The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-01-01

Pedro Moran, head of several
progressive organizations in Cuba
and a finn believer that all in
terests of Cuba are closely allied
with those of this country, es-
pecially Key West, has forwarded
a communication to u. S. Judge
Louis Strum, in Jacksonville, rel
alive to rebuilding the destroyed
section of the Florida East Coast
Railway between Key West and
the mainland.
This action is in line with
promises made the Key West COM
mittee composed of Attorney VIM.
H. Malone, County Commissioner
Carl Bervaldi, and Enrique Es-
quinaldo, ST.. who spent several
days in Havana and discussed the
matter OF rebuilding the railroad
with the president and number
of business organizations, all OF
whom assured the committee .ney
| were heartily in accord with the
committees views and would do
all possible to assist Key West
ers.
Translated from Spanish. Mr..
Moran's communication is printed
herewith:
Havana, Cuba.
December 81, 1895
Chambers of the Court,
u. S. District Judge,
Jacksonville, Fla.
Honorable SIR
IN RE: Re-establishing the
Florida East Coast RR to Key
West. There will appear before
you shortly a petition to abandon
the said Railway. You will be
called upon to decide the destiny
of the said town, and establish
the welfare of the good people of
that part of the Sovereign State of
Florida. Your Court must, we
understand, decide whether this
Railroad is to continue, or be
abandoned to the lasting detri-
ment of the people to-day and to
those unfortunates who have no
say in coming to the world
those unborn. AS a member of
the Tourist Commission of the
Republican of Cuba, a member of
the Hotel Association of Cuba,
and member of the Comite
Conjunto de Corporaciones Eco
Monies de Cuba lin which 1 rep
resent the Hotel Assn.), l, in be-
half of our interests in the ad-
vantages to accrue to our Island
Republic, do, hereby, ask your
respectful attention to our petit
ton to your Honor to refuse to
grant the discontinuance of the
said valuable connecting link for
the several and distinct reasons.
as follows:
(a). By virtue of the friendly
relations between sister Republics
we partake of the benefits and
hardships of the larger Republic.
Our very economic life is closely
tied up with the State of Florida,
in that it is our chief point of
contact. Key West offers us an
avenue of outlet which will ma
terially suffer without this band
of steel to steady it, in the bust
ness which it enjoys through our
industries.
(b). The abandonment of the
Railway aforesaid will work ir-
reparable harm to Key West.
which will then revert to its for
mer position of a sleepy fishing
village, because business now es-
tablished cannot compete with
outside industries. The port of
entry for importations and ex-
porting will work suicide to the
residents and citizens of the pres
ent Key West, so sure as the link
is destroyed by placing an auto
mobile road on the present road
way.
(c). The most southern point
of your vast domains, to the deep
water will work a hardship on the
nation, if the shipping is deniea
this contact. By virtue of the
new sea level canal in Nicaragua
it is imperative that this should
be provided for the great deep
sea ships. (The advantage in this
respect is patent to your Honor,
and to every industrial leader.l
(d). The present debacle of
! society in that the so-calIed "de-
preston" has made profits small
THE DISTRIBUTORS