The daily gazette., 1879-08-30
IN THE LIGHT HOUSE SERVICE.
THE NEW LIGHT HOUSE AND BUOY
BOAT FOR THIS DIsTRIC r-INTRR-


BOAT FOR THIS DIsTRTCr-INTER-
EsTING FACTS ABOUT TEE SERVICE.
The United States Light House and
and down the Delaware river for the last
ten years, look ng after the buoys that
mark out the channel and seeing that
things go on all right with the light
houses, will 60 from duty here to-day
never to return. The cause ofthis 10 the
growth of the district which has made
larger boat necessary andth building of
the new steamer Arbutus 10 take her
place, is more the result of this than Of
any fault found with the Vi0let.# aisT
The experience of the crew ID known
to but few outside the serviOs and few
words upon the matter may mot be uu-
interesting. The crew of the Vtolet con-
sisted of twelve men as follows: cap. ain,
mate, first engineer, second engineer,
two fremen, cook, steward, and SIX sea-
men. The Captain is Joseph Sooy and
the mate A. A. Owens. The duty Of q
boat in the light house service keeps her
constantly moving about her district and
admits of no easy times of rest and re-
creation. ~
In the first place, all the light houses
have to be supplied with rations and fuel
three and four times year. The first
trip is made in the Spring rs soon - the
ice has ceased running, and three months
ratoDs and fuel are taken to all the light
stations in the district. This is in April.
Again In July a similar trip is made and
in October the last round for the year is ,
gone. Rations for six months are left 1t
nearly all the houses as the winter will
set In soon after that, and Is likely to
freeze the river up and make it impOssi-
bic for boat to, get near them. To
many Of those light house keepers the
faces of the crew of the Violet have the
last human cyuntenances they will see
until the boat comes around again in the 4
Spring. There are twenty three light
houses in all upon the dis rict, and they
extend from Philadelphia clear down the
river and bay and up and down the At
lantic sea coast between Chincotea9ue
and Barnegat. Hence, it will be seen
that Il is not small p'ece of work to
visit all these stations and supply them
with stores three times year. li,ii,l.4'
But this is only q small part of the
duty of the boat. The buoy service in
wolves more labor by far than the duty
in the light house boa d. The import
tance of buoys and the general usage to
which they have been put nowadays
oiC uodOtiCoo hAOW Ii W OuT TtdueTS. 1Q6
channel is marked out by them plainly
all the way up. A place where there is
a sunken VS. ell, turn in the channel, .
reef or bar, all are designated by them.
The buoy station is at the mouth of the
Christiana near the light house and one
sailing by will notice the large number
Of reserve broys lying on the platform.
Inc boat always on the ego" is liable
at any time to find new buoys needed.
A chart is carried that tells them in an
instant whether all is right if they have
doubts on the subject. If buoy has
shifted its position, they know it has
parted its chain and is drifting with the
the tide, and it is taken up and re .nchor-
ed if one has disappeared they know it
has had hole knocked in it by passing
steamer and sunk, and a new one must
be put down. - -
In addition to this constant cruising
and look outafter buoys there is Sprln0
and Fall task that Is a rather an exten-
Mve one. This is the taking up of the
spar buoys and putting down the can
men buoys in the Sp, ing and in the Fal,
vtce versa. A little explanation may be-
snn Necessary as iS,a here for perfect comprehen
name designatesI are made much like
spar being the trunk of large cedar
Tree. Can and men buoys are hollow and
OF oonicaI shape. We're these left in the
Waer du1ng the winter months the ice
in great measure. The epar buovs
stand the ice foes better and IL thew do
yield and are borne away the DAMAGE ia
slight. Nearly all of them have to be
changed, the only place where the can
and men bnoys remain all the year is
out at sea and at the pitch of Cane NAV
on "Uncle Eph's Shoal." -I13 =,
In the winter when the boat is fcoze
10 1t might be supposed that the crew
have some idle, but it is not so What
With painting the can and men buoys
tor summer use, clearing the chains Of
barnacles, and fixing up the boat ana
apparatus the crew are kept right busy
through the short days unit spring opens
ana more active work begins. ThOle are
no extended "furloughs ever In the win
ter time."
The departure ofthe Violet from this
uistrlct Calls up some points that may be
of interest. The experience of the Violet
has been q varied one. Previous to the
war she was q tow boat ON the East
River, known as Martha WASHINGTON and
after that was engaged in towing for the
National Government In Southern wa
ters, chiefly on the James and Potomac vi
Rivers. She returned to New York at
the close Of the rebellion and was ken.
busy around there until 1870 when the
Government purchased her and that fall
she run on this district as Light House
Tender and buoy boat, in place Of the
schooner Spray. That winter she was
put on the ways and heightened feet bv
EnOch Moore, Jr. The firss commander
of the Violet was Captain Thomas w
Wier an old Delaware Bay pilot of the
LewestOwn stock. HIS health failed and
in the latter part of 1871 he retired. He
met with sad and violent death by fall
ing from fourth story window Of =
house in Philadelphia. - ~ - -
The Spray which preceded the Vlolet :.
on thus district was schooner built BY q
club of mechanics Of Baltimore FOR :
pleasure boat. The club ,.aMe to an end
and the Government bought the boat.
Before that the buoy work was done 81
pilot boat. 80 '-l'li-l 80 .1llW 80 !
The new boat to take the Vlolet,s place (,
Will be Known as the Arbutus, (each boat
in the service is named after certain
hower,) and Is tine craft in fevery Re-
spect. She is one hundred and fiftv feet
long and is twin-screw propeller. Sbe
will come on during the fore part Of next
week, and the crew of the Violet will be
transferred to her. -
BUILDING OPERATIONS.
The east aud northeastern part of Tho
city Is being continually improved ~
the erection of handsome and conven.