The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-02-07
MlNoT LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE.
Tho Historic Storm which wiped the Orig
ipal Structure out of Existence.


inal Structure out of Existence.
The lighthouse on Minots ledge
stands within the shadow of II tragedy.
IL is the second structure erected upon
the ledge. The first lighthouse and the
lives it held were claimed by the sea.
Begun in iS47 and completed in No
vember, 1913, it was overwhelmed in
April, 1851. Its destruction was the
most tragic event in the history of our
lighthouse establishment. The struc-
ture was an octagonal tower supported
upon wrought iron piles strengthened
by braces. The piles penetrated i've
feet into the rock. On the braces. 3D.
feet above the rock, the keeper had con
structed platform for the storage of
bulky articles and had fastened to the
lantern deck, 60 feet above the rock.
5la inch hawser, which ho had au-
chored to a seven ton granite block.
Along this hawser articles were hoisted
up to the platform and there landed.
These improvements were convenient
and fatal not, however, to the keeper
who made them, for he was on shore
when the storm which has become his.
toric for its fury burst over tho coast.
On Monday, April IL, 1851, there
was strong easterly gale blowing. AT
that time there were ON the tower two
assistant keepers and friend of the
principal keeper. The visitor became
frightened at the first indication of
storm, and in response to signal from
the tower boat put off for Cohasset
and took him ashore. On Tuesday the
wind swung around to the northeast,
the most dangerous quarter from which
the elements can hurl themselves upon
Minot's, as they then rejoice in tho ac-
cumulated fury of miles of wind torn
sea. BY the 10th it had increased to
hurricane, and the tower was so COM
pletely buried in the heavy seas that
nothing of it could be seen by the group
of anxious watchers at Cohasset. About
A o'clock in the evening of the 10th
the platform was washed ashore. Then
the watchers knew that the water had
risen to within seven feet of the tower.
At nigbtfall IL was seen that the light
was burning. II was observed at fitful
intervals until 10 o'clock that night,
Whth IL was iobt W az d
O'Clock ON the morning of Thursday,
April II, just at the turn of the flood,
when the outstreaming tide and the in
rushing hurricane met at Minot's,
violent tolling of the lighthouse bell
was heard. After that no sound rose
above the din of the storm. About O
o'clock in the morning man walking
along the shore saw chair washed up
little distance ahead of him. Exam
lining it, he recognized II as having been
in the watchroom of the tower. After
this discovery no one had any doubts of
the tragedy which had been enacted be-
hind the curtain of the storm. When
1t lifted, naught was seen over Minot's
ledge but the sea. its white crests
streaming triumphantly in the gale.
1t is believed by those competent to
judge of such matters that the destruc
tion of the tower was due to the surface
which the platform constructed by the
keeper offered to the waves and TO the
strain of the hawser upon the structure.
Every time this hawser was struck by
a sea it actually tugged at the tower.
There seems also little doubt that tho
sum appropriated by congress for the
building of the lighthouse was INSULT
cient by about two-thirds for such a
structure as the perilous situation called
for.-Gustav Kobbo in Century.