The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-04
KEY WEST
The City That Came Back
(By STEPHEN c. SINGLETONl


Deer drank deep from pools of water that were
god-sends to landing crews from ships that sought
the finest harbOr on the entire coast.
Prehistoric tribes Lattled so fiercely for its
possession that the first Spanish explorer was i'm
pressed with the e. Gencr of struggle that lag
cleaning in the sun and under every majestic tree
and, crossing himself he called it "Cayo Hueso"-
Island of Bones There are too many vowelS in
"Cayo Hueso" for Anglo-SaXOn tongues. Hardy
English pirates made short work of it and we know
it as Key West.
In 1875 the Spanish Governor gave Key West
to a gallant lieutenant Don Juan Pablo Saas, for
distinguished service which, very discreetly.
was not specified. The Lieutenant could think of
nothing he could do with tropical island and
very many things that he could do with two :
thousand dollars; so. by 1922 John Simonton OF .
Mobile had the island and the Lieutenant was the II
happy posSeSSOr of the two thousand dollars and,f'
the joy of life in Havana took on new brllaneessdr
Key West was not settled by hardy grub,
stake pioneers as were most American cities
Simonton and his wealthy friends moved m with
ample capital and soon hundreds of slaves, were
producing thousands of tons of salt in the isalt
pans yet visible in part of the island Life in Key
West Was as hectic as it was in any gold rush
town in those days. Commodore Porter came down
and extermnated the rcsourcCful hordeS of pirates
who were doing a great business stealing from
Spanish ships the wealth stolen from the natives.
1t longer of any use to retreat into shallow
inlets where sloops of war could not follow. The
commodore gave the pirates lessons in resource
fulness-and remorsccssncs;- towing fleet
of boats he followed the pirates into their
hideOutS There is record available OF prisoners
taken. The pirates ceased
A fleet of licensed sloops and schooners took
up the work of salvaging sailing vessels driven
on the reefs and u. S. Court adjudicated claims
in Key West while jacksonville yet Cow
Ford" and Miami had not been dreamed of. Cuban .
patriots, passionaely devoted to the of Cuba
Lbrc" established base here; and on Duval Street
you may see THE Cradle of Cuban Liberty, the
San Carlos Institute, q hallOwed spot to the citi-
zens Of our sister Republic -. 80 - -
The Maine went down in the harbor of Havana U
and suddenly the Nation realized that Key West ,
really was the:
Furnished point of sciinitar that guarding
Before the Nations heart and eyer Keeps p '.''
Unsheathed its vigilance it stands and Waits,
The outpost sentinel of our Southern gates. -
The business of gathering sponge" grew to
great proportions. Army and navy forces were
Kev nike c o f OF o @as famous fof her
wealth and prosperity.
And as in the case of job one after another
the elements of prosperity stricken from the
hands of Key West until, at last the railroad de,
clincd to repair damage wrought by storm, and
the hands of Key West hung empty in despairing
helplessness.
The parallel to the case of Job continues The
last state of Key West promises to be more glor-
ious than anything that has gone before. You
arrive in the only frOSt-free city in the United
States over the most spectacular and unprecedent-
ed road in the world. Almost out Of sight of land
you will travel over tme-dcfying stone arches
across waters whose rridiscent colors beggar de-
scription. .. .. 80
Key West is different from Florida resorts Ii
has no intention of becoming one It's face is turn
ed toward the rising of a day. 1t is debA
termned to become an American city far out az
sea, holding out no inducement to those who would
diSsipate life. -... ..,.- ..t b. ,c.r
1t has higher destiny Here, where the SUI, sun
has healing power not equalled in this country,
where the air is unpoued by smoke or dust: here
where frost never comes and where the heated
spells of all that land the north Of us are never
KNOWN where the mighty men and women of our
generation come for surcease from the turmoil of
the modern tempo Key West stands and welcomes
them to the joys of restored strength and purpose
OF vision clarified by peace and, in its finest
sense, the thrill of recreation.
Where else in all the country may the lover
OF the sea find such stage set for his cruises?
Whether he puts out from shore in a mighty mod
ern yacht, seeks the seclusion of the passes in
frail canoe, he raverses crysalclear waters that
abound in fish TO degree that defes description.
He who has hundreds of Tarpon rolling"
under our brilliant tropical moon will never for
get the sight; and years drop like leaves in autumn
from the weary shoulders of him who becomes
engTossed in the diplomacy involved in inducing
a succulent lobster to venture forth from his Gre
vice in rock and join the fishermen at a pro-
posed banquet. '.-'
Note this: Here as elsewhere in the Northern
Hemisphere, winter is the dormant season.. Those
who know Key West only in the winter know
very little Of the luxuriance of fruit and flower
and foliage that makes the days colorful and a
walk along the streets at night, dreamy pilgrim
age through re-current waves of fragrance
Would you escape the sweltering nights in
which, tortured by humid heat, the dWeller in the
North vainly counts elusive sheep? Come to Key
West in June, July, August or September know
the fierce ardor of and learn that you
have only to step into shaded spot to know
delightful "coolth." The Weather Bureau figures
before Read the maximum temperatures
for 1897 June, 81; July, 81 August 90; September,
81. Compare these figures with those of Chicago,
New York. Birmingham, any of the cities where
SWetering multitudeS sleep out in the parks. Plan
your summer vacation for the deepest Southland
be your land-lady has spare blanket draped
the foot of the bed. You may need it.