The Natchitoches enterprise., 1922-06-22
Cuban Marine Band.

CUUd0 MdTlIl0 DdIlus
Other places of interests are the
Casino which ranks second with Monte
Carlo and the famous Havana race
track. One may enjoy nightly dancing
on the beautiful roof garden of the
Plaza Hotel. The main street is called
the Prado, in the center of which is
the Park Central, the mecca as a
meeting place for the tourists. Here
one meets people from every part of
the world. Havana also boasts of a
beautiful American Club and a Span
ish Y. M. C. A.
Any kind of liquors may be obtained
in the numerous bars of the city but
rum is the popular drink of the island.
Havana in truth is an old Spanish town
with it's beautiful senoritas, warm
sunshine and fruits and foliage, and
these in combination with few glass
of Baccardi make the tourist only wish
his time of stay was not limited.
We sailed from Havana on the
steamship Governor Cobb of the ?: &
.. Line to Key West, Florida. This
trip may also be taken on hydroplanes,
which carry as many as twenty passen-
gers each. These planes are fitted as
elegantly as any Pullman car.
After seven and half honrs' run by
boat we sight the keys, series of
islands that marks the southern ex-
tremity of Florida's mainland. Key
West is the largest of the keys.
Standing out pre-eminently on the
beach was the beautiful Hotel Marino
Casino, built by Henry Flagler. This
genius conceived the idea of building
the Florida East Coast Railroad from
Key West to Mama, thereby connect
ing the island to the mainland.
One can step from the ship on board
solid steel Pullman train and in forty
eight hours arrive in New York City.
There are many palm trees in Key
West and fruits grow abundantly.
This little city boasts of one the largest
wireless stations in the world, the
three posts supporting it each being
800 feet in height. 1t is a fishing
town, and one can see turtles from the
Gulf that weigh 400 pounds, and fish
of all kinds and colors. The pelicans
and seagulls are in constant attend
ance around the fishing smacks as they
begin to arrive from the Gulf. Key
West is populated mostly by Spaniards
and the town is almost wholly support
ed by tourist trade.
We leave Key West on the Florida
East Coast Railroad, which is probably
the most remarkable piece of railroad
engineering in the world. This road,
fifty miles of which is over the sea,
was constructed at cost of many
millions of dollars and required ten
years to complete. 1t joins series of
small islands and connects these to the
southern coast of Florida. The over
sea portion consists Of Thirty three
separate bridges, the longest obelng
draw bridge seven miles in
length Some of the bridges are
twenty-five feet above the water and
the whole system is constructed of
concrete. One of the remarkable
features connected with this project
was the fact that at times due to the
changing of the tide work could only
be carried on two hours out of the en-
tire day, and this at best only under
adverse circumstances.
At Long Key, which is beautiful
cocoanut grove, we stopped twenty
minutes for breakfast. After several
hours fast travelling we arrived at
Miami. 1t is a very beautiful city,
most Of its streets and avenues lined
with royal cocoanut palms. 1t is in
deed a city of palms and sunshine, and
the very atmosphere tends to tranquil
lty and the desire to sleep.
ITO BE CONTINUED)