Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1903-10-15
LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM.
That u Our Government = without
N Equal In the World.
UDwasAs % FAAHy Vessels ana over
toaf TAossAnd Men gagged n
the Sssvies-lnteresslng
P~aRtlcuIAes.
The necessity for affording aid and

The necessity for affording aid and
protection to vessels along "A seacoast
OF excessive length has resulted il.
the development by the United States
government Of "a lighthouse system
which is generally admitted to he with
out a parallel on the globe, says the
Chicago Daily News.
Employed in II way or another in
the supervision and maintenance of
the lighthouse system are upward Of
so vessels and between 1000 and 5000
men. The piiase OF the operations at
once the most interesting ardthe most
picturesque is performed by the light
house tenders-vessels of various
sizes within the range OF the opera
lions Of which are found all manner
Of tasks from the conveyance OF ma
terial and supplies to the most isolated
lighthouses and lightships 10 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 tho
United States IS steam tenders, II
bteAm launches and two calling ten
lers-A lighthouse feet without .
counterpart in the world-and the az.
tregate OF the officers and crew Of
which amounts to nearly 1000 men,
4 the recommendation Of the United
states lighthouse board is carried out.
he fleet will shortly be increased by
the addition Of four new steel tenders.
Dne Of these will be q handsome vessel
30 be constructed at a lost of $13l.-
Zoo 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 are giver
10 the thousands of buoys maintained
by his government. also distribute eacf
year supplies valued at about $780,
boo.
In the lighthouse fleet are vessels o:
distinct types and, indeed, thu
development Of the tender to it's pres
emit high plane Of efficiency may b
by means OF vessels yet in serv.
ice. One Of the pioneer craft is the
sidewheel steamer Geranium.
which 10 in service on the coast Of
This vessel was built in 1868
Ind IL Of only $50 tons burden. but she
on an average. about soon
miles . year in discharge of hei
luties. which consist. principally Of the
maintenance OF buoyA. Another woods
N sid9wheeler, the verbena. built in
1870. Il also In eesviee on the New Eng.
and coast.
An adsdNAAx appreciation Of the
AAtacteristacs Of the latest approved
type Of craft for lighthouse service
nAy be gained from the stipulations
a the specifications for the steamer
Magnolia. to be constructed Mt a cost
bf about 3l25, 900 for service along the
Forida c0ast md in the Gulf of Mex.
leo. This tender has . length over
all Of 173 feet; length between per-
b%endiculars, 165 feet: beam nodded,
80 feet. and a depth Of hold Of IL feet.
She IL fitted with two compound sur
face condensine engines and steam
il furnished BY two Scotch boilers
capable of developing about $50 indi.
cated horsepower.
This vessel is unique and Of special
interest from the fact that the natural
conditions Of the district in which she
Is to operate rehder ii imperative that
.