The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-07-10

the cigar factories, which number over
100. and which turn ont over q million
cigars a week. The men are undersized,
weak and effeminate, and given to gam.
bling, cock-fghting and flibustering.
The women are passably good-looking.
given to obesity, high heels, lace shawls
and face powder. Men and women
smoke necessarily and chatter continu-
ally. They crowd together and subsist
on oil. coffee, pork and bananas.
"The Conks are big, hardy and phe-
nomenally ignorant. They have the
cockney sticking out all over them,
drop the Oh" where needed and clap il
on where it is not needed, talk OF
Weeds" "vimmen" and Vinegar
and live on fish and hominy. The
Conks are spongers, fishers and wreck
ers.
The colored folks drive the drays and
hacks, act as porters and stevedores and
do the bulk of the heavy sitting around.
Everybody takes a turn at the latter
work, however, and the whole commu-
nifty offers to the historian the most
striking example of people born tired.
1t is an edifying spectacle to Northern
eyes to see a native of Key West going
on an errand or doing a piece of work.
Usually he 10y like a snail. If you
are not particular, you can live for rs
cents a week. A stick of g cane
costs only 3 cents, bananas and oranges
can be hooked from the a%uctioneers,
hominy is cheap, and a string of fish
can be caught from any wharf. For a
shelter there is little need, save to keep
off the rain, and it needs not a house to
do that. What q country.for q tramp!
What a climate for the poor.
In keeping with the prevailing lack
OF enterprise, the accommodations for
visitors are meager. Two private board
ing houses and n hotel is the sum to-
tai. Pick up any travellers guide, tour
lists handbook or railroad advertisement
and search for Key West, and you will
search in vain. With a larger popula-
ton than any city in Florida, and great
er capabilities for being made a pleas
ure resort and sanitarium than any
city in the Union, it remains an un.
known land. There are signs, however,
of an awakening. Within two months
the city will be lighted with gas and a
street railroad will be in operation.
There is even talk of a new and large
hotel, to be built this summer. and of
increased mail facilities. At present
there is a semi-weekly mail service
by steamar, connecting at Tampa
with the Florida Southern Railway.
The service is of the most exasperating
description. Supposed to arrive on
Wednesday and Saturday of each week
ut 5 p. M, the mails are frequently ten
hours and sometimes an entire day be-
hind hand. Even then the bag of news
papers or the registered pouch may
have been forgotten. Such a state Of
affairs in any other city of IA, 900 in
habitants-even in q Dakota village Of
1,4OO-would result in a mutiny or q
petition to Congress, but here it is
taken with lazy indifference. With the
advent of Northern capital and enter
prise this key might be converted into
a famous resort. The people here will
never bestir themselves. They must
be boosted into fame. The place needs
several first class hotels, a road around
the island, sidewalks and plenty OF
trees.
In the way of amusements, the CITY
is probably the dullest on the continent.
An average of two theatrical troupes
per year, one Masonic hop, one Odd Eel
lows ditto and a Cuban dance every
month, all slimly p%atronized, are the at
fractions In religion and all things re-
ligious a most absorbing enterest is
taken by high and low, and for the ma
]ority it is at nee occupation and recre-
alton. The colored folks have their re-
vivals, and they are most astonishing
exhibitions. The shouting singing, tear
ing of hair and rolling ON the floor is
a spectacle for Northern eyes. The
process of getting religion sometimes
consumes three days, during which the
would-be convert literally sprawls on
the floor, fasting and praying. When
the religion comes, 1t is proclaimed by
shouts of "Glory! Glory" and phenom-
email leaps in the air, while the congre-
gaticn sing aud shout hymns. Each
hymn has from fifty to a hundred yer.
ses. The usual society topics relate to
who was converted. who left the Bap-
lists to join the Methodists. or vice yer
sa. There is great shutting around
among the churches and much discord
and gossip. The ministers preach to
enormous and enthusiastic congrega.
tions at stipends, varying from $40 te
$50 a month and house rent.
Wrecks and the weather are the re-.
naming topics. No newspapers o,
books are read. Nothing is known Of
what is going on in the outel
world, and nobody cares. Except gam.
bling, crime is almost unknown. The
people are quiet, peaceful, lazy, relig.
ious, ignorant and blissfullv content.