Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-04-24
IT'S A WONDER.
A YANKEE SEA CAPTAIN BEATS
THE BEST ENGINEERS
IN THIS.


lighthouse construction on the
treacherous Diamond Shoal, of
Cape Hatteras, have been dealt
with in these columns before
and the plans for a 81 ,ooo,oot
structure there have been de-
scribed already. AS the plans
for this were rapidly being con-
summated the attention Of the
Lighthouse Board was called tc
a new plan offered by Yankee
captain, which offers an econom.
ical solution of the problem.
According to the design o.
Captain Eels, the inventor of the
new plan, says the New York
Sun, his structure is to be SO con-
structed on shore that it will
ride the waves like a huge in
verted funnel and stand the
heaviest pounding without pos
sibility Of damage. He claims
for his invention that it will en-
able the Lighthouse Board to
place lights on such places as
Pollock Rip, where sands shift
and the character of the bottom
changes yearly. In general ap>
pearance his lighthouse looks
like an inverted funnel, and when
i'll place the big end will be On
the bottom, several feet in the
sand, and the spigot end is to
rise 100 feet, if necessary, to sup
port the light. The drawing of
the design submitted to the
Treasury Department represents
a lighthouse at least $50 feet
high, from the top Of the lens to
the bottom of the water, the
height above the water line to
be about 90 feet.
The most remarkable feature
Of the scheme is the great diam
eter Of the cylinder at the bot
tom and its comparative slender
ness at the water line. The base
represents a circle whose diam
eter is at least seventy feet, while
a few feet above the water the
structure is scarcely more than
thirty feet through the centre,
and from that to the top of the
Hight it continues to diminish TN
til at the extreme top it isn't more
than twelve feet through. From
the beginning of the water line
to a point we'll up the great
tower are the apartments for the
keepers and the storerooms for
oil and other supplies essential
to lighthouses, and Immediately
above these is a nast-like taper
ing tower, up which the most
powerful lens yet constructed
could be placed, throwing rays
visible twenty-five miles under
normal conditions. The strik>
ing decrease in the dimensions
Of the tower is explained by the
inventor to be for the purpose of
reducing the target for the waves
and seas and the violences Of
gales.
The construction of light
such as proposed by the inventor
would be, in a measure, on the
plan followed in building and
launching ships. The greater
part of the structure would be
built on shore, f1oated out to sea,
and sunk at the selected location
for the light. The big end of
the funnel consists of two walls,
one inside the other, with
space between of about eight feet
at the bottom and graduating to
four at the top, where the funnel
meets the water line. This am
nular cham Der is to be filled with
masonry, Of which enough to
blast the structure and keep it
in an upright position is to be
built in before starting or the
sea. Steel composes the greater
part of the structure, the framing
and plating of the sides OF the
funnel being similar to the con-
struction of Warship. When
the structure has been completed |
and towed out to sea and sunk, it |
is proposed to fill i'll the space be-
tween the inner and outer cham
bers with sand and stones, and
thus weight down the great in
verified funnel to firm hold on the
bottom, and make it practically |
for it to be moved
either by changing currents OF
the action OF the fiercest gales.
The plan contemplates the sink
ing Of the caisson i'll about thirty
feet Of water, although less depth
would answer every purpose. the
inventor claims Another argu~
nent i'll favor of the design is
hat if will stay where located.
even with thirty feet of water
polling around it.
The simplicity of the plan and
is apparent certainty Of with> ;
the most terrific on
'laughts Of the waves, have par
icularly impressed the Board.