The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-05-04
AMONG THE FLORIDA KEYS
NOTES AND INCIDENTS OF F;fE
TROPIC LAND.
Former Raleigh Citizen Writes Inter
estinSly OF the Wonderful country
Through Which Passes the FIaye.er
Railroad,
BY HASTEN POE.

BY HASTEN POE.
Leaving Homestead, twenty-eiSht
miles south Of Miami, We enter into
Il prairie-1ike country of land anI
water, dotted here and there with
small islands covered with rich green
growth Of bushes, the road runs per
Iectly straight for miles until We run
upon Key Largo, the first and largest
Of the F~loriday KEYS. Here the interest
in the new roads begins. This key
seems a part of the main
land Of Florida and the
straight line Of rOad has been quilt
from end to end by throwing up the
decayed coral rock from each side and
forming a magnificent straight white
rOadbed for miles across the key. on
each side thickly wooded hammocks of
gumbo limb, water oak, ana
tangled creepers, with here and there
a clearing where civilization is begin
ming to show its hand.
Further Oh we begin to get gIimpsas
Of the sea through the woods and
bushes until we near the end and
cross q narrow interrogation of water
with the open sea in plain view N
both sides. This has been mostly filled
IN by dredging each side and pilii1S
up he roadbed. and So on across a
number Of small keys leaving q draw
bridge for the benefit of navigau IN
until Long Key is reached. Fiji is
q beautiful little island with a grove
of c~ocoanuts along the Atlantic side
several miles long, planted years ago
by the United States government ami
now tall stately trees in full bearing.
The key here at h club nous IS
barely 800 Yards wide, with q fine
view OF the beautiful light green water
Of the Atlanti on the east, and the
Gulf of Mexico on the west.
Leaving this key we approach some
of the real difficulties in building this
wonderful road and where the viaduc1s
over the water begin. Long Key to
nected by enbankments Of coral rock,
trestles, and these costly Viaducts
through which the sea sweeps with 4
determined tide and current. The
viaducts are built of concrete and ce-
mcnt and are large, strong and mas
sive and when viewed from one OF the
keys present q picture to be
forgotten Of long white arches,
stretching acfos the light green foam
ing water of the ca.
Beyond this are several small keys
lynn close together. These have been
passed by t~restles and filling in with
coral rock until we reach knights
Key, the present terminus Of the road.
3S miles from Key West. Here TIE
character of the work changes and the
deepest water is to be crossed to Bahia
Honda. The main force and interest Of
the work is concentrated here, building
the immense piers across this water
The work goes on day and hight, one
section keep ahead with the Golfer
dams. which are pumped dry before
the concrete filling is poured in. -Four
or five large bargeS equipped with
cranes and machinery stay along side
the line of cofferdamS continuously
The material is carried to them by =
fleet Of smaller vessels and they min
the sand. concrete, and cenen a1ld
keep steady moulding the heavy piers
IN the woOden structures.
These piers lie eighty feet apart
from nter to center. some of them
are in 10 or 90 feet of water and
about 25 feet above the sea level Steel
Orders seven feet thick Will be laid
from pier to pier and on these girders
the track viii be laid. There Will be
eighty-one of these piers from knights
Key to Bahia Honda and thirty-one to
SWana KEYS beyond. Thence to
Kew West the keys are SO close to-
that the principal work Will be
in building uD the roadbed with the
steam dredges. Work is now going
on in this direction.
About 1900 men are now engaged III
the work. which is going on with a
system that experience and time have
brought about. This little armV OF
men seem satisfied and cheerful. Ihe
climate is beautiful. They have com
Portable and cleanly quarters. Whoie
copo foo6 aud q can of excellent con !