Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-31
LIE IN A LIGHTHOUSE.
HOW DUTY Is PERFORMED ON
SOLITARY BEACON ROCKS.

Enjoyable Existence of Family in Falk-
ner Island Lighthouse-Capt. Brooks
Boys and Girls-Culture and Refinement
In an Ocean Home.
Speaking of lighthouse Keepers said the
captain of IA vessel in the coastwise trade be-
tween New York and Portland, Ne, there
is not one of them in the service who receives
higher salary than 81 900 year, and there
are some who get not more than 500. There
are at least 1000 keepers in the employ of
the government, and under Il recent act of
cotgreSs their pay averages 5000 year.
That makes S60O, 600 the government pays in
wages for warning sailors Off Of dangerous
ground, and the maintenance of the Light
houses comes to hundreds of thousands he
sides In no branch of the public service is
stricter discipline and greater attention to
duty insisted on than in lighthouse keeping,
The service is controlled by lighthouse
board, and the best men obtainable are Sc
leoted as keepers Preference is given to
men who have spent years of service in the
army or navy, as they know what discipline
is, and know by experience that orders are
to be Obeyed to the letter. and without ques-
ton. There are many retired ship masters
and mates who are to-day doing duty ON
solitary and isolated beacon rocks, where
they hear no sound but the moan and roar of
the ocean, except their own voices and those
of their families, if they have any, for months
at time.
lone of the most accomplished and cul-
tured men that ever was in the employ Of any
government was for more than thirty years
in charge of one of the United States light
houses, That man was Capt. Oliver Brooks.
He kept the great light going ON Falkner
Island, five miles Off he Connecticut coast,
on Long island sound. He had been sea
captain for many years before entering the
lighthouse service, and his example and
methods as a lighthouse keeper so improved
the capability of all other keepers, that he
should have met with more substantial recog-
milton from the government on his retire
ment than the expression of its regret and
reluctance at parting with him, genuine and
sincere as it must have been. Falkner Island
light first flashed out upon the sea to warn
vessels away from that dangerous locality
one night eighty-seven years ago, and it has
never failed to lift aloft its welcome beacon
a single night since.
FALKNER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE.
THAT light is one of the most important
on our coasts. Falkner island lies directly
in the track of all vessels passing either in or
out of the Sound, and if on any night its
light should fail to catch the eye of the sailor
on such vessels the consequences might be
fearful to relate. The lighthouse is nearly
100 feet high, and its signal beams out on
eacn Vi l1s elshC Sizes every ninety SECONDS,
haSn pahel' operated py the most perfect
ciock"ork machinery, cohtrlVed py Capt.
ID oohS' iesoiNihS apouU tie tower suhlnlI
WIN uhNarSlhg regularity. Inc sailor on
Waoch KNOWS "hether ms snlps bearings are
TlSht Wheh ne sees that hBht, no matter IN
"hat direction the vessel may he gong or
coming IL Is IKE no other beacon Ill the
range OF the sailors VISION, and Faikner IS
MS sulue anu nope as long as IL can DC seen.
CaPu' Drooks raiseu large iaillly OF |
poys ana slriS IN MS snug quarters IN that |
i,sn'nou''e' ana Iheir record Oh me saving IN |
that perdlous quarter Is preserved IN the |
wealth. Oh SILVER ana gold piate' rare prlc7a-
brac' ana other valuable testimonials from |
mariners the captain ana his
uausnuelS anu soiS nave saved from many |
"lecAS' ioF even tne great lgG1 mas hot pre-
reii'ei ecoie vi uiSt's'eLs III 1he IrehcnerouS
""'ei SUI io'luins iu' NoC oLiy saiiors put
, uio"nins hien' women anu chilureh nave
u7 zen 'iiiio auu 'ii'lo a6aih iescueu ny Capo'
/ proohs anu MS couIaSeous chllureh' Inc
iaihiiy nome IN tie lighthouse was glad
suipil 10 uue stranger NlsltlhS IL. Ohe
aus,toi was an lp'iShei oriiiUuoloslsu'
anu lle "allS were covered WIN artlstically
mounted specimens Oh the olrds OF that local
i.y' rom the enormous oaid eagle TO the
uiililnuuiVe "reh' hach specimen hau been
snot by thls daughter on the island, ana was
SIuleu anu mounted py herSeil' announcer
uaush'ei was ah aulnorlty III marine pot-
any, ana her coliection was complete ex-
| nioiC Vi 'he ooCahlcal posslpilltles OF that
lslthu ulu olherS Ill Jne Vlcl1nIy ms |
uaughter spent long tline at ale under the
private tulIlpn OF Professor w hltney III the |