The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-10-11
KEY WEST EXTENSION.
Work will Be Completed as
Originally Planned.

There is no limit to the nerve of
certain yellow journals, both in the
state and out of it, in their efforts to
deceive the public by publishing fake
news stories in connection with the
building of that great engineering
work the Key West extension of the
Florida East Coast Railway. 1t has
been part and parcel of the demagog-
ic plan of campaign in Florida to be
little the efforts of Mr.. Flagler and
the officials of the Florida East Coast
Railway in their work of develop
ment and with the true Hearst in
stinct for the baser sort of journal
ism a few papers have taken great
delight in printing alleged facts to
the effect that all work on the Key
| West extension is to be stopped after
January lst, 1908.
1t will therefore be sore disap-
pointment to this small minority to
| read the interview in last Saturdays
New York Tribune, secured by that
newspaper from Mr.. j. r. Parrott,
vice-president and general manager
of the Florida East Coast Railway.
But to thousands OF Floridians the
news will be most welcome that the
extension work is TO be carried
proving that Mr.. Flagler's faith in
his wonderful enterprise has not
diminished one whit.
Florida is bound to become the
gateway to the Panama Canal and
the extension to Key West is to pro-
vide the best and shortest route to
the Central American republics.
Mr.. PARROTS statement to the Trib-
une is as follows:
Contrary to published statements,
the construction of the Key West ex-
tension of the Florida East Coast
Railroad has not been abandoned,
and there is no intention of abandon
ing it" said j. r.. Parrott, vice-pres-
ident and general manager of the
Florida East Coast Railway Com
pany, and for twenty years Mr.. Flag
ler's right hand man in all his Flor
ida enterprises, at the Holland
House, in New York city, a few
evenings since. by the middle of
January we expect to have the road
completed to Knights Key and boats
from that point to Cuba.
"Since the beginning of this work
our construction has covered the en-
tire line between Homestead and
and Key West. We have had forces
at work at both ends and in the mid
die. This has been done largely in
order that the work might be finally
more quickly.
Eighty per cent of the construc-
ton of the southern end of the line,
from Key West north to Bahia Hon
da, distance of forty-seven miles,
has practically been completed. This
would leave between Knights Key
and Bahia Honda twelve miles, in
which is comprehended the three
viaducts. There has been offered so
far no engineering problems in these
three openings that have not already
been overcome in the Long Key
opening, which is about completed,
and which is longer than any of the
others.
"The amount of money expended
n this undertaking has been entire
y within the limits of the original
estimate, and in no wise is it beyond
he financial ability of Mr. Flagler
% carry it through to completion.
THE report that Mr.. 0b@clin Car
jer has been employed to take charge
If the engineering end of the extern
'ion work is likewise incorrect. The
,hief engineer in charge of the Key
West extension is j. G. Meredith. -
St. Augustine Record.