Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-01-24

A several parties VI uiPiomats, imam
u, s,, and public officials, including
NJ. ,,dically the entire membership Of
:. 4. MYERS and harbors committee of
~, nsgess, will set the machinery in
II. ,,,ion for the biggest celebration in
D. a, history If the state Of Florida.
:. no Celebration, which will continue
,,r several days, will be in honor
A the completion Of the Florida East
Cast Railway company's line, con.
=. ,,ding the mainland Of the United
" States with the island city Of Key
Vest.
The construction Of "the railroad
aver the sea-" which Ia the name
g hmhary applied TO the new line, is
Ysarled as one Of the greatest en-.
npecrng triumphs Of the age. The
roiect Of building the line from the
hp end Of the Florida peninsula 10
:, Key West using tho long stretch Of
pnl reefs rs stepping stones, was
fist conceived about seven years ago.
Henry " Flaglcr, the chief promoter
d the enterprise, supplied the mill
Dc iors Of capital necessary and the best
engineering talent in America furn
shed the ingenuity and skill that
" have made the road an accomplished
! h,t.
Nearly thirty islands were used for
short stretches Of construction, the
hngest being sixteen miles, on Key
d Largo More than fifty miles Of earth
9 and rock embankments were built
a where the intervening water was shall.
g lm Where deeper water prevailed
\ and where the openings were ex-
\ posed TO storms, concrete arch via
duet construction was used, consist.
7 ing Of fifty.foot reinforced concrete
circular arch spans and piers, with
occasional spans of sixty feet. This
was the most difficult part Of the
work. There are four of these arch
viaducts, aggregating about six miles
ID length.
The longest is between Long Key
and Grassy Key, 81 miles. and is
'alled the Long Key viadust; across
the Knights Key channel, 1900 feet,
and across Bahia Hondo channel,
1880 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 finest and safest railway
'Oadbeds in the world.
The building Of the concrete via
duets was one Of the most interesting
features Of the entire project, not
only because Of the size Of the larger
ones but by reason Of their loca'
lion. They were constructed literally
90 the open sea. In many places
where the water Is deep enough to
iloat 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,
'"'i' thc concrete WAS nike" """
placed in position by means Of pow
Hful boom derrieks. In the shallower
water molds for the foundation OF
the yladuct were formed by driving
piles which held in place watertight
framework. The total length of the
Nersea extension In 1877 miles.
The first through train TO Key
West will leave this city Sunday noon
and will carry Mr.. Flagler and a
party Of friends. A second train will
follow closely with the members OF
congress and other officials invited
70 Participate in the celebration al
hey West. Elaborate entertainment
Tor the visitors has been provided IN
'he island city. Among the features
military and naval parade, o ball
and banquet and official receptions AZ
'he military and naval posts on the
Island. Tho fifth division of the AZ
@ntic fleet, consisting Of the eruls
'f' North Carolina, Washington, sal
sm and Birmingham, Is at Key West
'or the celebration. Portugal mas
sent one of the vessels of her navy
and several other foreign powers are
expected to be represented.
The completion Of the oversee me
Is an event Of national and even in
irrational Importance. II gives the
United States q new seaport far out
=" the Gulf, affording great I'M
po'ement On the country's strategic
lOAltiOn In xalsfion Al Cula md the