Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1903-07-30
LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM.
That of Our Government Is Without
an Equal In the World.
Upwards Of Fffay Vesssls And Over
-Four III usand Men Engaged In
the Ssrviee-IntereStinG
Particulars.

The necessity for affording aid and
protection to vessels along a seacoast
Of excessive length has resulted in
tnc development by the United States
g,,elnment Of a lighthouse system
W.Ich is generally admitted to be with
out a parallel on the globe, says the
Chicago Daily News.
Employed in one way or another in
the supervision and maintenance Of
the lighthouse system are upward OF
so vessels and between 1000 and 5000
men. The phase of the operations at
once the most interesting andthe most
picturesque is performed by the light
house tenders-vessels of various
sizes within the range of the opera
tons of which are found all manner
of tasks from the conveyance OF ma
teral and supplies to the most isolated
lighthouses and lightships to the re-
plenishment of the gas supply in those
novel buoys which are illuminated
continuously for several months as the
result of one charging.
There are now in the service OF the
United States 35 steam tenders, ii
steam launches and two sailing ten
ders--a lighthouse fleet without
counterpart in the world-and the ag-
grerate of the officers and crews OF
which amounts to nearly 1000 men.
If the recommendation OF the United
States lighthouse board is carried out
the feet will shortly be increased by
the addition of four new steel tenders.
One of these will be a hands ONE vessel
to be constructed at cost OF Sl3l.'
600 for carrying on the Porto Rican
lighthouse service. The vessels now
on this unique squadron, in addition
to the important part which they play
in all works of construction under
taken by the engineer branch OF the
lighthouse board. and the care given
to the thousands of buoNs maintained
by his government also distribute each
year supplies valued at about $780,
600.
In the lighthouse feet are vessels OF
several distinct types and, indeed the
development of the tender to its pres
ent high plans of efficiency may be
traced by means of vessels yet IN serV-
ice. One of the pioneer craft is the
wooden sidewheel steamer Geranlum.
which is in service on the coast or
Maine. This vessel was built in 1863
and is of only 356 tons buroen, but she
steams. on an average, about 5000
miles a year in discharge of her
l, -t-+, OH U II
maintenance of buOys. Another wood
en- sidewheeler, the Nerbena, built IN
1870. is also in service on the New Eng
and coast.
An adequate appreciation OF the
characteristics of the latest approved
type of craft for lighthouse service
may be gained from the stipulatlons
in the specifications for the steamer
Magnolia. to be constructed at cost
of about $l25,0O0 for service along the
Florida coast and in the Gulf of Mex
leo. This tender has a length over
all of 173 feet; length between per-
pendicuars. 165 feet; beam nodded,
30 feet, and a depth of hold of i feet.
She is fitted with two compound sur
face condensing engines and steam
is furnished by two Scotch boilers
capable of developing about $50 lndl-
Gated horsepower.
This vessel is unique and of special
interest from the fact that the natura
conditions of the district in which she
is to operate render it imperative fhat
the steamer shall be so constructed
as to make it possible to alter, when
necessary. not only her trim, but her
draft of water. A vessel with great
draft could not, for instance. act as
a tender in the Lakes and inland bays
with which this coast abOUnds, while
on the other hand, light-dratt craft
would be inefficient and even danger
Gus in performing her duties In the
open sea of the Gulf of Mexico The
problem has been solved in the case OF
the Magnolia by the construction amid
ships of ballast tank extending from
the bottom of the vessel to within
about three feet of the main deck
and the provision of trimming-tanks
forward and aft. The relative capacity
of these three tanks is such that the
draft and trim of the vessel may be
changed from six feet six inches on
an even keel for inside work to nine
feet aft and seven feet six inches for
ward for gulf service. powerful
pump fills or empties these tanks
while the vessel is on her way to or
from the gulf. The displacement OF
this ingenious craft is 72O tons, or $50
I-.o.1.. .ra f,,ll or emp<yy,