The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-24


then no changes OF any KIND have been
made IN the buildings on the station.
Pigeon Point is about seven miles from
Pescadero in San Mateo County. The
road to it is a good one, and the station is
well worth visit. The lofty white tower
can be seen from the top of the hill Just
outside OF town, and remains IN view until
the place is reached.
When within half mile OF the station
1t shows to the best advantage. The pulld-
lngs are on long reef that stretches from
the m alnland into the ocean, the outer END
jagged and ugly looking. The portion &C.
cupied by the lighthouse is as level as
floor and about twenty feet above water at
high tide. There is no sign of garden.
Not even a plat of grass to rest the eye.
Nothing but gravel covered rock as bar
rem as the top of billiard-ta bic.
The most interesting thing about the
station is, of course, the light tower, which
is built of brick and located on the south
ernmost point of the cape. AT the foot OF
the tower is small brick building of two
rooms, one used for supplies and the other
| for keeping the log and other records. The
two rooms are divided by hall, through
which entrance is had to the tower. A
spiral iron stairway leads to the top. 1t is
long climb, winding round and round
all the time, every footstep echolng and
vibrating through the tower like the roar
of distant thunder. The whole upper por-
ton OF the tower is of iron and glass, so
| strongly put together that the tierces1
gales cause not the slightest jar.
Pigeon Point light is of what is known
as the first order. 1t gives white flash
every ten seconds, and on clear nights can
DA,r on orr
Head of the Golden Gate. The flash is
created in the usual manner by making
the whole lens frame revolve around the
lamp by clockwork mechanism, operated
by a weight. 1t makes one revolution
every three minutes, and eighteen bulls
eyes project each pencil OF light, which
are seen in succession from a certain
point as they pass around.
The light is produced by Funk lamp
that burns mineral oil. 1t has been in use
about ten years and before that time lard
oil was used exclusively. Oil is fed to
this lamp from tank by means of
metal float that rests on the sur
face and forces it up into
small reservoir from which it flows
to the four circular wicks. A series of
valves and chambers make the oil feed
automatic, so that the wicks get all they
need, but no more. The focal plane of the
lamp is exactly 100 feet above high tide.
The lenses of the Pigeon Point light
are as fine as any that were ever
made and are said to have had quite
history before being placed in their pres
ent position. The lenses were made by
Henry Lepaute in Paris, France, in 1854.
The lighthouse records contain nothing of
the early history of them, but the story is
that they were first put up. on Cape
until some time during the war of
the Rebellion. 1t was while the opera
lions were going on at Roanoke Island
that the keepers feared that they would
be destroyed by shot from some of the
hostile feet lowering in the vicinity and
took them down and buried them. Some
of the rebels must have dug them up, for
the next that is known is that they were
found in all old warehouse in New Orleans
about 1868. AS they were Just what was
wanted at Pigeon Point, they were sent
out and put up in their present position.
The fog signal buildings are on the
western point OF the cape, put are consid-
erably the worse for wear. They are four
in number and contain duplicate sets of
of the common locomotive type, one of
them having a ten-inch dome and the
other twelve-ineh. Fogs come up sud-
denly at Pigeon Point, and during the
winter the whistles will often be kept
going for days at time.
Al ouCil Tue Tires are Od0keQ IN the
boilers when the fog lifts, but ordinarily
they are simply laid ready to light at a
moments notice. Wood is used at first
and the boilers are so constructed that
steam can be raised In less than forty min
utes. If the Jog should come up very sud-
denly and vessels are known to be near a
bell is tolled until one of the whistles is
blown.
The keepers residence is large build
ing built to accom- NJ odate four families,
and so arranged that each section is indie
pendent OF the others. The outside is of a
pretty design, and the inside is con-
veniently arranged, although not orna-
mental in any way. Each section has
four rooms, one of them being fitted with
a range and cooking utensils by the
Government
All of the buildings on the Pigeon Point
station are painted pure white with
black or gray trimmings. The tower is
white with the exception of the lantern,
which is black. At one time the Govern
ment used to allow the residences to be
painted any color that suited the tastes of
the keepers. but now they can only be
white with black or gray trim mings. Only
black and white paint is supplied and the
Keepers can mix this any way they please
to get the desired shade of gray.
The question of water has always been
serious one at Pigeon Point. For many
liz hStpeT uScu W maui Ill In6y
used for domestic purposes for long dis.
lance. AT present the supply is good ex-
cept perhaps few months late IN the sum-
| mer. On one of the hills about mile from
the station ten-acre rainshed has been
built that during the winter season fills sew
eral large tanks that hold nough to supply
the boilers all summer. For domestic
purposes a pipe has been laid long dis
Nance to spring of very good water. The
spring is at such an elevation that the
water is carried into all parts of the houses
by the force of gravity.
Plgeon Point light station is in charge of
Captain Mariner. He has four assistants,
and during the foggy season the duties are
most wearing. The location of the light
tower iii relation to the fog signal makes
II impossible for one man to watch both
even for short time, and in very stormy
weather 1t is necessary for two to be in the
tower. The elevation of the tower makes
1t marx for sea birds at night, and they
frequently fly through the panes of glass
in the lantern.
These have to be replaced as quickly as
possibly, and it cannot be done by one
man. although glass is always kept ready
cut and special clamps are on hand for
the purpose. When the fog whistles have
TO be kept going day and night the keep
ers ind 1T almost impossible to get even a