The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 26, 1941, Page 5

THE KEY WEST CITIZEN PaGE FTE “FORI _ } | 8a gue TES Sa La i i eer . : . SFORM KEY WEST [By Stephen Cochran Singleton] © Yesterday... Today... Tomorrow | Zit i H He F a nf rE i pe Th fi i 5 Fhe | Fs 3 Fe es : 3 Q F & SOM OTOSOOTEOTMOEEE Hh rr 5 3 ® South Atlantic. May our dete: ination be as firm as the reef Which we stand. “Visit our H and by the ffp of God you w: come’! tovivotis Grict—America | ee ee Te ee a Stands the Citadel of Democ- z g Ey if z ALBERT G. ROBERTS. ‘West, Fla, 22, 1941. : (PS—It_has been a pleasure! to return to Key West after an! .. absence of 18 months. Washing. ton is all-out for total war. I will leave in a few days to return to Washington where I will t IP IIZALALAL LL MP TOARAAILALLLAL AL Abd gt teat ne aititr : . g te IIIPL LS Lg CODITOSM, + TOIL LLL 6 hbk de ddd Prehistoric Yesterday, A tropical Is land. . dense, . forests. . haunted by elusive deer. . .deep pools of fresh water. . the shores peopled with tall wading birds. . the encircling sea alive with fish. . .a prized hunting ground. . for which Caribs and Calusas waged savage battle. . -2tisly tokens of deadly battle litter the ground. . .a Span- ish discoverer crosses himself. . ejaculates “Cayo Huese” (Bone Island). . .(teo many vowels. . .we call it Key West). . and His- tery begins. We get the first glimpse of yesterday . - .pirates perceive that this island is the perfect sally-port. . the perfect re-fitting station. . the perfect GIBRALTAR OF THE CARIBBEAN. . .and loot His Spanish Ma- jesty’s tall ships. . sailing home laden with the golden loot of the Aztecs. 1815. The Gobernador of Florida pays a debt. . .at no cost to himself. . -presents Teniente Juan Pablo Salas with Cayo Hueso . . Juan takes it with what grace he can. .. and has little use for it. 1822. Juan sells Cayo Hueso to John Simonton for $2,000. . Juan can use $2,000 in Havana where the lights burn brightly .. toheck with an uninhabited island. . Juan is tio Robinson Crusoe. . Juan is young. . . John Simonton moves in with money. friends and slaves. . starts a salt gathering business .. Commodore David Porter moves in, . .in- structed to make pirates scarce. . .pirates move out. . .what is left of them. . .Porter follows them to the Isle of Pines (Spanish) . Ne pirates, no prisoners; consequently, ho complaints. 1861. The Stars and Stripes float over Fort Taylor and the Bonnie Blue Flag over Key West. . .when opportunity offers. . . Spanish rule in Cuba becomes intolerable .. the best cigar makers in the world migrate to Key West. . .make the best cigars in large numbers. 1871. The San Carlos Institute is es- tablished. . .across the blue waters of the Strait there is a smudge of black Smoke. . . follawed. by another!. . crowded wharves «+ eager Cuban patriots praying the gun- running tug home. . .or her crew will stand against the bullet-pitted wall of Morro Castle. . ‘the Spanish gun-boat gains. . . but not enough and sheers off. . the crew of the THREE FRIENDS is safe in the “Cradle of Cuban Liberty”. . libations are poured to the patron Saint of Insurrectos. 1898. The “MAINE” goes down in the harbor of Havana. . the tramp of marching feet echo on the pavements of Key West. . . headlines scream of Dewey, Schley, Shaf- ter, Cervera. ..Again Key West becomes the GIBRALTAR of the CARIBBEAN. . .the men who died in Havana Harbor come to rest in the Key West cemetery. . .wait for Gabriel's reveille. 1912. Henry Flagler performs his mi- racle and the F. E. C. Railroad Extension comes across the miles of water into Key West: . .Ferries carry trains of cars to Ha- vana. ...\The life of a busy terminus hums. Yésterdays follow fast. . romance laden . ..young lovers walk the blossom-perfumed moon-lit streets. . .proud posterity of pros- perous piratical paternity. . .a daring, fear- less, amphibian tribe. . The moon wanes and the skies redden as the boats of alien spongers burn. . morning rises on the “Noble Experiment” and a baseball team is organized. . .The Coast Guard ys. the Bootleggers. . fast curves today; bullets to- morrow. 1935, The wind blew. . the railroad departs forever. . .a glorious Highway be- gins to take its place. . .enters Key West in 1938. . .and travellers crossing the “Seven Mile Bridge” marvel at the tapestry ane as ihe waves of the ocean and the waves of the Gulf don white caps and dance te gether. FAREWELL KEY WEST OF YESTER- DAY. Hurry, Hurry! If you wish te have a picture of it for your Book of Memories. KEY WEST TODAY. New faces on the street. . new paint on eld weather- beards. . there is a world conflagration. - again the marching feet of men. . the in- sistent notes of bugies. . the recognition of the fact that here is the GIBRALTAR of the CARIBBEAN. . .all the turmoil of hurried preparation. . .Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force. builders. . fine tall lads from the Bible Belt, the Corn Belt and the crowded streets of cities ready to render that “last full measure of devotion” at their country’s call. . Not yet has all this grim haste robbed Key West of its most gracious charm. . the slow pendulum swing of its courtesy, hospitality and leisure. . .as of old to greet the visitor. . the VISITOR, mind you. . the adventurer, the expleiter, might as well remember that Key West has dealt with pirates long ago and has not forgot- ten how. WEST TOMORROW. Net “Maiiana”.. that soul-comforting word be- longs to the Key West of “ayer”. . now “to- lovers walk its shaded streets. | still will its indomitable breed settle their troubles Before the Nation’s heart and ever keeps Unsheathed its vigilance. It watch- ful waits POPS LE dd ddd hdd dd dedddedededadededaiadaded