The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-10-31
PLAYING UP HURRICANES

/ of your old-timers, would APP
preciate a little space in your in
teresting and very informative
newspaper, The Citizen. Really,
do not aspire to be placed in the
category of a "de-bunker," but,
really, sir, as your esteemed edi-
torial writer would put it, "hu-
man nature can. stand just so
much bunk, after which said ma
ture just naturally revolts of its
own accord. Which leads us up
to the present outstanding grippe
on Key Vests bid for publicity.
Knowing, as / do, that you are
a newspaper man of the old
school, ! am at a loss to decide
just what caused you to gush
with praise for the publicity"
given Key West in the recent is
sue of a well known" monthly
magazine, which is on the news
stands for the eighth time in it's
career. The magazine probably
is not at fault, only for the fact
that it takes for granted the I'M
authenticated writings of its cor
respondents. / am in a position
to know that Helen, the writer
of the article of which you are
the only person, so far, has seen
fit to praise, was in the Island
City only two days. The photo
graphs, authentic enough, were
taken several months before
Helen got her story. together,
and it would seem that the en-
tire theme of the publicity" is to
advertise a few of the local in
dustries, which are common to al
most every southern coastal city,
and which are of very little or
no interest to prospective tour
ist to Key West. Most of Helen's
listed attractions of Key West
may be seen in any northern
city of the u. S., with the ex-
ception, of course, of the much
Haunted Turtle Crawl" which
are closed during the so-called
tourist season.
So, after all, how do you figure
that the Helen article is worth
so much to Key West? The fact
that the name key West is
mentioned in the article does not
necessarily mean that it will
prove an attraction to would-be
visitors. Tourists want to know
what to expect in a city in which
they plan to spend the winter
season and, incidentally, their
For instance, no one could
hope that a tourist would take
home with him or her, several
hundred pounds of coffee Cuban
or otherWise); nor could one be
expected to take home a bagful
of fried black-eyed peas; as for
rain-barrels, we've had 'em in the
north since the first barrel was
emptied of Dago-red wine so
they're out; and, who in the
bronx wants to take home a $50
pound turtle? And last, but, pos
sibly not least, the colored drum
mer makes it somewhat of an in
ternational affair-a Bahaman
negro playing a Cuban rumba or
ritual drum in the Southernmost
City of the u. S. A. Okay by me!
But do tourists have to come to
Key West for such? No; Harlem's
full of it!
For the information of pros
pective tourists, / think it would
be wise if you published a few
corrections of Helen's suppose
tons after her two-day sojourn in
Key West. For instance:
Helen plays up Key West hur-
ricanes in her article, which your
publication seems to think bene-
fetal to the city; the last hur-
ricane which did any material
damage to the city passed over
the Island in September, 1919.
The damage was negligent. The
CITY is built to withstand any
storm that could be expected in
this area.
A6fother correction: At the
time Helen's publicity" was
published, there was no ferry
service from Key West to Ha-
vana. And, if such service were
in effect it is very unlikely that
the Cuban government will ac-
cede to non-examination OF in
coming baggage, tourist or not
You might also say that the only
point in Florida from which
passenger plane may fly to Ha-
vana in 80 minutes is Key West,
and that the only port of entry
from Latin America at this end
Of the Florida peninsula is Key
West and not any of the Keys
between Key West and Miami.
You are at liberty, of course,
to delete from this letter, but l
believe, as do many Others. that
in all fairness to prospective Wis
TORS to Key West, and IN the IN
+erests of the city itself, a true
fhnxT