The Portland daily press., 1883-02-13
Light HOUSE on cape Elizaneth.

To the Editor Of the Press:
The General Court of Massachusetts, On Jnlv
8, 1777 ordered, That there be ere ,ted At Cans
Elizabeth two poles at no greater distance
than is sufficient to make the appearance dis
tinct. That when vessel supposed to be
armed and belonging to the enemy shall ap-
ear in sight at the westward one flag shall be
hoisted OF if said vessel shall appear at the
eastward two flags shall be hoisted, that notice
may be given to such vessels as may be near
that the enemy are at hand.
These poles were erected, halyards for said
flags were alta ched, in the night lanterns were
substituted for the flags and Capt. John Went
worth was appointed to their charge These
were the first lights used for protection of
navigation on Cape Elizabeth. June 26, 1889.
Joseph Noyes, Esq, Mr.. John Fox and Capt.
Joseph Mcclellan with the commissionary
general was empowered to build light house
on Portland Head in Cape Elizabeth to be built
OF wood, not to exceed the sum of ESQ lawful
money and when finished to put in suitable
lights at the expense of commonwealth.
February 2. 1890, the general court of Massa-
chusetts appropriated el50 to buy land and on
which to erect small building for the person
to live in who shall be appointed to keep said
light. They Immediately began building a
small wooden light house and June 8, 1870, re-
ported that the grants of e3O0 had been ex-
pended and it was estimated II would require
940O more. Also that they were to pay
keeper of said light e75 yearly and that sos
had been expended for wood and oil. The
light house was Of wood not much larger than
the one on the breakwater. Before it was
finished the light was placed upon the top part
within box with four squares of glass, one on
either side. At first this was one oil lamp but
was soon replaced with several which were
placed in circular board into which holes
were bored aud the lamps inserted Who was the
first light house keeper am unable to report.
1 have an original bill in which Capt Domin-
icus Jordan make charge of one light of
glass to Thomas Stanford for light house dated
In l793. Willis says that August, 1870, Congres.
appropriated $1,000 to finish the work, Since
which new light house has been built and
several alterations have been made. The land
81 square rods was purchased Of John and
James Webster.
AT the present time the light house station
is a rock tower SO feet high, color white, con-
nected with white dwelling by porch a fog
signal house near the tower to the northward;
bell tower pyramid 80 feet high on the east
side; fixed white light visible Is miles They
have steam trumpet giving blasts of eight
seconds at intervals of forty seconds; also bell
struck by machinery.
Cape Elizabeth light station has two white
towers 53 feet high. 923 feet apart, ranging s.
W BY w, and NE by E, also two white
dwellings near the east tower. The western
tower connected with white dwelling by a
short covered way eastern light fixed white
varied by white flashes every one minute,
visible 18 miles. These are situated in the
town Of Cape Elizabeth, SSE Of Portland and
about 10 miles distant by the road. There is
also fog signal which is a steam siren giving
two blasts of five seconds each with an interval
OF eight seconds between them and then a
pause OF AZ seconds. In case of accident to the
siren steam whistle is sounded, established in
1873. S. P. MAYBERRY.