The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-08-10

Bueiness 10 Cuba.
The new railroad which Henry n
Fia9Ier, president Of the Florida East
Coast railway, Is about to build from
Miami Fla. through the Florida keys
to Key West will be 154 miles long and
for the greater part Of It's length will
be an tntertsland road, threading its
way through the keys which lie of the
southern and southeastern coast Of the
state says the Chicago Tribune. In or
der to pass from key to key the road
bed viii have 10 be built over long
stretches Of water at the average
height 6 twenty-seve feet.
Just bow many millions It will cost
to construct TIE road Mr.. Flagler and
bis engineers have not been able yet to
estimate but when the road Is finished
It Will have absolute command Of the
rapidly increasing passenger business
to Cuba. It aIeo will be the nearest rail
point tn TIE United States to the east
erp end Of the Panama canal
It ts believed the possibilities Of the
road tn connection with the rapidly
growing commerce Of the United
States With West Indian and Central
American points With warrant the great
outlay fn1 construction
It VIII be the first attempt that has
ever been made to build a road more
than LOO miles long over a series Of Is
lands, naoessitating the construction of
moro than bali the road over the wa
ter. From Miami to a point near Man
grove point the road Will follow closely
the coast f1ne Of Biscayne bay.
Somewhere near ManEore point the
road viii leave the mainland and Will
cross Cards sound to Largo key, one
Of the largest islands tn the string.
From the time Il leaves the mainland.
whethee It be crossing the shallow wa
ters OF running along the keys them
selves. Il vii have for It's foundation
die deep and solid beds Of coral rock.
No more Substantial roadbed than this
could possibly be devised.
From Largo hey to Matacumba key
the islands be close together, but be-
tween Matacnmba and Long keys
considerable channel fntefvenes, as is
also the case between Long key and
Estetta key, ooly In the latter m
stance the way b broken by the Duck
KEYS which are really nothing more
than points OF coral sticking up above
tho surface Of tie wates, which will
serve % anchors for the bridge wofk.
From Boot key 10 Bahia Honda an e1-
tremesy dtncuit piece Of bridge work
Win have 10 be accomplished, bot from
Bahia Honda TO Key West, which u
only tpety miles, the way Is ctoeefy
strewn WITH heys. The bridge between
tie Boot and Bahia Honda win be se7-
en- miles boe. and the cost Of this one
p&acs ot wozh viii run into the mhr
rooA In an the world there WIN be
nothing IKE tt
When locking over the plans for this
roed recently hR. BIagier remarked ID
ce5oua3y that tzaFe1ers would not be
troubled With dust From the nme me
road leaves tie mainland there Is
scarcely anything but water or sold
rock.
In a scenic way the road Will be
notable. The views VIII be those OF
beauttfui southern waters, With all
thetr tenderness Of tint and with the
scores d Keys oz fsiets, great and
small witch win make the voyage
wonderland. he first surveys were
made to Cape Saba across The Ever
elades, bot when this was made MI.
Flasier found be was sixty miles from
Key West and twelve miles from what
IS Known as TIE three fathom line Of
the auif. He therefore decided to I'M
deftaks the greater proposition and to
build the ltne to conform more nearly
with tie coast
The position Of Florida With relation
to important southern points Panama
and Cuba-makes this road Of eacep
ttoual Importance IN The extent OF oar
trade. A lfne drawn from Miami to
tho southwand Wouh pass midway
through Cube and strsks Ooaon, ooe Of
the terminals Of DE Panama canal.
Key West literally dominates Cuna,
and On TIN biand Mx F1as3ef II ptan-
ntna to bu4h . spaendM system OF ter
ptnah fling IN wat stretches OF ne
shope WITH a. singular lind Of ~nsee
md houaA q Htns Distance away.
Thsre v4n b tEstps paez4 each 800
fesk loo1 and 900 tse4 wi6a. covered
WITH ahsd4 md vtth basins 200 feet
VIDE between them, amosdtnS berms
foe q tp4zi q toEtystgM large ships
space has stso heen provided tor q
coup1etD dry ooca of snmctens eapeo-
tty to am nH De largest ships.
Fh bnnd,ng Of nts road wm open up
poosthinR3es fn9 tie building OF many
new Eeeofu end w4s afford exception
al facul1es for oapd 10 Cuba Sea-
son By aeaeon the na1d 30 Havana
groxs Usatu and greater, and hast
season fhe steamess In use were IN
abae to cnne for al tie business Of
feued them. Mr. Fias>ef b largely IN