The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-12-05
RESUMED ON
OCEAN RAILROAD

men are being rushed southwark to
work on the completion of the great
Florida East Coast Railway, following
the decision of Judge Hough of the
United States Circuit Court, in dismiss
ing, as without cause of action; the so
called peonage cases that had been
brought by the United States Govern
ment against the labor agents of the
railroad.
While these actions were pending in
struction work on this sea-going rail-
road, which is to be Henry M. Flagler' >
greatest achievement, were loath to
push forward with the same amount oil
energy that had been displayed PRO-
to the action of the Attorney General
in taking cognizance of the reckless
charges of labor slavery that had been
made. Every effort to make up for
lost time now will be put forward by
Vice-President Joseph X. Parrott, who
has been in charge personally since the
work began in June of 1905. Fully %,
600 men are employed south of Knight $
Key and more workmen are being sent
to the field of operations each day.
Vice President Parrott, who now Is
in New York ON business connected
nth tbo rroo+ ax+apo;op which ;S hmm
ing over a streaeh of thirty miles OF
open ocean and over thirty miles more
of submerged keys and lagoons to coli
meet Key West by direct line with Mi
ami, now estimates that this, one of the
most novel engineering enterprises Of
modern times will be completed and
trains running for its full length with
in a year.
Already the line is completed and
trains are running for eighty-four miles
south of Miami, right down to Knight :
Key. Work also is being pushed for
ward from Key West up and yer forty
miles of roadbed has been constructed
by the gangs that are working north
ward to meet the other workmen who
rapidly are moving south. This means
pleted out of the l56 miles of road sur
veyed from Miami to Key West. The
greatest of all the engineering feats
on this wonderful line, however, is yer
to be completed. This is the eleven
mile gap from Knight Key to Bahia
Honda, where the line is being carries,
over the open ocean on concrete
The effect of the great extension On
traffic to Havana, however, already has
been felt because now the steamers
Havana meet the trains at Knight :
Key and take passengers and freight
from that point to the Cuban capital
of S4 miles north at Miami.
When the line is completed to Key
huge railroad car floats will take
to Havana. a distance of 90 miles,
without compelling passengers to leave
their car seats or sleeping-car bertlls
and without the necessity of breaking
bulk on a single consignment of
freight. This means that the Cuban
planter will be enabled to load
his product on a freight ear side
tracked at his plantation, nave the car
hauled by rail to Havana, fioated to
Key West and then rail-hauled right
to New York or any other point with
out any of the expense, trouble or dam
age dangers of a second handling.
This great project, which is being
financed, from beginning to end, by
Mr.. Flagler personally. generally is
regarded by engineers as the most ex-
the average cost of construction ex
ceeding 100000 a mile, while the
additional capital requirements for
docks, channeling, ear floats and equip
ment will bring the total cost approx
imately to $3O,000,000. Already Mr..
Flagler has expended upwards of
$4,000. 900 on the work.
1t was more than a year and a half
ago when this great work was inter
rupted by the United States attorney
general and charges were made tha.
laborers on the railroad work were
held in bondage, compelled to work
practically without pay and were sub
jected to various sorts of oppression.
The case was presented to the fed
eral grand jury in New York and in
dietments, charging conspiracy were
found against Eduard j. TRAY, OF
Jacksonville. Fla, resident labor agent
for the road; against Francisco Sabbia,
who has a private bank at 225 Bowcry
in this city; and against Frank =.
Hough and David F.. Harley, who were