The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-12-26

Prehistoric Yesterday. tropical Is
land. dense. forests. haunted BY elusive
deer. deep pools of fresh water. the
shores peopled with tall wadiRg birds. the
encircling sea alive with fish. "a priced
hunting ground for which Caribs and
Calusas waged savage battle .grisly tokens
OF deadly battle litter the ground "a Span
ish diseoverer crosses himself. calculates
"Cayo HueSo" (Bone Island). (too many
yowels. we call it Key Vest and His
tory begins.
We get the first glimpse of yesterday
pirates perceive that this island is the
perfect sally-port. the perfect re-fitting
station. the perfect GIBRALTAR OF THE
CARIBBEAN. and loot His Spanish Ma
Jesty tail ships. sailing home laden with
the golden loot of the Aztecs
1915. The Gobernador of Florida pays
a debt. :. at no cost to himself. presents
Teniente Juan Pablo Salas with Cayo Hueso
=. Juan takes it with what grace he can.
and has little use for it.
1922. Juan sells Cayo Hueso 20 John
Simonton for $4,000. Juan can use g, 900
in Havana where the lights burn brightly
to heck with an uninha5ised island. Juan
81
John Simonton moves in with money. friends
and slaves. starts salt gathering business
:. Commodore David Porter moves in. in
structed to make pirates scarce. pirates
move out what is left of them. Porter
follows them to the Isle of Pines (Spanish1
no pirates, no prisoners; consequently.
no complaints.
1851. The Stars and Stripes float over
Fort Taylor and the Bonnie Blue Flag over
Key West. when opportunity offers .
Spanish rule in Cuba becomes into1erable
!. the best cigar makers in the world
migrate to Key West. make the best cigars
in large numbers.
1871. The San Carlos Institute is es-
tablished. across the blue waters Of the
Strait there is a smudge Of black smoke. :.
followed BIZ another crowded wkarves
=. eager Cuban patriots praying the gun
running tug home ..or her crew will stand
against the bullet itted wall Of Moro
Castle. the Spanish gHn-boat gains =.
but not enough and sheers off. the crew
of the THREE FRIENDS is safe in the
Cradle of Cuban Liberty. libations are
poured to the patron Saint of Insurrectos.
1888. The MAINE goes down in the
harDor OF Havana. the tramp of marching
feet echo on the pavements OF Key West. :.
headlines scream of Dewey, Schley, Shat
ter, Cervera. Again Key West becomes the
GIBRALTAR of the CARIBBEAN. the
men who died in Havana Harbor come TO
rest in the Key West cemetery. wait for
GabriePs reyeille.
1912 Henry Flagler performs his mi
racle and the T. E. c. Railroad Extension
comes across the miles of water into Key
West. Ferries carry trains of cars to Ha-
valla. The life of q busy terminus huns.
Yesterdays follow fast. romance laden
young lovers walk the blossom perfumed
moon-lit streets proud posterity of pros
porous piratical paternity "a daring, fear
less. amphibian tribe The moon wanes
and the skies redden as the boats of alien
spongers burn. morning rises on the
Noble Experiment" and baseball team
is organized. . The Coast Guard VS.. the
Bootleggers- fast curves today; bullets to-
morrow.
1885. The wind blew. the railroad
departs forever a glorious Highway be-
gins to take its place. enters Key West in
1888. and travellers crossing the Seven