The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25
UNCLE SANS BIG LANTERNS.
IN A HUNDRED YEARS HE HAS SPENT
S93,OOO,O 900 ON THEN.
Souo or tho Principal Lighthouses DO
scribed-The Task Of BuildInE - SHAFT
Twenty Miles ut Soa-TIilamook Rock
LIght-SettinE a Beacon on untteras.

Llght-SettinE beacon an Hatteras.
From the Globe. D.nocraL
WASHINGTON. May 1G.-Tn hundred years
the United States has spent t93,OO0OO0 on a
lighthouse establishment. During this year
the amount expended will be $350O.OOO. 1t Is
customary for statesmen to lament in Con-
Eress the decline and neglect of American
shipping interests. According to the British
Admiralty lists the United States now ranks
second in its water tonnage of all the countries
OF the world. And this statement excludes
yachts and vessels Of less than 100 tons.
" Britannia rules the waves" OF course. Every
body knows that. The British tonnage Is
nearly .ono-hnlt OF that of the entire world
That OF tho United States Is only one-iiith Of
Great Britain's, but 1t leads all other countries.
The lighthouses Of this country began with
summit Of the beacon 'Ffler bales Of pitch and
ocum were burned In iron baskets ut night.
, Today the immediate apparatus for light Of
through The lenses alone cost from s4.25O to
$S.too. The, light can be seen from ten 10
lighthouses were built high enough the light
could be seen sixty miles, In tho centre Of tho
apparatus ia n powerful lamp sending Its rays
in all directions. Around tho lamp are arranged
glasses or lenses ut such angles as TO COLLECT
the rays and send them out over the ocean in
yoIving or fixed; If tho light is revolving the
lenses are smaller and form kind Of drum
across and three feet high. Below are six
rings Of glass. The lamp is in the centre OF n
highly polished glass cage ten feot high and six
ioet across This glass gathers the light and
sends 1t out in parallel rays which can be seen
eighteen miles.
The most Imposing lighthouses on land are
one of them. The massive tower rises $50 feet
from the ground. The light at the top is
spiral stripes making tho lighthouse land
mark for mariners by day as we'll as by night.
OF late years the B1ard has de
on land. One of this class is at Paris Island.
on the south Carolina coast 1t IL skeleton oG
electric lights. The lamp. which Is a loeomo-
tive headlght with very powerful TJene nni
which reach from the bottom to the top: Tho
height Of the skeleton tower Is 1872 feet. Across
the S by a Ssy to Fhs work taG
piete cost only $4,000. The brick barber pole
ut st. Augustine cost 100000.
A mile from the Oregon coast a black rock
rises nearly 100 feet above tho ocean. 1t Is
Tillamook Rock. Nature placed 1t there as the ne
foundation for a light house. Deep water is all
around it. Three sidos are precipices. Tho
path is very steep. On the highest point after
lighthouse fifty feet square. The entire sur;
face out OF water is hardly equal to a fair-sized
When the wind blows and waves beat upon
that rock the spray goes over the top and runs
down the other side in 2 torrent. Only when
reach the rock. In October. 1879. four work
men with hammers drills. bolts. provisions.
lillian ,ok. 4 few. days afterward five men
and small derrick were put upon the rock.
The foreman Of the party was drowned i'll try
ing to make the landing
These nine mon suffered for days the dis
comfort OF shipwrecked sailors. When the
over them. They drilled hoos in the rock,
fastened ring bolts and tied tho canvas to the
bolts. In this way they managed to save
I Themselves hpiDU blown a
the sido which afforded most protection from
shanty, and bolted it to the face of tho ciiT.
Aext they set ABOUT ,ruarrying flight, OF
eSenE of the tor tor to seI room for the founda,
tons OF the lighthouse. Part OF the time they
worked on staging hung from tho tor the rock
with the waves daShlng below them. There were
weeks at time whom almost nothing could be-
done. In January II tornado came. The waves
dashed to the top of the rock, and the wind car
ried the spray over 50 that continuou food
poured down upon the canvas-coy cred shanty
IN WHICH the 4uarrymen we're huddled. This
into the ocean. and gave the shanty and IT'S in
mates g close call. Al the end OF sixteen days
t%r any boat S tho rock IN
from the rock and ship picked it up. This
line Wat IL to the top o. the RICK and to
to the little colony,
hBy May tae a.. SSuarrymen h SS cut down the the
the eVe and a1G had made svo spot
for the lighthouse. Three masons were taken
out from the mainland. A small engine and
mrnt In Juno the corner stone was laid:
henGyer there was fair day load OF
near Portland, was hewn into proper blocks
before II, loft the mainland. 4 square one
story building was constructed for the keeper,
raised IS ieSt. This nut the light iS6
GSt was n'G Put "HN opsron S Had the
light been burning month earlier an Eng
Tho l.upata went ashore and twenty lives were
lost within mile of TiIlamook. As tho shin
drifted in she passed SO close TO the, rock that
the worimen heard tho creakinG OF the blocks
and the commands OF her officers, but the night
was ptchy dark The men, on the rock lighted
q bonfire to warn the ship, but were too late.
Towey Rocks lighthouse, on the Florida
reets, i made OF iron. The nine iron niles
the live coral rock. Tie entire structGre was
in pieces. Which were shipped
to hS stS and Put I ESn hS keP
closed by a cylinder Of boiler iron.
There are several lighthouses which at n
short distance; appear to ilse from the DEPTHS
rocks Just far enough below the water not t.
Sound is one of this class. Part OF tho rock l.
within three feet of tho surface at low wuter
Other portions are as much as thirteen feet
under water. The space for the foundations Of
the lighthouse was lovelled by the use OF div
ing bells. Tho masonry and concrete wGrc
laid undor water In the same way. When tho
got above water the rest was easy
A pier was built of heavy stones bound to-
gelher by bands ofiron Upon the pier wa con |
structed q dwelling of granite for he keeper. !
From the contre of tho front OF Tho dive Il |
tower asccnds over sixty ieet. A. tho tide ems |
and flows the water rusles uy ltaco Aoch WIN |
a powerful current.
Fourteen foot Bank lighthouse Is, M to |
this time tho greatest triumph OF American |
ingenuity in lighthouse building. u stahds
out IN the Atlantlr OCEAN twenty lnhra from /
the nearest harhur Tho plan Is thht iron ,
which bridge piera are now buit ~ rivers. |
But sinking u pier hy means OF Il ral~Soh IN |
Il river is very di1e'rut from toNlhs me |
caisson out into the ocean beyond the sight 81 |
land and there trans OrmlnE II INTO IL sOI!d |
foundation for lighthouse: ,,,., =, |
Tn" Germans tried TO build q lighthouse in
this way several wears ago in the North sea.
They sank their CaiSsOn to the sand IN thirty |
eight feot OF water \ storm came when t91OOO |
had been spent ami me ontire work was lost:
The nest attempt was surcessiul. At q cost OF |
a little more than quarter OF lnl!!ion the !
Ciermans comuletel their light house. About |
Dne-thrd of it was buried IN the sand at the !