The Yellowstone journal., 1894-06-06
MINOT LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE.


The Historic storm which Wiped the orts
inaI structure Out of Existence
The lighthouse on Minot ledg.
stands within the shadow of tragedy
II is the second structure erected upon
the ledge The fist lighthouse and the
lives it held We're claimed by the sea.
Begun in lsi7 and completed in No
vember, lS4S, ii was overwhelmed IL
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 five
feet into the rock. On the braces, "a >
feet above the rock, the keeper had con-
structed a platform for the storage OF
| bulky articles and had fastened to the
lantern deck, 63 feet above the rock,
81 inch hawser, which he had an
| chored TO a seven ton granite block.
Along this hawser articles We're 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 my burst over the coast.
On Monday. April IA, 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 a
storm and in respoAse 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
Minots, as they then rejoice in the ac-
cumulated fury of miles of wind torn
sea By the 10th it had increased TO
q hurricane, and the tower wss so COM
pletely buried in the heavy seas that
nothing of it could be seen by the group
of anxious watchers at Cohasset. About
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 nightfall it was seen that the light
was burning. 1t was observed at titfui
intervals until 10 o'clock that night,
when il was finally lost 10 sight. At
o'clock on rhe. IL arning OF Thursday
April l.. Just at ahe turn of the flood
when the Dutstreaming tide and the in,
rusning hurric9De met Al M,not :. q
violent tolling IT the lighthouse bell
was heard After that no sound rust
above hs din OF the storm. About
O'Clock IN the m ming a man walking
along the shore saw chair washed NJ
q lit..e distance ahead of him. Exam,
ipl-,s IT, he recognized il a having herl
In the watchru, m of the tower. Attti
this discovery no one had any durlt- O
the tragedy which had isna enacted be
hind the curtain of t., .tas.a. Nha1
1t lifted. uauGh, WIS .u over -aaet
ledge but tn. s,a. l.. whl. crest
streaming trimmphalrly In tn gale.
Ii is believed r tHg. conn 1T t
Judge of such matters that fHa dsstruc
tion of thr tower ~ d-. tp ths surface
which the platform c.aa.r1nr.l hy tn
keeper ctfel.I T. :ae waves and To In
strain OF the raws rrDm tie structure
Every tiire t.l, La=. was struck b.
sea it acs.a.lv la..z, ut the tower
ihere sc,-ns a.-b n.i.e Caght that tn
sum app...r a5 iy congress tor tn
buildiu- O.. -.a E...ra vas insuffi
cient iy 3d. ..s i.u-g. for such
structrr7 g.. t.s.. r-..... r.lpn calle'
for.-tiu.r4. l. -...f. s.-tury.