The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-12

IT Is seen that each stands upon It's own
little islet OF sand. and these three sand
keys are all that remain of the Dry Tor
tagas. A generation ago there were sew
eral other Islands In the group, hut the
gulf stream has washed them away. The
sharp eye Of the navigator. however, sees
that only the sandy tops have disappeared.
leaving the dangerous formation close 10
the surface. With its double row of ragged
portfolios, its six great basiions, each
large enough to be a fort in itself and It's
| broad granite-wa.led moat Fort Jeffer-
son looks far more imposing than the
! modern fort of earthworks.
Cost of the F0rttncation.
Congress made the first appropriation OF
| $4,000 for the construction OF the fort in
1874. and the work was begun I'm 1916.
Garden Key upon which II stands was not
as large as the fort that was designed, and
several neighboring islefs of sand were
taken up by the shipioad and deposited
upon its beach TO give soiidi.y to the foun-
dation of granite blocks that reaches far
down into the coral. For fifteen years the
work dragged slowly on. and at the out
break of the war the fort was stu incom-
plete and hardly defensib.e. When II was
first garrisoned. In the winter OF 1ss0-si,
II had cost 81 400 0a0: for every brick In its
eight-feet thick walls every block OF gran.
lite, even the earth for the five-acre inc.os-
ure within the walls, had 60 be carried by
sea from New York and other Northern
ports. As soon as the war department de-
termined TO use IL for military prison
congress began 10 lavish money upon It.
In 1860 and 1861 $50 go was appropriated.
On the 10th OF February 1862, q bill ap-
propriating $500. 0N was passed: and on the
same day another for $100 600: and later
in the day third. total of half a mil
lion dollars IN single day. As the fort
filled up with prisoners. many OF them Of
importance. il was proposed TO enlarge
the accommodations by building an an
mex fort on the adjoining Bird Key, and
ssssn 600 more was appropriated for the pur-
pose. But this project was abandoned ar-
ter the pans had been made. and the
money was used upon the original struc-
ture- The last appropriation was made In
1875. and the garrison was Withdrawn in
ISIS. Up 20 that time the structure alone
had cost 8. go 600. The sole representative
of the army in the fort for years was
Ordnance Sergeant William Keller. who
painted the cid columbiads with coal tar
once year.
Enclosures of the Fortress.
Ssnce issS Fort Jefferson has been used
as federal quarantine station under the
charge Of Dr.. r. q. Murray. and Tn the
summer months Il could he visited only
with his permission Tire adiutant general
donhle-casemated. hexagonal structure o.
brick. standing on Garden Key Tortugas.
the most southwestern part OF the Flors-
da reefs, in attitude q degrees - minutes
a. seconds north longitude SO degrees &c
minutes s. seconds west" In 1914 he adds
at contained about $50 prisoners The
key contains seven acres FIVE OF which are
within the walls OF the fort The average
height Of the key above the sea ia three
and one-haif feet. bat an excavation over
two and A half feet develops the primitive
coral and the salt water of the gulf
The landing place Is In front OF wood
en- structure. IN which Is the fumsSa,snc
apparatus OF the quarantine station ard
n wooden bridge leads across the flf.v-
feo.-wide a5oat up 20 the heavy grauite'
portal A steam launch ard several smaller
quarantine haats float peacefully I'm the
moat, and in a dozen steps from the en-
trance the visitor - within the fcrt On
every side stretch away the long rows Of
classmates. one above The other. in as good
condition new as when first butt. The
fort proper Is too solid structure 10 be-
coma a ruin In anything less shan centn-
RES The only signs OF decay ever eysden,
have been In the wooden galleries 10 give
access 70 the harbetfe magazines. extend.
tEE IN front OF what a civilian woasa call
ths reef az thu fort. These have been
weakened sy age. and occasionally hgrrf-
cane has blown one doan. To the right
Is cottage tor sas keeper Of the Torfu-
gas Hareor light. which shines from the
- of one o. the nassioas. and bsyaad this