Connecticut western news., 1889-03-13
LIGHTHOUSES.
Origin and Ancient History of
 Famous BeaCons.
Some of the Earliest Known
 Lighthouses.

LIS SlLt1OuS0S.
 The earliest lighthouse of which more than mention is known is the Pharos, at Alexandria, whose name has entered into number of languages with the meaning lighthouse, whether or not the word meant originally a structure of the kind. It was square and built in stories, each smaller than the other, the top one supporting a brazier in which wood was burned. An inner stair gave access to a platform at about half the height of the tower, whence further upward progress appears to have been by an extremely un- comfortable method, the stairway being mere projections from the inner walls. Apparently confusing the lighthouse with the obel;sks brought down the Nile to Alexandria, a re- port was current that the builder had placed this tower on four great crabs of stone, as we now know that the obelisk in Central Park, New York City, was once poised on four crabs of bronze. Another more likely legend is to the effect that Sosratus, the architect caused the name of the Ptolcmy, who ordered the work to be carved in bold letters on the front, but first took the precaut on to have his own name carved in the stone at the same spot. Then filling up his own name and preparing the ground, the Kings inscription was cut in the soft coating. Naturally in the course of years the weather wore off the soft ma- terial and brought the name of the origi- nator of the design to the lght of fame. The tower at Ostia is said to have been copy of the Pharos of Alexandria. A lighthouse shown in Latin medal shows four stories, but is round instead of square. Another medal found in Bithynia on the Euxine Sea has two, rapidly diminishing, standing on a main tower with a large doorway, all three parts being round. These on medals are apparently de igned for very high cliffs far beyond the reach of waves, for while their circular form would be favor able to withstanding the shock of water, their lower courses are not fit to struggle long with that element.
 In Northern Europe the earliest light house was on the cliff up which the town of Boulogne has crept, but the spot has disappeared owing to the crumbling of the rock. It was octa- gonal and built in stories, but perhaps square or round above, if one can dis tinguish so much from the little sketch made by Claude Chatillon in the seven- teenth century. One of the handsomest lighthouses stands at the entrance to Bordeaux, called the Tower of Cordouen, begun in 1884 by Louis de Folk and restored about 30 years ago. The vari- ous lights on Eddy stone furnish the most int teresting and instructive history of this kind of structure, from the build ing by Winstanlcy, which was able to withstand the onslaught of remarkable storms, to the present structure, recently rebuilt, enlarged and provided with the best Illuminating appliances. smcaton's tower on Eddystone is the pattern on which this and most successful light hou cs are constructed which have to i support enormous weights of water. Smeaton's tower was begun in 1756 and finished in 1759. It stood until partially taken down when the new structure was built 120 yards off. The latter was begun in 1878, the foundation stone placed by the Prince of Wales in August, 1879, and the fast stone put in place by the Duke of Edin- burgh in June, 1881. The upper part , of Smcaton's tower has been erected as a ! monument to his fame by the people of , Plymouth on granite base like that of the original
 The earliest known lighthouse in the United States is that which once stood on Little Brewster Island, Mass, on the north side of the main entrance to Bos- ton Harbor It was built in 1716 and re- built in 1859. Beaver Tail, the light so we'll known to visitors of Narra gansett Per and Newport was established in , 174O. In 17l8 the keeper of the Bos- ton light, with wife and daughter, was drowned, and Benjamin Franklin pub ished ballad on the incident and ' sold it in the streets. But it would take too long to enumerate the bea- con towers on the Atlantic and Pacific coast which Major Heap has thought worthy of mention. His work will be found sensible and instructive in no re- spect pedantic, but well calculated to give good general notion of the diff culti in establ. shing lighthouses at the ] points where they are mo need ed, and 1 well supplied with pictures of the most important buildings of the kind now ex- isting, or once famous.