The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-12-26
VIEW LAMP FOR FAMOUS LIGHT
che fixed white Beacon So Less at
Highland Ligkt Turned Ost
for Good.

ight has passed out of existence.
Aftcr sending forth its warning rays
10 passing marines for over n century,
he wicks were slowly turned down by
Keeper Rich few days ago and the
white beacon's work was done.
Lighted for the first time in 1927.
or more than century this great
liked white light Of the first order has
,ast its rays over the ocean.
For several years seamen have
Stained that the light would he of
much greater service II il could be
changed from a fixed to flashlight.
z. c. Preston, secretary Of the Boston
chamber Of commerce. took up the
| question, and was able TO interest the
officers Of the lighthouse department
IL Washington, and the change is the
result.
The present tower was rebuilt in
1857, u white cylindrical brick Struc.
ture rising 6j feet above the clay
'lifs on which il stands. The center
" the lamp is $50 feet above sea level
The lamp now being removed was
placed in this tower when i was re.
built and was of 1O.000->hudlc power
rhc new lamp. when installed in the
permanent tower. will represent .
power of 10000 candles.
| The revolving machinery floats ir
q bed OF mercury. \ circular iron base
weighing one ton forms basin ir
which 900 pounds of mercury support
the whole structure above and allow
i h. mn t ms 90. xxt
tior. The lens is four sided and Is
borne upon platform six feet in III
amctcr.
| The lens Is formed of 30 prismS ar
ranged IN tiers. the diameter Of Tho
cylinder being nine feet and its height
IL feet The light from the lamp
which j. supplied with five cylindrica
wicks, one within the other. and con
suming two quarts Of kerosene oil
nightly. is concentrated by the prisms
and thrown out through central bulls.
eyes on each of the four sides.
The apparatus makes one complete
| r, voluiiOn every 20 seconds, and. being
four-sidcd. causes u fash of ligh,
through the bull's-cycs once every
five seconds. the duration of tn,
fash being approximately onc-hali
seconds.
Col. W. :. Stanton. of the engineers
department. wishing Ia produce q
light that should he satisfactory tc
those whom il Is intended to benefit
caused Ia he set up at the machin,
shops OF the lighthouse department il
liosion an apparatus in dark room
and invited sea captains from al
classes of vessels to inspect IL and eN
press their opinion of the proper KIND
of fash To adopt. The present ar
rangcmcnt is the result. When light
ed the permanent light will have /;
range of 40 to 80 miles. but 30 miles
will he about the limit of practical oh
servation.
The lamp apparatus was purchased
In FrGNce at a cost of $4,000. brought
10 the government buildings at Slater
Island, y. ", set up and thorough,
tested, then repacked and brought t6
Provincetown, September L.. an,
trucked to the lighthouse. says tn,
Boston Globe. The entire apparatus
with its packings. weighs over IL tons
The lamp. which has superseded In,
original light. j. of the third ordet
and .s placed in a temporary struc
turc Of the same height as the origina
tower and standing within few fee
Of il on the eastern or ocean side an,
will be thu most powerful light in thi
country, with the possible exception
of the electric light at the highland
Of Navesink, entrance of New YoTl
harbor.
IL is necessary tn remove quite
portion OF the glass and iron frame q
the tower in order To admit some a.
the heavier pieces which weigh n fu'
ton. The old lamp will h" taken 4
,ieccs. packed and sent Ia the static
Al Staten Island, subject Ia order an
may some day light the way In Manil
bay or Porto Rico.