Evening star., 1901-11-05
National System Of Beacons and
Lift III Houses
ESTIMATES FQR, irHE LOCAL DISTRICT
Work Done on the Potomac and
Is g
Its. Tributaries.
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY USED

The light house board has made its an
nual report to Secretary Gage for the fis-
cal year ended June 80 last. This shows
that at the close Of the year there were
under c9Atrol Of the board the following
named Gids to navigation: Light houses
and beacon lights. 1.306; light vessels in po-
s1tion, 45: light vessels fer relief, S;-eleetrie-
lighted bueys IN. position, II; gas-lighted
buoys in position, 81; fog signals operated
by steam, caloric, or oil engines, 10;
fog signals operated by clock work,
~: post lights, 1897: day or unlighted
beacons. 752; whistling buoys in position,
n; bell buoys in position, 122; other buoys
in position. including pile buoys and stakes
IN fifth district and buoys in Alaskan
waters, 47S0.
In the construction, care and maintenance
OF these aids to navigation there were en-
pioyed: Steam tenders. "a; steam launches,
IL: sailing tenders. 2; light keepers. !. .420;
otner employees, Including crews of light
ships and tenders 42S: IaborerS in charge
of post lights, 1,574
Ihe board asks for appropriations for the
different branches Of the work 1t asks for
four new tenders and for the completion
OF three tenders for which partial ap-
preparations have been made.
The Porto Rican Service.
Efforts have been made to carry on the
4 u " isiSdi light 1ouSe StEf ice ny Uul
rowing occasionally small vessel from the
Navy Department and by making tempor-
airy use of a light house tender belonging
in the seventh Hight house district. The re-
suits have been so unsatisfactory that the
board has been compelled to recommend
that an appropriation Of s125,000 be made
to provide suitable seagoing tender to be
devoted to both construction and mainten-
ance duty In the light and buoy service in
Porto Rfcan waters, and especially for car
ry1ng light house supplies and material
| from the mainland to the islands.
Since May I, 1899, the. Porto Rican light
house service has been under the charge
| of the light house board. Congress, by the
act approved June @, 1900, appropriated s6O,
900 to maintain existing aids to navigation
and complete the construction of the Mona
| Island light, near Porto Rico. and those
! on adjacent islands. By the act approved
| on March g. 1901, an appropriation was
made of $4,000 to maintain aids to snavi-
| CATION In Porto Rfcan waters. AS the buoy
age system for these waters will have to be
! almost entirely reconstructed, 1t is esti-
! mated that an appropriation of $4,000 Will
| be needed to do this and to maintain the
| existing Porto, Rican light house system
during the coming year.
| The following Recommendation made in
| the boards last annual report is renewed
| 1T Is also recommended that $4,000 be APP
propriated to maintain the Hawaiian light
| house establishment in case it should be
| turned over to the light house board"
Wireless Telegraphy.
| The light house board repeats some sug-
gestions made by it last year as to wire
| less telesraphy, and then says:
Permission. was given to one of the great
New York daily newspapers to connect the
| Nantucket shoals light vessel with the
Island of Nantucket by the Marconi sys-
| TEN for experimental purposes, with ap-
| parent satisfactory results. r
| while the board does not propose to
either gather or'dtsseminate marine news
| it Is quite desirous In the interests of COM
merce and navigation as well as of economy
| to be put into early and quick communica-
| ton with its outlying light vessels and
| light houses, and it Is for this purpose
alone that 1t asks an appropriation to en-
| able it to install a wireless system of teleg-
| raphy between such points In the light
| house establishment shall seem to be
most necessary"
The Local District.
For the fifth light house district which
includes Washington and the Potomac
river, the board makes the following re-
quest for appropriations: Baltimore light
and fog-signal station. Maryland, addition
al 100000; Ragged Point light and fog
signal station. Virginia. $4,000: Bodie
Island light station, North Carolina. keep
ers dwelling, $500; Fort Washington light
station, Potomac river, Maryland, new
tower $1,000; Chester river range lights,
Maryland, $1,000; Cape Lookout light sta
ton, North Carolina, keepers dwelling. ST.
800; Cape Lookout Shoals light vessel.
North Carolina, 500, 900; Lazaretto Point light
house depot. Maryland, keepers dwelling.
$500; Washington, D. c., rebuilding light
house wharf, 100000; tender Juniper for
the fifth light house district, completing.
$4,000
The Light House Wharf.
Tha Ia of ho ri 40
last year as to the light house wharf in
this city is renewed, as follows:
'"The old wharf at o and Water streets,
Washington, D. c., belonging to the gov
ernment, was temporarily repaired for use
by the light house establishment An ex-
animation Of this wharf showed that it was
In such bad condition that only minor re-
pairs were then advisable, and they were
made so that temporarily the wharf is In
usable condition. To make 1T suitable for
the reception and temporary storage Of ma
terial, such as buoys. etc., It's complete re-
building will be required, as the sils joists
and piles show much decay.
1T is estimated that this wharf can be
put in proper condition for sum not ex-
ceeding $60, 1000, and the board recommends
that an appropriation Of this amount be
made therefor.
Points ON the Potomac,
Regarding different points on the Poto-
mac river and tributaries the board makes
the following report:
Smith Point, mouth Of Potomac river,
Virginia.-In September the cracked fog
bell was replaced by perfect one. In No
vember the recast fog bell was placed in
position. the reed box and tongue of the
trumpet signal were readjusted, an equal
izer air tank WAS Introduced and the audi
bility of heosisnal was tested In April a
fog horn replaced Eehe one blown away on
February s, 1907 4 test OF the audlbility
Of the fog signal WAS then again made In
June two heaters We're Supplied for the fog
signal apparstns ss ssRd another test was
made of the andibilitS Of the signal. Minor
Ragged Point pofomac river, va-The
following recommendation. made In the
boards last five eeanIiHal reports is renewed:
This shoal makes 3f from the west bank
of the river alta short turning point It
is important that this point be marked by
light at night and fog signal during
thick weather lit fATestimated that a light
and fog signaIi STATEN can be established
here for OO0O. and It is recommended that
an appropriation Of this amount be made
therefor
.'The price of material and labor has IN
orc nod 70 n; IL.