The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-09-30
CITIZEN WoTs NOT OF
WHAT HE SPEAKS

Editor Star: You seem TO have a
lot of sympathy for the owners of the
o. ". railroad and how they are being
abused. You evidently have forgotten
about the bond holders of this road
selling every acre of land they could
through the Florida Farms & Homes
Inc., at the rate of $50 per acre and
collecting every dollar of it before
they would give deed.
It's mighty nice of you to champion
such a cause, but just put yourself in
our shoes and see how it fits. Sup
pose you had every dollar you owned
in this world in farm or business
along this road and trying to make
living. raise family, developing and
trying to make Marion county one of
the best in the state. We think you
would be singing a different tune
mighty quickly.
It's true we haven't much of a
road, but what we have is much bet
J ter than none. We know service could
be arranged so as to be more conven-
lent, but even as it is we have just
about as good service as the people on
the Seaboard have and if we come to
Ocala, have longer to stay and get
home the same day than the people of
Sparr have. However, when the Sea
board stops trains so passengers have
to walk a block or two over rough
ground, you can raise lot of sand.
We would like for you to answer
these questions:
Is there no moral obligation of the
owners of this road to the people they
sold land to at high prices?
/ If this road is junked, how is the
state going to collect $4,000 per year
in taxes?
What means of transportation are
we to have in its place?
Should our land be assessed at the
same value without railroad?
Do you think Marion county will
develop faster without the road?
| We feel the receiver is doing his
t best to hold this road together and
pay all the debts. He hasn't asked
for taxes to be annulled. He offers to
guarantee that the road will pay the
taxes out of its own earnings and
only wants time He is not even ask
ing to saddle any extra Indebtedness
ON the road but rather the privilege of
] issuing certificates to pay the taxes
| to the state and let the same lien the
state now holds be carried by private
| individuals. This will allow the road
to operate for the service of the pub
lie as the courts said it should. We
feel it is your duty to encourage this
instead of discouraging in every man
ner you can In other words, where
4 is your heart-with the residents of
Marion county or with foreign cap
ital? A Citizen.
Dear Citizen: It is one Of the rules
of this paper to refuse to publish any
letter that has not the signature of
the writer We don't see, in the fore
going, why you should have withheld
your name. But as you haven't
abused anybody but US, and we don't
mind that and as you are one of the
sufferers, with whom. tho we don't
expect you to believe it, we sympa-
thize, we admit your letter. If you
are a brave man and believe in what
you say, don't sign nom de plume
hereafter.
The Star is familiar with all the
history of the Ocala Northern and
Oklawaha Valley railway. 1t was
first an honest little log road, and
then its builder, a broadminded and
honest man, tried to make it link ir
the state system. He failed because
OF the indifference and treachery Of
those who should have helped him. VIZ
, never have had any use for the mer
who engineered the Florida Farm anC
Home Company. If the paper haC
been as strong a dozen or more years
, ago as it is now we would have driven
, them off the face of the earth. Bu
if we had made a fight on that com
pany then we are not certain but tina
i YOU would have had about the sans
: feeling against US that you have now
We travelled a good deal along the O