Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-07
CORAL REEFS RAIL WAY
Remarkable Line to Be Built
 by Henry M. Flagler.
WILL COST SEVERAL MILLIONS.

It Is to Extend 1854 Miles From Flor
 ida Keys to Key West, Most of the
 Distancesat Height of Twenty
 seven Feet Above Long Stretches of
 Water-Will Command Passenger
 Business to Cuba.
 The new railroad which Henry M. Flagler, 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 its length will be an interisland road, threading it's way through the keys which lie off the southern and southeastern coast of the state, says the Chicago Tribune. In or der to pass from key to key the road bed will have to be built over long stretches of water at the average height of twenty seven feet.
 Just how many millions it will cost to construct the road Mir. Flagler and his 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 also will be the nearest rail point in the United States to the east ern end of the Panama canal.
 It is believed the possibilities of the road in connection with the rapidly growing commerce of the United States with West Indian and Central American points will warrant the great outlay for construction.
 It will be the first attempt that has ever been made to build road more than 100 miles long over series of 1s- lands, necessitating the construction Of more than half the road over the wa ter. From Miami to point near Man grove point the road will follow closely the coast line of Biscayne bay.
 Somewhere near Mangrove point the road will leave the mainland and will cross Cards sound to Largo key. one of the largest islands in the string. From the time it leaves the mainland. whether it be crossing the shallow wa ters or running along the keys them selves, it will have for its foundation the deep and solid beds of coral rock. No more substantial roadbed than this could possibly be devised.
 From Largo key to Matacumba Key the islands lie close together, but be- tween Matacumba and Long keys considerable channel intervenes, as is also the case between Long key and Estetta key. only in the latter in- stance the way is broken by the Duck keys, which are really nothing more than points of coral sticking up above the surface of the water. which will serve as anchors for the bridge work. From Boot key to Bahia Honda an ex- tremely difficult piece of bridge work will have to be accomplished. but from Bahia Honda to Key West. which is only forty miles, the way is closely strewn with keys. The bridge between the Boot and Bahia Honda will be sey- en miles long, and the cost of this one piece of work will run into the mil- lions. In all the world there will be nothing like 1t.
 When looking over the plans for this road recently Mir Flagler remarked fa- cetiously that travellers would not be troubled with dust From the time the road leaves the mainland there is scarcely anything but water or solid rock.
 In a scenic way the road will be notable. The views will be those of beautiful southern waters, with all their tenderness of tint and with the scores of keys or islets. great and small. which will make the voyage wonderland. The first surveys were made to Cape Sable, across the Ever glades. hut when this was made Mir. Flagler found he was sixty miles from Key West and twelve miles from what is known as the three fathom line Of the gulf. He therefore decided to un- dertake the greater proposition and to build the line to conform more nearly with the coast.
 The position of Florida with relation to important southern points-Panama and Cuha-makes this road of excep- rional importance in the extent of our trade. 4 line drawn from Miami to the southward would pass midway through Cuba and strike Colon. one of the terminals of the Panama canal. Key West literally dominates Cuba. and on this island NIT. Flagler is plan ming to build a splendid system of ter minais. filling in vast stretches of the shore with a singular kind of white mud found a little distance away. There will be twelve piers. each SOO feet long and 200 feet wide. covered with sheIs. and with basins s60 feet wide between them. affording berths for a total of forty eight large ships. Space has also been provided for a complete dry dock of sufficient capac- ity to care for the largest ships.
 Tie building of this road will open up possibilities for the building of many new resorts and will afford exception al facilities for travel to Cuba Sea son hv season the travel to Havana grows greater and greater. and last season the steamers in use were un- able to care for all the business of fered them. Mr. Flagler is largely in- terestesf in the railways of Cuba. and he spent a portion of last winter in restizating ,he future possibilities of that country. The benefits which he will derive. therefore. from his new