The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-11

Oten Indebted 70
OF Col Albert. chief Of the typographical engineers:
Sin In the brief note which had the honor to sd-
dress you the nth inst informing you OF the desiruc
lion OF The Mlnos Rock light house stated tina, would
make report to the bureau Of the facts as
could collect the necessary information. ! am now in
believe of all the circumstances that
known, and proceed 10 enumerate them. L
Oa Monday night. the lith instant the wind. which
had been esserly for several days, gradually increased
On Tuesday II had become severe gale from the N r
IL continued TO blow with the utmost violence through
Tuesday night. Wedns siay, THURSDAY and even Friday
but the height Of the storm on Wednesday, the
loh. and at that time II was perfect hurricane 1t was.
IN Tact, unprecedented; for, notwithstanding the great
gale OF September 1878, was we'll remembered here, II
was from the =. and was Of short duration.
The light on the Mino was last from Cohasset
on "Wednesday night. at 10 o'clock; at O'Clock Thurs
day morning. the l7th, the light house bell heard
shore, one aud half miles dslant and this being the
hour OF high water rather the of the tide when,
from the opposition between the wind and the tde-,he
former blowing shore and the latter recedng from the
shoeIi supposed that The at It's very highest
mark and was al that hour. 1t is generally believed
that the lighthouse was destroyed; at daylight nothing
OF IL was visible from the shore, and hence is most
The two assistant keepers, Joseph Wilson aud Joseph
Antonio, lost; the principal keeper John w. Ben
ne had le the light house on Friday, the lllh instant
and OF course escaped the fate OF his companions The
light as am informed, was LETT by the keeper without
boat and thus the OF escape entirely cut of
cannot say that the boat could have lived in such
but, nasmuch as provided Tor that purpose above
all others, certain that the course of the keeper in
leaving the men in the light without boat entirely
Iint1CuhaOtc anu even Criminal.
The general construction OF the Mnot light is now toll
eraby well known but, order that the remarks which
shall make may be understood, lind it necessary TO
The structure composed OF piles or shafts, made
OF the best description OF wrought iron. from 60 TO SO
feet IN length, each pile inserted feet deep in the solid
part OF the rock all OF them inches in diameter
al the FOOT 10 inches in diameter al point feet above
the foot Eat the surface OF the rock the middle pile
Al inches diameter al top These piles stood in the peri
pheIy OF circle OF rs feet diameter, with al the
centre They are united connected together at FIVE
different points. to wit: the rock, where each pile was
secured in it's place, by of iron wedges, and
ment OF iron filings. I'd, Al point 20 feet above the
rock by means OF 10 wrought iron horizontal braces, 81
inches diameter, adatng from the middle pile 10 each
outer pile and extending, also, between each pair OF outer
piles 81. by similar series of braces point 40 feet
above the rock OF round wrought iron, inches in di
ame,er 4lh Az point ~ feet above the rock, by
rles OF the same kind of braces of wrought ron inches
square forming the support Of the store or cellar
5h BY means OF cast iron cap spider Frame IA feet
IN diameter and weighing about ions, to which were
united and secured all the pe-heads this frame formed
he base Or support Of the keepers house living room
1eet Dgh upon this, again. placed the lantern OF
iron and glass; OF about feet In height, thus was the
entire elevation of the structure above the rock about 10
feet standing upon base oil % feet and upon all the
available surface which the rock presented al low water
In addition 10 the horizontal braces there intro
dnced IN the summer OF ls49 series of wroughtron
vertical tie rods between the first and second series OF
braces These es-32 in number, oil inch round IRON
extended between each pair OF contiguous piles and be-
tween the middle pile and each outer pile. crossing each
other IN diagonal direction, Ike the brace and counter
brace OF bridge The object OF these ties TO sta-n
the piles and to prevent in as great degree practical
bic, The tendency to vibration, which there necessarily
would be at the top OF piles 60 feet high howsoever well
braced they may be.
was intended to place another series OF these ties ar
ranged IN the manner between the foot of tie piles
at the rock and the hrst lower series of horizontal
braces but the appropriation for that purpose not having
been made until October 1850, The far ad
vanced TO got them in place The collars and six of the
TIES used were placed and ii these lower unfinished
es which were carried away in the storm of December,
1880. not the braces these were not injured
From the preceding description il will be seen tina,
there was series OF braces forty feet above the rock
upon these braces the keeper had improperly built sor
OF deck or platform upon which placed quantity OF
heavy articles, such fuel, water barrels, &c, all OF
which should have been in the room the place de-
signed for their reception The deck in addi,ion to The
weight p aced upon H. was fastened together ami secured
10 the piles and Braces has Offering large surface for
the sea 10 strike against
hawser or guy TO the lantern deck. feet above
the rock and anchored the other end OF the hawser to
granite block. weighing according to his account
alhoms from the base Of the light The object of this
was to provide for running box or landing chair
up and down. but i is very clear that much surface
exposed to the moving had the effect upon the
lighthouse as would have been produced by number OF
men pulling at rope attached TO the highest part OF the
structure with the design OF pulling il down.
How much these two lll-jddgei arrangements contrib
nted TO the destruction of the lighthouse will not un
deake 10 say but that both were highly injurious there
can be doubt The enclosed ne paper comm unica-
Ion from man who bad active part to perform the
slino for the contractor who drilled the holes in the
rock, and who erected the piles in place, will to
show the view taken OF II by sound, practical mind.
With these details prem,sed, proceed 10 eate the in
formation have collected, and the conclusions which
/ have arrived.
Ga the 18th instant desired my former assistant in the
work, Mr.. William DennisoD, TO visit the rock, examine
ts appearance. and coecl such facts might fall within
his reach II was not until the 22d instant. however
that the sea or swell had abated sufficiently to enable
bun 10 clearly the precise condition OF the founa
hon Even then the roll Of The prevented landing
upon the rock but, by the aid OF very experienced
boatman the boat kept within feet of the rock
and by going around IL several imes he was enabled to
make the enclosed SKETCH which represents the present
appearance OF the piles
II will be seen that The foot OF every pile in its place
and the accompanying report OF Mr. Dennison says: !"
could not see The slightest change in the rock whatever
the piles appeared 10 be ~eaged firm in the rock
ever could see the heads OF the wedges slightly pro-
jecng from the surface OF the rock in the same position
as when left by me in November, ls49"
ihis sufficient rel uaton OF the often story
OF the "spli rock - this like other statements from the
same source, being entirely untrue. spall," as il is
called technically, knocked off OF the holes in
drilling The rock In 1s4s OF sort of Importance be-
cause he hole was carried sufficiently deep below it,
The foundation OF ihe structure. hen being precisely
was Iei ~ ls49, and the feet OF the piles being
place. u clear that there nothing there which yield
ed We are TO look elsewhere, therefore. for the
OF the destruction Of the lighthouse and this we have
the means OF stating. think, without question
Al four O'Clock Wedne sday afternoon The 18th or
ten hours before the light fell. the deck or platform
which the keeper bad placed The second series OF
braces forty feet aove The rock, ashore Cohas
act. Now this entirely too bslky and too heavy
for the assistant keepers TO move ii 10 the