The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-09-07


letter from Joseph N. Watkins.
former Key Wester, who is now
residing in the Canal Zone, tell
ing of the great pleasure afford
ed him in reading about the ac-
/ tivitics in connection with the
city's rehabilitation program. The
letter is reproduced herewith:
Editor. The Citizen:
| have read of the recent plans
of rehabilitation of the city, which
always has and always will be dear
to many Of us. There are many
who have still found way to live
in its warmth and beauty; while
. others have not been so fortunate.
Whether at home, or abroad, once
having lived there and having
been associated with it in it's de-
vcl0pment. its life, its environ
J ment, it is impossible to know of
any change which it might be I'M
dergoing without being stirred by
, mingled emotions.
Recently, | had the singular
pleasure of being able to return
on the Cruiser Richmond for a
brief visit. To say that | was
moved when | stood on the deck
of the ship and saw the outline
. of the island grow, is putting it
mildly. Drenched in the soft
rays of winters afternoon sun,
the emerald isle floated in a tur-
quoise sea, while billowy cloud
banks hung suspended in the azure
sky. The silvery strand Of the
south shore, dipped into the
{ myriad-hued waters of the Allan
tic, varied like the tints and de-
signs of Persian rug. Indigo of
the oceans depths merged into
blues, greens, the lighter and dark
err hues of the shadows until
caught by the scintillating rays of
the sun they were dashed into sill
yer sprays against the shore. In
ward, as my vision moved, familiar
land marks took form and | knew
the overwhelming feeling of long
j lost friends joined together.
Takes Observations
SO that | may know them as
long as sight will last. always
stand near the taffrail of an out
{ bound ship and gaze at each dis
tant. old structure, which to me
is a friend, symbol Of the poo-
pie. Man has always built and been
known by the things he builds. TO
pure basic metals, woods, stones
and pigments. while significant of
material things. to me have always
meant the people. | have stood
before the Church of San Fran
cisco. in which today are the re-
puted remains of Cristobal Colon.
in the mausoleum adjacent, and
have felt the influence of the race
who first went to Santo Domingo.
The edifice itself after nearly
four hundred years is in a stage
of decay and ruin, but my thoughts
turn to the people who could aud
did build Il structure which would
remain eXtant for such a period
of time. The arched remains Of
the Captain Generals in the city
of Guantemala Antikua are equal
~ Symbolical of the spirit and
lives Of the old Spanish conquista-
dores. The fortress Of Cartagena
with its massive buttresses, para
pets and stark towers which must
have bristled with the short, stub
10y cannon of the earliest days, be-
speaks of a different order Of the
same race; race fighting to main
tain and defend that which it has
established.
To view the groined arches of
the East Martello tower with the
fine workmanship used in point
ing, the massive walls, its rifle
slots, is to see a structure which
seems closely allied with those
farther south. One feels transport
ed into a distant past when stand
ing in the court.
Other things about the island
. tell of the characters which built
them and of their intimate rela-
tons with those characters. They
| have weatheTed the disturbances
born in the ever restless, and at
times treacherous Caribbean. The
places were built to last, not like
so many flimsy, more modern edl-
fees. which have collapsed so
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