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

upon the shoals By treacherous false
lights and then looted them as they
fay helpless. Horrible stories are told
OF the cruelty Of the "conches," as
these desperadoes we're called. But
their descendants are now engaged In
more humane occupations. Wrecking
as an industry has been abandoned
ever since the line Of six lighthouses
was built along the shoals between
Miami and Key West.
On some Of the keys are mahogany
groves. with trees Of great value, and
orchid hunters have found rare varie-
ties Of afr plants and parasites among
them. The soil and climate are espe-
cially adapted to plneapples, bananas
and lines, and several pioneers have
already started small plantations now
that the railroad win furnish means
OF transportation to market. Hitherto
the inhabitants OF the keys have been
entirely dependent upon their own
sailboats, but their wants, are few and
both Key West and Miami are thriv.
ing cities.
Knights Key. the present terminus
Of the East Coast railway system,
has a safe and almost landlocked
harbor made by the outlying reefs and
keys. and a drop channel from the
ocean permits vessels OF twenty feet
draught to come alongside a dock
which Mr.. Flagler has constructed
1000 feet southwest Of the key. The
railway trains pass over a trestle and
run alongside steamers which pick
up their passengers and carry them
on to Havana.
Experts who have studied the work
OF construction consider 1t one OF the
most REMARKABLY pieces Of engineer.
Ing OF modern times. II was begun in
1905. and has since been carried on
without contracts under the direction
Of J. G. Meredith, an Iowa man. who
was educated at the State Agrichltur.
al College at Ames and afterward took
n course In civil engineering at Stew
ems Institute. Hoboken, N. ]. He then
went, into river and harbor work
under the army engineers, assisted to
construct the great bridge over the
Missouri at Kansas City, and was en-
gnged for q time on harbor improve
ments and in building docks at Tampi.
co, Mexico, until Mr.. Flagler sent for
him In 1904 arid placed him In charge
Of the great work which he has now
nearly accomplished. Nearly all Of
Mr.. Meredith's assistants have also
come from the State Agricultural Col.
lege Of Iowa, and they include G. B,
Wilson. A. A. Ralney. J. II. Galley and
Ernest Cotton Of Des MOInes; c. N.
Finley and John Finley Of Sioux City:
Il. s. Coe OF Washington, u. s, Fer
guson Of Burlington. q, q. Frost Of
Clear Lake, c. T.. Curtis OF Redheld,
C. D. Wilson Of Cherokee and others.
Another extraordinary feature OF
the enterprise is that Il has been paid
for by one man. and he hasn't had
10 borrow n dollar. Yet portions OF
the track cost 100000 b mile. The
East Coast railroad OF Florida, of
which II ls an extension. is owned ex.
clusIvely by Henry NJ. Flagler Of the
Standard OIL Company who is count.
ed as one OF the six richest men IN
the world, He owns over 200 miles
OF railway, and win sOOn have 500
miles. He owns steamship Inns and
seven big hotels. and has about $4,000
men upon his payroll including 1000
laborers engaged In the construction
Of this remarkable road across the
keys. lts completion will round out
Mr.. Flagler's plans for the develop
ment Of the East Coast OF Florida, In
which he has spen, tWenty.three years
Of labor and more than 600, Ooe, O00.
Mr.. Rockefeller, his life partner In the
commission business AZ Cleveland.
and Rfterward In the Standard oil
Company gives generously Of biz
great wealth for educational purposes:
Mr., Carnegie POUNDS libraries. but Mr.
FlAEler. who has . practical aud com.
mrrcial mind. has devoted his ability |
and his means TO the material de-
velopment Of a State which vas al
most az primitive as a wilderness |
when he arst came n Florida.
"a. told ma iast sDrfnw thar tha tdsa