Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-21
LIGHT THAT FAILED
Liberty Will Not Enlighten the World by
Electricity
Unless Some Private Society Takes
HOld-Failure Ms n Guide to
Navigation.

The President has before him an interest
ing question in regard to the Bartholdi
statue Of Liberty. on Bedloe's Island, New
York harbor. For several years past The
torch held aloft by the statue as symbol
Of Liberty enlightening the world mas
teen maintained as beacon for the bene-
fit of mariners and it has cost the govern
ment about $4,000 a year This expense
Was a charge against the general appro-
priation for the care and maintenance of
light houses, beacons. SC. The light house
board has reported that the light OH the
statue Is of no service whatever as an aid
to navigation. and has asked 10 be relieved
from further responsibility In connection
with its maintenance. Its action was
based principally on the ground that the
money devoted to this light can be more
prof tably expended in the establishment
Of lights at dangerous points on the coast
where they are needed The board does not
object to the continuance of the light on
Bedloe's Island on sentimental grounds
but it does object to having the expense
thereof charged against a fund that is
barely adequate for the purposes to which
1t Is devoted, viz, the protection of life
and property on the high seas and also ON
the inland waters.
its arguments were conclusive upon
Secretary Carlisle, and at his suggestion
the Liberty light Is omitted from the list
of lights for the maintenance of which
provision Is made in the appropriations for
the fiscal year beginning July l next. 1t
therefore appears that the light may not
shine beacon under the AUSPICES of
the government after the date named
The continuance of existing appropriation
laws beyond the 1st Of July WILL however
delay the date when the light will tretire
as national beacon. The question now
COnStdera tiOn tra cfa
of the property to private parties with a
patriotic view of having Liberty continue
to enlighten the world to the end Of time
Several patriotic societies. including the
Sons of the Revolution have proposed to
maintain the light at their own expense
provided the government will give them
Jurisdiction over the island. The island
was originally under the sole jurisdiction
of the War Department and is still in part
used Tor military purposes. When Con-
gress provided for the maintenance of a
beacon on ;he statue the President issued
an executive order transferring all that
portion of the island occupied by the statue
to the Treasury Department for the use OF
the light house board.
Now that the light house board has no
further use either for the statue or the
island, II Is proposed to restore the entire
island to the sole jurisdiction CT the War
Department. The Secretary Of the Treas
ury has recommended this course, and its
accomplishment awaits only the pleasure
ana convenience Of The President. In case
1t is done. the future use and disposition
Of the statue will nave to be determined
by the Secretary of War, and it will be
for him to say whether the offer of the
patriotic bodies to maintain the light with
out expense to the government shall be ac-
cepted. and. II so, under wnat conditions
1t is expected that the President will dis
pose OF the matter so FAR as the transfer
OF the island to the War Department is
concerned In a few days. at least before
the 1st of July.