The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-01-30
A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS LIFE.
The PeriIous Duty of Caring for a Beae
con Light-A stormy Night.

The PeriIOus Duty of Caring for a Bea~
con Light-A stormy Night.
The duty of keeper of one of these
great beacon lights is not arduOus, but
sometimes it IS attended with consider
able danger Owing to the great height
of the tower, and the peculiarly exposed
condition, there is always the chance of
its Icing destroyed by a fierce hurricane
of wind and rain. During a dark, stormy
night in April, 1854, the MinOt's Ledge
lighthouse, near Boston, was thus de-
stroved by the combined action of wind,
rain and the heavy sea. The lighthouse
was a skeleton iron structure, situated on
ledge of rock, which at low water is
entirely bare, but at high tide several
feet Of water covers it. At an unknown
hour of the night the iron posts snapped
IN two and the lighthouse toppled over
into the restless sea.
The keepers house on the iron towers
is usually situated near the top of the
lighthouse, Just under the great revOlv-
ing lamp. A strong platform is con-
Structed on the top series of braces and
an OctagOnal structure of wood then
built, perforated on each side by window
holes. This small structure acts as a
tUs connected with the lighthouse and as
a living place for the keeper. 1t is made
as small as practicable SO as to offer the
least amount of resistance to the wind.
The small cupOla above this building,
where the great reflector is situated, is
reached by winding iron staircase. To
keep the lamp in good condition for per-
forming its proper work requires clean
ing every day. The keeper, in addition
10 trimming the wicks and replenishing
tLe vessel with oil each morning, has to
Oh the revolving apparatus and see that
The glass globe and reflector are clean
and clear of smoke. Before darkness
settles over the land the lamp must then
De lighted and the machinery set in
operation.
Ii 1t Is an exceptionally stormy night
the great Illuminating apparatus must be
constantly watched, lest some accident
should extinguish the light. The glass
9Iooe Is, Of course, very thick and
strengthened by heavy brass braces; but
even with this precaution many incidents
are known where the glass panels have
oeen blown in by the force of the wind
anu hail. and the light extinguished at
once. The experiences of a keeper on a
USrk stormy night are not always agree
aole. The wind blowing up from some
rough quarter of the globe, sweeps across
the sea with alarming rapidity, flashing
ene water into light foam, and moaning
htiully about the tall tower. At a height
u 100 feet from the surface of the sea it
dlIalns a speed equal to that of a small
hurricane, and, when it strikes the glass
8Io0e OF the lighthouse, it whistles in and
Out among the iron braces as though it
would tear them from their sockets. If
ne wind IS accompanied by rain and hail
ID Tue Wlldness Of the scene is increased.
Inc glass Is thick and strong enough usu-
any 10 resist the force of the frozen drops
VI water; but the noise made by the CON
alalt pattering of the descending hail on
II IS louder than if it We're falling upon
some hard metal or stone. AT such
lllne 1t would be a dangerous risk to
venture out on the platform surround
1ls the big Light, even though clinging to
Tue Tue stout IRON railing for support. AS the
i9ishthouses are arranged at the present
Jay There IS no need of the keeper at
seLipelng such feat, as the lamp and all
pertaining to it can be reached from the
niSlde'-N. Y. Mail and Express.