New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-20
LOOKING OUT FOR JACK
UNCLE SANS CARE OF THE BUoYs AND
HARBOR LIGHTS
THE GIANT LENS TO BE PUT IN fosiIloN AZ
NAvEsINK HIGHLANDS HAULED
OUT FOR REPAIRS AT ToMP-
KISSVIILE.

KINSVIII.E.
Tho huovs that mark the channel approaching
New-york Harbor and those placed inside IN
horho, n mark the anchorage grounds OF ve'
sels that are in the harbor seem 70 the ae'ae
person 10 be small affairs. All that Passenti
IN the deck Of a vessel sees is the top oil one
these buoys bobbing up and down VIZ" '"' "'
He nrobably does not realize that they A'e
great size. or that they have 10 oe "".."'0 -'
"a rod FOR with the utmost vlghah0e' i"' o."
aoa ,andsman sees the buoys ahcho'e' AZ WA
various stations ard as RUE h's '''e f
., ,ho, those warnings TO mariners ons
,,oc.a remain in their positions for years
visit 10 the general depot u the Hgh'io"se 80
lishnent a, Tompkinsville staten is'"n' 49,.
he a revelation to the average '"'' =,
has seen the buoys as they We're
never followed up their history VI eo''''' ~
The station at Tompkinsvle not ohs '"
,.adouar,ers Of the inspector OF the Ih4ra Ls"'
house District but is also the supply S'a'''A :"
III ~ o,bar districts Here the repairs az
made on all the buoys. and mere '"e sNfr'.
kent FOR the various lighthouses on the A0a4-.
coast. The Third District IS under the 0nA
Commander W. NJ. Foger. II eA'e"l' I'VE
Elisha Ledge, off Warren POINT H. H.
point on the coast OF Ne"-Jeises o''''''
Shrewsbury Rocks. and includes the 'euse '''
the rocks. II embraces all aids 70 haNga"0h 70
the coasts Of Rhode Island, Connecticut W.
York and New-Jersey nOrth~ard ot the POM
opposite Shrewsbury Rocks Long Island so'a'
and Lakes Champlain and Memphremagog.
The local work Of the Inspector. as confined p"
"a d
outside of the numerous ghtships and lsa'
houses over two hundred buoys, when mu"
watched most carefully. The result OF the shi''
ing OF these buoys may prove disastrous Wv
vessels coming in or leaving ms port ''
slightest change in the location OF even one "
the two hundred buoys may mean the grea''''
Inconvenience to shipping interests. lhis v"
shown in a marked way when the steamers
Bretagne and Kaiser Wilhelm IL went as'ouA'
recently in Gedney Channel as result OF Wv
shifting OF the buoys located there. TINS SHY
ing was the result of the flow OF Ice down wv
Hudson which disabled the buoys. Ice Is eV''
sidered the greatest enemy that the Lighthouse
Department has TO deal with. Vessels may oh'
In collision with the buoys and displace tnsH-
but this fact is at once communicated 10 the ~
a
placed in It's original position: but when /"
comes down and gathers around the ouoys NV
only one. bu, many, are displaced. for''D'
awaits TIE person who can invent an iron DUO"
that will remain in position and Withstand I"
attacks OF the ice. Several experiments ~"
been made. but all have proved failures.
The only thing the department can DO Is "
take up each winter the iron buoys thar Nv
placed in New-York Harbor and substitute sp1
or wooden buoys. This is done every season y
this district, and as a result the station
Tompknsville now presents picturesque sisn~
with the iron buoys scattered about the yaf'A
The bell. can. nun, whistling and gas buoys S'
slowed side by side. Some are on the whA'-
others In the yard. and still others are ID Wv
various shops being overhauled ready 70
placed In position as soon as all danger from "
b over.
The plant where these buoys are stored -
eaudes, In addition to the necessary storehou's
and offices, Q complete machine shop, 0'AS>