Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-09-13
MARION SHERIFF
ORDERED TO TAKE
OVER OCKLAWAHA
Attorney General Alleg-
es Illegal Interference
By Some One
TRAINS OUT IN WOODS
Section of Roadway Is to
Be Added to Sherif's
Seizures

Charging su7fwarranted and ille-
gal interference, and attempts to in
terfere with efforts being made by
the state to collect the taxes due to
it from the Ocklawaha Valley Rail
road Co.," Sheriff S. c. M. Thomas,
of Marion county, was yesterday in
structed to Immediately take steps
to see that all property recently lev
led on, and which "has been unlaw-
fully moved off the track of said
railroad near the end thereof at Sill
yer Springs, and set off some dis
tance in the woods on insecurely laid
rails entirely disconnected from the
track, and upon land not belonging
to said railroad company" require
that the properly be replaced on the
track from which it was removed.
The liter of the Attorney General,
by his assistant, Judge ]. B. Gaines,
followed a personal investigation of
reported action on the part Of oper-
atives of the road in sidetracking all
of the rolling stock belonging to the
railroad. Sheriff Thomas, however,
stated that he had given permission
that the rolling stock should be NOV
ed temporarily until certain cars be-
longing to the Rodman Lumber Co.,
or to Receiver H. S. Cummings,
could be switched on to the main
line and transported to their desti-
nation. The sheriff, however, did not
authorize, he said, the parking of
the train out in the woods where it
would be endangered by fire and
theft of portions of the equipment.
Orders Further Levies
By virtue of his authority as plain
tiff against the Ocklawaha Valley
Railway the Attorney General is en-
powered to direct just what levies
shall be made by the Sheriff and it
was in accordance with this authori-
ty that Sheriff was instructed to
make additional levies to insure
sufficient amount of property for sale
to satisfy the tax levies. In the let
ter the Attorney General directed to
the sheriff yesterday he specified
that eff you have not already levied
upon any property of said railroad
company other than said rolling stock
you will Immediately levy said war
rant upon the shop and fixtures of
said railroad company, if any there
be and upon the entire Ocklawaha
Valley Railroad, or so much thereof
as may be in your judgment be suf-
ticient to satisfy the said warrant"
"You will take possession of the
property levied upon," the letter con-
tinues, "and not permit the occupan-
cy or use of it, or of any part there
of, by any person." Further, the
letters say: "The law requires that
you keep the property levied upon in
your custody, and does not authorize
you to permit its use by any one."
The sheriff is further advised that
it is desirA that prompt and imme-
diate action be taken to collect all
taxes due in accordance with the
courts decree and the comptroller's
order.
Immediately following receipt of
the letter from the Attorney General
Sheriff Thomas wired Receiver H. S.
Cummings at Rodman, a ollows:
"By direction Attornet General, l
have already levied on al, rail, road
bed, spurs, side tracks, switches and
ties, buildings, depots, section and
tool houses of the 0cklawaha Valley
Railroad. from a point on the Ma
rion county line at Orange Creek to
the end of the track at Silver Springs.
No trains or cars can be operated
Continued on page 81