La Junta tribune., 1913-03-08
EVERGLADES OF FLORIDA.
Land Of Summer Time, Winter Gar.
den Truck and Industrious
Mosquitoes.

'''f
1t Is Saturday and we have been
since Tuesday morning coming from
Mobile, Ala, where my last letter
was. dated. The boat made stop
OF tnirty-siN hours at Tampa. Fla,
where the passengers improved the
opportunity to see the sights. We
found garden truck looking thrifty.
cabbages half grown. and green peas
big enough to pick. There is every
evidence of moist warm climate
with the absence OF mud The soil
is pure sand and the rain disappears
AS fast as II falls. One OF the many
curious plants is the Spanish moss,
found hanging In long streamers from
many different kinds of trees 1t
Is not IA parasite like the mistietoe
but seems to thrive on any kind OF
tree. or even where suspended In the
air. for we saw 1t growing on the
telephone wires. The mocking birds
at Tampa. Fla. were further re.
mindcr that We had come to the
land OF summer time and their
songs filled the air during the two
nights We were there. We were al.
so entertained by the song of the
mosquito who improved the opportun-
ity to lunch off the passengers as
our boat did not have any screens.
The stop at Tampa was very pleas.
ant. withal. and gave us "A respite
from stormy voyage after which q
2i-hour run landed us In Key West.
the southern extremity of Florida.
which looks like jumping off place
sure enough. II liz called the Island
City being located at the extremity
OF the Florida Keys II is 100 miles
from the mainland. the Keys being a
string Of small Islands extending
that distance out into the Gulf
Since the Spanish war, the govern.
meat haA realized the tspportance Of
| maintaining u naval base here and
has spent considerable money to
that end. and has strong fortifica.
tions already built. The city has u
population Of 10000. the chief indus
try being fishing and the manufac.
ture Of cigars. There are only two
banks The area OF the county of
which Key West In the county seat
Is practically all covered with water.
There don't seem To be land enough
on which Ia pasture n good big
COW and In consequence condensed
milk is used entirely. They depend
on rain for their water supply using
cisierns. built ON top Of the ground
or large tanks set up adjoining the
house. There are water mains laid
In the streets connecting with the
sea for fire protection. Fire engines
are used. pumping IN. water from
fire plug with sufficient fore" to
throw the stream over u tall build.
Ing. One of the largest wireless tel.
.graph stations In the world Is main.
sAtus'u NV w 'h' Wv
visited this while the operator was
sending an important government
message using curren, Of 10000
volts. ~. said that he had communi.
Gated with the Alaska station re.
Gently. u distance of over 1000 miles
and sent and received messages .,.
cry day n distance Of 1000 miles or
more.
We hay" engaged passage for Gu.
$ O'Clock which viii land us IN Ha.
vana IN plenty Of time for breakfast
Monday morning. This VIII TAX. ur
through the Gulf Stream. that won.
derful river flowing out Of tn. Gulf
of Mexico and sweeping across m"
Atlantic ocean, tcmp"rinn the ell.
mat. Of Europe. Thi. stream flow.
Ink through the ocean has n current
OF four miles per hour and WAS On.
journey last night tn" voyage from
Mobile Was delightful with IN. "s.
crption of one day. There was u
heavy tropical rain all that day with
n strong head wind making n rough
sea that pu, ninr.t"nths of tho pas.
s.nH.rs out NJ commlssion. The ship
did not behave n bit nice but went
pitching over the sea like n buckinx
hronsho over tho prairie. only more
10. The boat IL $50 feet long and
son" bronchos about ten feet In
length 10 figure that the bo~t
pitched something like thirty five
times harder than any broncho ever
saw. A bUckinE horse Will get tir.
I'd after awhile and quit but the
boat kecps right on and you set tir.
ed several timcs.. You counidn't get
of n you wanted IN without eettina