The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-06-24
CUSTOM HOUSE nd 81 WEST

town OF $4,000 people. but that II is
absolutely true h shown by the fact
that ride about the town OF two
hours failed to disclose house not 80
decorated. They are big iiHgs. too, not
the small kind usually used for deco
ratlons.
The town Itself IL clean and beauti-
fully paved by nature The streets
look as though asphaltum had been
laid everywhere. but disagreeable
dust r. raised by the carriage wheels.
However. this Is "clcan dust" brushes
on easily and does not begrlmc face
or clothing Out ON one side NJ the Is
land Ia what IL called the blight" and
this ia simply a big bay but two feet
deep with a coral bottom Whenever
the enterprising resident wishes TO ac-
uulrc corner lot he collects enough
dirt and dislodgod coral 10 an In
enough OF the bay for his lot A n
consequence some lots face coral
streets, while the other three sides are
touched by water
The possibilities OF war were brought
forclbly before the residents OF the
town when the government leased a
large convent and tobacco warehouse
with the intention OF converting them
into hospitals for the reception Of sick
and wounded soldiers and sailors.
Work on the alterations OF these build
lngs will go steadily forward as rapidly
MS the liberal expenditure OF money
renders possible. Out near the bar
racks the oolored troops are In camp.
But the scene OF greatest activity IL at
the whAryca. Everything naturally
eenters abc1t the naval station and the
Federal b sg, From the naval sta
tion runs narrow-Fauge railway,
leading out 10 the coallng wharf In the
harbor on a system OF long piles. As
rapidly as the government steamers
bring supplies and ammunition from
Tampa and other Southern ports they
are placed IN tho station. and when
needed transferred 20 the ships OF Ad-
miral Samps0n's feet
One Of the interesting things 10 be
seen Ia the laying OF mines "a the har-
I Dor. Just where the mines ore and
whore the keyboard Is which controls
| the powerful explosives they contuia
no one knows. and yet everybody
| knows. II ls one Of those things
l which the civilian finds 10 his advan-
| tage 10 forget. Not that any one threat
ems you with dire consequences for
inquiring into such things. hut there
n feeling prevailing that many
things should be forgotten ns soon as
learned. The mines are OF several va
rietles, each havlns O technical name
but, for landsmen. they are best de-
scribOd by saying that some OF them
are attached TO the coral bottom Of
tho harbor. some float ON the surface.
some are exploded hy an electric
spark and others are exploded by con
tact. As another protection from a
hostile feet, all OF the Government
buoys have been misplaced, and many
have been taken from the harhor en-
tirely. Only the experienced pilot. who
has wormed his way for years In among
the treacherous coral reefs can tel
how effective this provision is.
In the inner harbor. not far from
the Governments man-of-war harbor,
lie the prizes which have been brought
In by the fleet They make gallant
array, and thcre was much disappoint-
ment and ehagrln among naval men
when the news OF the Presidents proc
lamation reached Key West with the
deduction that all but the few last
rstnaa would have 10 be released, Each