The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-22
"SHOAl, WARE SnOAl!"

,CAILORS say that there are two
graveyards in the Atlantic one OF
Sable island and the other at Cape
Hatteras. The wrecks that strew
the sea bottom around the little piece
of land between the Grand Banks and
the mainland are mostly caused by the
dense fogs that. prevail most of the
year. misleading Shippers westward
and eastward bound. until too late
they find themselves upon the rocks.
Fog, is only a lesser peril OF the
Hatteras weather. The cape IS Known
the seven seas over as the worst OF
storm centers. The fury of its winds,
the sweep of Its terrible cross seas
and tlles treachery of its furhfng
shoals are a by-word in the mouth OF
every deep sea sailor. IL is. there that
the government has Just set the new
and powerful Iightship No, q, stauncn-
est of its kind to warn ships from the
invisible perils of the coast.
The dangers of Hatteras are general
w unseen. Even ia fine weather the
water at high tide entirely cQnceals the
reefs Of Ia eyed rock upon which many
a ship has beaten herself TO. Pieces.
But fine weathers is rare ttherea bouts.
Seldom does the sun rise clear upon the
low sand spit running far out into the
ocean. Every storm that reaches the
coast seems to- seek out E1atteras for
the display of its greatest Vialenees
During a northeast. or southeast gale
its rocky. seawar6i STRETCHING lodges
turn the ocean currents into a vortex;
and then there is no spot in the oceans
of the world more to be feared. Ire
mendous crOSs-Seas rise and sweep the
waters for many miles out 70 sea. a
real Hatteras storm often extends ITS
influence between 200 and 500 miles
outward
If the reefs of Hatteras were situated
at a different point on the coast line
the cape would not have its evil yepu-
tation. But they lie in wait at the, most
leasteriy point of the South Atlantic
coast. and vessels bound 10 and fEo
( between southern nortS and such cities
as New York and Phladflphltt, as Wen
as. the feet of steamships Faaich load
TAT Gulf cities for Europe and coal at
Norfolk and Newport News, must pass
licioSe BY. The cape is also close to- the
! direct route between South Atlantic
ports and Great Britain, saT1ds5if q ship
i captain loses his reckoning even by a
few miles he is liable 10 come danger
ousiy near it
/ Since the first American monitor
went to the bottom of the sea off Caps
F4atteras hundreds Of Graft, frofn
! the fishing snaacks.. to- the liner. have
/ been its victims, and thousands OF
i lives have been lost il its stormy Wa
| ters. Realizing this, con stant menace
| 10 the Navigator the government has
/ spent millions OF dollars trying to find
warning to ships Time and again
ffiahth uses have been pI2nned, ane
/ the work gotten3.ygeIl under way, but
j sooner or, later, often after months ol
| work. the treacherous qllicksands
have engulfed the most solid founda-
lions and sometimes assingle night @.
storm has demolished the structure
4 Floating bloss efsRarfeuss kinds have
been tried, but these have also beer
quickly washed away. After careful
u Consideration, the United states light
i house board decided to haves-a light
X ship constructed which would be strons
tenough TO Withstand the heaviest sea.
II and provide illumination which 4couIs
be seen at long distance on IN
4 storTaiest night. The first ship. striel
wasn't of. sufficiently heavy caiibre