The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-03-10
MISS CAPPICK CALLS At
TENTION. TO LEGIS-
LATION TO BE AIRED
AT AT LEGISLATURE
BY MARIE CAPpICK

dents and poperty owners to ac-
quaint themselves thoroughly
with any and all proposed legis-
lation in connection with the pro-
posed Everglades National Park
project. A large portion of the
proposed park area lies in Mon
roe county.
1t is alleged that an official of
the Everglades Park Commission
has been boasting, on the main
land, to the effect that he had
convinced those Conchs that the
proposed park would greatly
benefit Key West by bringing
tourists down there"
Such statement is ridiculous
and misleading, when figures re-
leased last week by the Road and
Toll Bridge Commission, dis
closed that, during the month of
February, 1947, asaotal of 66,656
persons passed through the toll
gates (Which meant that their
destination was Key Vest, and
that some $4,000 other travellers
came over the Overseas Highway,
but did not cross the toll bridges.
In what way could the propos-
ed Everglades National Park be
OF benefit to Key West? This
Island City's attraction lies in
the beauties of the scenic route.
over which a visitor must travel
to reach our city; then come the
unique and historical sights to be
seen and enjoyed in Key West,
not to mention a climate to which
there is none comparable in the
entire United States.
Now, with wide-awake
Chamber of Commerce on the
job, a growing tourist conscious
ness among Key Westers in gem
eral; a public beach project in the
offingy a daily airplane service,
to Havana, and an automobile
ferry service promised Pat an
early date, of what use wottld an
Everglades National Park be to
Key West?. If such a. park, could
be established at no cost to Mon
roe county, it would, of course,
be an added attraction for, visit
ors en- route to this Island City,
and would have no. adverse -ef-
feet on travelt.,to this southern
most point in the United States.
However. the cost to the tax
payers of the county-the back
bone of the county-must be con-
sidered. Monroe county stands to
lose heavily in taxes normally
paid on the acreage which would
be included in the proposed ma
tional park. Once this acreage be-
comes the property of the Fed
eral government, all taxes from
said property to Monroe county
will cease.
The Federal government re-
quires an acreage of 1,355,000 in
order to declare the Everglades
National Park as established. Of
this vast acreage required, about
100000 acres are owned by the
state, there are some 100000 acres
in water, bays, inlets, creeks, ETC.,
the balance being privately oWn-
ed and paying taxes %to4s the
county.
The Federal government pro-
poses to allow ten years in which
the Everglades National Park
Commission may acquire the pri-
vately owned lands within the
proposed Everglades National
Park area.
To quote from an address made
by John B. Pennekamp, mem
Der of the Everglades National
Park Commission, before the Fort
Lauderdale, Fla, Rotary Club:
g. The government said, we
will give you presumably the
Everglades National Park Com
mission) 10 years in which to ac-
quire the privately owned lands
within this area, and in the
meantime, because of current de-
velopments, such as the oil drill
ing operations, we will accept
titles exclusive of mineral rights
where they cannot be obtained
otherwise. However, We cannot
accept these titles for a National
Park, since all lands going into
a National Park must be free OF
reservation or incumberance !"
This, of course, means that all
revenue on oil or other mineral
producing lands taken over for
the national park, which normal
ly would go to the county and
state as taxes, would be diverted
by the Federal government.
The Federal government told
the Everglades National Park
Commission. $50 these incumber-
ed titles will be held in the Fish
and Wild Life Service until such
time az Won. can clear them COM