The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25

cylinder which was highest. Tho extra weight
soon forced down that side until the caisson
Then men were sent below into the air
chamber through the passage In the centre.
| They dug out the sand and lot the caisson
settle deeper and deeper While this was
| going on below. another force was increasing
cylinder with solid concrete, leaving only the
! air shaft In tho centre for communication with
| tho air chamber Thus for days the foundation
! OF the lighthouse grew above the water and at
the same time sank deeper into the sandbank.
sets, eight hours each. so that there was no
stopping day OF, night, AS the sand was dug out
the sea outside. The excavation was cont inued
down IS feet into the sand Tie lowering was
accomplished at the ratio Of from ono TO two
then gradually made solid with masonry to the
Next the air shaft was packed with sand for 50
feet and then scaled with concrete.
As tho caisson went down into the sand the
cylinder was built up With round after, round Of
iron plates and tho interior was filled with
cylinder was Is feet high but when hem io Vas fin.
ished 4 stood only 30 iset out OF water at low
and sand. on tor of tho cylinder lie little
house for the keener and the tower for the light
that Government WORK does not cat up all Of
the money appropriated for It. Congress set
house. but. when tho work was complete there
was turned back Into the United States Treas
Having mado q complete success with the
first attempt at lighthouse construotion in
tured upon someih hing more difficult than the
bs e Bank q al cap Ss
ceivng currents and irequent storms combine
e make Il So seven and half p miles on Cape
being drawn by the Lighthouse Board for a
caisson STRUCTURE npon the same plan as that
work The
will be built In harbor and then towed out to
drew nearly sixteen feet OF water when 1t was
started out for }r the bank The caiss2p to be
about the Same. But on the way to its desti-
nation the casson will have. to .rass over
The PASSAGE can only be made bv lifting the
great structure on camels." or pontoons. and
preparing the plans admit that this Is tho most
difficult piece OF lighthouse architecture yet
attempted.
The performances OF the lights OF to-day are
long piers which at times during stormy wealth
or cannot be reached. In such places an oil
days and nights, The rule is that the keeper
must visit these lights every day II he can, but
light can bo Depended upon Tor a period equal
to grandfather's clock.
used to give light and they we're burned In
iron baskets exposed TO the open air. Then
aHT fsn d6me Of dps Hook
house for many years tho oil was applied By
wcE sr wh ne hey 6 TSa S sd
oil after another was tried, and the Govern
mont finally settled upon mineral oil of which
there was used last year 33l. 900 gallons.
Gas has been tried in lighthouses, but the re-
suits were. not very satisfactory. Gas pipes
always in order. At The, present time there are
but three lighthouses where gas is used. They
low WASHINGTON. To provide against accidents
set OF oil lamps is kept constantly In readi-
lima coast there are ten small lights which are
kept SUPPLIED with gas. The gas is manufac;
In tanks; The keepers 20 from iightto light in
steam launch, hauling tho gas tanks in
=, In New York harbor; on Dry Eomer, Shoal.
there is an iron pier which supports skeleton
tower is supplied with compressed gas from
tank which holds a ninety days, supply The
rueture Of the Kind on the coast The cost
including he compressed gas apparatus was
less than $4,000. but the Board has not seen fit
At some pier heads and breakwaters on the
lakes combination gas machine Is used. 1t
automatic contrivance. According to the size
of these machines they will keep a light going
ninety days; Tho keepers live on shore and
are required , to visit II i these combination ma.
feeP the light clean and to see S, p thae tho
storm comes and it is impossible for the keeper
to reach the ighti the machine has been found
TO be re = ape IL goes s on making gas and
Many, experiments have been made with
havS not been entirely satisfactory. Several
years ago the Government erected skeleton
o The hesh 5 s n
electric lights. each OF 5000 candle power were
ho t As S62w hs not S %4s
and tho lights seemed to be suspended in the
heavens, But instead Of showing up the intrl-
mnation blinded the pilots. Tho latter could
see nothing beyond Il restricted circle. On the
this iiGhth6uso. it was apoiSbei. The tower
was sold for old iron and was thrown down By
The electric lights on tho Statue of Liberty
on Bedioe,s loland IN A"w ORR barber I can be
no part Of the lighthouse system:
In tho Narrows the r. eannnol is marked By
Junior, ono of tho best woods 10 float. The
logs are = ,I let lonE cast, Gast5iro1 &c snker
and that makes the log stand at an angle In
the wafer Tho tor is made conspicuous and
NJ an n eSctr.c Sb stoHg caS e''H con- 10
meets with tho buoys. and when the cleo
tho double line Of, buoys is lighted up. The
lamps on ono 81 10 have rcd glass. Drftwood
calry, tI!om DcIow the surface, OF tho water. but
thuy bob W again. CHgo light, and ALL roady
The Gaoys With a current also lights the beacon
ut Santy Hook This is tho extent to which
electricity 10 now used in the service
There arc in tho service Of the United States
Is 200, hut 10y system of grading some get as
high rs $1,000 Discipline Is very strict. For
two offences tho PENALTY Is immediate dismiss
sal. \ keeper found under tho influence OF
lIuor is not only dismissed rom tho service
bat lie II elected from the lighthouse, as soon
as possible The keeper who allows his light
to 90 out s dismissed, no matter what his eX-
cuSo may be or how good his conduct may
have been. These are the two unpardouablo
sins. The keeper is expected 10 stay by his
light as long as the lighthouse stands. The
Shrrps Island lighthouse in Chesapeake Fay.
was lifted from its foundation. thrown
Ice Tho Keepers had n boat ana might
have made their way ashore. Instead of look
ing out Tor their own safety tney remained
it grounded. Then They carried ashore tho
movable portions OF the light, the oil. the
were drifting at the mercy Of the leo axes and
without food or fire for sixteen hours. The
alarmed at the icS abandoned their post and