New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-01

passage OF the vessel as san IS shortened OF '"e
engines are slowed down.
In small square stone building on the inner
shore OF Staten Island sits a man whose duty
as defined by the Nation. which pays for his serv-
lees is TO that the many eyes ana the shrili
voices which landsmen employ FOR the mariners
benefit are kept n good condition and CONSTANT!
ready for service His place Is the most important
Of several OF Ike order. and that the ONCE OF
Inspector Of the Third Lighthouse District Is no
srecure is shown by the fact that the naval officers
who are assigned to the duty are generally per-
fectly willing to go TO when their turn OF shore
duty Is ended.
Within the limits of the district there lse
lights on sea and shore, ranging rom ue
steady. unchanging beams Of white thrown OUT o!
the giant lenses Of Block Island ana SAnrc'oeN
and the wnk!ng. blinking and flashing sgnaIs o'
Montauk Point and Fire Island down 10 the "'''e
tw.nkling light stuck post 10 mark the channe.
Of a river Storms ana fogs have no effect on these
shore beacons for whether the night he fair or
foul. with clocklike regularity their missions are
fulfilled and the mariner who can them a.
ways tell where he IS. II he cannot see them then
II is so much the worse for the mariner. Cor IN"
lights there.
The lights which like the sailors 10 whom they
are guides and counsel.ors afoat on The waters
are those 10 which the incoming wayfarer looks FOR
aid and they are also those which the Inspector
has to keep the sharpes; watch. OF these noaine
lighthouses the district has several. the more IN
portant being the familiar ones OF the SANDY
finger with which New-Jersey points the way ~
New-York the Sandy Hook and Scotland light
vessels and the equally familiar ships stationed
off Cornfeil Point Just TO the south and west OF
the mouth Of the Connecticut River. and az Hren-
TONS Reef marking the entrance - NarraFan-
sett Bay Connected with two OF the iishtships.
the Sandy Hook AMI Cornncld Po.ni. is ON" o, me
mos; intricate problems with which the inspectors
office has to do. especially when the Zee iAns
and 1ct IN =, =
70 their piers with chains which are likely TO hold
hard and fast. Then comes the question OF sup
plies and when that arises II Is one that must be
answered without delay for delay means danger
and possibly death 20 those whose aiih Is pinned
TO the excellen; record OF the lighthouse service
and the efficient management OF the Hghtshiis
Food for those on board can be slowed IN large
quantities IN a small compass. but the fuel pile
cannot he compressed. and. as the accommodations
Of the vessel are limited there Is always the haunt
ing possibility OF a shortness OF supply ana
consequent lack OF ability 10 send out the warning
shrieks from the steam whistles when take me
pace OF the masthead lights when th'.- CLEAN is
sroothereG BY the tempest. That tn s.eam sirens
do not fan Is due to the fact that The Office IS
constantly on the alert in stormy weather. and ad-
vantage is taken OF the slightest clearing after
long storm TO send the hshthopse, tenier JONI an
Rodgers out OIL Z mission OF reEei, WIN a loa1
OF black diamonds slowed IN bags, i'ady ioi
quick grap2e and short SHARP stranl 10 De ly
fuel on board the pitching. tossing vessel to last
until smoother water comes.
The Sandy Hook l.ghtship Is compelled 10 carry
q much larger supply of coal than others OF htr
Point on account OF the use OF steam FOR hcT
foghorn, and forty tons is her normal suppl.
This OF course lasts much longer IN warm wehther
than I'm cold for not much IS used for heating
purposes and the supply is seldom allowed 10 lan
below twenty tons, which IL sufficient under ordi-
nary circumstances to keep the boilers song for
fortnight. The supply is furnished from me depo.
at Tompkirsville, which is one OF the I'VE unuer
tho control Of the district headquarters
An idea Of the amount OF fuel needed IN the va
Rhode island and the twin lights on the Nave
sink Highlands. which are the boundarles OF me
Third District, may be obtained from the 1aci
that forthcoming proposals for supplies VIII eau
for about 100 tons of coal and 100 cords OF wood
with the right to increase the demand one-thrd
The larger part OF this comes 10 the Tompklnsvile
station; New London. Conn, comes second In I'M
portance; part goes TO Newport, X l., Bedio"
island gets 80 tons, for Miss Liberty Is an eX,
pensve damse 20 keep warm and lighted, ana
the power is generated which Keeps the system OF
electric buoys in operation. These are AL long
tons" Of 2240 pounds. ana the rules governing ue-
livery AT the various stations are such that the
contractors seldom called upon 10 eAer-
else all their ingenuity 10 FUN their agreements;
Rut in spite OF all the difficulties attending the
keeping Of the nghtshIs and ISOLATED houses such
as The Execution Rock. Stepping stones Stratiorl
Sboal and Penneld Reef stations In working CrdeT.
there is little danger that the messages or com
fort and warning they convey VIII Dc siehcsd or
shrouied through lack of care. for the lighthouse
service OF the United States is admittedly model
for the rest OF the world. and there j. no coast,
except perhaps. that of the English ChhhheI,
where so many safeguards are thrown around the
path OF the mariner at the approaches to New