The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-02-19

cldI OrganiZatloHS In CuDa, mas
| written an analytical criticism of
the report made to United States
court by Scott M. Loftin and ".
| r. Kenan, co-receivers of the
Florida East Coast Railway, a
copy of which was received by the
i Monroe county commissioners.
Mr.. Moran several months ago
wrote a comprehensive and de-
tailed appeal to the court setting
forth the needs of Cuba and Key
West relative to rebuilding the
road. This was published in The
Citizen of Wednesday, January 1.
Herewith is his letter to Mr..
! Loftin:
February 1, 1896
''Mr. Scott NJ. Loftin,
co-receiver,
Florida East Coast RR.,
Jacksonville, Fla,
'Dear Mr.. L0ftin:
"In my former communication
to you, under date of December
a, 1885, / stated reasons why the
Florida East Coast Railroad should
not be abandoned. The interest
of the Cuban people in this mat
ter is not to be doubted when a
matter of such vital Importance
confronts them. My previous
statements hold the same basic
f, facts now as then. We business
people of Havana know what it
means, perhaps more than others
farther away with outlets to 9TH
er ports.
I'VE are writing you again be
Cause we have just received a
copy of Document 504, Final Re-
port, etc. This report is great
surprise, in that it is double
barreled affair, (a) A statement
j of hurricane damage, presumably;
(b) A plea to abandon said rail
road, by suggesting the course OF
action, desired by the said cor
poration, to the honorable judge
of your federal court.
"The material covered by said
report is very thoroughly in one
clear effort to show the lack CT
profits to your railroad and the
failure of the company to con-
duet its business to satisfactory
end, for the stockholders. The
many false claims and insinua.
tons against the City of Key
| West, and reference to Cuban re
lations with said city, leads me to
! submit for your consideration
what those, who prepared said re-
port, kept covered up or refused
to furnish you. Your affidavit
thereto says that he has read the
foregoing and knows the contents
| thereof and that the same are
| true to the best of his knowledge
j and belief We do not believe
you would swear thus if you had
the facts at the time, which con.
] trovert most of the claims made
. no doubt in good faith.
Throughout the report from
Article 1-26 there stands many
facts which need no comment
and very briefly we will cover
such numbered paragraphs al
should be corrected, and such new
material withheld from the re
port.
/ Paragraphs as ;21.-
- "In paragraph 5 you say 'ths
same through schedule time.
as was formerly made through
the Key West gateway the besf
possible steamer time is 81 hours
to Havana through Port Ever
glades, five hours from Key Wes
to Havana, six hours Key Yves
to Miami. A difference of Ii
;, hours in favor of the former
method of transportation. You d.
not say that the City of Miami il
very anxious to have the terminal
instead of its being at Key West
! Why is this given consideration
Il Paragraph 5: This service il
at least as satisfactory as the for
mer service through Key West
Have you ever asked any tourist.
the question? Do you give tn
different in travel time any con
sideration? eo
| According to the conclusion o
Paragraph 5, except the actua
difference in mileage revenue TO
the haul from Miami . to Ke.
West, which is offset by saving
in operation and maintenance o
the Key West extension. VIII.
} wouldn't it not be better bushes
to discontinue the r. Z. C. from
Jacksonville to Miami?
: Paragraph 81: Other form
? of transportation between tn
; mainland and Key West In keep
ing with this display of logica
reasoning, why not discontinue TIL
!. railways the country over or bet
: ter still. why not just surrende
your franchise to the federal gov