The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-02-09
SHOUTED TOO SOON


days ago, the Star printed letter
from the state railroad commission,
saying it had received letter from
Superintendent Burns of this division
of the Seaboard. saying he had given
instructions to the trainmen not to
stop southbound passenger trains at
the union station across the Atlantic
Coast Line tracks, which has been caus-
ing great disadvantage to the passen-
gers who desired to leave the train at
this point.
Burns must have been written Feb.
2, and it said the instructions HAD
been issued. Nevertheless the trains
continued to stop at the same old
place, so the city marshal and other
reliable parties informed US. and
twice we went our own self to see if
Mr. Burns instructions had been car
ried out They hadn't.
Tuesday afternoon, the southbound
local pulled clear over the crossing
before it stopped, and we sincerely
hoped the trouble was over. We gave
the men on that train credit for their
compliance with the public wish.
At the same time, we did not lose
sight of the fact that one swallow
doesn't make summer drink and
that one stop doesn't make schedule.
So when the southbound limited pulled
i'm Tuesday afternoon we were there
to welcome it. And it stopped as
usual, astraddle the Coast Line track,
and some eight or ten passengers for
Ocala, mostly women, had to jump
down on the cinder-path, and scramble
over the track to the platform. Up
front, there was not enough baggage
to unload to keep the men busy half a
minute.
We went to the station early this
morning to see how the trains were
coming in. We were not there in time
to see the new train from Jacksonville
to st. Petersburg, but it is made up
mostly of Pullmans and does no local
business The southbound local at
2:10 stopped with the rear car Ga
Pullman) across the Coast Line track,
hut with the front exit of the car far
enough forward for passengers to
step off ON the depot platform, The
men at the station say this is that
trains regular position. but we can
remember getting off it right under
the water tank, and we didn't ride in
the Pullman either This train car
ries freight, so the engineer is DEEPEN
dent on the flagman to tell where to
stop.
We don't know where the trains are
going to. stop today, but we are going
to keep watch and the railroad COM
mission and Mr.. Burns will be kept
posted as to whether the latter's
orders are being carried out or not.
This business of stopping the trains
right where passengers have to make
their way over rough, dirty path
to the depot platform is doing Ocala
much harm. The limited has been a
favorite train for Ocalans between
their town, Tampa and Jacksonville,
but it will lose much of its prestige if
the present snrly policy of its train
men continues.
We find that we have been a little
too laudatory of the Coast Line, as
all its southbound trains except No.
stop across the Seaboard tracks.
The Coast Line, however, has this ex-
cuse, and that is that the station is
at the bottom of steep grade. and if
their trains pulled clear over the Sea-
board track they would hardly be able
to get up the hill. Very few people
get off the night southbound Coast
Line train at Ocala, and those mostly
from the passenger coaches, which are
alongside the platform. The chair car
on the day train stops just north of
the Seaboard track, but the Coast Line
has a good path for them to walk on