The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-05-04

~WWWWW@WW@@ 90 @@@O@
coast or where there is bay or
river mouth. The highest spot on
the island is but nine feet above
the surface of the ocean but from
such things there is perfect safe
ty. This lovely island which
lies about one hundred miles south
and west of the Florida mainland
is narvelously protected by Ma
ture. Any LARGE waves are
forced to roll ROUND and PAST
/, the island.
Key West is considerably far
ther south than ANY other city
of the United States and lies with
in close touch of the TrOpic of
Cancer. No frost has ever cnrled
q leaf and ripe tropical fruits may
i be picked on Christnnas day. There
;; is profusion of flowers through
/ out the year. A travellers edu-
cation is not complete until he has
seen the island of Key West and
FELT the LOCAL AIMOSPET
In various exotic ways it differs
from any other American city and
it is one of the brightest gems in
the crown of the United States.
Romance ,Of the sweetest and adj
venture of the widest have left
their marks and it is impossible not
to think of sunken Spanish ships
and pirates with their buried
treasure. In the past, such ships
have gone down within sight of
Cayo HuesO and in several places
treasure has been found.
In the Key West of the present
day, there are wonderful evenings
when Cuban music comes drifting.
from dances at the Cnban Club or
the Cuban theatres. Beautiful
girls wear Spanish mantillas or
Cuban shawls and dance the Span
ish dances. Key West means pleas
ure, romance, and if you desire,
adventure. Life is far from stren-
uous and money-grabbing compe-
tition does not exist. key West
ers" Believe in Live and Let
Live. They are hospitable in
the southern and western sense of
the word -If you are worthy, you
will be liked, and if you prove
to be lovable, then you will be
loved.
On the principal streets of Key
West you may stroll from the
atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mex
leo during the time that is required
to SNAKE one Cuban cigarette.
While doing so, you dream of its
mysterious past, its beauty today,
and the Paradise which it is certain
to become.
In the year 1915, the Spanish
Governor of Florida was Don Juan
de Estrada. At that time, for
services rendered, he gave a grant
of the island to Juan Pablo Salas.
A few years later, Florida having
been ceded to the United States,
10 Mr.. John Sim0nton, of Mobile,
bought the island from Senior SAL
as. Probably the first white man
to be q permanent resident was
Mr.. Pardon C. Greene; then grad
ually others came. 1t is to be
noticed that . preat proportion of
the early settlers were well-edncat-
ed and from families of refine
ment. Many of them had held posi-
tions of trust and honor. There
were English from the Bahamas.
Americans from Washington and
New York, graduates of northern
universitiesl, Spanish Dons and
many high class Cubans. Also there
was . sprinkling of rough, wild adj
venturers who drifted in, liked IT,
and dropped anchor.
Ships Captured
Sometime in the year 1860, two
slave-ships were captured by
American gunboats. About three
hundred African natives, with
practically no clothes except
breech-clouts, were unloaded from
the Hell-hoIes in which they had
been carried from their native
wilds. They were fed and cared
for by the kind citizens Of Key
West. Barracks were erected for
them and the sick were given at-
tention. From these wild natives
most Of the quiet, colored popula-
ton of the city have descended.
The kind treatment given them,
the chance 70 acquire an education
and the fact that in this favored
spot life was not strenuous, has
evolved q class Of coiored people
somewhat different from those Of
other parts Of the United States.
ssKey Westers" have no trouble
with their colored population. The
almost total lack Of crime and the,
marked respect accorded the
whites and their opinions Is q
pleasure 20 see.
During the spring Of 1852. q
. death occurred in Key West tlat
caused death occurred In Key