Thanx so much BrowserUk, I was able to implement what you suggested into my subroutine to get what I was after...
From:

sub ServerData {     //(package Get;
    $GSD_JSON = do {
        open (JSONDATA, "<:encoding(UTF-8)", "/HTTPS/prinet\.org/\.mai
+n\.data");
        local $/;
        <JSONDATA>
        };
    close (JSONDATA);
    $GSD_Handle = JSON->new;
    return ($GSD_Handle->decode($GSD_JSON));
    }
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To:

sub ServerData {     //(package Get;
    $GSD_JSON = do {
        open (JSONDATA, "<:encoding(UTF-8)", "/HTTPS/prinet\.org/\.mai
+n\.data");
        local $/;
        <JSONDATA>
        };
    close (JSONDATA);
    $GSD_Handle = JSON->new;
    return (%{$GSD_Handle->decode($GSD_JSON)});
    }
[download]

Now all I have to do is figure out how to read the hash in the next routine that updates the json file... *hah*

sub ServerData {     //package Update;
%USD_In = %_;
    use JSON;
    open (BUFFER, ">/HTTPS/prinet\.org/\.main\.data");
    print BUFFER encode_json(%USD_In);
    close (BUFFER);
    }
[download]

Which btw does not work...
Thanx again...