St. Landry democrat., 1888-03-17
LIGHTHOUSE LIFE.
Difficulties in the Way OF Getting SuT
plies to the Keepers.

plies to the Keepers.
Il know at least one man in this
country who is able TO live cheaply
and get paid for doing it. all because
he lives where the cost of getting his
food, fuel and light to him is about
five times as much as the original cost
of the supplies themselves. and he
lives not more than thirty miles from
Boston. at that" said the captain of
vessel in the costwise trade between
New York and Portland, Me. at
seems queer that man can get along
more economically on account of the
high cost of getting supplies to his
home than he could if the cost were
less, don't it? But it's fact all the
same. For instance, a ton of coal costs
about $6 in Boston. If it costs nc
more than Sc to lay 1t down in this
mans bin. he would have to pay for
both coal and delivery. and his coal
would stand him S12 for every ton.
The same, in proportion, with his
beef and his pork and his potatoes and
his flour and his oil. But just because
it costs in the neighborhood of $50.
ton to carry his coal from Boston
to his bins and corresponding
prices for his other supplies, he
gets the whole business for moth
ing His flour he gets free and his
beef and his FORK and his potatoes
and his oil. as we'll rs his coal. The
entire outfit don't cost him cent and
he gets may be 81 900 a year for ay-
ing where he is and receiving the
annual donations.
1T will be queer, now, if you amt
thinking to yourself that this man ]
am speaking of has soft snap. Well,
may be he has. He is a lighthouse
ke per- He lives on big rock at
Cape Ann. No seagoing vessel can
get within quarter of mile Of his
home. No loaded boat can reach his
abiding place in safety To get a ton
of coal to his bin, which is perched on
the rocks above high-water mark, it
must first be shipped from Boston to
as near the lighthouse as the vessel
can approach. The coal is in bags,
and these are placed in small boats
and taken to the edge of the shoal
water, inside of which they dare not
enter. The bags are then carried
ashore on the backs of the crew. who
wade ashore through the shoals,
Chamber up the rocks with their
burdens, and empty the coal
in the lighthouse bin. The
other bulky supplies are delivered
to the Cape Ann light-keeper in
the same way. and the Cover ent
pays the expense. Nay be he has
soft snap. but I'd rather be on my
vessel, tossing and pitching on the
heaviest sea that his light ever shone
out upon. than to be firmly grounded
on that Cape Ann rock like he is.
Wouldn't you?
''But this man isn't the only one
the Government supplies with tree
coal, light aud rations at its light
houses. Whenever the keepers are
located at stations where the cost OF
carriage exceeds the cost of supplies,
they are provided free; but where the
cost of delivery does not exceed the
price of the goods. the keeper is com.
peled TO pay for both. That's queer
rule, but Government has many
queer way of doing things. At ali OF
the barren rock lighthouses like
Cape Ann, Minot's Ledge and others.
the keepers have even to be supplied
with fresh water from the points on
the main land. They collect great
deal from rains in cisterns and tanks.
but in most cases it is not sufficient
for the needs of the Keepers. and the.
supply from abroad must be regular
|y taken to them no matter what the
cost or the difficulties are in getting