The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-04-23
FERRIES TO CUBA!

years ago by leading citizens of this COM
munity and thoroughly publicized by The
Key West Citizen may be with us in the
late fall.
It is a ferry service between Key
West and Cuba which will bridge the first
gap in a Pan American Highway which
will link the eastern seaboard of the
United States with Cuba, Yucatan and the
South American countries.
The proposal according to a report
issued by the Gulf Atlantic Transporta-
ton company is to complete the over
water links of the Pan American Highway
by bridging the over-water gaps between
Key West, Florida, and Havana, Cuba !;
the western tip of Cuba and the Yucatan
Peninsula, Mexico; the southeastern tip
of Cuba and Jamaica and Haiti; and the
Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico
through the use of luxurious streamlined
automobile transports designated to con-
form with the engineering specifications
of ocean liners. Present planning indicates
that it will require approximately hours
to complete the 80 nautical mile trip be-
tween Key West and Havana. The trip
of $50 nautical miles between the western
most port of Cuba and the Yucatan Pen
insula will be completed in approximately
hours
Before even this country came out of
gigantic war the proposal had been
made and the company formed. 1t is an
ambitious project designed to make acees-
sibe regions which now are inaccessible
forest and mountain.
Just after the first world war the
United States did not have modern high
ways. Many autos toiled through slushly
red clay roads on main highways in Ala
bama and Mississippi and Georgia and
in many northern states. Then came
gravel roads and finally there were the
highspeed level surface concrete high
ways which speed American motorists
through the trunk highways of the
country.
Even as in the space of about 80
years this transition took place in America
it can well take place throughout South
America. AS states realized the tremen-
dous wealth and commercial advantages
of super highways and built these high
ways so will South American countries
do the same.
To Key West it marks another solid
step forward. Coming out of the depths of
/ depression with a beautiful highway over
| the ocean and the resultant gain, this city
! began to go ahead in leaps and bounds.
( The war came and with it many advan-
| tages such as fresh water pipeline from
( the mainland and a super highway to the
| mainland. A strong naval establishment
grew up here and Key Vests old prestige
as naval base, the Gibraltar of the
| Caribbean, was with us again.
Now come two forward steps in the
community. A new city charter and new
city manager designed to clear away the
dross and build the city once again.
AS evidence of this awakening spirit
| is in the present city commission. Commits
! Sioner Cooper who was in Jacksonville on
business dropped in on H. G. Williams,
president of the company, and brought
back news that Mr.. Williams wished
active cooperation of the civic and gov
ornamental bodies.
| Thursday night mass meeting of
| all bodies in the city will be held at city
| hall at behest of the city commission and
| Key West will take unto itself this import
ant ferry ssytem. Key West moves on!