Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-09-15
BEING LED INTO THE
WILDERNESS.

We had placed great hope in the
"ship by water" conference held at
Orlando Tuesday night. Palatkans
interested in this great problem of
traffic thought that something con-
crete for the establishment and MAIN
tenance of a water transportation
system from interior Florida to tide
water would be proposed. But ac-
cording to reports there was but
reiteration of an understanding that
has existed for many years that util-
ization of the St. Johns river for CEN
trail Florida will go far way today
in the solution of traffic problems, a
citation of the millions lost through
failure. to utilize the river, a very
substantial enshrinement of Sanford
as port" and prevailing motion
that steps be taken to encourage fruit
and truck growers to ship by water.
To this end another meeting will be
held two weeks hence when plans for
getting the message to the growers
will be submitted.
In the meantime Sanford is busy
printing banners with Ship By Wa
ter" on them, and just beneath this
slogan is "By Way of Sanford"
But if Sanford wants to do prac-
teal thing, and if Orlando statisti-
clans who loaded the atmosphere
with figures Tuesday night will first
insure retention of the present riv-
er rates, or even of lower rates,
they will have accomplished great
deal. Conspicuous along the side
lines were officials of the Clyde line.
They must have rubbed their hands
in glee as they watched all live wires
rushing in as commercial soliciting
agents for their line while there re-
poses at Tallahassee Clyde Line
petition to the railroad commission
for permission to increase rates on
the river between Sanford and Jack
sonville that will practically place
S Ssnfsoraas's tr xa fail haul. And then,
when the water rate is up, the rails,
It is reasonable to suppose, will go
up again. In fact this is already
proposed, for Sanford can find in the
last proposed increases that her rail
rates were advanced about five to
ten times as much as were Gaines
villes and some of the other interior
points.
Doesn't Sanford and Orlando know
that the "interlocking directorates"
between railroads and steamer lines
control the Clyde Line, and that when
they begin prying up the rates so
that there will be no such thing as
competing water rates nothing will
stop them but the establishment and
operation of independent boat lines
from interior points to tidewater?
Didn't they see the Clyde line officials
broaden their smiles as the clamor
for ship by water grow into din?
Until there is a transportation line
on the st. Johns river,
which is not controlled by the rail-
roads, and which is operated at
reasonable profit the benefits of a
t'ship by water" movement can only !
be enjoyed at the pleasure of the
controlling "interlocking directorates.'
Palatka has an Independent boat line
between this point and Jacksonville. I
Several mishaps and bad manage
ment, at times, have not made it 4
fattering financial proposition, but F..
with a union of shipping forces to
Eeep it busy, and with determined
effort on the part of shippers to util
ize its services it can be extended
until it will serve-all of the territory
now suffering from prohibitive trans
portation charges.