The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-12-12
WOMEN LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS.
They Have Proved Themselves Heroic as
 We'll as Faithful.


 Woman long ago found warm spot in the landsman's heart because of her talents as lighthouse keeper, and she
 has won warm place in the heart of the mariner because of her faithful ness and heroism, demonstrated In more than one instance as a light house keeper. Ida Lewis, whose hero- ism in Newport harbor many years ago, when she put off in boat alone in tempestuous storm from the light house of which her father was the keeper, has worldwide fame, but she is not the only female lighthouse keep CT, according to a writer in the New York Tribune. In fact, she Is only one of score of good women and true who hold such places under the govern ment, and whose fidelity to that ser vice ranks favorably with that of the men. In addition to Ida Lewis, whose name now is Wilson, there are the fol- lowing: Harriet E. Colfax, Michigan City, Ind; R. L. Crouch, Turkey Point Elk Neck, Md; Emily A. Fish, Point Pinos. Monterey, Cal; Josephine Free man Blackstone, Miletown, Md; Mary J. Herworth, Bluff Point, Valcour, N. r.; Laura J. F. Hecox, Santa Cruz, Cal; C. A. Murdock, Rondout, N. r.; Kate McDougal, Mare Island, Cal; Maggie R. Norvell, Head of the Passes, Port Eads, La.; Nancy Rose, Stony Point, N. Y.; Caroline Riddle, New Ca nal, New Orleans; Mary A. Salisbury, Pomham Rocks, Riverside, R. l.; Mary J. Succow, Pass Manchac, Pontchatou- la, La.; Georgia A. Stebbins, Milwau- kee, Wis.,; Kate Walker, Robbins Reef, New York harbor; Ellen Wilson, Port Ponchartrain, New Orleans; Mrs. Dan- iel Williams Little Traverse, Harbor Springs, Mich; Julia F. Williams, San- ta Barbara, Cal, and Maria Young hams, Biloxi, Miss.
 The lighthouse service of the United States was in the most efficient condi- tion prior to 1852. Congress in the pre- ceeding year had passed an act author izing the appointment of board of three officers of the navy and one cit izen to inquire into the condition of the lighthouse establishment The board was composed of Commodore w. B. Shubrick, Commander s. F. Dupont and Lieutenant T. A. Jenkins of the navy; Brigadier-General Joseph G. Tot ten and Lieutenant-Colonel James Kearney and Professor A. D. Bache, superintendent of the coast survey. Their report recommended thorough purification and reorganization; de- clared that the system was inefficient and wasteful; that the Lighthouses were not properly and advantageously situated, nor distributed in accordance with the needs of commerce; that there was no efficient system of inspection and superintendence; that the light keepers, in many cases, were compe- tent, and that there were many other faults in the system. The result of this was an act of congress, approved on August 31 1852, authorizing a con- tinuous board to be composed of two officers of the navy, two officers of the army and two civilians of high scien- tific attainment.
 The United States is divided into six teen lighthouse districts, and to each district is assigned navy officer as inspector, who has charge of all the floating aids to navigation, the supplies of the light stations, the salaries of keepers, and the disbursement of funds relating to his district. The inspectors are also required to inspect the lights at least once in three months, and to make 8 report to the board of the con- 0f aI, tut hn~ an engineer officer of the army, as dis trict engineer, whose duty is to su- perintend the construction of the lighthouses and beacons and their re- novation. The general depot for sup plies and buoys for the whole United States is at Staten Island The sala- ries paid to light-keepers vary consid- erably, both on account of the impor- tance of the lights and the cost of liv- ing in the various districts. The prin- cipal keepers at most of the first order lights on the Pacific coast receive one thousand dollars year, but there Is only one on the Atlantic coast who re- ceives as much. Keepers of lights of the lower order receive salaries rang ing from five to six hundred dollars. Captains of light vessels receive from seven hundred and fifty to a thousand dollars. At some stations difncult of access rations are furnished in addi-
 tion to the salary, and most stations
 also receive an allowance of coal At
 isolated stations libraries are fur
 nished, and the books are changed from time to time. ss3 N