OVERSEAS RAILROAD

This morning’s Key West Citizen ran a picture of a cover of Collier’s Magazine. Collier’s is no longer in print. It was a 1912 cover. The lead in to a major article entitled Opening of the Overseas RR to Key West. The cover picture was of a train on a bridge over water.

I want to share some things I know about the railroad. Some or all you may know. Others perhaps not aware.

The railroad was completed in 1912. Construction had started in 1905. There were a multitude of building problems. Like swamps, ocean, insects and hurricanes. There were two or three during construction.

The railroad was the dream of Henry Flagler. He built it with his own money. Cost him $50 million. $1.3 billion in today’s money.

Flagler was quite elderly in 1912 when the railroad was dedicated. He had become blind. His speech contained the following words: “Now I can die happy. My dream is fulfilled.” He passed on 18 months later.

The railroad was constantly referred to at the time as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

The hurricane of 1935 was a big one. It took out about 40 miles of the bridge. No one wanted to rebuild. Many today fish and walk on portions of the bridges left standing.

Did my stress test yesterday afternoon. A biomed stress test. Hope I spelled it correctly. A piece of cake! I don’t know why I was concerned, but I was. I will get the results next week.

The only negative was I was exhausted when the test was over. Makes sense. They shoot this stuff into you which makes your heart beat faster and faster.

I stopped to see Lisa and the grandkids on the way home. Lisa asked what was the matter as I looked tired. It was that obvious.

I stayed a very short while and went home. To bed for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I was wiped out!

Another power outage yesterday. Three in two days.

State of the Union tonight. Special guests are invited to sit with the First Lady. One tonight is Larry Merlo. He is President and CEO of CVS Health. CVS is on a roll in Key West. Already have 4 stores open and operating. Working on a fifth. In the former Fast Buck Freddie site on Duval.

Merlo has to have accomplished something significant. I did a bit of digging and found out why he was invited. Last fall CVS stopped selling tobacco goods. Cigarettes. A big deal as it cost CVS a lot of money. Merlo sits with Michelle Obama tonight because of that.

Something wrong with my diet. I have been at 27 pounds for two weeks. Did not cheat once. It is getting discouraging. I need to see the weight loss on the scale. It keeps me motivated.

Syracuse/Boston College tonight. Syracuse a 9.5 point favorite. Means nothing.

My blog talk radio show tonight also. I will miss the State of the Union and the game. I will also lose some of my audience to the President’s address.

The show tonight particularly interesting. An update on the NYCPD/de Blasio situation, the story of a 9 year old boy arrested for stealing a pack of gum who was jailed, a Greece update/the election is 1/25, the State of Washington threatening to take a woman’s two month old foster child away if the whole family does not get flu shots, and more.

The show airs at 9. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!