Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-07-01

third un The parHpct, where "a, each angle
there is 4 bastion tower, reached from be-
low by II winding granite stairway. all Of
which gives the old fort an attractive and
cas'cll hed appearance. The writer well
"ecals standing here AT the outbreak of
the wal, watching an incoming steamer
which was supposed 10 be the Alabama or
some Confederate cruiser There was not
IA gun on the fort at that time, and as the
vessel refused 10 stop at the command of
the health officers, those on the tort, of
whom the late Quartern.aster General
Meigs Was one, supposed that they We're
to be captured. The vessel proved, how
ever, To be II transport loaded with guns
and troops and from then on Fort Jeffer-
son was well equipped. 1t was here that
the conspIratoIs were sent, and some OF
their efforts az escape made life at The fort
extremely exciting at the time.
From The water the great fort presents
a frownng front, but, landing at the wharf
and passing oyer the drawbridge into the
interior, one understands fully why the
term Garden Key was given To THE island
Here are groups Of lofty cocoanut palms
on either side OF the walls, while beneath
a grove Of mangrove trees is the path
! lined with ouD-of date she'll and solid shot
which have stood here for nearly forty
yeats.
The quarters for officers and men are
/ perhaps among the finest IN he country.
and are large three-stoued buildings fol
lowing the general direction If the faces.
The one ON the north and west is the
officers quarters while that 10 the east is
for the men. 1t was here that Billy Wi
sons men mutinlcd during the war. An
oil fashioned lighthouse rises a few feet
above the parapet, and at lis base IS the
keepers cottage, where for year, lived
Oh Capt. Benner, who. it was said. found
twenty thousands dollars IN doubloon at
the work wreck of an old gallcou ON East
Key, eight or ten miles away This house
and light are made the location of Jack !
Tier, one Of COoper's novels.
The ground Of the interior is white sand !
here aud there covered with Bermuda
grass and long why grass winch grow, |
IKE "a vine, throwing out roots here and |
there anG forming trap t. the unwary. |
Ihe parade ground is in the center. and |
here the writer saw many battalions OF |
prisoners mustered during the war. They
were sent down in transport, and as thel
marched ashore were sorry lot. Many
were mauaCied or scared with IL ball and
chain. being considered desperate cha.
acterS, and sentenced TO Dry Tortugas tor
a term OF years.
Pror to the establishment of Fort jeff
erson, IN ISL, the islands were the resort
OF wreckers and pirates. who rearcd a rich
Laiytat from The wrecks of The time. The
writer discovered large Spanish gun.
with the coat OF arms OF Spain still intact.
on the shoal reaching out from Bush Kew
The gun was raised and placed in the fort.
More important than To.tug,s is Key
West. where city has sprung up. and
property valued at millions o: dollars is
almost entirely unprotected. The island
)f Key West is about five miles in length
and one in breadth. The city, or rather
he most prosperous portion Of it, is on the
southwest side, where the reef reaches
away and affords protection 10 a fine hay
)or-one which would float the navic, of
he world, and is o, great importance AS
naval station. The island rise, TO n
maximum height of twaye feet. this being
| calcarecu> ridge. AZ other places it Is
)ut few feet above the water. Ye. the
accumulation of soil is sufficient to afford
uNuriant vegetation, the island being
coveted with trees, bananas, plantains :
,uavaa cocoanuts mmariuds, and other
ropical fruits being prominent
The armament Of Key West is of the
ncient type and entirely obsolete. 1t
consists Of a fine fort Of the old >tyle
'ort Touugas rises directly from the water
IN The southwest side, commanding the
p roach 10 the harbur 1t is connected
With the land by GIawbulge, having
inc front OF granite and brick. with ca,tcl.
atcd walls, bastions etc. Like Fort jeff
rson, Fort Taylor is pierced tor three
Tres of guns. The accessory deienses
onsist Of two martello towers. These
ave casematcd walls, but are useless
rom "A modern standpoint.
The question Of climate is one which
interests many when this region Is to be
with troops The writer
pcnt several years at Tortugas, ana i,
prepared to say that, when the quarantine
ules are absolutely lived up Is. it is as
ealthiol place as one coulp wish.
The great rect which surrounds the
florida KEYS in former years was interest. d
NJ as being the only coral reef on the &
american continent within the Jurisdiction h
{ the United States, At Torugas il re- I
PRESENTS an area CT seventy-fve or one I
undred square miles, and was vast a
rove of coral polvps ont boro Oh a - 4