New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-20
FIFTY YE4RS WORK.
JFon7ars Lighthouse Keepers Record
of Half q Century.

After fry years residence at the foot Of the
lighthouse that marks the crest Of Stony Point
Mrs Nancy Rose. who for forty-seven years has
had the sole responsibility OF the points two beacon
lights and FOG bel. is going 10 give UP her arduous
LIE work and make her home down n the village
81 tbs mountains base. Mrs. Rose is seventynine
sn6 though n fine health no longer finds lighthouse
tending the work Il seemed 70 her when, young
widow and the mother Of six little children she
took Up the duty her husband laid down with his
death. O. these SIX children only TWO now
living Melinda and Alexander who 1--we with their
mother.
When the sen. who has for three years been
supervisor o. the little village OF Stony Point,
asked II he would not continue TO tend the light
even II his mother gave uD the appointment he
said eTnphatically: Not much I'd rather PICK
buck eberrtes over tho mountain for living The
daughter. too Miss Melinda Rose. though perfectly
competent 70 take her mothers place. is more than
weary OF The necessary Isolation The loneliness OF
he position indeed the main reason the family
have decided TO move. A fine new cottage is being
rsrt short distance I'D the hill back OF the rail-
road station and as soon as Il is completed the
little family Of three VIII say goodby forever to
TIE hone c. Stony Point
NOTHING EVER HAPPENED
You must have had many Interesting expert
e-ces7" Mrs Rose asked
Nc" vas the answer. Nothing ever happens
Up here. One year is exactly like another. and ex
ce7t tie weather nothing changes
No" repeated her daughter. - can't remember
anything that has ever happened, except once our
row died and several tines it's been bad years for
-1e chickens. But even the one wreck wasn't really
zhar vou might call 4 wreck. to- nobody
M and Il wasn't mothers fault anyhow for
both the lights were burning as brightly as ever.
The cottage IN which the Roses now live is only
+ve--y-three years old but the lighthouse Itself Is
sve-tv-seve- and IS built the foundation Of
Stony Point Fort, the old walls having been h-leo
fl and long sincs become terrace Of grass and
snail shrubs Dozens Of bullets and grapeshot,
rusty and SOL eaten have been found about the
Fort several fine specimens Of which Mrs. Rose
has preserved A fagpole marks the spot wheTe
Ma Anthony Wayne, CT Revolutionary fame, Is
s-,---se7 70 have fallen. and with him Jacob
PARKINSON e great-grandfathe- Of Mrs. Rose. was
wounded
r ves - The gp-trg Of 1872 that Alexander Rose
the senior received the appointment OF lighthouse
l-az-e- and 2 Few years later, while carrying tim
hers <o- the bell tower which the government was
then constructing. he ruptured blood vessel ana
cred few weeks after. Since then Gay ana
night summer and winter Cfor often the river does
rot freeze entirely over the whole season roush''
81 sco-chiug heat OF biting blizzard. Mrs Rose
tas trimmed the lights kept the fog bell going
THE ONE WRECK
n so this bell was removed from the lighthouse
on the TOP q the hill 70 something Ike an eighth
n mile nearer the water and away from the
house thus uecessitat!ng much extra LABOR ana
.y-os--e The maximum salary. however. willcl
~ Rose has received is 500 year The fog bell
machinery has 10 be wound up every three ana
-l.ree-Quarter hours and the lighthouse lamps re-
VS. 5ervree.l and o'clock on March
morning IL 1871 that the wreck OF the FG I
49, - tes- - - Y3s,b+lol,se and was chang
.-z her storm soaked clOthes-it was teIIInIe
-.ght OF wind and rain-when forty OF hfty persons
among them sever women ASKED toE 49, could
for them making roaring FIRE n me ot 4TsjTe
hot coffee until the next down train was due Que Ian,
,s-,a-n or TOD OF the bell tower near the water,
and this mas 20 be trimmed and tended hIsAt.s'
- - f~Srerror Of her Intended absence. She
must also keep record 81 weather coLq1L05is
lamps and the disposal Of every ounce o. sUPp-i7
iae and 6alf acres q govsrg57neP3t lan nc &c
with the cottage, but since the dedicaJo. OF nc
has been overrun r. summer tine with picnIckeTs
and slghtseeTs eEeFy one 81 and be shown
over the Whole place Even the matter OF reaching
means -5e e,imbn Of three sets OF steep steps or
LADDERS and the lnloehiIs 81 Coz d. @l5tstei,;
len NV coat Of gray paint has Just mace
- |q2oNorE - furnishes Ike gold There
IS even a grezt canvas hood with which the huge
keep any speck Of dust from the polished metal
Alo s-7'S VIEW OF MILES.
From, The Bt-le Balcony about the lighthouses
top one can see for miles up and down ne eAi1se
q tie great Hudson. and the snugly sAe1'heo rs
that follow course, blue and misty d - ~
80, t--, The SKY, line But the hills and the beauty
q them are an ole story 10 the old LgH -
keeper and she is looking toward eaSeI-y -, 10 ~
tIrra when she viii Zee down iu The village VIII
r@.rhrors roofs and garden walls a. e-tooh-
rr=r- lfr-le cottage III, mountain IpI = toE'ie
v-r 1,r7rtn.y roses and old fashioned shrubs anu
inside j. simply Illaao uIaie- ..a--a,-
7forgh no insuerto-'s tender comes at uncertain
{rrer.-sfS and urherslGed now with slpi!les' oi--
again ir The routine Of inspection OF the I'VE I5
dve5 Ifg--s belonging 20 this patrol MIS- fso9
is never taken wares The inspector : u -
IRE n &c Thoroughly over the premises eHeli -
g---er cellar and barn Dat no SH"tF OF ~ -
room eor e--t5-5e.s1 has De- ever Tolnc ono -
,.z.--' ..-..-..-...- cas-. ia1f III HhlHN
mi 70 r-a ra.,. t-- present keeper leaves ''ei''
Examples of fine municipal art In