Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-02-10

and that the development OF It's natur-
al resources would attract millions OF
capital, millions Of labOrers and hun
dreds of thousands OF enterprising
Americans.
This immigration would create an
extensive market Cuba already buys
more than S1OO,0OO,OO0 worth of for
eign merchandise every year and
about half of 1t Is shipped from the
United States. The island is capable
OF supporting at least ten, and prob
ably 100000 of inhabitants, and Mr..
Flagler believes that intimately 1t will
haye several times the present popula-
ton. II also occurred to him, In addi-
ton TO the commercial advantages
that would follow the material de-
veIopment OF Cuba, railway to Key
West would be Of supreme strategic
importance to the Government OF the
United States, which has assumed the
responsibility of preserving the peace
and protecting the foreign population
and property in that turbulent new re-
public.
These thoughts occupied Mr.. Flag
ler's mind for several weeks. Then
he sent for J. r. PARROT, the general
manager Of his railway system, and
his right arm in all his Florida enter
prises, and directed that surveys be
made to determine whether a railway |
could be built across the keys. Engi- |
neers were employed with the same |
promptness that characterizes all Of
his undertakings, and, after two or
three years they made q favorable re-
port and traced the route that is now
being followed along the coral forma-
ton south Of the tip end Of Florida.
When Mr. Flagler's plans became
known there was q great deal Of dis
cussion in the daily newspapers and
the professional journals concerning
the feasibility OF the project, and some
eminent authorities advised him to I'M
deftake the construction Of railway
line TO Mars or to the moon or to any
other old place that was beyond the
reach Of human endeavor. His faith
was not disturbed IN the slightest
degree. He became even more de-
termined. He sent for Mr.. PARROT
one day and said:
Can that road be built?"
1T can" said Mr.. PARROT
Then 60 ahead and build It."
Those were all the orders Mr.. Par
rott ever got, He has been assisted
In carrying out the novel scheme by
r. r Cot, the general superintend.
eht; J. p. Beckwith, the traffic mana
ger: Third Vice President J. e. In
graham OF the Flagler system, and
many other able subordinates. BY
reason Of their energy the track has
not only been constructed In a man
nsr that challenges the admiration OF
every engineer, but the work 10 now
more than a year in advance Of Mr..
PARROTS predictions TO Mr. Flagler.
II was so unusual and hazardous
that no contractor would undertake
the Job. In several respects It was
more difficult than the Panama canal.
II was not only necessary to bring all
the workmen from distant sources Of
supply. but they must be lodged and
fed In enormous floating dormitories,
which were anchored from place to
place as the work progressed. Every.
thing they ate and used must be
brought to them over the water. and
all Of the construction material. ex.
cept the coral rock that was dredEed /
out Of the bottom Of the sea must be
transported q long distance.
The most important and novel con.
crete work ever attempted Is found in
the viaducts that span the deeper and
more exposed waters OF the ocean.
The longest OF them consists OF $50
arches. Of hfty and sixty foot cen,ers, !
and ISL piers. making a total distance
Of io.tti.sS feet between abutments at
at the springing line from Long Key
90 Grassy Key. The track is laid. and ),
the cars will run thirty-one feet above (,
high water. where the depth variesI
from thirteen 10 twenty feet. with a
tide rrnning four miles an hour. In
the construction Of this viaduct ESD.