The Ocala banner., 1922-07-07
LOCAL RAILWAY SERVICE FROM
ocALA NEEDED

what aDout a local passenger train
from Ocala to Tampa?" asks the Dade
city Banner To which The Times
replies. We're for it," Some real
eEort on the part of the cities involv-
ed should induce the Seaboard Air
Line railway to give the plan a trial.
And the business which is sure to fol-
low should make the service perma-
nent.
AT present the many growing towns
between Ocala and Tampa have no
local service for those who wish to
come 10 Tampa in the morning and
10 return home in the afternoon. The
Dade City business man, according TO
the Banner. has to arise in time to
catch the regular train at 4: so in the
morning. and TO return home shortly
after midnight Then it requires at
least a day to recuperate.
And Dade City is even more con-
veniently located than the towns 10
its north. II is almost physical i'm
possibility for the Ocala resident to
make a one-day trip to Tampa Vet
there are scores of business men and
shoppers there who would use the To-
cal service frequently if il were avail
able And all down the line. at Belle
view. Summerfield. Coleman. Wild
wood. Bushnell. st. Catherine. and
smaller places are hundreds of others
who are handicapped by the lack of
a local train.
OF course the railroad could not
make much money on passenger fares
alone. But there is every reason to
believe that the mail and cypress ser
vice would increase the revenue. At
present a letter written in Dade City
in the morning arrives in Tampa too
late for delivery the same day. If
an answer Is desired. it must be in
Tampa by $3.50 o'clock the following
morning even to be delivered that day.
Il is almost impossible to order and
TO receive goods from Tampa in less
than three days. Yet Tampa is ONLY
40 miles away. A local train would
make 24-hour delivery service pos
fslble.
What an opportunity for Tampans
70 build up great trade with these
towns to. our mutual advantage. If
the Seaboard had a train leaving
Ocala at s O'Clock in the morning. ar
riFing in Tampa at 10, and returning
from Tampa at or 4 o'clock in the
afternoon. II would be largely patron
lied both for passenger and express
service. The Atlantic Coast Line has
been running such a train from San
for TO Tampa for several years, and
Il has paid. There are more large
cities on that route than the Sea-
boards. II is true, but the very fact
that the towns are small makes Tam
pa all the more desirable as a shop
ping center
as near 20 Tampa. but it does much
less business with this city because
OF the lack of transportation facilities.
Since there is no direct hard-surfaced
road between the Ocala territory and
Tampa. the local railroad service
would be used by nearly every one
coming to Tampa. A great part of che
trafhc between Tampa and towns on
the Atlantic Coast Lines Sanford route
Is handled by automobile and truck
The Seaboard Air Line would have
fertile field entirely to itself, be-
cause there is no highway competi-
ton.
The Seaboard has shown time and
Time again that il is friend of Flor
ida IL has carried on development
work OF countless value to the state.
judging by its attitude in the past. we
can expect 1t to remedy this situation
the proper representation is made.
But every town along the route must
nelp. The Times would like to see
tne Tampa board of trade take the
leadership in a movement for local
train service between OcaIa and Tam
pa The smaller towns will cooper
ate without any urging Tampa
Times.
NOTICE