$2 Florida Keys Sea Heritage Journal VOL. 16 NO. 1 FALL 2005 USS SHARK OFFICIAL QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE KEY WEST MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Ways of Key West ByThomas Neil Knowles Copyright 2005 “This railway was the first important public venture by private citizens in Key West.” So wrote Judge Jefferson Browne in 1912 in his definitive history of the Island City. He was not referring to Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway Extension, but to a railway constructed in 1853; a marine railway that ran from dry land into the water. That Browne would record such an accolade 59 years after the event underscores how enduring the The USS Sarsfield (DD-837) fills the cradle of Ways No. 1. For many years Joe impact of these facilities proved Ladd’s father operated the large, track-mounted crane on the right. According to to be. From the construction of Carston Heinlein, cannon balls from Fort Taylor were used to offset the weight of the first marine railway during the the boom and balance the crane on its pedestal. They were encased in concrete in heyday of wrecking to the dramatic a steel box mounted on the end of the crane’s cab that is facing the camera. Photo destruction of the largest ways on credit: Carston Heinlein. the island over a hundred years residing on the island for health plow through rough seas and smooth later, the ways of Key West played reasons, wrote to his aunt, “You bottoms free of marine growths to a vital role in local commercial will naturally enquire how we live, reduce drag and maximize speed. development and national military and the reply is very simple, in, by To do this, the hull below the preparedness. Without marine and through wrecks-If we are not waterline had to be periodically railways, Key West could not have directly interested in the business exposed for cleaning and repairs. In developed as vigorously as it did our support wholly comes from it. locations where there is a substantial during the 19th and 20th centuries. Stop that and we cease to live.” fall of the tide, boats could be taken The salvaging of wrecks on Wrecking required fast boats into shallow water and as the tide the reefs along the Florida Straits since salvage rights were awarded went out the craft would slowly heel transformed Key West from a to the first boat to arrive at the site over coming to rest on its side. At frontier outpost to the wealthiest of a wreck. It was critical that the Key West, the difference between city per capita in the United States. wrecker’s hulls be well maintained high tide and low tide averages a In 1838, Charles Walker, an attorney to have the structural strength to (Continued on page 3) Soceity News By Ed Little, President, KWMHS, As you read this, we will be editor, Lynda Hambright with Tom’s into the late winter of 2005-2006. help, we’ve been able to bring to our As you may know, because so readers articles that cover the gamut many of our Society’s members of historical subjects that pertain and Directors leave town for to Key West and the Florida Keys. summer until autumn, we tend to These articles give us a window into go “dormant” until cooler weather “days gone by” that would not be returns. So, here’s what we’ve been available otherwise. Once again, up to since then Well Done Lynda and Tom!! Once again, through the good In October however, our Society offices of one of our Directors, Julie suffered a heartbreaking loss. Mr. McEnroe, we’ve been able to line David Roumm of our Board of The Florida Keys Sea Heritage up an exciting guest speaker. This Directors died. Although Dave had Journal is published quarterly. time, it was internationally known only been with us a short time, his Subscription is available through novelist Mr. Robert MacComber. dedication, energy, and expertise membership. Copyright 2005 by On the evening of 29 November, had made him one of the leading the Key West Maritime Historical Bob spoke on his research into “sparkplugs” of our organization. Society of the Florida Keys, Inc. “fact, fable, and the age of piracy”. I know that all in the Society will The art on the masthead, the USS And, as Bob explained, piracy was join me in expressing to Dave’s Shark, was drawn by Bill Muir. not just confined to the bygone age family and many close friends our of sail. In some of the more lawless sincerest condolences for this so Editor: Lynda Hambright Production:Tom Hambright waters of the world it continues to untimely passing. be a threat to today’s mariners. A That brings me to the future of the Letters and articles are welcome. few days after Bob’s lecture, we Society. In coming months we’ve Please write to: Editor, Florida Keys then assembled for an reception lined up additional guest speakers, Sea Heritage Journal, KWMHS, P.O. (which also served as a Society field trips, and Journal articles. But, Box 695, Key West, FL 33041. fundraiser) to meet and mingle with we are also a Society that needs several noted maritime authors, the support of the members that Key West Maritime historians, and artists. The venue belong to it. There is still plenty of Historical Society was the secluded (and delightful) room for suggestions to be offered Board of Directors grounds of the Gardens Hotel at on prospective lectures, articles, Key West. A side “perk” of this and activities that the Society President: Edward J.Little,Jr. Vice President: Winifred Fryzel event is that we were treated to might offer. Actually, although Secretary: Corey Malcom the song, music, and good cheer such suggestions would be most Treasurer: Lynda Hambright of a number of history buffs who appreciated, what we really need arrived in full pirate regalia! is additional helping hands to make Shauna Cameron Then, there is the continued those suggestions “happen”. So, for Tom Hambright success of the Society’s quarterly, those of you that have time, ideas, Mary Haffenreffer John Jones the “Florida Keys Sea Heritage or expertise to volunteer, we await Sheri Lohr Journal” to remark on. Through the your call. Just dial us at 292-7903. Don Lowe dedicated efforts of the Journal’s Don’t be shy, get “onboard” mate!! T.J. McDermott Julie McEnroe Journal Late Again William McKinley We were about to get back on the hurricanes but are still looking John Viele schedule and the hurricanes came for a printer. So I hope you read this and our printer closed. Its January before February 2006. 2006 and we have recovered from Tom H. New Members Max and Jean Foster, Riverview, Florida 2 - FLORIDA KEYS SEA HERITAGE JOURNAL - FALL 2005 A sponger being repaired at Key West–1900. Left: A close-up of the adjacent ways showing the lifting arrangement. Although hoisting capacity was very limited, this type of ways was adequate for small vessels and construction costs were minimal. Photo credit: Florida State Archives. (Ways from page 1) a large, manually or steam-powered By the middle of the 1800s, the mere 1.3 feet so this technique is not windlass similar to that used to raise salvaging of wrecks on the reefs practical. Ways provide the means the anchors of ships was employed. along the Florida Straits had reached to access the part of the hull that is While the previously described its peak and hook sponging, another normally submerged. ways could accommodate fishing industry reliant on boats, was The concept of ways as a facility boats and other small craft, burgeoning and would eventually to move boats into and out of the they could not handle heavier make Key West the sponge capital water probably originated when the vessels. The cleaning and repair of the World. There were many first boat was built and moved down of large ships prior to 1853 was hardworking ships and boats in an inclined bank using a series of accomplished in Key West by the area, but Key West still lacked logs as rollers. For many centuries bringing the vessel alongside a the facilities to safely perform ways were inclines made of greased wharf and hauling it over onto its maintenance on the hulls of larger timbers or an inclined paved roadbed side, a dangerous practice known as vessels. The only options were to upon which wooden wheeled carts careening. Judge Browne provided take them elsewhere for such work ran. The load carrying capacity of the following description of the or subject them to the hazardous such facilities was very limited. process. process of careening, neither of Early ways in Key West were This was done by ropes attached which appealed to owners who crude structures consisting of large to the top of the masts, and run wanted to get their vessels back timbers laid down to form an incline. through heavy blocks on the dock. to work making profits as soon as The boat to be serviced was brought A strain was then hove on the possible. up with the keel resting on a flat tackles, and the vessel careened, This situation did not go platform that either rode on rollers until one side of the bottom would unnoticed by William Curry and or heavily greased skids. Bracing be out of the water. After one George Bowne. Curry was born in to stabilize the hull was installed as side was cleaned or repaired, the the Bahamas at Green Turtle Cay the boat came out of the water.