The Washington herald., 1909-01-12


/ the southernmOst city Of the United
States. II is built on a little island far
OF the mainland. but it is the county seat
Of Monroe County. Fla. which includes
most OF the Florida Keys. portion Of
the mainland, and the uncharted and IN
counted little islands Of the archipelago
known as the Ten Thousand Islands. In
the popular mind Key West IL associated
with cigars Cigar-making is the principal
/ business Of the city. and furnishes live
Hhood for majority OF the 2o00o inhabi-
tants For many years Key West was
/ the principal center for the manufacture
I Of high-grade cigars in the United States,
1 but Tampa has taken away that glory
I Key West makes as many cigars as ever,
but Tampa makes more
/ The cigar business. however. is not the
principal item OF Importance in reckoning
the value Of Key West as an American
city. II Is a pOpulOus island outpost. sit
uated in q position OF great strategic
strength. The fOrtifiCatiOns at Fort JET
ferson. in the Dry Tortugas. are more
| formidable but Fort Jefferson IS nothing
but a fertilization Key West has Fort
TayIor and a naval station. and II also
/ has population. Many Of its people are
/ Cubans. thousands OF them speaking
/ Spanish, but they are nearly all Ameri-
/ cans in spirit Key West is close 10
Havana. only ninety miles by the sailing
/ course.
The Panama Canal viii be completed
/ in a few years. The American people
1 confidently expect that il viii mean a
great deal to the commerce Of the nation
/ and the world. and It is with that conf
dence that they are taxing themselves
10 construct It. But It Is entirely possible
7 that the age Of war Is not over; that
( there may be another great clash OF
armed nations in which the United States
will take part. and IN which the Panama
I Canal VIII play an important part -Four
hundred years ago the island OF Cuba
was recognized as the strategic key 20
the command Of the Caribbean Sea and
I the Gulf OF Mexico. Cuba Is not Ameri-
can territory. but the United States has
naval stations there which give this
/ country military control over it in case Of
international war.
Key West occupies a position OF COM
handing strength just 70 the north Of
Cuba. When the canal Is finished il VIII
merce. II war should come il would be
one 0f the strong positions for the de
/ fense Of the seas which command the
/ canal on the Atlantic side Before the
canal is completed there viii he railroad
connection 70 Key West. Troops may
. then be rushed by fast train 20 a point
within four or FIVE hours Of Havana. and
/ supplies may be dispatched by fast freight
directly 20 the supply ships which are
actually at work on the Gulf station
/ The military Importance Of Key West
was thoroughly demonstrated during our
own civil war. Key West was always
F in the hands OF the Federals. and it was
the chief asset Of the navy in enforcing
and maintaining the blockade Of the Gulf
ports Of the Confederate States The
harbor at Key West is a good one for
/ commercial purposes. although It IS not
( ideally adapted TO the uses Of the modern
navy. As a supply depot, however, II IS
/ perfect In modern warfare the problem
Of quick and untrammeled transports-
/ ton OF supplies IS Of even greater i'm
/ fportaace AT certain stages Of action than
actual fighting ability The new railroad
10 Key West viii make that city what
/ il was during the civil war. the most
valuable outpost on the Gulf OF Mexico.
] Key West has been accustomed 10 the
shock OF war for centuries. although the
city is less than a hundred years old
/ When the Spanish conQUistadoreS first
! came TO this part OF the world. the south
I ern portion Of Florida was inhabited by
Z the Calos Indians a tribe which had at
/ tained q higher degree Of civilization than
most OF the North American Indians.
( They accepted the Spanisrds, received
their missionaries. and embraced the
I Christian religion Ruins Of an old CalOs
/ church are vet 20 be seen IN the heart Of
the Everglades