The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-03-19
The Remarkable Progress OF
Key West; A Tribute To The
Faith OF Its People Here
BY JAMES J. McKNIcHr

oAJ IA may, A06O. II I0fllleQ
me as only IA year old youngs-
ter can be thrilled by the sight
of the Southernmost City of the
United States familiar to him
only through pirate tales of the
dread Brethren of the Coast"
The entire trip from New
York to Key West had been a
momentous one. It was my first
ocean voyage. The change in
color of the water from the
murky brown of the North At
lantic to the deep blue of the
Gulf OF Mexico was fascinating.
but the dazzling bright multi.
color, crazy quilt appearance of
the Key West harbor waters was
breath taking, Altho years later
was to view other waters from
the decks of Destroyer Escort
Vessels and Attack Transports of
the Navy in far off places
North Africa, New Guinea, Ha-
Waiian Islands, the Philippines and
Okinawa-during the grim wa.
years-none ever equalled, by
comparison, the great first i'm
preston of the tropical waters
surrounding Key West!
II was very happy day for
me when | walked down the
gangway from the Henry r.
Mallory because mother, famil-
iarly known to her close bust
ness associates as "M~ry j." was
waiting for US on the Mallory
Line pier. Together we walked
down Duval Street and stopped
at Lopez Delmonico Restaurant
for our first meal ashore in four
days. II was a good meal, too, but
| was too excited 70 eat and my
brother and / were eager 70 ex-
plore our new hometown. We
stopped to view the tall skeleton
Of the La Concha Hotel towering
above everything else. A symbol
Of faith in the future of Key
West Of Carl f. Auduchon who
died a few months after the hotel
was opened.
Mother tried to explain to me
about the great harbor of Key
West which could float, at that
time, the entire Atlantic and
Pacific fleets Of the II. S. Navy,
and how she hoped to sec great
repair base established here. A
few days later she took me out
to see the freight cars being
pushed aboard the great p & o
steamship ferries and the pas
sengers alighting from the FEC
Havana Special" to board the
p g. 0 passenger liner IS Cuba
for Havana, predicting that some-'
day people would be able to
travel on similar ferries by auto
mobile to Cuba. She told me;
something about Henry M. Flag
Ter and the great Overseas Rail-.
road which skcptics once called
FlaglerS Folly.
There was great excitement in
those days in Key West and the
old and famous jefferson Hotel
was sold for d big price and was
about to have Its face lifted
modern Spanish style stucco to-
take the place Of the old wooden
exterior. Other buildings We're
undergoing the same process and,
soon II was expected that quaint
Duyal street would take on a.
very modern appearance indeed
Key West and all Florida was at
the height Of the great Florida
boom. People were making
money like mad and spending it
just as recklessly---and then the.
bubble burst and the dreams o.
builders Of yesterday were fold.
ed away to become a reality in
later years. but in different ways
and under circumstances other
than any could forsee at the:
time.
/ recall rather wildly those
years of 1925 through 1891 be-
cause they we're my teenage.
years and very exciting and happy
ones. Saturday night on DuvalI
street was weekly event {,
! which everyone looked forward
And although those, for the most
part, were the depression years,
and people had to tighten their
belts and keep then tight, there
was no evidence Of discourage
ment on Saturday night. In adj
dition TO their best fincry, people
wore their best smiles and the
talk was always Of the future
full OF hope and confidence.
II has been a long time, rs
one reckons time, since those
DAYS but recall them quite
clearly and I remember when
Sunday afternoon baseball at
Fort Taylor brought out hum
dreds of local fans and Kid
Jackson and the Nebo brothers
packed them in at the old Key
West Athletic Club at the foot OF
nuval street ON the site OF the
present beautiful South Beach:
when dancing and bathing were
the chief activities ut the old La
Breeza wooden dance and bath
pavilion al the foot Of Simonton
street. now the location of the
beautiful Sun and Sand Club