The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-09-23
MARION'S LACK OF ROADS

VA > \
Riding over Sumter county's fine
road last week observing the obvious
satisfaction it gave the people, con-
sidering the cost Of the road and the
relative resources of the two coun-
ties, made US wonder why Marion is
so far behind her little sister in one
OF the greatest necessities Of civiliza-
ton.
Marion county is twice the size of
Sumter and has three times the pop
ulation. Yet we have only one small
bond issue S56O,OO0. Over this we
have had no end of trouble and delay,
and last spring a considerable proper
ton Of our voters showed a DISPOSE
ton to throw down the whole thing, if
they could only call in the bonds and
have that part Of the money unspent
returned. This would have left all the
work done up to date in such a condi-
ton it would have been of no use, and
soon worse than no use, and the county
over a hundred thousand dollars in
/ debt for nothing in return. This could
not have been done, and a majority
Of the voters would not have let it be
done, but it was discouraging to see
that even a minority was in favor of it.
Our people should have p1ore faith
in themselves and in the resources
of their great county. They should
bank on the latter and get more good
out of them, not in the future, but
right away.
! Our county is in chaos-each COM
munity almost shut off from the others
J by bad roads; our people finding it
difficult and sometimes dangerous to
travel and having to pay great toll
in transportation on their produce.
Our bad roads not only make travel
miserable but they cut off business.
People who would come to Ocala to
trade go to other towns. Our own
people go outside their county to buy
and sell. Marion county dollars go
across Leesburg and Gainesville coun-
tiers and into Leesburg and Gaines
vile banks for the simple reason that
Marion county people can go to
Gainesville and Leesburg more easily
than to Ocala.
At present, it is difficult to get out
of or into Marion county and this
condition will grow worse instead of
better unless the proper measures are
taken for improvement.
The Dixie Highway will be partly
| finished in a fashion in few months
more, and a passable road will be
made from Belleview to Dallas, but
that will be about all.
We need bond issue that will finish
the Dixie Highway, that will build a
road from Citra into Ocala, another
road from Ocala to State Road No. 5
a. Morriston, and make the road from
Belleview to Dallas as good as the
Sumter county highway.
This last named road, after passing
Belleview, is as important as the
Dixie Highway. It is the shortest
route to Tampa, Lakeland and all the
country below, and will bring thou
sands of people to Ocala who now
take other roads to other towns.
The country between here and Citra
comprises some of our finest farm
land, and is becoming more and more
thickly settled every day. At Citra,
it will attract a road from the north
east, from Jacksonville by one or the
other of three routes.
The road to Morriston if built will
serve not only the people from the
northwest of the county, but from
Dunnellon, who can use State Road
No. to connect with it.
The people should get together and
decide to bond for road system that
will put Marion in her proper place
Iamong the counties of the state.