The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-01-25
LIFE m LIGHTHOUSES.
Much Worse Than Prison. and Keepers
Lose Their Minds.

Lose I00lf Mluoos
During the storms that rage inter
mittently around our coasts in winter
the landsman's mind turns in sympa'
thy toward those who In ship or life
boat are fighting the waves for deal
life. But how often does he give one
thought to the men who immune them.
selves In the lighthouses that stud oul
coast line?
Il would rather spend my life In q
penal settlement than be lighthouse
keeper" declared gentleman to the
writer, after visit to the Bishop light
house, of the Cornish coast "A con.
vict does see a little of the world he
lives in, but a lighthouse keeper sees
nothing but a dreary expanse of wa
ter. l am not surprised that many OF
them should lose their mental ball
ance."
The visitor to the Bishop lighthouse
did not over color the picture. 1t was
only the other day that one read of the
Longships lighthouse, also off the coast
of Cornwall, having been completely
isolated for many weeks in conse-
quence of fearful storms. The keepers
had been reduced to smoking coffee.
hops and tea leaves, though, fortunate
ly, they had not wanted for food.
The keepers of the famous Eddy
stone lighthouse not infrequently find
themselves in a similar predicament.
In a gale the waves that buffet them
selves against this wonderful monu-
ment to the engineering skill of the
country are Of such stupendous magni-
tude that they rise to a height Of 200
feet, and sweep right over the Ian
tern. To those cooped up inside the
sound of these waves is like that of a
battery of guns at close quarters. AT
such times the house shakes like q
tree with a man on the top of it," was
the graphic description of one who
spent many years of life there.
The new Eddystone is the roomiest
and most comfortable of all our rock
lighthouses. A sectional view shows
the various compartments, commenc-
ing at the bottom with the water tank.
then the entrance, the two oil recepta-
cles, the store room, the crane, the liv-
ing apartment, the low light, the bed
room and the service room. Formerly
only two keepers were employed in
the lighthouse, but grim incident re-
suited in their number being increased.
One of tie two men died. So fierce ran
the seas that the remaining keeper
could not get the body of his late COM
rade to the shore. For month the
tempestuous weather continued and for
month the surviving keeper lived
alone in that solitary place with the
body as his only companion. He was
afraid to. cast it into the waves for he
might be accused of murder.
Keepers of rock lighthouses do not
last long. The incessant pounding Of
the waves against the building, the
loneliness, the want of fresh air and
exercise reduce the men to a state Of
nervousness that is sometimes pitiful
to behold. They require a fortnight's
leave every six weeks, but this liberal
allowance does little to improve their
state. A medical man whose
duty it is to pay periodical visits to
one Of our lighthouses confesses that
there is no remedy for the ills pecu-
liar to the keepers except retirement.
The utter isolation of the silent SEN
tinels of our coast is well illustrated
by the case of the Bishop lighthouse
aforementioned, which stands right out
in the Atlantic. Not once in a year
is it calm enough for the superintend-
ent to land his stores at the lighthouse
steps. They have to be hauled up by
means of a windlass from above. A
visitor bold enough to visit the place
Is admitted" in similar way. He
places one foot in a moose at the end
Of a rope, which is thrown down to his
boat, and gripping the rope firmly
above his head he is drawn up to the
set off," as the plinth round the light
house is called Thence he climbs up
! perpendicular ladder to the door of
he lighthouse.
Superstition adds a terror to the life
If the men in this lighthouse, for the
irst structure was washed away bodi-
y, and the keepers believe that the
'ock is haunted. A fear of a different
Kind keeps the men of Muckle Flugga
ighthouse-the most northern point of
the tenterhooks of a ter
'ible suspense. On three occasions the
huge black rock on which the light
louse stands has been shaken by an
earthquake.
There is something comical, though
of the stiff-necked Scot
n story which comes from a neigh
,oring lighthouse, which is in charge
# two different families. They live
N desert island. From year end to
ear end they never see a visitor, ex-
ept the man who brings their stores.
Eighteen months ago the heads of the
wo families quarreled and ever since
hey have ceased to speak.
At the shore lighthouse of Ushinish
he keepers family have to travel 40
niles to kirk. 1t is no reflection on
heir piety to add that they are not
egular attendants.
A lighthouse keeper receives a max
mum wage of 1915 a year, out of
'hich he has to supply his own ra-
ions. These consist of such unap-
etizing edibles as timed beef and
ard biscuits, usually washed down |
nth weak tea and condensed milk. No
liquors are allowed.-Lon-
on Mail.