Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-04

came, the gusts yelled (for ear select
no more fitting word) louder and loud
er. 1t seemed as if even the wind
would tear us off the rock. We lay
there mufiied up. No one talked much.
The new men looked wild.
''Mr. Ballantyne tried to reassure
them, saying that we were all right.
mo words of mine can begin to con-
vey any idea of the horrible shrek and
roar and gurgling! But 1t was the jar
OF the lecges which startled US most.
when with an explosive shock, like the
report of heavy gun, the enormous
waves struck. And the worst of it was
we could feel that the hurricane was
gaining strength steadily.
"At last. about half-past eleven,
there came down our side, a perfect
deluge of water-hogshcads of it-solid
water! That raised panic which had
been gathering for an hour. The men
jumped to their feet and fairly yelled!
they were SO scared. A wave OF
solid water had broken clear over the
top of the rock.
Gentlemen, about that time would
have sold my body 10 medical college
for four cenfs' l didn't believe one Of
Us would be alive ten minutes later. In
about half minute. another wave
struck over and washed down on us.
We were soaked through and through.
And We heard at the same moment the
crash o: our store-hOuse. lower down.
That was made of wood and iron. The
water made clean smash Of it and
washed off barrels Of flour, meat coal,
powder-everything in it-making 3
total wreck, How our tent hung on
there is marvellous. But, As soldiers
know, stout canvas tent Will eutiiye
any house, in gale, if strongly bound
down.
We'll. gentlemen, when that second
wave went over. and we heard the
dcmoralized We jumped TO get out Of
the tent and, like half-drowned rats,
were all for climbing up on the highest
part of the rock. And if Mr.. Ballan-
TYNE had not had cool head and
steady nerves. not & man of Us would
have lived TO tell the tale: and it is safe
to say that no light would be shining
on old Tillamook tonight.
Hold on. men!' he shouted. Stop,
right where YOU arer And he jumped
in the way OF Us when we tried to get
out past him. Steady! steady! he
shouted DO as | Go. Down and
hang on at the lines in the ring-bolts. ;
For he knew that ouside of the tent,
on the top of the rock. no man could
stand or live, but would be blown off,
or washed off in 4 moment.
That saved US. doing as he babe US.
We hung to the ring-bolts and kept in
the tent. -Four or five more of these
flood-waves broke over: but the tempest
decreased in violence after midnight,
and from that abated gradually for the
next twenty-four hours.
But il was a fortnight before the
cutter could cross Columbia Bar and
come down to us; and meantime we
had to live on the scanty supply of food
which, By Mr.. Ballantyne's prudent
orders. had been brought up in strong
boxes from the store-housc that morn
ing and secured under a tarpaulin in
the tent: We We're even obliged to melt
ice and snow for water.
AT Astoria. the people had given us
up for lost, and rumor had spread
that not living man was left on the
rock.
The work of blasting was resumed
and went on till the thirtieth of May.
1880. when the site for the masonry
was cleared. During that time We had
blasted off four thousand six hundred
and thirty cubic yards OF rock.
During June, derricks and land
ing-stage for receiving the cut-stone
from Astoria We're set up; and soon the
masons were busy. The cornerstone
was laid June %; and the lighthouse
was completed January 6, 1881. and on
the night OF January q, thirteen days
later. the light flashed forth over the
black expanse of the Pacific for the first
| time In all. the work had occupied
five hundred and seventy-three days
| from the Gate Of its commencement.
Altogether. i; is a noble piece Of
work. and it is one Of the few things in
my life that / am proud Of having
helped do-to put that light on the top
| of that sea-washcd rock. But were /
to live fifty Years more. should never
| forget that night of January I. 1880,
| on old Tiliamook. Youth ConpaA-
ION.