The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-01-24
SAVING MONEY FOR THE CITY

As we have previously proclaimed
in general terms that John Martin
was doing good work for the city, and
putting matters in shape to not only
improve the town but save it money,
we will now point to some Of the
things he is doing, and which any
one can confirm in thirty minutes ride
by auto.
To begin with, the city owns a
rock crusher, which for some years
has had an useless and unornamental
place right where a number of the
women are trying to establish pub
lie park. About two miles and a half
from the rock crusher as a bird can
fly, and much further as any vehicle
but an airplane can progress, the city
owns a piece of land containing a
large deposit of lime rock. Apart
they were of little value to the town;
together they are invaluable. They
are together now. Various offers to
bring them into immediate juxtaposi-
ton for a considerations consider
able consideration-were made. Then
came along John Martin and, with the
city's own men and machinery and
comparatively little expense, moved
the crusher over to the rock. We can
see how quickly he would have set
tied the dispute between Mahomet
and the mountain thirteen centuries
ago.
The lime deposit was in the middle
of field, and the field had a gate
and every time truck goes after
rock it has to stop at the gate and
the driver has to climb down and open
the gate, then climb up and drive his
truck thru, and stop and climb down
and shut the gate, and then climb UP
and start again. Coming out, the
same excess work had to be done. Go.
ing thru that gate twice took enough
time and almost enough gas to drive
mile. Mr.. Martin figured on it 4
few minutes, and now he is building
q lane from the road to the crusher
so trucks will not have to stop at tn,
gate, because the gate won't be there
There will be enough time and gaso
line saved there this year to pay fol
the lane fence ten times over.
A century ago there was limpiC
spring at the bottom of the hill in tn,
southern part of the city. From i
IAN little stream, winding through
grass and trees to pretty lake a
the bottom of another hill few bow
shots away. There was an Indian vii
lage near, and the Indians kept tn
spring and the stream clean. TIL
white man came, chased the red maj
away, built town and in time chang
ed the spring into a mudhole and tn
brook into sewer. After awhile, tn
white man needed clean, soft water i
his business, so he cleaned out tn
spring, but its water did not go man
yards before it was defiled with tn
| filth of the town. So it has been thirt
or forty years, perhaps longer, an
how many people have died of feve
disseminated by that rotten ditc
only the recording angel knows.
The city government ordered til
to construct scientific sewer, but tn
tile has lain idle month after mont
because the ditch couldn't be shape
to lay it. Martins men have bee
digging vigorously there the past tw
weeks, and it begins to look like ths
menace to the health of the whole cit
will be abolished before the sun {
another summer can turn the slim
irito poisonous steam.
These be two big works that job
Martin is pushing-the smaller on,
are two numerous to name.
In few days, as soon as the eli
plant can give him power to drive Il
dynamo for the rockcrusher, he w
> pave the northern outlet to Ma
street and then the autoists can lot
the loop from up town to the unit
station and return.
He hasn't forgotten the your
folks, either, as you can see by goir
and looking at how well he is pawn
the basketball field and tennis cou
at the high school.
Ocala appreciates men who
things, instead of eternally discussil
them