West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-01-29

party, came dawu from Astoria. The
day was beautifully calm. A boat was
rowcd no near the east slope of the
rock, and watching his chance, sailor
named Cherry leaped ashore ON the
J. Lodges. Mr. TrcwWas, who was an
active man, next jumped 10 the rock.
BEFORE he could gain time 20 climb up,
| however. great wave suddenly mp.
lifted itself and swept him oil
Lines and buoys were at once
thrown TO him, but the unfortunate
| gentleman was almost instantly sucked
down by tho undortow, and disap-
| peared. Selling lifeline. Cherry. with
n heroism rarely equalcd, diycd boldly
OF into the boiling maclstrOm after him.
and renamed for some time i'm the
depths OF that black, dreary whirlpool.
| trying to grasp him, but i'm vain. The
sailor was hauled out at length by
means of the line, much exhausted.
$50 depressing an effect did the death
OF MIR. Trowavss have ut Astoria. chat
| when man hired with the Light. house
! Board TO work at 1illamook, ncople
told him invariably that ho was going
| to his death.
"A Mr. Ballnntyne succeeded Mr.
| TrewNvas i'm the effort TO make the sur-
| vey, and about a month later the Cor
| win again returned to the rock, this time
better equipped. A spar buoy was now
| anchored Just OIL the east side of the
| rock and after Cherry had again landed
on the east slope, a four-inch hawscr
was slung from the deck of the steamer
| 10 the peak of the rock, and along this
| cable, by means of pulleys and lines. a
traveller for getting over both men and
material was rugged.
! Yet so profoundly did the vessel
| heave on the strong, turbulent water.
that nj every lurch the middle of the
hawser, along with the traveller.
| dipped under, so that everything land
! ded-the men as well-was soaked i'm
! sea-watCr.
For hauling across the men, de-
vice called the 'brceches-buoy' was
rugged, consisting OF pair OF stout
! canvas breaches, with large circular
! liie-prescrvor round the waist of them
as girdlc. After buckling these upon
| the person, the passenger was pulled
! over. but never failed 10 get a ducking.
and commonly landed spluttering and
! blowing like aporpoise.
" 1t was finally decided by the engi-
ncer to blast of twenty-six feet from
the summit of the rock, thus reducing
its height TO ninety feet above sea level
! to form II fiat foundation, or site. for
! the stone light-towe, which it was pro-
! posed TO build ON TOP of the rock. The
stone courses for tn, tower were cut
and numbered, ready for laying. at
Astoria
=" On the twenty-siXth of October, ten
workmen, myself among them, with
Mr.. Ballantyne and a good supply of
FOOD, blankets, tools, etc, were landed
from the 'Corwin AS previously de-
scnbed, and the work of blasting off
the top of the rock began in good earn
est. But | am free TO say that hardly
expected 10 get OF that ledge alive.
" 1t took us fifteen days to drill i'm
for iron rods and ring bolts and build
| stone house for our provisional
| powder, tools, etc For our own shell
ter, very thick, strong canvas double
| tent was pitched at the top of the rock
| dashed and secured every way by strong
| lines to ring-bots.
"Ihe work Of blasting then began
! Often, while getting round the west
; face of the cliff, we had to work from
! swlng-stages, suspended out ninety
feet over those boiling, roaring waves
! 80 tough was the basalt rock, that She
best drills of English steel required to
I De fe-sharpened for every two inches of
! hole drlllcdi A blacksmith worked
constantly with us, sharpening drills.
For the blasts giant powder was
{ used with each blast we wero Obliged
I to retreat down the east side of the
| rock.
"Our orders at first were to nile the
| fragments of rock from the BLASTING,
into the great assure ON the south side,
| above spoken Of, so as to fill Il up. But
| that idea was soon abandoned: orr
/ hlling would not stay there. for though
| we tumblcd rocks in there which
weighed many hundred pounds. the
| waves whisked them cut rs if they were
chips;
Thus we went oil there, dav after
day, 'pccking' holes and blasting on
! rock which tumbled into the depths
below, with little TO cheer us save the
scream Of gulls. the harsh youk! youk -!
! y0Ht! oil sca-llOns, md the 9urglinp
plunge of the water beneath us.
Not nice place TO spend Thanks
giving, Christmas and the HOLIDAYS.
en- The Work never stopped The
enter came down orce week i'm fair
weather, bringing fresh provisions and
the mail, and getting our letters for
home-folks.
"On the first dag of January. five
new men were added to the force.
mt last came the storm al which !
begon 70 tell you II was ON the NIGHT
OF tie seventh Of January An that
day and, i'm fact, for three DAYS prcyi-
ously 10 had been blowing. with snow
f. and fleet. The sky was dark and
f. gloomy. the winding blowing too hard
/ for man 20 stand on the TOP Of the
/ lodges
we had not been able to do much
/ and kept 20 orr tent wrapped up I'm
| all the iaukets we had 10 keen warm
| for the wind was bitterly cold and
/ piercing. The site Of tie tent had been
| shifted about twenty feet down the
I slope, on the landward side. to- little
Y level which had been blasted out Ton
/ d. Our -iOu-hOu-C stood fifteen
/ on twenty feet lower down. tbi. latter
/ neing no more than sixty feet above
/ the sea.
Towards night 30 bsyan to blow
even harder. and as dersuoss settled
I over % the gigantic forms Of the billoy.
I rolling In looked terrific
I ''But nine. tom and eleven e.. clock
+ came. the gust yelled f1r can select
f no more fitting word) louder and loud.
~ l' msd us If even the wind
/ would '.H oN the rock W. Ia,
/ there muilgJ ur SO one talked much