The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-04-13

tA4OWCAcy pOltScd W SWo Ec&imSut<
of troops from the Army Bar.
racks, and Naval Brigade, and
backgrounded with the cleaning
lteps of hundreds Of automobiles
parked off the avenue and per.
pendicular to it.
The day is glorious. ne ther.
mometer has been 70 earlier this
afternoon and it is hard to be-
lieye the Northern states are
shivering under the icy blasts Of
another severe blizzard. 3.06P.
SUBSTITUTE LEAD ALI
KEY WEST date Oversee High.
way opened. For Ans and
PM's.) Key West, Fla, Jan 22.-
| (AP) Seventeen years to a day,
land almost at the very hour when
Henry NJ. Flagler stepped down
from his private car to Key West
soil and thus formally opened the
$49, 100000 Oversee Extension OF
the Florida East Coast Railroad,
a cavalcade of 200 gaily decorated
motor cars entered the Island City
late this afternoon and inaugural.
ed the marvellous Oversee High
way which extends Ill miles
across islands, ocean and Gulf to
the mainland of Florida.
Classed as the Eighth Wonder
of the World this road. perhaps
/ the greatest engineering feat Of
modern times cost about $40, 000,-
900 and In 1928 was but a dream.
It opens 1850 acres to develop
Iment.
The lower East Coast has been
Eagog for weeks in anticipation.
From ali over the state cars have
poured down the Dixie Highway
towards Florida City, the last town
on the peninsula, where a barri-
cade policed day and night has
held the enthusiasts in leash. The
outskirts of Florida City have re-
sembled since night before last an
army in biyouac. Alive to the
situation but not fully sensing it,
supplies ran short and trains and
trucks We're pressed into service to
hurry in necessities from Miami
When dawn paled the full of
the moon this morning Florida
/ City on the eastern end of the
new highway, and this city on the
west, as well as every little set.
ltlement between, were up with
the smiling sun. At 6 o'clock the
Mayor of Key West, Commission.
ers of Monroe County, other state
land city officials, committees from
civic and religious organizations
land three bands started for Flor.
ida City in automobiles g T
Except the cars conveying the
ldignitaries none but the police car
and four motorcycle officers. were
permitted to cross Bocaof Chics
bridge, the first long bridge be.
yond this city. The crowds that
would later jam. All the parkiHt
space on Stockaldo Key..l lying be.
tween Key West Island and ,Bocs
l Chica. had not yet arrived but q
military guard was. set TO keep
any interlopers back Of the heavy
chain. gS,sss
/ As the day wore on 70 noon
picnic parties began to move out
from the city along y Flager
Avenue, and by 1 O'clock with q
holiday declared and business al
"a standstill the, downtown streets
wefe nearly deserted. Decked in
flags and bunting, cleaning in the
brilliant january sunshine, d gen
tie breeze waiting in from the
southern seas, and the huddlet
lroofs of the lower city set off by
the dark green tufted tops OF
palms, Key West at 2 in the af.
ternoon seemed like a new-cut
jewel resting on q breadth of wide.
flung turquoise fabric and wait
ing for the Master Hand to set il
in Natures diadem and fan It into
vital flame and life.
| The Governor and his officia
delegation were met at Florida
| City by the party from Key Yves,
at the appointed time, and amid
the blare of bands playing. "Key
West, u. s. A." cover There.
and "a Hot Time in the Old Town
Tonight" the calvalcade swung
south into the Key Largo section
Iof the new automobile road across
the seas at exactly IL o'clock.
| Two excursion trains of Ia
cars each, and each hauled by two
big East Coast oil-burners start.
led with the parade and followed
liz to the city limits, losing con-
tact with the automobiles at times
because the highway does not al
all points run parallel with the
railroad tracks.
At the Plaza in the heart OF
Key Largo the motorcade passed
long lines Of school children bear
ing flowers and waving flags. As