The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-04
THE LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE.
Some Facts Concerning It's Methods
New Tender for Puget Sound.

some Facts Concerning Its Methods
New Tender for Puget Sound.
The Columbine is the name of the new
lighthouse steamer built at Cleveland, o..
and launched a few days ago, intended
specially for Puget sound and Alaska
waters. She is much larger than any YES
sci in the service, and will have speed of
twenty miles per hour. As soon as she
will have arrived she will be given the
work of these Northern waters, and the
ManZanita will be kept for that part of the
Coast south of the Straits of Fuca. 1t is
not yet known where the headquarters Of
the Columbine will be, as for the present
these waters are comprised in the Thir-
teenth lighthouse district, with headquar-
tiers at Portland but it will not be long be-
fore there will be necessity for the estab-
lishment of an additional district. as the
Portland office has as much as it can do,
and the new district of Alaska covers
much ground, with coast line of more
than 1000 miles. The general public
knows but little of the character and ex-
tent of this service, and the fact that We
are soon to have new vessel, the largest
and best, for our waters the following will
prove of interest.
The lighthouse board was organized by
an act of congress, August 81, 1852.
The board consists of nine members.
Three are civilians, three are naval officers
and three are officers of the corps of en-
gineers Of the army. The secretary of the
treasury is ex officio president of the board,
and controls the disbursement Of all
moneys appropriated for the lighthouse
service. OF the other two civilians, one is
the superintendent of the coast survey
and the other scientist. This position is
filled by Professor Henry Morton, presi-
dent of the Stevens Institute of Technol-
ogy, New Jersey. The board elects its own
chairman, who, in the absence of the
secretary of the treasury, presides at its
meetings, and as a rule signs the more
important letters addressed to others than
officers of the board. The other members
of the board on duty at its office are the
naval secretary, who is an officer of the
navy and is assigned to duty as such by
the secretary of the navy, and the en-
gineer secretary. who is an officer Of the
army and is assigned to duty as such by
the secretary of war. Under the regula-
tons adopted the naval secretary is placed
in charge of the office of the lighthouse
board.
The Atlantic coast line which comes
under the supervision of the lighthouse
service is about 5000 miles; that of the
lakes about 5000 miles: that of the Pacific
about 1900; the new district Of Alaska
1000 miles, and that of the rivers $500
miles. There are on the coasts, oceans
and lakes 6S5, and on the rivers 54S light
stations, In addition to these there are
sixty-four fog signals, 300 buoys, 1900
day beacons and thirty lightships in posi-
ton.
The coasts of the United States are
divided into fourteen districts. Over each
district is an inspector and an engineer,
who under an executive order are disburs-
ing officers. The inspector is an officer of
the navy and the engineer of the corps of
engineers of the army. 1t is the duty of
each inspector to obtain, place in position
and keep in condition the buoys of his
district, and in the absence of the engineer
to perform the engineers duties. Each
inspector and engineer has, when neces-
sary. one or more vessels called light
house tenders under his orders with
which to perform his duties, the officers of
which he dominates and the crews of
which he ships. The secretary of the
treasury is by law authorized to assign
collectors of customs as superintendent
of lights, and it is their duty TO nominate,
through the board of the treasury depart
ment, persons for appointment in the
lighthouse service, and TO pay the salaries
to such lighthouse keepers as they may be
directed to pay.
There are employed in the fourteen
lighthouse districts, in the different light
houses. stations and light ships. 1850
keepers and assistant keepers, their sala-
ries varying from 800 TO 81 100 per annum,
the average being limited by law to 5000