The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-09-23
E-UP OF THE OCKL4-
WAHA VALLEY 2 2


same can readily be found The sec
ono proposition was to allow the re-
celVer to pay the taxes out of the
earnings Of the road at the rate of at
ieasL SlV00 per month until the total
IS paid. So far there is no notice
that we are familiar with of the at
toIney general or the state comptrol-
Ter approving either of these plans. Is
is to the interest of the state to see
TINS road cease to exist? Will it ben
eilt the people of the state for it to
stop and be torn up? Where will the
SoooV revenue per year continue to
come from if the road ceases to ex-
list?
Our government recognizes our
railroads as the very arteries through
which course the life blood of our
economic welfare to the extent that
the public must be considered first of
all. Can Marion county develop as
rapidly without this road? Would it
be justice to the people who have
bought land along the line and built
'2c-e.es and are being served by this
read to allow it to be taken away
from them?.
The people along the line have re-
monstrased against the stopping of
service. kilograms were sent to the
state comptroller Monday, appealing
to him for relief, from the commune
ties of Burbank, Fort Mccoy, Orange
Springs mad Kenwood. Tuesday the
Real Estate Exchange of Marion coun-
ty moved to draft resolutions and
send them. to proper officials, appeal
ing to them for the opening and keep
ing cpen to traffic this road so long
as possible. Action on the part of
other bodies is necessary to stop this
attempt TO allow the Ocklawaha Val
leg Railroad to go to sale for taxes. If
the voice of the people is expressed
the taxes will be paid mad the road
will be retained to help in the develop
ment Of Marion county.
A PATRON.
***
Tallahassee, Fla, Sept. p, 1921.
Hon. Franz Harris, Editor The Ocala
Banner. Ocala. Fla:
MY Dear Mr.. Harris II am in re-
ceipt of your letter of September 20,
and wish to express to you my sin
cere appreciation of your letter.
fear that there is misapprehen-
sion upon your part and upon the part
of a number of the good citizens of
Marion county as to the attitude of
the comptroller and the attorney gen.
eral in regard to the Ocklawaha Val
lev Railroad; and, therefore, ! shall
explain the entire matter to you. as
am sure that you will then see that
both Mr.. Amos and myself have done
all that we could do with due regard
to our official duties.
For more than three years last past
the Ocklawaha Valley Railroad has
not paid any tax to the state or coun-
ty. while the ordinary citizen OF the
state has either been required to pay
his taxes annually, or else have his
property sold for delinquent taxes.
Early in the present year Hon. Err
nest Amos transmitted to me certifi-
Gates covering the years 1917, 1918,
1919 and 1920, for delinquent taxes
held by the state against this railroad
and reauested that | proceed to col
lect the tax, and he also stated that
he had made several efforts to pro-
cure action through the attorney gen
erals office to collect this delin-
quent tax, but no action had been ta-
ken.
I referred the matter to my assist
ant. Judge j. b. Gaines. with direc-
tions that he proceed to collect the
tax. On the 18th day of July, 1921
Judge Gaines procured an order all
lowing the comptroller to intervene in
the suit then pending in the circuit
court of the fifth judicial circuit OF
Florida, in and for Marion county,
wherein William s. Hood, as trustee,
was complainant, and Ocklawa1a Val
lev Railroad, corporation, was de-
fendant, and fled petition praying
for an order commanding the receiver
to pay the taxes aggregating ST.
343.6S. or in the event the receiver
did not have the funds with which to
pav said tax, that an order be made
requiring him to sell all. or so much
of the property OF said railroad com
pany as should be necessary to pay
said tax. To this petition the trustee
and the Oclzlawaha Valley Railroad
filed a joint answer in which they at
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