The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-05-25

\
j the center is. Ut is not the storm
i but the lack of knowledge which is
dangerously No damage of con-
! sequence has ever happened at
key West as storms are understood
and notice of their coming is Civ
/ en- for days before they arrive. No
i tidal wave could occur as the wa
i ter goes AROUND the island, and
blanks" and reefs break the force
of waves. Also, houses are built
/ on the English plan, as in the Ber-
mudas, instead of by northern con-
| tractors for quick profit. There
! are substantial wooden houses now
in Key West that were built in
the early part of 1900. AS the
!. storm moves in wheel of great
width, at any particular spot it is
a straight wind and never twists
i and tears as in the northern cy-
4 clones, which come suddenly and
with deadly effect. Mote The
writer has been in three West In
4 dian hurricanes and also two muir
/ derous cyclones, one in Nebraska
! and one in Texas. If person
Graves real danger, then don't
4 trade one cyclone for dozen hur-
ricanes.)
4 Most of the islands of the Flor
| ida Keys have at the waters edge
an evergreen shrub called the
| Man-grove. 1t is found in tropic
regions around the globe and pre-
4 fers to have it's feet in ocean wa
tier. It throws out roots from
| high up on the trunk, and also the
branches droop and take root. A
group of these mangroves some
what resembles lot of giant spi-
| ders with bright green leaves. No
waves or winds could dislodge
them and they catch the drift,
leaves, and soil, thereby gradually
building up and adding to the
size of the islands. In times of
storm, the buccaneers and pirates
ran their craft into the channels
among the mangroves and We're
safe. It is still done by both
] fishermen and spongers.
Caught Near Key West
4 Giant fish and sea creatures are
4 often caught at or near Key West.
| The largest shark of which there is
record as having been captured in
Florida waters, was harpooned at
! knights Key, near Key West, on
June lst, 1912, by Captain Chas.
4 Thompson. 1t weighed 10000
4 pounds; was 80 feet in length and
iad i 9irth Of 1s feet. It was 4
/ whale shark, rhinodon typus.
/ About four months ago, an old
time fisherman of the city had his
| fishing-hoat anchored near the
reefs, several miles from town, at
| the edge of the Gulf Stream. Sud-
denly the boat jumped backward
and started off at tremendous
speed. The anchor was at the
Istern Of the boat and a gigan-
tic something had snagged the
anchor rope anda started swift
Il ~ away, dragging the boat back
ward. The speed and pull were
so strong thata the stern of the
boat. to which the rope was at
ltached, went down almost to the
| water line and waves rolled away
| on either side. The fisherman
happened to be in the bow and it
/ was impossible for him to crawl to
/ the other end c. cut the rope, as
4 the stern was barely out Of the
water and his weight would put it
under. He saw some hideous thing
come near the surface of the wa
ter but spray made it impossible to
/ see what it was. After a hair
raising ride Of several miles at a
4 frightful speed. it suddenly came
4 up and skated on the surface. Its
wings measured about twenty feet
Iacross. 1t was giant skate,
known at Key West as a Devil
fish" 1t had been slipping along
under water and ran afonl of the
anchor rope-the anchor jerked
loose from the bottom and slid up
to the shoulderof the monster,
!, where it stuck. lat any time
strange and interesting things may
happen at Key Vest The crea-
4 ture headed for the Gulf Stream
and as its waters are rougher and
the boat would certainly sink, that
meant death. II veered . little
and the terror-strieken fisherman
was yanked through the water on
the most exciting trip of his life.
Then the rope broke. His name is
Manuel Herrera and he has resided
in Key West for 40 years.
II Dear old Key West---so differ
ent from al other towns. IN il
there is beauty, and ronianee--if
yon crave II, adventure.
Key West. 'ssThe Dream City,
Tnr rAtn