Mr. Flagler’s St. Augustine

20. The Challenge of Key West, 1903–1906

411 20 ∑ The Challenge of Key West, 1903–1906 Build one concrete arch and then another, and pretty soon you will find yourself in Key West. —Henry Flagler to Dr. Andrew Anderson, 1904 The Flaglers returned to Florida during the second week of December 1902. Flag­ ler wrote ahead to his chief lieutenant Joseph Parrott with specific instructions about his travel itinerary: he wanted to visit the freight docks at Mayport on the St. Johns River while passing through Jacksonville. Then, after spending time in St. Augustine, he desired to look over his orange grove at San Mateo. He also wanted to visit Stetson College to see what sort of building had been constructed with the money he had donated for a science hall, “but I don’t want anyone at Deland except Professor Forbes [the president] to know of my visit.” He instructed Parrott, when arranging for a carriage to Deland, to “try and fix it so that the telegraph operator won’t know who is making the trip.”1 Flag­ ler and Mary Lily arrived in St. Augustine and checked in at the Alcazar for a two-week visit. He used his time to catch up on his business enterprises in town. They celebrated Christmas in St. Augustine, and the Andersons hosted a dinner party for them and some of their friends. The Flag­lers were developing a routine of spending some time in St. Augustine while on their way to and returning from Palm Beach.2 They reached Palm Beach in time to stage a formal New Year’s dinner at Whitehall. Then they hurried off for visits to Miami and Nassau, where Flag­ ler could check on those regions of his empire and renew acquaintances with the local civic and political leaders. Then they settled down in Whitehall to enjoy the company of Mary Lily’s parents and most of her siblings, save for her brother 412 · Mr. Flagler’s St. Augustine William, who was busy with his own career. The Andersons came down for two weeks to stay as houseguests with the Flag­lers. Before the Washington’s Birthday Ball at the Royal Poinciana, the Flag­lers enjoyed dinner in the banquet hall, with Henry and Mrs. Anderson at one end of the table and Mary Lily and Dr. Anderson at the other end. A few days later Anderson returned to St. Augustine, but Elizabeth Anderson stayed to help Mary Lily prepare for a grand bal poudré at Whitehall. Not only did the guests arrive in Louis XIV costumes, but the Flag­ lers had real European royalty on hand in the form of the duke and duchess of Manchester (although she was an American girl). Mary Lily wore a powdered wig and “a superb gown of pink panne velvet trimmed with bands of silver.” The ball spilled out into the atrium under the stars, where Neapolitan mandolin players and singers filled the darkness with melodies. The ball’s souvenirs—gold cufflinks and scarf pins for the men, brooches and pins for the ladies—arrived in a rickshaw drawn by five “pickaninnies.” Altogether it amounted to a display of wealth that might have left the Sun King in the shade.3 Henry Flag­ler probably got more enjoyment from amusements such as a visit to the Boat House, a rustic floating restaurant on Lake Worth where visitors were served fried chicken and cornbread with their wine. Two of his most frequent companions in Palm Beach were Joseph Jefferson and Frederick Townsend Martin , both of whom seem to have lived more casual lifestyles, although Martin was “the acknowledged leader of the very ‘smart set.’” The infamous Harry Lehr made an appearance at Whitehall one evening and livened up the gathering by playing the piano to accompany Flag­ler’s house organist Russell Joy. Lehr, a newcomer to the upper social order, aspired to become the arbiter of who belonged in high society, but his flippant demeanor and comic antics failed to amuse many among the old establishment.4 Flag­ ler’s close companion Joseph Jefferson was perhaps the most famous comic actor in America at the time, having made his reputation portraying Rip VanWinkleinastageplayhewrotehimself.Hisperpetually ebullient spirit made himanaturalcomicperformer.GroverClevelandcountedJeffersonasapersonal friend, and following Cleveland’s secret cancer surgery in 1893 he spent some time recuperating in Jefferson’s home. Jefferson had visited Florida as Flag­ ler’s guest in 1895 and would thereafter become a fixture of the winter season in Palm Beach. People most often encountered...