Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-11

wreckers who found it's harbors conven-
lent resort and sought them to make re-
pairs and replenish their supply of fresh
water from the abundant springs Some OF
these pirates and their descendants after
ward settled down into the amiable occu-
patton of professional wreckers, and by
means of false lights and beacons, used
to entire passing ships toward the sunken
coral reefs, where they went to wreck
and were looted of their cargoes. That
business, however was abandoned many
residents are believed to have inherited
their present comfortable fortunes frorl an
cestors who were actively engaged In 1t.
Key West has its aristoeracy and the first
families, like every other place, and no one
can blame them if they were descended
from pirates. No man can choose his
parents, and much less his grandparents.
Centuries ago the Spanish government gave
the entire island to man named Juan
Salas. He sold the most of it in almost
even parts to four men. whose descend,
ants still own the land, under the original
title deeds. In 1922 Matthew Galbraith
Perry, a lieutenant of the United States
navy, formally took possession of the key
in the name of our government The city
was incorporated a few years later, ana
has been gradually growing ever since.
At first the sponge fisheries were the larg-
est source of revenue, but although that
business has fallen off. Key West is stu the
largest sponge market in the Western Henri
sphere. The product was reduced to min
imum a few years ago by change phe-
nomenon which has never been explained.
Nearly all the sponees growing on the coral
reefs. as well as the fish, were poisoned to
death by some unknown substance that
tainted the water. 1t was believed to be
acid gas thrown up from the earth by
volcanic action There is no other way to
account for 1t. The sponge business was
practically ruined, for the time being, but
a new crop has since been growing, and
the output is reaching its former, proper
tons.
Sponges are gathered by men in boats
with long nippers reaching the bottom at
a depth of anywhere less than fifteen feet.
They are a combination of animal and veg
etable life. They grow from roots which adj
here to the coral and suck their sustenance.
which consists of floating animalculae, into
their pores. When the roots are detached
the sponge dies. q. -',
Cigar-Making Industry.
After the Cuban revolution in 1867 Key
West became the refuge Of several thousand
patriots, who fled from Spanish tyranny,
and Cuban refugees have since composed
the greater part of the population. Most of
them are engaged in making cigars. That
is the largest industry and concerns. direct
ly or indirectly, more than two-thirds Of the
population The tobacco is brought over
from Cuba None is grown on the key, and
nothing else is cultivated except garden
truck
The fishing industry is second in impor-
lance ana nSn are Snppeu Qdlly III large
quantities to New York and other northern
cities. Key West is the headquarters of the
green turtle trade, and thousands OF tur-
ties weighing from fifty to thousand
pounds are sent to every part Of the United
States during the winter season. The green
turtle is found in great abundance on the
coral reefs, and when he crawls up out of
the water to enjoy a sun bath or nibb!e
the green leaves his enemy rushes between
him and the sea so that he cannot escape,
and turns him over on his back. There he
lies helpless-it may be only for day, or
it may be for week or two-until his cap
tor has covered his entire territory. when
he comes along with his boat and picks up
the game that is waiting for him on the
sand. All the turtles that outlive this ex-
perience- are shipped to New York and
other cities in tanks of salt water half filled
with rocks and seaweed. Those that are
unable to survive it are slaughtered, cut out
of their Shells thrown into a big kettle, and
reduced as nearly as possible to a thick
juice which is put up in Theoretically sealed
tins and shipped to market as a basis for
green turtle soup.
A Formidable Fortress.
The Spanish war gave Key West an i'm
portance it had not previously attained. 1t
was the center of operations for both the
army and navy during those brief HOSTILE
ties Until then it's military usefulness and
possibilities had been entirely neglected.
Fortifications were hastily thrown up, large
guns were quickly mounted, and within a
few months the island was in a condition
to stand a siege, so far as defensive facili-
ties were concerned Since then those hasty
preparations have been revised, the forth
f1cations have been strengthened and Key
West has become one of the most formida-
BILE fortresses in the world. The navy yard
has also assumed great Importance. The
government is spending large sums of
money to provide facilities for repairing
ships. An old structure of masonry called
Fort Taylor which has theoretically defend
ed Key West for several generations, has
been given up to the tourists. and the bat
teries are concealed behind innocent-looking
earthworks.
The DeForest Wireless Telegraph Com
pany has a station here which receives
messages from Cuba and the other West
India islands and even SO far as the Span
ish Main.