Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-11-08
HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE.
Plans For The Diamond Shoal
Structure About to be
Executed.
Will Cost One-MilliOn
THE BUILDING WILL. BE ENTIRELY
OF FORGED STEEL AND ELEC-
TRICITY WILL PROBABLY
BE THE LIGHTING
POWER.

POWER
Army engineers are about tc
undertake a most difficult piece
of work for the Government
Formal approval having been
given by the Lighthouse Board
to the plans for light on Dia>
1nond Shoal, which juts into the
sea seven miles off Cape Halter
as, an engineer officer has started
out to inspect steel manufacto>
ries to determine where the best
material for the structure can be
obtained.
Whether this light can be
erected, or, if erected, can with
stand the heavy seas and winds
is a question which has brought
about a wide difference of opin,
ion even among the members
composing the board. The ma
|jority, however, hold that 1t is
| feasible. The minority, compos
ed exclusively of the naval rep
| |iesentatives and one civilian
member, are Of the opinion tina
no light can be built which will
stand, and that, even if it can
there is no necessity Of the Gov
Iernlnents going to an expense
| of over 81 900, 900 when a light
ship costing but 100000 woule
serve every purpose.
Admiral Walker, Capt. Wild
and Capt Dewey, all of the navy
are advocates Of the light vessel
while Col. Wilson and the arm,
; contingent favor the lighthouse
Congress has told the board t.
go ahead and prepare plans for
light, authirizing the expendur
Of 100000.
One of the leading engineer
. in Washington stated that ther
{. was no more reason why lig}l
vessel should not be placed o
Diamond Shoal than off Sand
Hook, and pointed out that tn
Nantucket Shoal vessel had stoo
up in the teeth of a 75-n1le-an
hour gale without breaking he
f moorings Notwithstanding a
opposition, however, work On tn
great structure will begin wit
= the opening of the spring, b
which time all the prellmlnar
plans will have been completed
and a part of the structure con
structed ashore, ready to be tow
ed out to the shoal and the1
forced down by hydraulic powe
The design of the structui
conte1nplates all immense skelf
ton affair through which win
and waves can play, meeting b'
little resistance. Eight gre;
iron tubes will be sunk in
circle to a depth of thirty te'
beneath the seas bottom and
, fastened and strengthened as
= be proof, the engineers sa
against the heaviest sands al
seas. The height of the toe
le plane above ;he water Will
100 feet, and the structure IS d
signed to stand in thlrty-thr
feet of water, deeper water tn;
m anv other lighthouse on the A
" 1antic coast. The base OF t
- lighthouse will be supported
m ~ niles sunk to a depth OF th11
feet the diameter of the base /
ing sixty feet, and the height
the floor above high water tori
- seven feet. -.
The building will be entire
of forged steel, special ieat'
- of the design being to make
essential parts below the wa
line of massive dimensions,
we'll as those parts aoc
lty the water subject to the action
nd waves and sea. The use OF
i'd bolts and rods and other sect1@
of which would be weakened Il
W. idly by corrosion has been avo
ed in the plans. Quarters "
c. be provided for three keep
II and the head keepers family,
several boats will swing tr
;. davits a hundred feet i'll the
for their use. The lens Will
at the most powerful llghtho
Wnl1ens in existence, and sho