The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-20

xaturat rsundaaIsa for . L3gAahouse-
Di0euIties In BaifAfng.
Ths Asfosian-
A mile from the coast black rock rises
nearly 100 fees from the ocean Its Tiiia-
NOOK rock. Natuse placed II there - the
foundation for . lighthouse Deep water
IL all around IL Three sides are preci-
pices- The rath Il very steep On the
highest point. after much work, . spot Was
ieveisd sufficient for lighthouse city feet
square. The entire surface out Of water Is
hardly equal 70 . fair-sized town lot.
When the wind blows and waves beat
upon that rock the spray goes over the top
and runs down the other side IN . torrent.
Only when the fea Is smooth is IL possible
for . boat TO reach the rock. In October.
1879, four workmen, with hammers. drills,
bolts. provisions. fuel. . stove and some
canvas. we're landed on Tiilamook. A few
days afterward Eve men and small derrick
were puf upon the rock The foreman OF
the party MAS drowned in trying 10 make
the landing.
These nine men suffered for days the
discomfort Of shipwrecked sailors When
the rain was not falling the spray was
dashing over them. They drilled holes In
the rock. fastened ring bolts and tied can
vass 10 the bolts. In this way they man
aged to save themselves from being blown
away. The next step vas to quarry out
! little nook in the side which Afforded
most protection from the wind and waves.
In this spot they built . shauty and
bottled 1t TO the face Of the cliff.
Next they set about quarryinR .
fight of steps up the steep side, at the
same time leyeling of the top 70 get room
for the foundations Of the lighthouse.
Part Of the time they worked ON staging
hung from the top OF the rock with the
waves dashing below them. There we're
weeks 1t . time when almost nothing
could be done. In Jap1ary q tornado
came The waves dashed to the top OF the
rock and the wind carried ths spray over
90 that continuous food poured down
the canvas-covered shaniy in which the
quarrymen were huddied. This lasted for
several days. II swept the supp les into
tiie ocean and gave the shanty and its in
mates close call. At the end OF sixteen
days the half-starved men communicated
their condition TO the main shore. Ii was
impossible for any toat 10 como to the
rock in the sea that Was running, but Q
line was cast loose from the rock and a
ship picked it up. This line was fastened
to the top Of the rock and 70 the mast OF
the ship. Over II supplies were transferred
TO the little colony.
By May the quarrymen' had cut down
the sharp point Of the rock to height Of
eighty-eight feet from the sea level and
had made a level spot for the lighthouse.
Three masons were tSken out from the
mainland. A small engine and some more
derricks were added to the equipment In
June the corner-stons was laid. When
ever there was fair day lQpd OF material
Was taken out. The rock. quarried. was
hewn into proper blocks before II left the
mainland. A square, one-story building
was constructed for the keeper. with room
for the fog-signal machinery. From the
center OF this house the tower was raised
forty eight feet. This put the light 1876
feet above the Sea level. Il was sixteen
months after work began when the light
was put into operation. Had the light
been burning month earlier an English
ship would probably have been saved.
The Lupata went ashore and twenty lives
were lost within mile OF Tillamook. As
the ship drifted In she passed SO close to
the rock that the workmen heard the
creakinS OF the blocks and the commands
of her officers. but the night was pitchy
dark. The men on the rock lighted bon
tire 10 warn the ship but were too late.