The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-11-21
The Storm ON the Coast.
THE EXPERIENCES OF A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER.

The Portsmouth Chronicle says that the old
Whalesback lighthouse off that city was nearly
destroyed by the recent storm. The account
will give our readers an idea of the terrific char
acter of the storm at sea:
The lighthouse was occupied at the time by
Mr.. VIM. H. Caswell, of this city (the keeper,
and his son Frank. We learn from Mr.. Cas-
we'll that they did not escape into the new
building until o'clock on the morning of
Thursday and remained there but six hours.
All through the gale of Wednesday and We'd
nesday night they kept ceaseless vigil in the
old tower, the peril they were in being hardly
imaginable by those on terra hrma, who were
snugly ensconccd in their comfortable homes
The gathering elements portended no extreme
danger at first but the increasing fury of wind
and waves the incoming tide rose to its
height soon warned them Too late to fly for
safety, they spent a terrible night of suspense.
huge volumes of water with fierce momentum
dashed against the building, each shock appear
ing TO them like the discharge of n heavy can
non. The weary hours slowly passed. Aid
from without was impossible, and the awe
struck men felt that their hold on life was frail,
that merciful Providence alone interviewed be-
tween them and death. The building trembleil
at each succeeding shock from foundation to
summit, but the men in their hazardous situa-
ton did not forget that the lives of a thousand
other brave men Were at stake. The fog bell
kept up constant changing like a solemn knell
until the immense weight which kept it i'm mo-
ton ran down. To rewind it was impossible, as
| it must be done outside the tower. One of the
two safe guards set as a warning to mariners had
| become useless. There remained only the light
to guide the watching sailors to haven of safe
| ty. Frequent trips were made to the top of the
| tower and the light was kept trimmed and
| burning.
As morning dawned the anxious men looked
| out of their prison for the first opportunity to
| escape At low tide each chose his time to do
| so. Waiting for the breaking of wave they
| Immediately dashed across and were safe Inc
| new tower was safe from harm. There, drip
| ping of water only was heard as the waves roll
| ed against its unmovable surface. The WIND
| yeering to the northeast, the waves were sent
| against the towers in line instead or between
| them and the men returned in few hours t.
| the old tower for food. Mr.. Caswell says one
more such tide as that of Wednesday afternoon
| would have swept this tower into the ocean. AS
| soon as practicable, they took a look outside
| their prison and brealized more fully their great
| deliverance Both boats had been smashed
leaving their stems hanging to the davits; three
| of the iron straps and the iron ladder were torn
away, and the immense bell weight of 1906
| pounds had been moved along the foundation in
northwest direction for the space of ten feet!
| Two of the foundation stones were broken in
| two and the whole structure was lOosened. Mr.
Caswel lifted one of them and could have
| pushed it into the sea with his hands. TIL,
| other can also be thrown overheard by means o.
crow-bar. With these stones gone the toWe
| would have toppled over and the keeper anC
his son would have persisted in their stone bound
| prison. Mr.. Caswell states that the old ligh
| must be discontinued, as he knows of no one s,
| fool-hardy as to keep it. His remembrances O
that awful day, and night are most vivid and al
| the wealth in the world would not tempt hin
to pass another night during storm in such
shaky structure.