Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-04-13
A Trip Through the South
[Continued From Last Week. I

did not appear very pleasing to the peo-
pie on board our vessel. But, as we
continued on, it was found to be the
approaching darkness and heavy mist
that was passing over the Atlantic to
the west.
We then retired to our state room,
and, after enjoying good nap, we
looked through the portal and saw the
lights in Key West few miles away.
1t was then 1920 and our steamer had
anchored there for the night
At the dawn of day on January 7th
our vessel drew anchor, steamed into
Key West harbor and made it's way to
the landing. We were there about two
hours, while they were unloading pro-
visions and fruit that had been brought
from Cuba. 1t was a nice, warm morn
ing, and the deck of the vessel was
crowded with people, who were amusing
themselves by throwing nickles into the
water, where several Cuban boys were
continually diving toward the bottom
after the coins. These divers went far
beneath the surface of the water, and
seldom returned without bringing the
coins with them.
1t was about eight O'Clock when our
vessel left the landing and steamed
west out of the harbor into the Atlantic.
On leaving the city we passed the gov
eminent navy yard, where four torpedo
/, destroyers were anchored at the land
ing in the harbor. These boats are
built exceedingly long, narrow and very
low. Constructed in this manner they
can go very rapidly through the waves.
Our vessel continued on south, then
swinging to the east and passing few
miles to the south of the Florida Keys,
we continued on east over a calm sea
for forty-five miles and arrived at the
landing near Knights Key just in time
for dinner.
When we were out to sea few miles
, south of the landing, we saw large
steamer mile or more to the east of
US that had been run onto a sandbar,
and large tugboat was there trying to
work it out to sea. We spent more
than three hours at the Knights Key
landing. This is about eighty rods out
in the ocean, and is nearly ten rods
from one of the great bridges connect
ing two of the Florida Key islands
The trains run out to the landing over
a trestle, built to the west along the
north side of the great bridge, and
when nearly even with the landing,
it makes curve to the south, passing
under the large bridge and to the land
ing. The construction of this one hun
dred and eleven miles of sea-going rail-
road is wonderful piece of engineer
ing. 1t has taken many years of hard
work, has cost the company several
million dollars, and it is not yet COM
pleted. They have several miles more
to build. This is about mile or more
west of Knights Key landing, where
the company is building number of
bridges. Some of these will be several
miles in length. While we were there
we passed along on the trestle to the
bridge, and, going to the top of it on
ladder, we walked along on this great
bridge for some distance. inspecting the
construction of it, and found that it
was built very strong and substantial.
The piers for the bridge are built about
fifty feet apart, and are constructed
OF concrete. These are strengthened
by iron bars passing from top to bottom
of these piers and laid in the concrete. |
These piers are about ten feet long,
four feet wide and extend twenty feet |
above the water. To the top of these
four fifty-foot steel spans are bolted,
two of these extending each way and
connecting with the adjoining piers.
These steel spans are made from two
thick steel plates fifty feet long and
eight feet wide. Six inches on each
edge of these are turned at right angles;
there these are riveted together, leav-
ing fiat surface on the bottom of the |
span to rest ION the piers, and foot
surface on the top, on which ten-inch |
square timbers are laid for ties. These
ties are held in place by Sx10 timbers
extending lengthwise of the bridge.
These are notched to fit over the ties,
and are bolted to the steel spans. These |
two spans are held in place by angle
and-cross braces extending from one to |
the other.
On leaving Knights Key landing our
train continued east over the islands
and trestles for sixteen miles. There
we crossed q channel on a viaduct, or /
bridge. two and 6S-l00 miles in length. |
The piers of this viaduct are built q |
few rods apart and are connected by
concrete arch, The top Of this viaduct
is covered with sand and shells taken
from the sea.
After crossing the viaduct we spent
fifteen minutes at Long Key for lunch. +
This village il built in a beautiful grove