The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1891-07-16
OFF NORTH CAROLINA

under way on the outer Diamond
Shoal off Cape Hatteras, this
State, where Anderson and Barr,
of Jersey City, are engaged In
erecting a lighthouse on the
treacherous sands of that shnal
with, the danger that a sudden
storm may undo all that they
have done. The lighthouse is to
be built on the same principle as
lighthouse on FoIrteen-FOOt
Bank, Delaware bay. Itsfounda-
ton consists of an immense cir
cular iron and steel caissOn 81
feet in diameter. This was built
up 60 feet high at Norfolk AMI
filled with concrete until it drew
about 20 feet of water, when it
was tOwed by tugs Il few days
ago to the site Of the lighthouse.
Then by opening valves and
foodgates it was sunk until it
rested on the sand which is at
this point thirty feet below wa
ter. The lighthouse board was
notified Tuesday that this
part of the work has been sue
cessfully accomplished. The most
difficult part now remains to be
done. The caisson must be built
up, and at the same time great
quantities of concrete and stone
must be thrown into it, forcing
it down. While below all this in
compartments just beneath a
temporary bottom in the caisson
will be a force Of. men digging
away the sand and hosting it
up through central cylinder as
the caisson sinks deeper and
deeper into the bottom of the
sea. 1t is proposed to carry it
down to a depth of 125 feet be-
low the water line, and then to
ELL the whole structure up with
concrete to the height of thirty
five feet above the water, making
it practically a monolith.
Ii one of the severe and sudden
storms for which that locality is
so famous should occur before
this stage of the structure is
reached the whole caisson as far
as completed might be destroyed
and the lives of all the men at
work ON it would be endangered.
Every conceivable preparation
has been made, however, for
rapid work, and a few days of
favorable weather will Lrobably
see the work we'll advanced.
When this foundation has been
completed the work of building
the lighthouse upon it, difficult
as it will be in that exposed posi-
ton several miles from shore,
will be simple and easy compared
with building the foundation.
The lighthouse will be of iron
throughout, lined with masonry,
and will be 11SA feet high above
the caisson, containing nine
stories, affording living rooms
for the Keepers and storageroom
enough for a years stores as well
as the fos-signal machinery.
The base of the structure is to be
surrounded by a rip-rap of rocks
slop1ng up from the bottom atan
angle of 45o to a height of 25
feet above water. Each one of
these stones must weigh at least
two tons, and they will go far
toward strengthening the base
of the tower and breaking the
force of the seas that will beat
against it. The contractors are
not olny to build the lighthouse,
but they are to maintain it for a
year at their own expense before
they receive cent of their pay.
Under these circumstances and
considering the difficulties they
will encounter the 1886, 600 they
will receive is, not an extrava-
giant price for the work.
Every one will remember the
efforts of our Senior
M. w. Ransom, in Sc
curing this appropriation. 1t is
a worthy cause and the great
lighthouse will stand a living
monument to his persistent and
noble efforts.
The democratic county conven-