The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-12-18
COMMUNICATION FROM
Mr.. E. L. CARNEY

To the Citizens of Ocala: Seeing
the statement of Mr.. Brumby, our city
manager, in the Star of few issues
back, of the work done on Oklawaha
avenue and asking any one to call at
his Office as to figures, if not satisfied
with his statement, am availing my
self of this notice to have my say.
am one who is not satisfied with
work as done on this street under Mr..
Brumby's direction or non-direc-
tion.-Carney.
Did you first go to Mr.. Brumby's
Office, Mr.. Carney, and give him an
opportunity to explain? Evidently
you didn't.-Editor.
Mr.. Brumby on entering on his
duties as city manager had given to
! him a carte blanche commission by
our city council and he has not been
slow in exercising all powers his
commissioners have given him
Carney.
You shouldn't say "carte blanche;
tus crackers would understand you bet
ter if you would say, "go the limit"
It's evident that the council hasn't
carted the blanche with Mr.. Brumby,
but only given him a wheelbarrow
full, for they meet twice month to
check him up.-Editor.
This sentiment is fine, thought I,
if carried out, but how many citizens
along GSlawaha avenue have ever
been consulted Or if consulted needed
as to matters of the street? He, under
protest from most of the citizens Of
Oklawaha avenue, tore up, dug down
and hauled off our good lime founda-
ton, dug away our good eurbing, put
down under the direction of a former
city engineer and narrowed our street
about three feet. Why should I be
satisfied with this mutilation of our
street, destruction of it's beauty and
Utility and at the same time pay an
exorbitant price for being bled? I
consider Mr.. Brumby's management
of our city affairs up to date is the
most costly experiment the city has
ever had. Of all the badly managed
propositions, either of a private or
. public nature, that have ever known,
, / think Oklawaha avenue is the
! worst.-Carney.
: We haven't heard of any indignation
meeting being held by the residents
along Oklawaha. Mr.. Brumby says
the only complaints made to him dur
, ing the reconstruction of the street
were by Messrs Robertson and Glenn
ent and Mrs. Carney. From all the
reports we hear, a large majority OF
the people along the street are quite
proud of it, and we'll pleased. 1t is
{ also a pleasure and pride to the en-.
4 tire town. That "good lime" Mr.. Car,
4 ney speaks of was so mixed with
= rocks and sand that it was no good
except to dump into holes in other
streets, to which purpose it was most,
e ly applied. We don't know what "for.
: mer city engineer" Mr.. Carney re-
i fers to, but the consensus of Ocala
q voters about fifty-three weeks age
S was that previous councils had gotter
= the streets Of the city into felicia
q nix. The reason this foundation hat
to be dug down is it was entirely too
r high to put block paving on and hac
e it been used the paving in most place.
would have been above the curb. Mr.
Carney does not know that the city!
e consulting engineer had the stree
: planned two feet to FIVE feet mar
t rover than it now is, and also ordered
n it cut down eighteen inches lower thar
n it is in front of Mr.. Carney's place
:, If Mr.. Brumby had followed the en-
h gineer's grade Mr.. Carney would neet
a step-ladder to get on his sidewalk
n Editor.
t Thousands of dollars have beer
thrown away needlessly from tn,
very beginning of the work on tn,
: east end of the street. A large squat
d of negroes has been employed on thi
: street day in and out for weeks, with
S out a visible white boss most of tn,
s time, in the usual negro kill time way
f In fact, the negroes told me they die
not know what to do or what was ex
s pected of them.-Carney.
r Mr.. Carney's experience is different
t from ours. When the street gane
!, was laying brick on North MAR
street, we used to go out and look a
the men, just for the pure joy Of see
= ing other people work. When thu
: force went up on Oklawaha, they were
: scattered around, and it would have
Y been neither necessary nor economical
= to have a white boss over each little
t bunch. Mr.. Carney seems to forge
n how the pay roll would stack up i
n every squad of $3.50 a day negroe:
: had a $40 a week white boss ovel
n them.-Editor.
The city has been twenty-five year:
Y in making an ideal foundation for &
permanent macadam or paved stree
and here comes along our new thought
i man, who tears up this foundation a
: a cost of thousands of dollars to oul
D taxpayers and has laid brick upon &
S freshly made shallow bed.
Ell Our Dixie Highway people, suppos
S ed to be technically trained men, de
9 mand. so I learn. that ~ inches nj