Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-01-18
TIE asEA-aorNe RAILHOADs

January 16 witnessed the cuimina.
ton of an important stage iD the
great project being worked out by
Henry M. F'lagler when the new rail
road from Miami to Knights Key was
opened. This line is the longest part
OF the ambitious extension Of the
Florida East Coast railway, by which
the roads terminus will be moved
from Homestead, Fla, to Eey West,
1873 miles further South. On January
IS the Miami, Key West and Havana
steamer service was discontinued. and
passengers for Cuba are now carried
to knights Key before eInbarking.
This key ~ within forty-six miles Of
Key West, the ultimate goal Of this
unique railroad.
Referring 70 this great work The
Wall Street Journal says that con-
struction work on the extension was
begun on May ], 1905, and the fire..
quent engineering problems met with
each step OF Its progress have been
successfully solved. Stretching its
way from key to key over intervening
lanes OF water varying in depth from
few inches to 80 feet, the new line
when completed will have been built
for n miles on land, 26 miles through
swamps and % miles over water. It
has been appropriately nicknamed the
"seagolng railroad" On the entire
route 30 keys are, crossed. and the
delay accompanied the procuring Of
material for the connecting concrete
vladucts has prevented earlier com
pletlon OF the new section.
Included in the 1856 miles from MI.
ami are nearly six miles Of concrete
viaducts and 80 miles of embankment,
rising 81 feet above the water to pro
tSct the track from storms The'1ine
has ten bridges, two OF them draw.
bridges with 4O.foot clear openings on
each side Of the pier. and one with
clear opening OF 100 feet on each side,
The longest vIaduct from Long Key to
Conch Key Ia 10000 feet, built in the
most substantial way. In places con.
fcrete work on the railway has cost
more than $500, 900 per mile. The road
IL. OF course. single track. with 10
pound rails, and ls an excellent piece
OF construction work. For the ex.
tensive grading necessary 1000 men
we're employed last winter.
The completion OF the road Is expect
cd to make a wonderful change In the
de- elopment OF Key West. With rail-
: lad facilities this city should take
position a. q port entry on a par with
Galveston, Mobile and New Orleans,
Kew West will obviously be the port
Of Cuban traffic, being but a little
more than four hours distant from
Havana, and will be the nearest rail
connection for Hayt. San Domingo
and the Panama Canal. From the
opening Of the canal a large amount Of
profitable business Is expected TO origi. |
nate. while the winter tourist traGic |
Ia a sure source OF considerable pas.
senger revenue. Prosperity and real
estate In Key West have advanced by |
leaps since the coming OF the railroad |
was made certain, The citys harbor
II expected to provide wharfage space
for 40 deep sea vessels, with wharves
500 feet long This harbor has been
filled In for en- acreage OF 500 by |
1890 feet by pumping mud from the
bay, and upon this newly.made land
will be built the terminal There will
also be- erected here another Flaglcr
hotel
completion of the last section Of l6
miles to Key West will be pushed. but
will not DO accomplished for many
months,
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