Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-04-09
LONESOME WORK.
Lighthouse Keeping Along the
Florida Esya
n Cons whercon Lie the wrecks o.
hsay shtps Bow the Keep
. ss P~ss Their Long
Watches.

hofe ships zones lie Upon the Outet
'Seef girding tie keys. Of south Floridt
than perhaps upon any other shoals
excepting Elstteras. In this country.
Capt. Thomas 8. Eeiis, ugent of the
Liostls IN this city. has record of ship
wrecks on the coast OF Florida for many
years. and the aggregate losses foo; up
surprisingly high In the millions oil
dollars
The strait OF Florida has long beer
IN ocean highway for steamers and
smiling ships bound from foreign and
domestic ports 10 New Orleans, Centra:
Hnd South America. In fact. the out.
jet of the great Gulf of Mexico, sur.
tInded by rich and fertile countries
3,ss been this narrow strait between
the keys and Cuba. through which>the
kuf stream passes. Consequently, II
is not surprising that In this narrow
strait. the caldron where the West In.
dian hurricanes generate. with its con.
tcaled reefs Of cruel coral. thousands
OF vessels have ended their CAREERS,
atad moro than thousands Of men have
lest their lives. Few sailors pass
through the straits now without be.
ing reminded of the brave men and
tho sands beneath the surface OF the
1impid green waters, and some OF them
a. they watch the storm scud fly ncross
the moon and listen TO the moan OF
the reef buoy mingling with the creak.
ing Of the spars of the ship. perhaps
hsve good ground 10 believe that this
place is haunted by demons OF the deep
and the souls Of dead comrades.
II rs no wonder that the inhabitants
OF the keys. the "Couchs," have grown
itch In wrecking. In these latter days
however. there nre fewer wrecks IN
The strait than there were some years
ago, for Uncle Sam has marked the
contour Of the dangerous hidden reef
with fine system of lighthouses, each
With light Of separate and distinct
chafacter. 30 thet the mariner mny
know how TO shape his course In the
bi6ckest ond stormiest Of nights.
The Job OF lighthouse keeper is about
the loneliest way OF making n living
IN the catalogue OF occupations. The
fiiental strain has proven so great In
several instances that the keeper grew
melancholy 20 such degree that he
ended n by blowing out his brains.
Tho system Is now so arranged that
the sudden dnrllening OF nm important
REF lamp by a suicides bullet is not
probable, for two keepers are stationed
IN each lighthouse for company's sake
~ sreil rs TO guard against sickness.
These two keepers OF the key lights
for two months on a stretch seldom see
any faces except their own and con-
terse with nobody except each other.
20 miles from land. and ships pass from
ten 20 twenty miles away. The light
bo6nes arc built Of four great iron pill
lars, founlIed deep In the coral and tow.
-ering toward each other. Platforms Of
steel bind the pillars together. sleep
ing and storage rooms are constructed
sOA the lamp crowns all. The place is
not perilous. but in q storm must be
what the colored folks call lonesome"
20 an uncanny degree.
After two months Of service the keep
~ has n month ashore 10 spend with
his family or how he pleases. The fam
ilies OF The reef lightkeepers are not
allowed Ia the houses. They arc looked
upon as distraction that might cause
the keeper 20 neglect mis- duty.
Most OF the keepers have developed
into ofnnivorous readers. Some OF
Shefn. however. have pursued a steady
purpose, and one We have in mind pre-
pared himself for admfttance to the
bar. and has since become one of Key
Vests most eminent lawyers. He hos
q dramatic manner OF expression. and
ie0rned II, SO tits said. by "noratin"
10 the winds and the waves, and his
single companion. - Florida Times
CBio6.