Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-23
Editors Srmmer Holiday.
FIRE ISLAND.


lon-fifly miles in forty minutes, or forty
miles in fifty minutes, which was it2 The
last looks more likely; but it was forty
and fifty, at any rate, one way or the
other-our route lay through Garden city
the tract of twenty thousand acres bought
by A. 7. Stewart. On this tract are no
fences, and the grounds are beautifully
laid out; and here he had already built a
chapel and founded college, and here is
the monument under which his disturbed
bones are, or are expected some day to be
at rest.
Babylon, despite its name. seemed a
pleasant place from the cursory view we
had Of it; and from the station to the ferry
dock the horse cars gave easy transit.
From the main land of the island out to
the narrow line of sand called Fire Island
is about nine miles, across great south
bay, and here with the bay on one side
and the blue Atlantic on the other, stands
the Surf Hotel, the perfection of sea shore
resorts. Here, twenty-four years ago,
Mr.. D. s. S. Sammis, the present proprie-
tor and landlord, bought the first boards
and nails for the first building which,
when completed, would scarce accommo-
date as many people as the present hotel
will hundreds.
The island (Which takes its name from
the fact that fire was kept burning on it
as guide to mariners before eight
was established) is about forty miles long,
and less than mile in its widest part. a
bank of shining, drifting sand, in plains
and hills, save where in low parts rank
salt marsh grass makes spots of vivid
green.
Besides the hotel, which will accommo-
date about five hundred guests, there are
seventeen cottages, where families or par
ties can keep house by themselves,
going for their meals to the spacious
dining hall, to which covered walks lead
from all the cottages as we'll as the hotel
From here two similar walks extend to
the wharf, the ferry landing. and where
the numerous fine yachts owned by Mr..
Sammis and his guests lie anchored.
Another similar walk leads from the broad
verandas of the hotel out to the beach
where the blue Atlantic stretches away to
the horizon, and its waves roll in on the
sands, unimpeded from the old world S
shores.
| On the ocean beach another covered
veranda with seats extends along the
shore, and here, after such a supper, to
which we did ample justice, we sat down
and enjoyed the charm of the novel and
beautiful scene. What a change and relief
| from the sitting heat of the broiling city
to the cool, fresh sea breezes, and to make
the enjoyment complete. and give taste
Of its wilder moods, as darkness settled
down on island and ocean, black clouds
reflected the vivid lightning's flash, and
the heavy thunder drowned the lesser roar
of the waves, and we on the land saw a
storm at sea.
Assigned rooms in one of the neat cot
tages, with windows looking out over the
water, and the salty breeze blowing in, we
were lulled to sleep by the music Of the
restless waves.
After delicious nights sleep we awoke
in driving storm of wind and rain,
which made matters lively on the island
and in the bay, where the boatmen, hur-
rying in their oil cloth suits, were busy
in getting their boats to safe anchorage,
and the little sand pipers fitted over the
waves, uttering their shrill notes, as il
they, with us, were enjoying the storm.
After breakfast (such broiled blue fish
and fried CLANS and coffee and rolls, etc, J
| the rain had ceased, and we visited the
| FIRE ISLAND LIGHT HOUSE,
the only other buildings on the island, ex
cept the government life saving station
This light is one of the most important on
the coast, is built of brick, circular in
form, with walls eleven feet thick at the
base, and surrounding the room clever
feet in diane So the house is thirty
three feet in diameter at its base, though
the walls grow thinner as they grow
higher, till they are about two feet thick
at the lantern. A circular stairway winds
up to the lantern room, the walls of which
are of plate glass, in which sits the keeper
watching his light" from sunset, when
the lamp must be burning, till sunrise
when it may be put out.
| The lantern, which is first order ,
Fresnel" of the variety known as @
flashing light, and cost ten thousand sever
hundred dollars-though it was once
bought for thirty dollars-when it wa.
imported. somehow got estray" into
the custom house rs unclaimed goods. )
1t was packed in three boxes and sold q
auction among other goods of like situa
ton, and was bought at the price named
The lantern is about four feet in diameter
and is eight feet high, eight-sided il
form, and each side, as we'll as the top
so arranged by prisms that the light is al
thrown through lens in the centre @
each side. The whole is mounted on fric
ton rollers, SO it turns very easily, an
propelled by clock work, revolves once il
eight minutes, SO a person standing at
given point sees a flash once minute, a
the lens from each of the eight sides come
in range.
TIE LAMP
has four Argand wicks, one inside another
with an air space between each two) tn
smallest perhaps an inch and half il
diameter, and the largest three inches
and one can conceive something of tn
power of the light, when it is considere
how powerful the "head light" on a.
engine is, with only one wick no large
| tbo,, tho c,,olIoct oc thaco .