The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1912-02-08

of Cuba than to any port of its own
country Key West has long been the
most remote and incongrous city
claimed by an American state. in
days gone by Its spongers, wreckers.
and Spanish-speaking cigarmakers 40
more dreamed OF being linked with
the mainland by rail than do the peo-
pie OF Honolulu. Until ten years ago
their nearest home port was Tampa,
200 miles up the Gulf OF Mexico. Then
the Flagler railroad, which had been
advancing down the strip Of wilder
ness along the Atlantic soaboard.
brought Key West within reach 6f
Miami 157 miles away. BY steamers
which skirted the far-fung chain CT
the Florida keys.
This chain OF isles swings off from
the Everglades of the mainland 10
stretch down into the Atlantic and
the ulf as far as Key West
No part OF the western frontier is
SO primitive and unpeopled as WIS
this swarm OF seagirt islets until n
man with q dream of creative achieve
ment. and millions OF money to make
It come true, resolved to build rail-
road to Key West It was to be n rail-
road which: in a distance of $50 miles
from mainland to terminus, should
bridge no less than thirty r-iles of
open sea and cross at least thirty
miles moro OF submerged keys and la
goonA
A railroad To be pushed with stu
pendous difficulties and at an ex-
pence Of s7s.oeo.oeo. through the At
lzntsc % . rsmose rees-whAt b the
reAsou for % u,onnumsntai an under
takinsi
The answer Ii. In Henry n Flag
ler's belief that the island OF Cuba
win some day strike its destined gait
of prosperity and growth. For Cuba is
the true objective OF the railroad 10
Key West Huge ferries will soon
carry solid trains to and from Ha-
vans: and through-raii route from
New York TO Cuba will be completed
The railroad to Key West will serve
as the quickest route for mail and
passengers between the United States
and the Panama Canal. as n hong
stride nearer the commerce of South
America. as n military and naval base
OF :mmcnse strategic Importance FOR
coming generations. n terminus ''far-
thest south" appealed to Mr.. riaglers
imagination. Moreover. the idea OF .
sea-going railroad was, In the last
analysis. regardless OF the Immediate
impetus. the logical climax OF his
rrodigal Investments along the east
coast from Jacksonville to Miami
Here he had already spent $4,000. 900
in twenty years extending his chain
OF magnificent winter resorts farther
and farther south and binding them
together with his railroad. To make Of
1; through system he had inevitably
TO push 1t on beyond the Gulf.
'rhis work has been the more dra-
matte In that the problems were new
and OF moet unusual difficulty. Be-
tween some OF the keys the tracks
must be carried on concrete viaducts
passenger would be out of sight If
land. the horizon closing down to the
ocean rim TO east and west The work
would have to withstand storms and
high seas for mile after mile where
there was no barrier to check the as
saults OF the Atlantic The construc-
ton plant must be put afloat. thou
sands OF men quartered in boats IN
stead OF camps. the work inspected In
tugs and launches. and a huge noet
maintained for building railroad. As
one engineer summed It up. at was
bound to be web-footcd proposition
from start to finish"