The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-04
OLD DISPUTE AGAIN UP

Editor SLar. III your ISSUE VI InS |
23rd ultimo., in a statement referring |
to the Oklawaha Valley railroad, you
say, speaking of Mr.. Christensen, che
does not try to maintain passenger
service, for there is not enough travel
over the road to warrant it. If you
will look into the facts | think you
will agree that he has not given the
passenger traffic a real chance and
that for some reason or other does not
want passenger traffic. When he start
ed running the railroad after the liti-
cation he put on the old passenger
train. 1t ran for one day, | believe,
but it may have been two, when the
engine broke down and the passenger
train has not been run since. MIR.
Christensen put passenger coach on
the end of the Rodman log train,
(which comes and goes at any old time
of the evening and night, or early
lmorning. There is a time schedule,
Ebut I think I am right in saying that
it is never kept, and it is practically
useless for passengers and is no guide
at all as to whether there could be
enough travel over the road to war
rant passenger train. If the little
motor train, which Mr.. Cummins used
on Sundays when he was in charge,
were put on and made one, or better,
two round trips day and was pune
tual to it's schedule. / am confident it
could be made to pay, especially with
the mail and express service. 1t would
take little time and a little advertis-
= ing to let the public know that a good
= passenger train was in service between
: Ocala and Palatka, but the traffic
Y would be built up.
|. When the road was shut down anc
= the people living along the road made
j. a kick, you told them to be good ant
/, see that the taxes were paid and thai
It then we should have nice train serv
o ice again, or words to that effect. Th'
: taxes were paid and we got-oh, well
f we didn't get the train service.
/ don't suppose it will do the slight
est bit of good writing to you, but j
seems to me that with your influenc
you could help US. 1t must be to tn
4 advantage of Ocala and to the count
- to have a decent train service tina
- people can use, both by bringing mon
- lev into towns and by taxation. Wit
- good service, good roads (Which W
- won't get until the people are prepal
: ed to pay for them) and a no-fenc
;. law, which will come sooner than pei
pie think, the country through while
the o. v. passes will gradually ope
up and will bring grist to the mill.
You may not know this part OF tf
,icounty. Where I am living, frontin
~ sIsland Lake." is. believe, one of Il
IN most beautiful spots in the county al
W the lake should have beautiful hom'
nc all around it, instead of which l a
ah enjoying it in solitary grandeur.
There is one thing about this raj
road business that / don't like al
don't think is quite right, though
m don't suppose there is any remedy. N
is, Christensen's signature is on the de-
len to my property. When his land cor
on pany was selling, the railroad was
'ur forward as an attraction, now Wh
,ed the company has closed business ne
ex- and sold out their remaining asse
Mr.. Christensen wants to do aW
with the railroad and the settlers
whom he sold land can go hang. I
ID say he is conscientious. so perhaps y
let, can make him see the error OF
'on ways. Yours truly,
uc- 4. Robertson.
oy Bay Lake, July 1st.
ing &s$
Mr.. Robertson seems to be La
minded person of moderate views,
like many other people along the L
cen of the o. ", he is only partly infor
ack ed of his subject, which is shown
the his remark "you may not know .
n n q m&xxm