The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-03-16


Portable and exceedingly delight
full to ENJOY the balmy spring
weather in the frost free city of
Key West during the season when
biting blasts whip the snow-clad
regions of the frozen North with
such furious force and frigidity
as to severely test the most rug
ged endurance of human, animal
and plant life. / shall ever con-
slider this winter spent SO pleas
antly in this charming Island City
the greatest and most cherished
privilege of my earthly entire ex-
istence, and earnestly hope that
may spend many more such sea-
sons here.
The thrills of visit to Key
West begin when the luxurious
trains of the great Flagler sys-
tenn '1eave the earth" and start
out over the azure waters of the
tropic seas. 1t was amazing to
me that at one place we were clear
out of sight of land on a railroad
train. And it was so wonderful
upon arriving at Key West to step
from the train with great ocean
liners towering above me on every
side, there ready to take people
On voyages leading to all parts
of the world. 1t was new and
novel experience with me for a
train to stop where one could al
most step from a sleeper onto a
palatial steamship and go right
on to almost any destination de-
sired.
At first felt tremendously
small to be on a little island so
far from the mainland, but now
the thought is pleasing source
of delightful wonder, for / have
found Key West the most quaint
ly picturesque and charming little
city have ever seen. To stroll
the streets with cocoanuts grow
ing in profusion overhead and see
bananas, oranges, lines, sapo-
dillas and other tropical fruits
on the trees, a gorgeous
panorama of gaudy foliage and
Florida flowers lining the pretty
thoroughfares on every side, it
seems not unlike a glimpse of pie
tured paradise.
The friendly fronds of the inn
mense palms reach out and bid
one welcome, and the stately royal
palm graces dooryards of many
homes. Truly spoke the one who
said that this little coral isle
comes wonderfully near being one
great big bouquet of flashing
flowers and rich tropical green,
the fancily formed foliage of the
ornamental shrubs being more
gaudy in their many bright colors,
shades and tints than some of the
most beautiful blossoms.
Some sections of the city / find
have the appearance of a typical
Spanish village, then there are the
many homes of splendor with their
lovely lawns simply beautiful to
behold in their pleasing array of
tropical green and flowers of
every hue-and all this at sea-
son of the year when all is bleak
and bare back home.
The numerous fine schools are
an inspiration, as are also the
modern edifices of worships, the
tourist hotels and inn
posing public buildings.
Since features that are intense
ly interesting for visitors and
may have become COM
monplace to people residing in
Key West all the time, brief mem
ton is here made of few of the
many places and objects of inter-
est that appeal most to strangers,
with the suggestion that at least
these be included in sightseeing
trips with tourists, prospective in
vestors and citizens to be, with
some one along who can tell about
them in an intelligent way:
The sSan Carlos theatre, sacred
to the heart of every loyal Gu
ban, appeals strongly to the
patriotic emotions of everyone,
being located. ! have been told, on
the hallowed spot where plans
were formulated for the rebellion
that resulted in the freedom of
Cuba. For this reason, / have
learned, it is often referred to as
the cradle of Cuban independ-
ence."
The great navy yard with its
gracefully winding driveways
fringed with eoeoanut and palm,
its interesting docks. warships and
submarines, and enclosing within
its bounds the third largest wire
less station in the world with its
three sloping steel towers piercing
the heavens to q height of $50
feet and broadcasting words the
world over.
Fort Taylor. as impregnable as
the rock of Gibraltar, skirting
the waters edge to the southwest
for hundreds of yards with its
mammoth guns pointing seward
TO warn the passing world Of our