Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-21

i
parallel piers of crib-work filled With
stone and run out into the lake. On one
pier is placed light Of the fourth or fifth
order, in frame structure, either square
or polygcnal, in which is room for sup
plies and a place for the keeper to sleep.
Buoys are used to mark channels, and are
of two varieties, lighted and unlightcd,
there being but few of the former, and
those lighted by compressed illuminating
gas and electricity.
| 1t may have been matter of wonder
to the many in this age o. electrical ap-
pliances, that that agent has not super
seeded the use of mineral oil in the major
ity of lights. This is partly owing to
the fact that the electric light being a
pure white light does not show as dis
tinctly in the white Opaque atmosphere
of fog as does the yellow illumination
of the mineral oil, and partly to the fact
that electric application is not yet sufiic-
iently perfected to render it thoroughly
reliable.
The lightships are schooner strongly
built. brilliantly painted, and with col
ored disk suspended from each mast to
distinguish them from ordinary vessels
by day, while at night there are power
full lights hoistcd, consisting of eight or
nine lamps with rehcctors arranged in a
circle, incloscd in lantern, which are
lowered to the deck into u small house
during the daytime. These vessels are
provided with a fog-bell and sometimes
fog-whistlc, and are stationed on shoals
where it is impossible to establish any
other kind of warning light, being held
fast in their position by an anchor weigh
ing about 5000 pounds, and carrying its
name "mushroom anchor" by its peculiar
shape. There arc twenty three of these
lightships now in position on the coast,
and they arc mich used in the English
service.
In all of the States heavy fines and i'm
prisonmcnts are meted out to those who
interfere with these aids to navigation,
and in Florida the penalty of certain
number Of stripes to be applied to the
person of the transgressor is added
The manufacturing establishments of
the Lighthouse Board and the general
! depot OF supplies for the United States
are on Staten Island, and these supplies
are distributed by the aid of steam ten
ders. The whole cost of the United
States Lighthouse Service foots up per
year to the grand total of 81, Ais, 500.
The coast is divided into fifteen dis
tricts, each district having Il naval officer
rs inspector, who is expected to examine
all the stations in his district once every
three months, making reports to the
board monthly covering all things con-
nectel with each station, furnishing to
the engineers notes of needed repairs, and
attending to salaries of keepers and sup
plies of stations. In addition, each sta
ton has an engineer, an officer of the
army, who has charge in some cases of
two or three districts, and to whom is
confidcd the construction and repairs OF
all fixed aids to navigation within the
circuit.
The number of lighthouse keepers for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1855, was
1924, their salaries varying according to
the Importance of lights and cost of liv-
ing in different sections of the country;
for out of their salaries the keepers are
expected to pay for their uniforms and
cost of living. The salaries paid on the
Pacific Const are about $1,000, while
along the Atlantic there is but one, the
AIinot's Ledge keeper, who gets that
amount. AS II rule the keepers of lights
of tho first order receive from $500 to
$500 per year, whilst those of the lows-
orders range from $500 to 5000. The
salaries of assistant keepers vary from
$500 to $3.50, whilst those of the Cap
tains of the light vessels are from $3.50
to $1,000. -Ne,o York Meus.