The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-05-27
BOYS Of KEY WEST ARE
GUESTS OF ROTARY CLUB
WATER TRUSTEES HOLD MEETING
ATCOURT HOUSE LAST EVENING

In his talk at the opening of
the joint meeting of the city coun-
Gil. the county commissioners and
trustees of the Monroe water dis
trict last night, which was held for
the purpose of considering propo-
sitions and discussing plans for Sc
curing a fresh water supply line
for Key West and intervening
keys, Capt. Clark D. Stearns, pres
ident of the Monroe water supply
district trustees, said.
Gentlemen, we all want water.
The only way for us to get it is
by real cooperation and pulling
together-give each other credit
for his right and his opinion, and
for his desire to do the right thing
and work with u.s."
Capt. Stearns stated that the
necessity for water is so self-evi-
dent that discussion would be fu-
tile. But he proceeded to show
the city at great disadvantage in
every way because of the absence
of source of fresh water supply.
Without water no strangers
will be coming in to settle in Key
West or any other of the keys.
Without water we cannot expect
to have more apartment houses or
hotels. Dry dock and other i'm
portant developments contemplat-
ed are awaiting the announcement
that Key West has fresh water"
Capt. Stearns said.
with water, Key West is as
sured dry dock and marine re-
pairs plant, apartments, homes for
newcomers, markets, locality open
to all industries and will attract
them, harbor development assured.
for the keys, irrigation, better and
earlier crops.
''If the road to the mainland is
built before the water. supply is
secured, it wiH food the town with
tourists who will go back to all
parts of the country and advertise
the fact not enough to drink, no
baths, etc. and give us a black
eye that will take ten years to
live down after we get the water.
81 have talked with engineers
from all parts of the United States.
from California, New York, Chi
cago and the South. They all,
without exception, insist that we
can count on Key West for a daily
water consumption averaging in
all industries) of at least 100 gals
per person. With Key Vests
present 1900 inhabitants. that
would give us daily consumption
of 100000 gallons, or 657,000,-
900 gallons year. Mind you, this
for Key West alone, exclusive of
Key Largo and all the rest of the
keys. Please keep these figures in
your mind little later"
Capt. Stearns then summed up
the proceedings of the water COM
mission to date:
Monroe county water supply
district created by an act of the
legislature of Florida, approved
November %, 1925. Board Of
trustees appointed January IS.
1926, consisting of Clark y.
Stearns, president, Norberg
Thompson and Paul Boysen.
During the first three months OF
the present year the Key West
pipe line proposition was given
publicity through advertisements
in a number of leading engineer
ing periodicals. On April / the
White proposal was received. Then
an ad calling for additional pro-
pcssls was wired 70 FIVE engineer
ing magazines of national recog-
nltion. From this communication
came from about twenty engineers
expressing a desire to submit
propositions. The proposal Of the
J. G.. white Engineering Corpora
ton appealed to the trustees more
than any other, and it has been
given careful consideration. Capt
Stearns said in closing his remarks.
he only proposition on hand
last night was that Of the J. &.
White Engineering Corporation,
IT was read before the meeting
and explanation made Of the iron
ing out Of discrepancies which had
been going on since April g. both
by correspondence and ny per
sonal conferences-son1e half
dozen conferences having been
held the last feys day with a rep
rezcatative Of the White concern
who had come to Key Wet for
that purpose.
The White proposal, II aecept-
cd. assures the Florida Keys and
Key West an ample supply %
water at ali tifaez and al what is
very favoTablc
figure. It also assures the water
being available far distribution in