The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-04-24
A PARADISE FOR LAZY MEN.


United States Where Men Are Born
Tired.
In many respects this is the most re-
markable spot in Uncle Sans domain.
There must he brill ant future in store
for Key West. as it has no past and
very little present While the rest of
the Union has been up and doing. this
coral key has slumbered in the Gulf
almost unknown to the world, and car
ing nothing about the world manners
or customs. 1t is al Ike peculiar in eli
mate, situation, structure, and popula-
ton. 1t is the frrthest south OF the most
southerly State; and is indeed the very
end of the United States. When the
sun has traced the highest point of his
spiral course on the twenty-iirsS OF
June, he is almost directly over Kew
West, as it lies in latitude twenty-four
deg, thirty-two min., and the border
of the trop cs is only sixty miles south.
On the map YOU will not ce Il chain of
little dots trail ne south from
the Flor da Pen nsula. They are keys
and at the end is Key West. Speaking
STRICTLY there are several keys still far
Their west and south, but they are mere
" speck in the water sufficient to
hold a lighthouse, with the exception
of the Tortugas, On which Mr.. Jeaer-
son Davis, when Secretary of War, built
a fourteen-m lion dollar fort, now in
charge of a garrison of one ordnance
sergeant, and somewhat i'm need of re-
pair.
The climate is essentially tropical.
This is the only city in the United
States where neither snow nor frost
has ever been seen. The lowest tenn
perature ever recorded was Al deg.
about tn rty wears ago; the lowest IN
1884 was 81 deg The aErrage tenn
perature for January. 1885, was ~
deg; for the months of July and Au-
gust it is about 81 deg. The daily
range of temperature is very snail,
rarely more tnan 10 deg. and some
times rs low as deg; and the highest
temperature in summer seldom cX-
ceeds - deg. During the northers of
the winter months, temperature OF
so deg. is low enough to sh Yer the en-
tire community. and overcoats with
fur collars are IN great demand. Dur
ing the recent cold snap, when the Mt.
" ashIngton Signal Station reported 80
deg. below zero. the Key West station
was ~ deg. above-a small matter o.
l22 deg. difference. Lying in the track
of the northeast trades. with the Gulf
Stream a dozen miles to the south.
Key West has, without exception, the
finest climate in the United States.
There is always a breeze and rarely
gale, and you may wear a straw
hat with propriety every day in the
year. Il is solely due to the monu-
mental sluggiShness of the popula-
ton that Key West is almost unknown
to the tourist ami health seeker.
Kew West is reached by steamers from
New York, from New Orleans. and by
a mail steamer from Tampa Bay. The
key has about as much shape as a
camel. but in general way lies east
and west, and contains about six square
miles. 1t is as fat as pancake. the
highest point being sixteen feet above
mean sea level. To the casual visitor
it looks as though the sea. part cularly
in storm, would snbmerge this iusig-
niiicant rise; but it is matter of rec
ord that it never has. The city proper
covers the western end of the key. Ii
is densely settled, and about "a I'M
American as possible. bearing strong
resemblance to West Ind an town
The houses are of wood. plainly built.
and with few EXCEPTIONS. painted
white. There are, think. only tkree
brick buildings, certainly not more
than six. Piazzas abound, and occa-
sonalIy some latt ce work is seen. but
there is no attempt at decoration or
display. Many OF the business houses
have no signs and there is general
air of don observation-disclosures
about the shops. The houses are of all
sizes, jumbled up in the oldest way.
and anywhere but on the line of the
street. The interior of each block is
filled up with Cne-story shantieS. access
to which is had by going up alleys,
through fences, or over somebody else'S
yard. The population being 1900.
land is precious. Lots are divided and
sub divided, and houses bu 1t N yards
and gardens are wedged in here. there
and everywhere, facing sixteen WAYS
for house they bu Id a stable or Pc
pen, and sprinkle chickens around N
the corners. The richest people do not
disda to thus add flom three to siX
dollars a month to tier income, al
though it destroys the privacy and
d .siigures the + grounds.
The streets are of good width. toler-
ably straight, and passably clean. The
roadway Is coral rock. There is no
soil. What passes for soil is merely
triturated coral, wonderfully rich in
and making an excellent
fertIl Zer. but. BY itself, deiic ent in fa'
TO garden, You must use pick instead
Of a hoe. No vegetables are raised on
the key, and the vegetation is confined |
mainly to cocoanGt trees. Here and |
there you will find Il pine or an clean
der, a star of India, or royal poin-
ciana; but in the ma n there is GRIM !
inal lack of foliage. The nature of the |
is thus shown. The key |
has beea settled for fifty years; every !
tropical or semi-tropical tree, shrub, |
or flowers known to man has but TO be |
planted to grow. and the CITY is bare, |
hot. and yegdurelesS.
The white houses. without vine or |
climbing flower. the dazzling streets
without tree. ard with no Sidewalks |
dusty and glaring wherever You look |
it is enough to make you wish for :,
hurricane to stir the c,ty's blood. Yet,
to the student of sociology, the expla-
nation is plain. The population is to
blame, and the climate makes tie pop
ula.ioa.-KcY Vest Cor. n. y. Sun.
L. ,f