The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-22
RECKONING UP
OUR RESOURCES
0cala and Marion County, in Case of
a Railroad Strike. Would be
WelI-Night Independent

80 NeS@A AANAS 1~SA AA4A lug AOA Tic
last two days regarding the resources
of Marion county in case of a railroad
strike. and has come to the conclusion
that, while our people may be much
iacOnvenienced, and some of them suf-
fer, from a strike, they can't be starv-
ed out-in fact, this is one among the
communities that could survive to
start new civilization in which
there would be no railroads.
The first item on the list of our
necessities is food. In this, the peo-
pie out in the county are entirely in
dependent. They have enough to
live on until there is another crop.
The staple crops. now being gathered,
are fairly good. Vegetables are be-
ing raised all the time. There is
plenty of meat. Of course, the coun-
try people don't have to worry about
fuel, light and water. They have
plenty of these right at hand.
The town of 0cala, of course, is not
so well off, but with what it has, and
what the country people can spare it,
its people are in far better condition
than those not only of the big cities
up north but towns of its own size in
Florida and other sections below the
freezing line. At present, Ocala's
wholesale and retail stores are well
stocked. 1t is impossible to make an
itemized estimate. Flour probable is
tire staple best to estimate by. Bax-
ter earn, manager of the Farmers
Exchange Store. says he has enough
flour to last five or six weeks. The
Lewis-Chitty Company says it has
enough for a week. The senior part
ner of the Moses Brothers says his
firm has about 100000 worth of
goods on hand, enough for three
months. We have not had time to in
terview other merchants, but the re-
tail stores have several days sup
plies on hand, except of course in
perishables. There are lots of goods
not much in demand that stand or
the shelves some times for weeks, but
in an emergency they would make
good chewing.
Carter's Bakery has enough floul
for five or six weeks. The Federal
Bakery enough for two weeks. The
other bakers we have not seen, but
suppose they have a fair stock OF
hand.
These estimates are based on the
ordinary, everyday business of th'
firms referred to.
If flour gives out, there is corn il
the country and gristmills to grind i
at various points in the county.
The milk supply is not dependen
on the railroads and would probabl.
not decrease. Butter would probabl.
soon run out. If the proposed cream
cry was running, it would fill gap
but it isn't.
: The country people, as usual, hav
meat, vegetables, chickens, eggs, etc
TO sell.
q The members of every railroa
Union in the United States win b
: taking up the holes in their belts be
fore the people of Oeala feel pinch.
In public utilities, we seem to b
well off. Ice next to food is indisper
sable. Taylor Bros. say they are nc
} dependent on the railroads. They ca
: raanufaeture ice much longer tina
u any strike can last.
y Taylor Bros. also have 400-hors'
: power battery of engines, using woo
n for fuel. In case the city plant rur
, out Of oil, they can hitch these eI
5 gines to the wires and keep the tow
supplied with current. The ocal
e Steam Laundry also has wood-burnin
; furnaces under its engines. 1t has
Z hundred horsepower, and could he
out the city plant.
le Manager Wilkes of the gas plaI
"a says he can supply his patrons for |
le least sixty days in spite of any strik
AS for home transportation, pr
Ionged railroad strike would inevita
- " bring US to horse and mule draw
vehicles and Shanks' mare. Mu
!. store has been set on the auto, b
"a autos can't run without gasoline al
az gasoline won't last long after trai
stop running. The Standard Oil. '
are told, has about two weeks supp
and the Gulf Company about {
same. The Texas Company viii ha
less than a weeks supply. All Il
should be kept for milk carts, trucl
:, physicians cars and other absolu
50 needs, but It won't be. The chief tro
ne bic would result from delay Of far
A ers who now have cars coming
70 town with produce, but they woV
make the trip with horses and wagc
in time. To that portion Of our pc
ulation which uses a car every til
It has to move over hundred var
the change might be beneficial
la There would be an ice cream a
tn soda water famine, which would 81
a lot of OcaIa stomachs a rest. If
town was out of coca-cola 10
L.