Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-09-22
OCALA STAR RELENTS.

OCALA STAR RELENTS.
We note with a goed deal of salts
faction that the Ocala Star is dis
posed to see both sides of the con-
troversy as to the final disposition
of the Ock1awaha Valley railroad
and favors, to an extent, an arrange
ment whereby the road will be per-
mitted to negotiate its obligations to
the state satisfactorily and at the
same time continue to operate, not
only for the accommodation of any
manufacturing enterprises that might
be on the line but for the large num-
Der of families on it that are de-
pendent on it for their daily supplies.
In an editorial in its Tuesday issue
the Star, with characteristic frank
ness, makes the following statement:
"A delegation of the people living
along the line of the Oklawaha Valley
were visitors to the Star Monday aft
ernoon. They were little bit wrathy,
and wanted the Star to retract its re-
marks about "junking" the road. We
are not very good at retracting
less we find we are in the wrong
but we told these good friends that
they could have space in the Star for
their own side of the story, and we
expect them to send it in, in a short
time, and it shall have due considera-
tion.
"ln talking to them we were i'm
pressed with the fact that they are
up against it, and stopping the trains
is great hardship. The road has
been running to Palatka ten years,
and to Burbank, Fort Mccoy and Or
ange Springs longer time. So the
people have come to depend on it
great deal for the shipping of their
produce, logs and ties, which if the
road is suspended will compel them
to haul good many miles further.
'That the road has run down, and
become little more than a connection
between two big systems is the fault
Of the people of Ocala and Palatka,
who didn't give the little road the sup
port it needed. The proper help then
would have made the Ocala Northern |
a strong local road with water con-
nection at Palatka that would have
saved Ocala its worth in freight rates |
every year, But the little road wasn't
supported, so it soon dwindled to Il
convenience for people who wanted to |
shorten by a few hours the trip be-
tween the East Coast and Seaboard |
"a: ways. 1t finally ran down to the
point where it couldn't pay expenses. |
Its managers notified those concerned |
that it was going to quit The courts !
ordered its managers to keep on run
ming the trains, but when they had no |
more money to pay the men they |
stapred anyhow. Then came along i
the railroad commission and put it in
the hands of receiver, who managed !
to keep it running by using it in his
own business. But he didn't pay his |
taxes, so the inevitable has happened |
and the road is nailed down.
'SOme of this fault is on the head |
of our always amiable and generally
efficient controller, Ernest Amos. If
he had come down on the O.V. hcav
the first year it didn't pay taAes, Il
probably would have paid, and not re-
peated the offense. But its managers,
not without reason, may have thought
that if they could get by one year
they could get by every year. This
action of the controller should have
been taken just three years ago.
at has been supposed that the road
could not meet expenses without the
business of the Rodman Lumber Com
pany, but Mr.. Pillans, auditor of the
road, says that of late it has made
expenses and little over. If this
be the case, the parties who have
operated the road the last four years
should be compelled to pay its back
taxes, and then have it taken out of
their hands and put in the charge of
man with no strings tied to
MIN and given the power to make it a
good local road. 1t should be run for
the advantage of the people of Ocala
and Palatka, and the communities be-
tween. It should run its trains so the
people on the line could go to Ocala
N Palatka early in the morning and
rave six or at least four hours to
'tay before going home.
"There is a great country along
hat line, with plenty of fertile land,
nd if people came in a family or
NO at a time and settled down to
rake homes, instead Of coming by
losing all their money and J