Viewing page 32 of 41

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

64/
see on the Southern horizon a very brillant bright reddish straight line of fire, which I first imagined was an optical effect of the reflexion of the moon in this bright sky.  On using my binoculars I soon saw that the Westerly half of the wooden bridge which connects No Name Key with Big Pine Key was full afire as well as some wooden building on the Western end.  Direction from our anchorage before Crawl Key was 160° to 161°.  I awakened Andrew from his sleep to confirm what I saw, at 12.45 AM.  At 1.10 AM. some of the pillars had fallen on the left side.  Wind at that time was NE about paralel with the run of the bridge.  At 1.30 A.M the middle and Westerly part were still full ablaze while the part between the middle of the bridge and the Westerly had become less glaring. - Went to bed again.  Strong wind all night.
[[underlined]] April 30. [[\underlined]]  Bright & sunny.  Same wind.  Of the burnt part of the bridge only charred lower part of pillars left, still burning faintly and giving much smoke.  Wind still blowing N-NE as since several days.
As we lifted anchor and tried to leave we found the engine failed to propel.  On examination it was found that the main propeller shaft had broken inside the bearing of 
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
\65
the engine shaft, with no possibility of making repairs on board.  So looked for a sheltered anchorage where further examination could be made, for possible repairs.  Our staysail and mizzen were unfurled and proved an excellent help to bring us to anchor in the anchorage between No Name and Great Pine Keys.  Excellent anchorage behind the shoal bar, where we dropt anchor among several sponge motor boats in front and about 1/3 mile from the burnt bridge, of which the stems are slowly smoking.  The easterly part of the bridge in intact.  The fire seems to have started from the center of the bridge where the distance of the pillars has 2 larger opening than on the rest of the bridge.  Crime or accident?  Nobody knows.  Whatever started the fire in the center of the bridge, the very direction of the wind being the same as the bridge made the progress of the fire very much facilitated.  Some men said the fire started in 3 different places.
This fire is a considerable complication to our breakdown and interrupts the motor road connection between No May Key Ferry landing from Upper Matecumbe (and Miami) and Key West, which has a daily service.