1 
WALDO L. SCHMITT — TORTUGAS NOTES 
192k 
July 15, 192* 
Six a.m^tfut off for Tortugas. Trip was uneventful. Passed Man and 
Woman Key; Rebecca shoals lighthouse; Fort Jefferson, now deserted, and coal 
sheds, with twisted crane and unroofed buildings blown down in big hurri¬ 
cane. Fort probably is just as it was in Civil War days. 
Trip is about 60 nautical miles, launch goes about 9y to 10 knots; 
6:30 - 2:3^ to island. Cost $39-000 to build, and $50,000 - $60,000 to 
duplicate today. 70 feet, 100 h.p., 1 6 gals, gas per minute. Allison 
has one that burns 1 gal. per min., 30 knot boat; used it to collect fish for 
station. He had been led to expect that lot of 'Gudger ,< .Science would be 
carried on there [at Tortugas] . 
Laboratory [has]/ two large buildings for lab purposes. Southernmost has 
southern section forming one long sleeping porch. Dr. Grave and I are in 
northern building. Bird Key formerly Hospital Key - dead and dying yellow 
fever patients from Fort. Ports were all broken out at time of yellow fever 
epidemic by Prison Doctor, who was given charge. 
