Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-04-23
From De Bows Review,
DA-KEY WEST-THE WRECKERS.
FISHERIES. Ere, Ere.

FISHERIES, Ere, Ere.
Florida, as regards population, is the smallest of
the thirty States; her white population bengE
only Al, 10, and her slave 39,341. A Spanish
settlement was made within the limits of the States
nearly fifty years previous to the settlement of
jamestown, Virginia. Fort Marion, in the city of
St. Augustine, is certainly of the oldest in the
United States, having been finished in 1856, in the
reign of Ferdinand the With; and St. Augustinei
lis the most venerable city in the Union, havings
been settled forty-three years before jamestown,
Va, by the British.
Key West is an island at the southern point of
the Peninsula of Florida, and belongs to the Arch
5ipelago which beautify the Florida coast and the
entrance into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the south
ermost settlement the United States, and, by its
position, is the Key of the United States to the
Florida Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. This is!andI
has so long been connected with scenes of maritime
disaster and a0reckimg that its reputation abroad
has been associated, very generally and unjustly,
with barbarous violence and quasi piracy.
1t is, however, one of the most attractive beau
sty-spots resting upon the surface of the ocean
1 with climate more salubrous, healthful, and
sremedia than any other spot upon this continent,
land with population characterized by as much
Intelligence, accomplishments, honesty, industry
land morality, that of any other portion Of the
Union.
Key-West is the most popnIous town in the
tants 1t has $50 houses 26 stores, 10 warehouses,
"a churches episcopal, Catholic, Methodist and
Baptist) courthouse, Jail, custom-house, marine
Hospital, commodious military barracks, fort in
sthe process of construction, on which 100000
8 has been expended, and requiring over million
more to complete it. 1t has 81 wrecking and
scoasting and fishing vessels, with aggregate
tonnage of $3.50 tons. The harbor is large, safe
and easy of access by different channels, for ships
Eof 22 feet draft.
= The island is four miles long by half mile to
mile in width, making the area about 900 acres
4including a salt-pond of some $50 acres. It is
scomposed of formation of coral limestone and
seashells, with sandy and rocky surface, and very
little available SOIL The highest elevation on the
isand is not twelve feet above the level of the
sEsea. The unoccupied parts covered with low
3stunted wood and bushes, the larger trees having
4been Frustrated by the destructive gale of 1916
8The prickly pear, geranium &c, grow luxuriantly
land the wild flowers never cease to unfold theil
Mpetals-it is an ever green spot. The cocoa-nu
stree, the banana, plantain, the lime, the orange
emon, fig, tamarind, date and other tropical trees
Sgrow well where there is earth enough to sustain
Nthem, and are always found in the yards and gar
Sdens, adding greatly to the singular beauty and at
Effectiveness of the principal residences.
q The production of culinary vegetables is unceas
Sng-such sweet potatoes, cabbage beets let
Stuce, cucumbers, turnips, &c. They grow best il
winter, it being the wet season. The want Of
81 mother earth' however, renders gardening ex
Epensve and the production of vegetables is limited
q The palm tree is the pride of tropical climates
land contributes more than all others, perhaps
Ito give peculiar and imposing character to those
Sregions. The family of palms comprises some zoo
Svarieties, and among them the cocoa-nut tree is
Emajestc as we'll as most useful uegetabIe. In the
HSociety Islands it grows 20 and so feet high-a
SKey- West their height is from 20 to so feet. The
stem tapers to the top without a branch or offset
Ebut at the summit it shoots forth 20 to so leaves
from 10 to 20 feet long, and these hang in grace
&fn tuft around the top. When the branches spread
Eout clusters of trnlt, like punches OF bladders,
cluster thickly around the body, where the branch
Nes join the trunk of the tree. Some trees boar
A1OO, others so and 80 nuts, containing from one
Hhalf pint to quart of liquor. The straight, un
8branching trunk, the long and graceful leaves OIL
Ebranches and the clustering fruit, give to this re-
Hmarkable tree a most noticeable and singuarly
beautful appearance, and it furnishes timber, fuel
mats, baskets, ropes, drinking vessels food, bcver-
Gage, straners, bonnets, oil and bowls.
q Tie original name of this island was Cayo Hu
lesson, or Bone Key, from the quantity of human
Sbones found upon it when discovered by the Span
yards. Key West is the English corruption of
81 Cayo Huesson !; it is, however, not the western
denomination of the Reef, there being several other
2slands with Tortugas, the largest sixty miles
gdistant.
8 Forty years ago this island was granted by the
gSpanish crown to John P. Salas, and in 1923 was
Spurchased by Col Smonton, who still resides here.
lin 1882 it was made military station, and in
& $40 the barracks were completed consisting Of
Eight commodious and airy buildings, placed on
three sides of quadrangle opening towards the
sea, each building having piazza entirely around
lit The first white female settler Mrs Mallory,
lin 1929 the mother of the present U. S. Senator
from Florida. She is intelligent, energetic wo-
imam of Irish descent, and still keeps excellent
boarding- house, for the accommodation Of visitors
N-there being no tavern upon the island
q The population consists of emigrants from most
|gof the States and civilized nations. There are
about 800 slaves we'll cared for civil and joyous,
s and nearly onehaIf of all residents natives of
1.-The Bahama Islands. They are called Conch-men
or Conchs by reason of their skill in divng. They
sare generally uneducated and ignorant of the
Hworld, but hardy, industrious and honest race,
getting their living by wrecking, fishing, sponging
sturt!ing, diving, DC. They are employed in diving
into the holds of sunken vessels, to make fast to
Agoods to dive under and examine the bottoms of
Vessels that have been injured upon the reefs; 40
Cor so feet water being regarded as good working
Rdepth They are indeed an amphibious race, hav-
Eing been known to dive in 80 feet water and make
Sfast to anchors, DC
q The principal business of Key West is derived
from the salvages, commissions and perquisites of
swrecking. 1t is not, however, as many suppose, al
: sort of piratical employment, but is legitimate
81 i