New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
UNCLE SANS LIGHTHOUSES.
~ rNppoKrN LINE FROM BOSTON TO GALvEA
TON-IIOW THEY WOULD AID IN
TIME OF WAR.
TIME OF WAR.

TON-IIOW THEY WOULD AID IN
TIME OF WAR
From The Louisville Post.
All along our Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and
ueuaIlv situated on some lonely, storm beaten
noint of land where the great waves never
cease their sullen roarings. the lighthouses Of
the United States like giant sentlnels, keep
watch and ward. And then. far out from the
shore wh.r. the danger from rock ana storm Ii
greatest with only the unquet ocean and the
changing skies for company SWING ana tug at
the. moorngs the light-shlps OF the coast Hun
dreds of brave men and thousands 81 doary
worth in ships and merchandise are saved annu-
ally from the waves and the rocks 10y these
watchful guardians. who have eyes thdt never
slumbcr and warning voices even IN" noises OF
the storm cannot drown The wlldncss OF their
situations the loncsomcncSs of their surround
ing, TIA" character of their duties-th" saving o;
| human life and property -cast glamour over
| the lonely lighthouses and storin-toss"d light
ships and make all that pertains to them Of
/ fascinating interest
! Stark and white upon the bar- white beach Of
! North Island. nth Carolina. stands the his
/ toric Georgetown lighthouse. The tower is 81
feet high and its light can he seen Tor fifteen
miles It throws plain whit" IIght. which
shines with unbrokcn radiance lar OUT over the
dark waters "A beacon OF nope to IN" Storm
driven mariners. This light has watched while
history was made. 1t was butt III lNol ana re-
built after the war.
Another light famous in history is the one at
can. Henry off the coast Of Virginia. AT the en-
trance Of Chesapeak" Bay II l. l'N years old,
and its Ight has often guided 'th" Father OF
His Country" on the way home from his travels.
Recently "A new house. -, feet high vas built
at this place and equipped with all th' latest ap-
plianccs- electric light signals. steam siren
etc. A steam siren Is "A trumpet blown py
steam which sings song 10 lure mariners
away from DESTRUCTION and has a VOC" so loud
| that il can he heard for many miles al sea
The song Of this siren u a blast nv SECONDS
long then silcnc. 81 ninety seconds. a blast OF
ny. seconds followed 10y "A silence Of ninety Sec
onds. and So all through all the hours Of the day
and night The light is white in color. with red
rays between southwest and west anu south
| southwest and shines steadily.
! The cap. cod Lighthouse is connected with Bos-
ten by tclcgr i2h. 4 signal display station reads
the messages signallcd from passin% SHIPS, and
within a minute these messages ar IN Boston
The light is situated on the highlands ~ cape
Cod facing the ocean two hundred beet above
IN. level If n. sea The building Is all white
and can hc seen 10y vessels twenty miles away
lis pahoIl trumpet s-nds forth continually blasts
eight seconds long. with intervals "i hall
minute II silence
The entranr- Of Delaware Bay Is Guarded py
the Cape May lighthouse. ~, feet high This
Light can Toe seen FOR a distance 90 nineteen
miles one Il the highest lighthouse In the
United States is the one at Block Island Rhode
Island l. is .Ui feet high. and shows nxed
white light that can be- seen FOR a distance OF
twentv-tWo miles.
Tn, Ioncso,ncncss and thu dangers ~ the posi-
ton Of Nghthous, keeper are apparent that
In tina, capacity. and get in the United states
some twenty women hold this responsible and
ofttiu.s dangerous post There ar" hrroines.
too among them who's. deeds hay" been SO
heroic a. io command tn" admiration ~ the
brave everywhere. Ida Wilson Lewis. The st0r!
of who's, hr avery is too we'll known Z" need
rctclinr here. kee per Of Linn" Rock lighthouse.
Newport. Rhode Island. has rescued eleven per-
sons Fivc p.ppl, owe their lives {" tn c"urage
- Mrs Blake keeper ~ the Lighthouse at Rob"
bins Reef N Iompknsvillc. Ncw-fork Hdrbor.
Heroic Jane Mnlhy. keeper II tn l.k Neck
Lighthouse. In Chesapeake Bay. during terrible
storm Il wind and hail in 1891 pushed her own
boat on, from tho safety IF Elk Neck Rock
into tn" ancrv waters and rescued six men,
whom sh. saN struggling In frail boat when
the great waves threatened To swamp each
momrNt
Few peopl" except scamcn. know ANYTHING
nhou, the number II liEhtships which tn" United
States keeps lnooIcd in dangerous places. FAR out
i'm the ocean and exposed To- all thc pcrIls ~ the
stormy SEA From Boston to Galveston there IS
an almost unhrokcn line Of these floating light
houses placed where they can best warn the
mariner II .ltaerr. Fastened to the ocean
bottom with great anchors. strong chains OF
haws.rs. thcS, lirhtships keep lonely rgls over
the surrounding waters. and when the heavy
storms and seas sweep down the coast the bright
flashes If their electric lights. the loud blasts
Of their steam whistles or the deep boom boom
~ their great l. lis warn the storm-tosse sa'or
lads from hidden dangers and guide them Oh