The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-03
Life at a Lighthouse Station.

Fakners Island is the largest of a
group of that name. 1t is on the north, |
or Connecticut side, of Long Island |
Sound, and is five miles from Guilford |
harbor. The white octagonal tower is at
tached to the keepers dwelling, and the |
light which is shown from it is ninety
six feet above the level of the sea. 1t |
is white light and is varied by flash |
every ninety seconds, produced by a
flash panel something like bull s-eye in
shape, which completes its revolution
around the light every minute and
half. Thus, from whatever quarter it |
is watched, this flash is seen every
ninety seconds, and thus this light can
be identified by the sailor, whose bust
ness it is to know the characteristics of
each light, and thus it is distinguished
from all other lights in sight. The ma
chinery which keeps this revolving
panel in motion is actuated by clock
work, the motive power of which is a
weight running down nearly the whole
height of the tower, and which has to
be wound up once each four hours.
This light station has been in operation
since 1901, and Oliver N. Brooks had
charge of it for more than thirty-one
years. During all that time he more than
when he left the light in November,
1882, to spend the rest of his life on
shore, his resignation was very reluc-
family accepted, although he had long
passed the age at which men are adj
mitted into the service. 1t would be
hard to tell precisely how he made him
self so acceptable, unless by saying that
he threw his whole soul into his work,
and devoted himself to doing every part
of it as well as it could be done. Being
Connecticut born, he naturally had much
ingenuity; having been sea captain,
it goes without saying that he was
man of intelligence, and when we add
that he was more than usually well
educated, and good husband and
father, something of his success can be
understood. One of the first things
noticeable on entering the parlor of the
lightkeeper's house was a tall bookcase,
behind the glass doors of which were a
number of pieces of silver plate, of fine
workmanship and large value, each of
which bore an inscription. These had
been presented to Captain Brooks by
shipwrecked mariners as testimonials
for saving their property and their lives.
The Falkner Islands lie in the track
of ships bound both in and out of the
Sound, and they have been the scene
and the cause of numerous disasters.
Many a man and many a woman, too,
has been taken off wreck by Captain
Brooks, in a boat manned by his girls
or boys, and they have saved many lives
by exposing their own. The only his
tory they have of the life-saving they
have done is written on these votive
silver offerings, Perhaps the fageolet
and other musical instruments clustered
round the piano would next attract at
tention; but the visitors curiosity is
hardly satisfied by simply learning that
each member of this family can take
part in concert of instrumental music !;
those who have tested their hospitality
say that the choice music they heard
of itself made the visit charming. Much
of the wall space was occupied by birds,
stuffed so as to look quite natural
and so mounted and posed as to
cause one to realize the manner of
the living birds. The largest was a
bald eagle and the smallest wren.
Each had been shot on this or an adj
joining island, and each had been
stuffed and mounted by member of
the family. The collection was an or
astrological history of that part of the
country. Then, too, there was visible
here quantity mounted specimen OF
each species of the marine botany OF
that group of islands. One daughter OF
the house had devoted herself to its
study, not only here, but at Yale, under
the private tuition of Professor Whit.
ney himself, and she had found in il
considerable pecuniary reward AT one
time she had orders from several well
known wealthy New York ladies fol
albums of alg@ at $3.50 each. Few, il
any, such albums have been prepared
elsewhere. The books themselves cos
SIS each, though made by the quantity
by New York bookbinder noted for hi
exquisite taste. Each page was a care
of cabinet photograph size and on i
was mounted dried sea flower, below
which was a water-color representing i
as it appeared when alive in the water
Its scientific nature and name wer
written on the back of the card, whicl
could be seen by turning the page, to
gether with quaint statement of its his
tory, and each side of the card was sur
rounded by an original water-color boz
der suggestive of the sea, thus maxim
each card work of art in itself, IRE
spective of its scientific value. The work
shop of Captain Brooks showed some
thing of his studies into the laws c
light, sound and electricity. Most c
his apparatus Captain Brooks had hin
self made, and he had devised it to NEE
the wants of that part of the lighthous
service in which he was engaged. Ii
deed, most of his experiments wer
made to determine questions as to tn
power of the illuminant he burned, a
to the reflection and refraction of hi
own light, and as to the alteration i
the audibility of his own fog signal, c
to enable him to communicate by ele,
tricity, before the days of telephones
with different parts of his little sant
when it was almost impossible to wall
or even stand, against the terrible bias
thatswept across it during winterstorm
Here this family led their pleasan
thrifty life-thrifty because their labo
and studies tended to useful, practic
ends. Some of these employment
were beautiful, but not all, unless iisl
ing and sailing down fish, taking al
Gtnt tl,n hn (