The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-29
Key West Is To Be Restored
By Free Labor OF Her Citizens
Island City, Bankrupt Turns To Volunteers And Its Local
Resources For Rehabilitation Without Heavy Cash Outlay
fFrom the issue Of August II of
The New York Timesl
~ JULIUS r. STONE, Jr.
Emsrgemsy Relief Administrator
% Florida.


Emsrgeney Relief Administrator
% florids.
Key West.
IN the tropical island city of.
Key West q rehabilitation plan has
been launched that will be watched
with interest. A virtually bank
rupi city, with some so per cent
Of o. population on the relief
rolls. Key West has handed over
the operation Of it's affairs to the
state and Federal governments.
Unique in geographical position
Is the southernmost city of the
United States, this island has pre-
rented 10 the national administra-
ton a problem that is unique.
In accordance with the slogan
"Help to An Who Help Them
selves" Il Is planned 10 solve the
problem without resorting to any
huge outlay OF operating funds,
without creating sporadic new i'm
dusiries or artifically reviewing
cid ones. The chief idea in the
attempt To bring the city back i'm
% economic health is to use the
local resources Of the island and
The actual labor and talents Of the
key Westers themselves.
kcy West is an old city
heated on the last major coral is
land Of a string of such islands
which might be appropriately
called the Gulf Stream Archi-
pelsgo. Its nearest neighbor is
Havana. which lies across ninety
miles Of the open water of the
Gulf Stream. Miami. its nearest
American Reighbor, is 1875 to the
Northeast.
The city's Decline
The city has romantic his
tsry. II Is rich in early pirate
lore, and once prospered from the
somewhat piratical but more polite
business Of salvaging wrecked
ships. The Florida Keys have
relies If considerable historical
interest. In Key West alone there
are four forts. two OF which ante
date the Civil War. II is the only
city in the United States in which
truly tropical conditions prevail;
and 10 meet the climatic condi-
tions is citizens have developed
an indigenous architecture Of
great interest 10 artists and
tourists.
The city had continuous pros
porous existence for almost 100
years. But the naval base which
operated at Key West. supporting
with its payroIls a good portion OF
The town, was removed after the
war and the army aud marine
bases were reduced TO skeleton or
CARNATIONS. Cigar manufacture
Ing. which was the chief indus
try. moved northward and threw
nearly 10000 men and women out
Of work.
Industry was further hampered
when the tariff made the pine
apple canning industry unprofit-
able. depriving hundreds more of
employment. As a result Of the
general decline, shipping and pas
senger traffic went elsewhere,
thus bringing about am unpros-
porous condition from which the
island has never recuperated.
These factors. in conjunction with
the collapse Of TIE Florida real es-
tate boom, and the world depres-
sion.. served 10 wreck the city.
Once the most populous city Of
Flerida, enjoying a flourishing
commercial and social life. it saw
the number Of its citizens decline
in a few decades from $4,000 to
about 10000.
Rehabilitation Problem
How was Key West To be
awakened from its tragic leth-
argyg u had become one Of the
heaviest burdens Of the pressnt
Florida Emergency Relief Adj
ministration. What was 20 be
done? ON July 2. 1884, the
County Commissioners of Monroe
County and the members Of the
City Council of Key West declared
themselves in state Of emcr-
gency beyond their control. and
pelitioncd Governor Dave Sholtz
to take over all their legal powers
and use them in any way he
Thought best. lnasmuch a. the re-
lief administration. which is le-
vally "a department of the State
government. already had a respon-
sibility toward a majority of the
citizens. the Governor asked the
Relief Administrator 10 act as his
agent In carrying out such gen
eral rehabilitation as seemed
feasible.
Representatives of the various
State departments came to Kew
West 20 study the situation. II
became obvious that the city
must either be put back on its
feet economically or its people
- ..,.,,v This latter course