The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-07-05
MANY PROJECTS
In NEW PROGRAM
fContinued from Page one,

tCOntlnueu from rage Qn9l
'sequent financial distress, proper
Fly owners are not able to pay
state, county and municipal taxes
and the County Of Monroe and
City Of Key West are unable to
pay their employees and other OPP
Grating expenses, and by reason
Of hack Of finances, both the
county and city are unable to car
~ on the functions of govern
ment, leaving the population in a
dependent and distressed condi-
tion, and
Whereas about half the popula-
ton is on the Federal Relief roll,
and the normal assistance given
to the people of Monroe County
under the present system is in
adequate and affords very little
relief. all of which has produced
an emergency which neither the
county nor city governments can
meet or relieve at this time. And
whereas the foregoing conditions
are the result of:
THE loss of the cigar manu-
featuring industry which once
furnished employment to upwards
of ten thousand persons.
1.-THE reduction of the person
mel of the Coast Defenses of Key
West from Regimental Post to
a mere skeleton of less than forty
officers and men.
1.-The abandonment, of Key
West as a naval base with the re-
sultant closing of the naval sta
ton, which had been operated
here for upwards of a century
with the resultant loss of a large
payroll and the. loss of employ
ment by upwards of two hundred
civilian employees, most of whom
were heads of families, thereby
depriving this community of the
payroll of officers, men and civ
ilian employees of approximately
half a million dollars a year.
4-The removal from Key West
Of the headquarters of the U. S.
Coast Guard of this District.
The development of Monroe
County industrially and CONNER
rcially was a result of these gov
-ernmental activities and their re-
'moval has caused enormous losses
to property owners and the balance
of the civil population.
5-The abandonment of Key
West as a port of call for the pas
senger steamships of the Mallory
Steamship Lines which had oper-
ated in Key West for upwards of
fifty years and had given employ
mcnt to hundreds of men.
6-The diminutiOn of the
through freight business from Key
West to Cuba which at one time
required three large ferries. plying
constantly between Key West and
Havana to handle the freight,
which diminution was largely
caused by reason of the Interstate
Commerce Commission granting
the privilege to Sea Train Lines
from New Orleans to Havana.
THE destruction. by reason
of the high tariff on pineapples,
of the large pineapple-canning in
dustry of Key West, which give
employment to several hundred
persons.
S-Due to the depression
throughout the country. there has
been no market for fish products
from this county, entailing the loss
of employment by fishermen.
9-The removal of the head
quarters of the sponge industry
from Key West to Tarpon Springs,
which deprived thousands of peo-
pie of employment.
10-Due to the loss of the
foregoing industrial and govern
mental activities, it has produced
more acute and oppressive de-
preston in Monroe County than
any other portion of the United
States.
The consequent loss to the bust
ness interests and property own
ers has made it impossible for them
to pay state, county and municipal
taxes.
The county of Monroe has de-
faulted on several different occa-
sions in the payment of interest
on it's bonded debt. and has been
unable to pay salaries and wages
of it's officers and employees, and
unable to defray the expenses of
normal county government.
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