The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-22
SIG aTING srEAMsH. Ps.
officer Keegau Tells HOW He Distin-
Ruishes Vessels at a Distance.
From the NelC York Sun.

officer Keegau Tells How He Distin-
guishes Vessels at a Distance.
From the New York Sun.
1t happens to be my business to tell when
vessels will arrive in New York A few
years ago the Western Union Telegraph
Company erected on Fire Island a signal
tower Fire Island is not an island, but the
end OF long, narrow strip Of land between
the ocsan and the Great South bay. about
forty miles from New York city. All
European vessels are obliged to pass Fire
Island on their way to Europe and on their
return trip to New York. The first land
sgated by the majority Of incoming steam
ers is Fire Island beach.
All the year, with my vile and two
children, l live in the signal tower. 1t is
very comfortable house, quite as cosy and
home-like as the majority OF houses, the
only queer thing about it being that there is
only one room on each floor. In the sum
mer time we see plenty of people on the
beach, boarders from the Surf Ihotel, but in
the winter months we resign ourselves to
being alone.
Some people think 1t Is very cold near the
ocean. This is not the fact. The tempera
ture is really warmer near the ocean than it
is inland. We do not have very cold
weather until January, and then it only
lasts for a month or two. March is the
worst month of the year on account Of the
heavy winds. During the cold weather the
sandy beach becomes frozen, and is just like
macadamzed road; you can walk on it
for miles and miles with the greatest com
fort. My children play and romp by the
breakers during the cold weather just as
| other boys and girls do on the sidewalks in
the city.
OF course my children do not 20 to school,
but they have to study their lessons all the
same, for teach them. Our food supplies,
| consisting principally OF canned goods and
staple groceries are laid in during the early
| fall. We seldom have meat, but when
man connected with the life saving station,
some miles distant, kills wild duck or other
game he is always kind enough to send us
some.
When the vessels pass they are from
| eighteen TO twenty~six miles from shore.
NV observation room is at the top of the
| building. | not only look out Of the win
do n in search Of ships, but climb steps and
| peep out of small portfolios made on the
ocean side of the room near the roof. l
have big spygass to aid me in my OBJ
| servatious. | cannot read the name of the
vessel at such distance and although at
night they send signals by means of colored
lights am not able to distinguish them.
| can tell the name OF the steamship by
making certain allowances. | know when
| a particular vessel which has sailed from
| New York on q given date 10 due on her re-
turn. Then 1 depend, too, on the general
look of the craft, her outline. the position
Of the smoke-stacks. the cabins, life boats,
| the smoke, etc.
| The steamship Of a certain line may buru
a certain kind of soft coal, the smoke from
which oan be distinguished readily for
miles. The UmbriR and the Etruria of the
Cunard Line are called "sister ships" so
| - 81 - NJ tn eho
other. How do l tell them apart? First OF
| all / know which one 10 expected. But II
| both were to 20 by / could point Gus certain
| differences. On one Of the steamships the
| side lights, In white iron columns, which
show up very prominently in the daytime,
are further forward and nearer the smoke
stack than on the other, and the spars are
rugged differently. One has square yards
on her foremost, while the othsf has yards
on her mainmast. On the smokestack Of
| one steamship is a square white mark, while
on another the mark is oblong. 10 fact,
there are just as many distinguishing marks
about these passers-by on the sea as there
are about the people on the street.
| Each line of steamships take a different
course. From one port hole. at a certain
angle, watch for steamship OF the Guion
! Line from another the White Star Cunard
and so on.
AS soon as sight vessel telegraph the
| fact to New York, for have telegraph in1
strument in my observatory which is con
nected by direct wire with the office in New
York. II such news is recaived at night it
appears in the newspapers of the next morn
ing; if it is received during the day the fact
is announced in evening newspapers aud on
| bulletin boards.
Ny acquaintance with steamships, it
must be remembered. is at long range. 1t
takes me about year to become thoroughly
| familiar with the outline and character
istics of vessel. Only once have made
mistake. One night | was looking for
certain slow steamship. In the darkness the
only signal steamship gives by which l
| eau tell her name is oolored light indicat-
! ing the line to which she belongs. About
midnight on the occasion referred to, saw
a steamship burning the signals OF the line
| to which the expected boat belonged. had
! no doubt it was che steamship | was look
! ing for, and so reported. Later l learned
that the company had sent out second
steamship immediately after the one for
which was looking. had no notice Of the
sailing of the second boat, and in that way
Y Il