Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-01-14
Correspondence.
Mt. Desert Rock.


To the Editor of The American:
Seaing 80 many articles in the papers
about 1.-THE Rock", would like to say q
few words In regard to that '.iittie piece
OF terra frmd out In the Atlantic which
is counted the most lonesome and DESC
late OF any OF the light ststionsn, as
printed In The AMERICAN last week.
The correspondent must have limited
knowledge Of the place, or be would
never have written as he did.
"Tbe ok" ia much nicer now than II
used to be. for Uncle Sam Is making
improvements every year.
About forty. five y, ars ago, my grand
ether, John Deliver, took his wife and
three children, the oldest, Fannie, about
seven years old, my mother, and went on
tue Rock and spent one winter as second
assistant. lie and his family lived In the
tower, which has very good accommoda.
tons, much better than the majority Of
DWELLING houses at that time.
The keeper, with his first assistant, lived
In the old stone house. Some years later
new house was built for the keeper, and
the assistant lived in the stone house
which has been torn down, aud . large
two.stosy double tenement wooden house
built for ASSISTANTS.
There are but three men, not SIX as told
about-tbe keeper, first and second assist
ant; each man has his family II he has one,
ard they all have one, as the government
does not give he position to boyP. Each
man has his family with him at present,
snd the first assistant has q four-year-
Old boy, and one eight months old
Each man has a ten days leave at the
first OF each month to go to his home.
he mails the papers from the station to
The government, and waits for the returns.
He also gets supply OF needed provisions
for the next month. They have always
Kept up this system OF coming here to
Southwest Harbor or Bass Har Dor every
month until last winter. Then after Jan
usry, they hired a sloop from Bass Harbor
TO go to them and carry them such things
~ they needed and the mail, and take
their orders from the next month.
This winter they have hired a sloop
from uthwest Harbor.
AS to their Dot seeing any one only when
the light tender calls, that is as big a
mistake as all the rest, for there is not a
week through the summer that there 10
not company for one or the other Of the
keepers, and quite often through the
winter.
The article also stated t hat he Rock was
t.ob ,,n fou n 0f
1t is about seven acres at low tide, ana
three acres at hig h tide. So you can see
It is not quite 30 small as some seem to
think.
Very often when the St. John steam
ers pass, they throw be xes OF fruit and
Keepers, and they go off and get them.
Each may have a certain number OF hours
TO watch day and night, and every thiro
eight in, that is, he does not have to
watch. OF course III thick weather, when
they have to keep the whistle blowing,
tney do not have it quite SO easy.
Besides the tower and the two large
dwelling houses which are both built OF
wood, there are large bell tower aud b
large boat house; also henhouse wher.
hey keep some hens.
People who do not know aDyt thing
about the Rock think 1t is a terrible
> ace, but for the last thirty years somt
my relatives or near .neig bors hav.
'een living here, 80 you see / am not
without some knowledge about theiI
WAYS and means.
All Of our fishing boats and vessels fl b
'-sr The Rock, and always bring som,
I'd to he people here.
1t is sonnet hing Of a mystery about the
ug going ashore. If they had been run
aing for it, nine times out of ten the.
"uid not have sighted 1t unless tn,
sather was clear. AS 1t WAS thick with
now, II they had kept a good lookout
'rward. they would have been able to Sc,
ne iignt aud hear the whistle in ampr'
me to change their course ard go cita'
The Rock on either side. Then, again,
hen the other tug went TO the rescue, !
no reason why the men could poI
ave stayed on he Rock until such tim.
IL got smooth enough to land, and ]
zee no need Of jumping from tue Rocl
swimming to the boat which came to
e-cue them | cannot see how they got
trough The surf alive IL it was SO rougi
ne boat could not land.
The station is supplied with a we'll
,ocked medicine chest, and first class
octor's book, so there was no need Of
ny one suffering long In need of medi
al attendance. as the cause Of all heir
roube was from the cold and exposure.
A togel her tn. re are many werse pIaces
tnan Mt Desert Rock.
MRS. r. E. NEWMAN.
In, spirit OF Winter.