The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1950-01-18

Bat 10. the very next night :
seaE'lii flying from outer wa
tea saw off the Key West shore
81 the Gulf. a large ship lying
GA Is side; a great hole torn in
her beams, apparently caused bv
an undetected mine left from the
cruel var.
Hundreds Of passengers, men.
women snd children, floated
hciplessiy in the raging waters.
atiired IN life belts-manv 60
quiet they seemed dead. Noting
ne spot, the Seagull swiftly
winged is way 20 the Widows
Wpik atop the Caroline Lowe
house. where il awakened its
fleeping companion Gulls and all
iiew m different directions back
% SEA. They were seeking mans
freat mammal friend, the giant
fpfpoises. which sleep atop the
waters two 30 four hours a dav.
Itey possess blow-holes through
shseh they breathe. having lungs
like yuu and I.
Finally an entire school of them
was lncaied and when they learn
- fftan the Gulls that their
ffFnd, man was in distress, they
ilensied stiaight Cor the wrecked
vessel a. speeds Of eighty miles
Per hour. Upon arrival they
fenily nosed the floaters toward
fuFt Taylor Beach; while some
unnt searching for their partners,
thf giant Green, Sea Turtles.
MANY ~ which weighed five hun
arHa pounds with backs four feet
sauaFe. They gladly joined in the
fesoae mission. The huge por-I
poises vgould lift with their pow
effui nosss men and women onto
ere back Of one of these turtles,
vim would then swim 10 the
shore. unload its rider, then
swiftly return % sea for another.
Al tilese creatures Of mother Ma
tuFe seemed tireless in their eff
tmis Cor they stopped not a
wlpuieut and very soon the
Hatars were entirely cleared of
kBman beings; for all we're high
m the teacIh, al least free from
tsn aanReF a drowning in the
iiahslent waters. BY strange
ulnridonce. Dick Brodhead, a
nsodsome sailor lad just returned
- as Key West home from Navy
#Fgtce apruad. was extremely
restless that night About four
q ~. be dressed, left his parents
home and walked toward the
Cali waters. Reaching Fort Tay-
~ nEacn. he was amazed to see
hanaTcds OF people lying on the
sand from al appearances, life
iess Rllshing 10 City Hall he ask
- firemen 20 toll all City bells.
Great excitement reigned, and
many Key WesteTs drove to the
beach and were astonished to see
Pelicans letting fresh water drip
Through their huge beaks onto
ne faces cf those lying so quietly
% shore. Other Pelicans were
lying % rain water cisterns, fill
ine their large beaks, and
swiftly returning 20 the helpless
surely these gawky birds must
have known the value of fresh
aatoT in 50 dire an emergency.
Under the inspiring leadership
"a their distinguished captain,
aaval doctors. nurses and marines
performed miracles of resusita-
han palle navy ambulances car
red the many Ia need OF added
medical afientiOn to the Nays
oau Hospital whose doors were
onaned wide for the helpless ones.
meanwhile. Naval Crash ships
hufr.ed 10 fhe wrecked vessel
sssklng humans aboard the dis
tfeza4. sinking ship. The prompt,
efficient efforts Of these fine peo-
uls saved the lives of all; for
happy 10 relate. not soul was
iosi Key West doctors, nurses and
lagmen ioined IN the rescue work.
ailed hy those lovely ladies, the
Nuns Rom the Convent of Mary
immaculate. who hearing the
talline bells. had reached the
beach shortly safter they had
started ringing. Il was most APP
nfanriafe 40 have those gracious
ia4ics there cooperating WIN
the uniied States Navy, just as
fafuar Nuns had done when the
miehiy Baitlcship, U.S.S: Maine
vs. Blown up IN Havana Harpor,
Febraary IS. 1898, for at that
nna the Convent was converted
into 4 Naval Hospital, the Nuns