The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-19
OVERSEE RAILROAD
IS NOW COMPLETED
Florida and Key West Con
nected- Big Celebra-
ton Saturday.
National News Assoclation>

JACkSONNlLLE,F Fla, Jan. "
The arrival in Jacksonville tomorrow
of several parties OF diplomats, fl
nanciers and public officials. inciud-
ing practically the entire membership
of the Rivers and Harbors committee
OF congress. will set the machinery i'll
motion for the biggest celebration in
the history OF the state of Florida.
The celebration, which will continue
over several days, will be in honor OF
the completion OF the Florida East
Coast Railway company's line con
Meeting the mainland of the United
States with the island city OF Key
West
The construction of the railroad
over the sea- which is the name ia.
miliarly applied to the new line. ia re-
garded as one of the greatest engineer
ing triumphs of the age. The project
of building the line from the tipend
of the Florida peninsula to Key West,
using the long stretch of coral reefs
as stepping stones, was first conceived
about seven years ago, Henry NJ.
Flagler, the chief promoter OF the en-
terprise. supplied the millions of capi-
tai necessary and the best engineering
talen in America furnished the ingenu-
ity and skill that have made the road
an accomplished fact.
Nearly thirty islands were used for
short stretches of construction, the
longest being sixteen miles. on Key
of vth
and rock embankment were built
where the intervening water was shall
low. Where deeper water prepailed
and where the openings were exposd
to storms, concrete arch viaduct con-
struction was used, consisting of fifty
foot reinforced concrete circular-arch
spans and piers. with occasional spans
of sixty feet. This was the most diff
ficult part of the work. There are four
of these arch viaducts, aggregating
about six miles in length.
The longest is between Long Key
and Grassy Key. 27 miles, and is call
ed the Long Key viaduct: across the
! knights Key channel, 1900 feet, and
across Bahia Honda channel, 1850
feet The material of the islands is
coraline limestone. In many places
the embankment for the roadway is
eight or nine feet in height, and the
roadbed is ballasted with the same
| material. The result is one of the fin
! est and safest railway roadbeds in the
world.
Building Of viaduets.
+ The building. of the concrete via.
ducts was one of the most interesting
ly because of the size Of the larger
ones, but by reason of their location.
They were constructed literally on the
open sea. In many places where the
water is deep enough to float large
size ocean steamship, and where the
| locality is exposed to the gales Of the
Atlantic, much of the work was done
by floating plants, where the concrete
was mixed and placed in position by
means of powerful boom derricks. In
the shallower water molds for the
foundation of the viaduct were formed
by driving piles, which held in place
water-tight framework. The total
length of the oversee extension is 127
miles.
The first through train to Key West
will leave this city Sunday noon and
will carry Mr.. Flagler and party OF
friends. A second train will follow
closely with the members of congress
and other officials invited to partici
pate in the celebration at Key West
Elaborate entertainment for the visit
ors has been provided in the islant
city Among the features of the pro
gram will be big civic, military ant
naval parade, a ball and banquet ant
official receptions at the military ant
naval posts on the island. The fifth
division of the Atlantic fleet, consist
ing of the cruisers North Carolina
Washington, Salem and Birmingham
is at Key West for the celebration
Portugal has sent one of the vessels o
her navy and several other foreign
powers are expected to be represented
The completion of the oversea line Il
an event of national and even inter
national importance. 1t gives the Uni
ted States new seaport far out in th'
Gulf. affording a great improvement
on the country's strategic position il
relation to Cuba and the Panam'
canal Key West, with the opening o
the new road, becomes the Unite'
States port nearest to Colon: 49
miles nearer than New Orleans ant
600 miles nearer than Galveston. !
has today one of the most importan
naval stations in the country ant
President Taft has already expresses
the hope that congress will provide TO
the very considerable enlargement O
the post Commercial as well q
strategic advantages are to accru
from the completion of the road.
modern drydock and ample wharve
are to be constructed. AS the dis
tance from Key West to Havana is or
ly ninety miles, the transportation @
freight cars by means of powerful
steam ferries is entirely practicable
and the trip can be made in about si
hours.
! MEMORY OF LEE
i (Nation2l News Associatiou)