| Show A 4 4E Sunday December H Travel 3 2000 Standard-Examin- Old bridges span beautiful vistas Stretches of Oversea Railway in Florida Keys still stand as a monument By BRENDAN FARRINGTON The Associated Press IGEON KEYjFla - It's hard not to gaze out at the old Oversea Railway bridges' that run parallel 1 through the to US Route Florida Keys Though many stretches aie inaccessible to all but pelicans herons and osprey they serve ax a monument to a railroad that cost one man millions of dollars and about 200 others their lives The most famous stretch is the old Seven Mile Budge It s featured in automobile commei cials and movies and is the most amazing leal in an hese days incredible project one can only travel 2 2 nnles before risking a lull into the 1 shark-tille- d vvatei below The bi idges once helped open up one of Vmerica’s richest cities to land tiavel They now only serve joggers fishermen bicyclists and anyone who wants to take a stroll and enioy breathtaking ocean views or a slice of Honda history "There's lust something about this bridge - you see bits and pieces of it in magazines and films It's a local point of the keys” said Deicl Bell alter he and his wile listv finished skating on the old Seven Mile Bridge He marveled looking over the row of thick concrete arches stretching out oer the water at how something jnade of steel and concrete can be-sattractive in-li- Costly project Henry Flayer whose railroads and davish hotels helped open Eloridak coast to devclopmentjand tourism began the Oversea Railway tn building 1904-'I he Key est Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway cost him an estimated S50 million! About 200 men died building th£ line most during a 1906 hurricane "About 140 died that day All on a houseboat that broke up at sea” saidDnn Gallagher the Pigeon KJty Foundation's education coordinator The extension was finished in 1912 stfaehing 28 miles from Hmestpad to Key West K included 42 bridges over 18 miles of ocean! 1 he project “was marguably the greatest single railroad construction feat in American and possibly world history” said Seth Bramson the I lorida last Coast Railway company historian Ml the materials had to be brought in by boat including Iresh water tomix the concrete It stirs somethme in vou” he 1 said “You have to say ‘My God! How did they do that in those - days?'” Hiddan history - o' rx?" 't 4 Ai 4‘ - ' j The Flagler Station Oversea---' t Railway Historeum in provides a history of the railroad r I with a yidgo photos a restored '’ train Gar and a history interpreter to talk to visitors 4 An almost htldden treasure cm : i He’s been lishmg the Keys for 1 5 years and swears the bridges the w ay to Key West is Pigeon are better than paying a guide y Key Once a camp that housed 'and gomg out on a boat Their 400 workers the small quiet history also caught his intciest’ island underneath the old Seven and he bought a book to learn Mile Bridge is now a national more historic district featuring education programs for about “I don't think people realize 5000 students a year the cost of these bridges with ' The island is almost a step people dying and everything else” he said: back tn time Many of the railway have been camp buildings A humcanein 1935 damaged restored and a museum recalls v 42 miles of track With the Great the remarkable link to die Depression 4he Florida Fast country's southernmost city Coast Railway in bankruptcy Visitors can walk bike or take v receivershtp and the growing a trolley from Marathon over the ' popularity of cars the company V1 decided not to old bridge hut only about 50 repair it Gallagher says people a day make the trip Gallagher says “Economy and changing times A lew miles east Tom Orr of killed the railroad but it's easy to Nashville Tenn was standing blame it on a hurricane” he says with a fishing pole on a short “The hurricane didn't wash out stretch of the old railway-bridginany bridges Ft didn't do anything that couldn't be fixed - it was Grassy and Duck keys time for cars” a like "They're giant fishing y wax The railroad pier” Oir says “I fish different ones Word gets out of which sold to the stale lor SoOOOOO I've caught ones tire hot The state later widened the tarpon shark - everything olf this budges paved ovet the Hacks hi idge" and opened the Oversea I- 1 f Key-Wes- jf i si - 1 - right-of-wa- ’ ' ' - -- 1 vj ANDY NEWMAN The Associated Press The Bahia Honda Bridge (foreground) is one of the old Oversea Railway bridges that run parallel through the Florida Keys island chain ZERO TRAFFIC ZONE: for recreation Highway in 1938 The present Oversea Highway opened in The Rails to Trails project hopes to enlist the state to help create a park along the y railroad says organizer June Helbltng 1982 The railway also sold land used for a terminal for $800000 “1 he railway got back $ 4 million of a $50 million investment" Bramson says “To rebuild that extension it would probably be in the vicinity of a minimum of $5 billion in today’s 1 right-of-wa- She knows the project will cost millions of dollars But the bridges are in good shape and it would be a shame not to use them she says money” Renewed interest “God has already given us the most scenic vitas probably of almost anywhere in the world" Helbling sayv “What Hagler has left behind for us can get us a ' little closer to those vistas” Now an effort is being made ' to open up more of the old budges including the rest of the Seven Mile Bridge and the spectacular Bahia Honda bridge C £ 7or lOlti X iJccoeenX 5 higher rates on Money Market Accounts' 5 higher rates on CDs” less interest on Loans'” 5 Gieat rates build great relationships That's whv we’ve combined the best rates and services into one account— Zions Gold Account the Gold Package rates on Bcvond j hanking products the package also includes free checks- (up to $15) interest-adde- checking d a free safe deposit box free electronic hill pay and much more Best of all you’ll enjoy an even higher level ot customer service — the kind of service available onlv to Gold Account customers To open your account simplv visit your local Zions Bank branch or call s 1 sX-723-- IT 97 ZIONS BANK WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN WHO KEEPS US IN BUSINESS 6- - 't 6 0- - i A" l A tm! me- - jtint ! c recie 5 vrs receive 5 receive 5 "wr-u- rs r''rncrit f'3-- n a Zote h j1 or ra'es on hi rates on all V Accent CD-- discount on lev's Rre b" ed cn an Crocking Account I |
