The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-08-30
WEIGHING AND wREcKERsT
New York Daily Tribune.
Thursday. MAY NJ. 1855

WNEINtnG AND WhECKEHS
The number IL vessels wreck
I'D on the Florida Reef and the
arrivals IN distress az the port oi
key West the wrecking en-
porium of the Union. during the
year 1885,. were siNty-four. The
aggregate value of these vessels
Is stated at Sg74.000. and the value
81 their cargoes at $i.268. Asa -
making the total valuation Of
vessels and cargoes $2.242, ASA.
The expenses of the cargoes while
In the port of Key West were
Sl9,8B8.68. and the expenses Of
the vessels SAC, 1895; total $780,
036.g3. The amount realized from
sales Of damaged eargoes was
$S8,0S8.23; the amount of salvage
awarded the wreckers $88, 92i.67,
and the total losses on vessels and
cargoes $432. 167. 40.
The Florida Archipelago con-
sists of chain of islands along
and around the southern point of
Florida, extending from Cape
Florida to the Tortugas - dis
lance of about two hundred miles.
Outside of these islands. and at a
distance from them of about
eight miles, lies the Florida Reef
= a ledge of rocks underneath
the surface, at depths averaging
in different places from two to
eighteen and thirty feet. This
reef may be properly regarded as
the northern wall or bank of the
Gulf Stream - having Cuba and
the Bahama Islands for the south
ern and eastern banks. Between
Key West and Cuba this oceanic
stream is about eighty miles
wide; at Cape Florida it is mar
rowed to about forty-five miles.
II is the outlet of the great Bay or
Gulf of Mexico, and the COM
merce of New Orleans and the
other Gulf ports, with much of
the gold of California, passes
through it. The value of tbs COM
merce has been estimated at not
less than four hundred millions
of dollars annually A current
commences in the Gulf Stream off |
Tortugas and runs easterly and |
northerly at the rate, commonly, |
of three or four knots an hour.
but it is very irregular in its |
rapidity and direction; and in |
consequence of these Irregular
ties, the narrowness of the chan
mel, bad weather, and probably,
in some instances the careless
ness of navigators, many ships !
and vessels get ashore upon the |
reef, and are either totally lost, |
or are ightened and got off by |
wreckers Many vessels also put
into Key West in a leaky and /
disabled condition.
The persons employed in saw +,
ing this property are technically
called wreckers, and about $50 of |
the more constantly and ex-
clusively employed in sailing !
about the islands and reefs, in /
little sloops or schooners Of about |
sixty tons burden Some one or
more of them visit every danger
Gus reef every day, SO that a YES
sci does not long remain in
trouble before a helping hand is
extended to her If the assistance
of wreckers be accepted, they
generally tighten the ship, carry
out anchors, and get the vessel
off: or if she be lost on the rocks,
they save the cargo, the passen-
gers and crew, and carry them to
Key West, where salvage is
awarded by the United States
District Judge for the saving of
the vessel and cargo, but no
charge is or can be made, or any
salvage allowed for saving the
lives of crews, passengers, and
their baggage.
Considering the large amount
Of property saved from total de-
struction. and the many lives of
passengers and crews rescued
from death hy these Wrcckcrg nn