The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-17

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urally occasion.
The Commodore had quietly listened
to the doctor, with an impossible face
and without comment. Yes, he had
heard of the affair. But, by the way,
had the doctor heard of the SAarp's
Island disaster? The doctor had, but
he was unaware of the details. ''Then
| will tell YOU" said the Commodore.
'Sharp's Island lighthouse, like
that of Choptauk, was built on
nine iron piles driven into the
sand, in some twelve feet of water.
Like Choptauk, it had been poorly
provided with ice-breakers, and its
rods, ties and braces had only been de-
signed to resist the thrust of ordinary
ice drives. They were not strong
enough at either lighthouse to stand
against the ice of such an unprece-
dentedly severe winter as that just
passed. When the ice assaulted this
lighthouse those who were watching
it on shore thought more than once that
the tower was gone. Itcareened untilit
nearly touched the ice on the opposite
side, and when the great cakes would
break away from around it the house
would spring back with such force
that every bolt in it would rattle. But
in spite Of all this the keepers stuck to
their posts.
On the afternoon of February 10,
1881, the ice piled up on the ruins of
the old ice-breaker gave way under the
pressure of the flood tide, and was
hurled against the lighthouse with all
the force that had been accumulated
by its being so long held back. The
piles of the foundation could not stand
the shock, and they were broken off in
their sleeves, letting the house fall over
OH its side, when it floated off with the
drifting ice. 1t was like ship on her
beam ends, with her sails flat on the
waves. The water came in through
the broken windows and doors, and
the keepers were in danger of being
drowned in their own sitting-room.-
The ice was now piling up on the up
per side of the floating wreck, threat
ening to sink it by mere weight. The
keepers must get outside to throw off
the ice cakes. But the doors and win
dows above water were so jammed
that they could not be opened. So the
keepers were forced to break through
what was the ceiling when the house
stood upright into the lantern-room,
from whence they could readily get
out on the gallery, and they were now
where they could free the house from
its dangerous load. This done, they
were enabled to determine their exact
condition, and take stock of their few
chances for safety They had been
badly frightened, but now they had re-
covered their self-possession.
Finding that the beautiful and cost
ly French lens through which
the light was projected was in
danger of being thrown from its
pedestal, they secured it by hurried
lashings. 1t is by the condition of his
lens that the efficiency of light-keeper
is determined; so this lens was natural
~ their first care. And as there is no
thing like the necessity for exertion to
calm the mind and secure its balance,
they were now enabled to think the
more coolly. Though one boat had
been smashed by the ice the other still
hung uninjured at the davits. They
could use it to go ashore. But their
first fight was now over, and they con-
cluded to stick by the stuff and do their
duty to the bitter end.
Now, to make a long story short.
these noble fellows chung to the sink
ing wreck of a house in the biting
wind and the freezing cold, wet tosthe
skin, without fire or food, constantly
Drawing imminent death through the
waning light, and then in the black
darkness, floating with the tide
toward the open bay, for little more
than sixteen hours. Then, about one
o'clock on the morning of February IL,
1881, the wreck grounded some seven
miles away from the foundation from
which it had been wrenched. And as
the wreck, which was lying on it's side,
was pressed against the fast-anchored
ice, the house slid up on it little, and
breaking it, settled back in nearly
upright position. Standing on the bot
tom, the building was held up on one
side by the shore ice and on the other
by the pressure of the floating ice which
came down with the tide.
The exhausted keepers saw by the
stars which had now appeared wood
ed shore near at hand, and they then
had strong hopes not only of saving
themselves, but of also rescuing the
property for which they were held re-
sponsible. After much labor and by
the use of many ingenious expedients
they got their remaining boat down
from the broken davits into the water
on the lee side of the house. Then
they removed their boat-falIs and
fastened them together, thus MAX
ing a tolerably long and strong
rope. One end of this they knotted
about standing part of the house
and the other they took ashore and
made fast to tree. Now they felt
they had done all that was in their
power. So as the house could not get
away on the rising tide they built a fire
to keep themselves from freezing and
waited for day. The house had
grounded at low tide. With the light
the tide came in. The water rose, but
the house did not; so it was filling like
sinking ship. The tired, freezing,
starving keepers, instead of looking
after their own comfort, as well
they might have done when in
such sorry plight, took advantage of
the little time that was left them-to
do whatp To save their bits of furni-
ture, their bedding, clothing and food?
No; they strained every nerve to save
the property which had been intrusted
to their charge. First, they cast loose
the precious lens from its lashings, and
wrapping it in some of their wet bed
ding, and this being the most costly
and fragile thing at the station, they
lowered it carefully to the boat. When
this had been taken on shore and care
fully slowed away, they brought off
the burners. Then the heavy iron
pedestal was unscrewed from its fast
enings, lowered into the boat with
much trouble and some danger, and
it. too, was taken ashore. Then every
full package of the mineral oil they
used for an illuminant was saved, and
even the empty cans were brought
| ayrau NTH tha oil