The Ocala banner., 1921-10-07

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would be left2
May we not say in the language Of
the famous Indian chieftain, who ask
! ed after all his kith and kindred had
been slain: Who is left to mourn
! for Logan and answered his ques-
ton by replying Not one.a
/ May we be permitted to ask still
lone other question.
/ II the United States government
can loan to our big. supposedly veal
thy interstate Railway systems mil
lions Of dollars amounting to a billion
or more, in order to put them on their
feet, why can not the state govern
ment of Florida at least remit for a
season the state taxes due from the
little Ocklawaha Valley Railroad until
/ it can-like the bigger systems get
upon its feet, especially as it is making
such heroic efforts in that direction
For the state not to do so seems
suicidal.
The state government would not be
! injured thereby; on the contrary, in
the no distant future, it would be
greatly benefited. and to lend its aid
to keep this road operating would be
almost priceless boon to the many
good citizens living along its route.
and in the end the state and county
governments. and the bondholders as
well, would reap rich reward.
If the road is ordered dismantled,
the growth of splendid section will
be retarded for years; the state and
county will be deprived of tax reye-
nue. that will annually grow larger.
If the road is ordered dismantled
and the present state and county
taxes are liquidated; the court ex-
penses, attorneys fees, cost of levy
ing, advertising, sheriffs and other
fees are paid, it may safely be said
that what is left for the bondholders
will be but mere pittance, for the at
torney for the bondholders laughed to
scorn the statement of one of the
witnesses that the road bed and roll
ling stock were in fair condition.
The bondholders claim is that the
road bed, rolling stock. ETC., are badly
run down. so if the road is sold it
will merely bring the price of scrap
iron.
In our opinion the bondholldders in
bringing a suit for the roads dis
mantlement are committing form Of
i-ssaaf -siaaE kari that is absolutely astound-
ing.
| When the S. S. O. & G.. Railroad
was built it started at Silver Springs
and terminated at Homosassa.
There was scarcely if any traffic
or travel between the two places and
the territory through which the road
traversed was extremely sparsely in
habitated and the patronage the road
received for time in either traffic
or travel was extremely meager, but
in the course of years it got to be one
of the best paying railroads in Flor
ida and paid the stockholders the
most gratifying dividends.
Read the testimony of Mr. Lee Mil
Ter before the court in which the suit
for the roads dismantIement is brought
and one can see that it is but an index
finger pointing to what BENEFITS the
road will reap as the years come and
go.
Mr.. Miller stated that wealthy
Missouri firm had but recently pur-
chased twenty-five thousand acres on
the line Of the Ocklawaha Valley Rail
road, and had discovered superior
material for the manufacture Of brick
and tile and We're on the eve OF erect
ing large plant for the manufacture
of brick and tile in extensive quantities
that would not only give a handsome
patronage to the road but would lead
to the establishment of yet other in
dustfies
Mr. Grant III. MothIand, connected
with the firm of Barrett Brothers, the
wealthy Missouri corporation. corro-
borated Mr.. Miller's statements.
Mr.. Rast. Mr.. Wimberly, and 9th
ers living along the line of the road,
testify as to the exceptional quality of
the lands and the spirit Of the people
| for enlargnig their operations in any
number OF undertakings if they can
be assured that the road is perma-
nent institution and is there to stay.
Il seems to us that it would be a
grievous misfortune to have the road
dismantled q blunder of the most
gpievous kind and noted French
statesman is on record as saying that
ts. "a