county
taxes are liquidated; the court ex.
penses, attorneys fees, cost of levy.
ing, advertising, sheriffs and other
fees are paid, it may safely be said
that what is left for the bondholders
will be but mere pittance, for the
attorney for the bondholders laughed
to scorn the statement of one of the
witnesses that the road bed and roll,
ing stock were in fair condition.
The bondholders claim is that the
road bed, rolling stock, etc, are bad.
ly run down, so if the road is sold it
will merely bring the price of scrap
iron.
In our opinion the bondholders in
bringing a suit for the roads dis
mantlement are committing a form
of hari kari that is absolutely as
founding.
When the S. S. o. & G. railroad
was built it started at Silver Springs
and terminated at Homosassa.
There was scarcely if any traffic
or travel between the two places and
the territory through which the road
traversed was extremely sparsely in
habited and the patronage the road
received for a time in either traffic
or travel was extremely meager, but
in the course of years it got to be one
of the best paying railroads in Flor
ida and paid the stockholders the
most gratifying dividends.
Read the testimony of Mr.. Lee Mil
Ter before the court in which the suit
for the roads dismantlement is
brought and one can see that it is
but an index finger pointing to what
benefits the road will reap as the
years come and go.
Mr.. Miller stated that a wealthy
Missouri firm had but recently pur-
chased twenty-five thousand acres
on the line of the Ocklawaha Valley
railroad, and had discovered super
Tor material for the manufacture Of
brick and tile and were on the wee
of erecting a large plant for the
manufacture of brick and tile in ex-
tensive quantities that would not on
Iy give handsome patronage to the
road but would lead to the estblish-
ment of yet other industries.
Mr.. Grant H. Mothland, connected
with the firm of Barrett Brothers,
the wealthy Missouri corporation,
corroborated Mr.. Miller's statements.
Mr.. Rast, Mr.. Wimberly, and 9TH
ers living along the line of the road.
testify as to the exceptional quality
of the lands and the spirit of the peo-
pie for enlarging their operations in
any number of undertakings if they
can be assured that the road is per-