The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-07-29
Uncle Sans Beacon LIohts.

Every nlRnt uncle sam lights his
fires in 1905 lighthouses, beacons and
buoys. Over his dark oceans they
shine to welcome and guide the ships
Of all the world. They stand in inland
states on every river where vessels
float. They beckon the laundering
steamboats, of the mighty Mississippi.
They are sacred fires indeed. Who
ever might meddle with United
States light, or set up a false light,
would be liable to Imprisonment for
ten years.
Uncle Sans lights are divided into
four great classes. Leading them all
are the primary seacoast lights, that
send out immense beams, many of
which can be seen sixteen miles at
sea.
In the second class are the secou-
dairy seacoast lights and lake coast
lights. Though they are called Sec
ond class" to distinguish them from
the first class monster lights. they are
the finest lights in the world, equalled
only by a few famous lights on the
British and French coasts. .....
The third class is made up Of light
vessels, the strangely shaped, sturdy
ships with basket-work like fiat metal
disks on the tops of their stump masts.
these disks are the day signals and
the big lights, mostly electric, are
hauled up the masts by wire cables
at night.
In the fourth class of lights, Uncle
Sam has grouped his sound, bay, river
and harbor lights. They are of all
kinds. Some Of them are big light
houses. Others are lanterns fed with
oil and suspended from mere poles set
on banks or In shallow waters.
The most interesting and impress
sive of these lights are the huge float
ing metal buoys that are filled with oil
or gas enough to keep the light burn
ing for two months without needing
attention.
The lights on these bouys are never
extinguished. They burn day and
night. 1t is cheaper and better to let
them burn constantly after the buoy
has been filled, than 1t would be to go
out each morning ana extinguish the
light and each night to re-kindle 1t,
for some Of them lie far away from
shore and most of them lie in danger
GUS places.
Among the finest of the American
lights are the two that burn 1913 feet
above the sea In two great towers on
Cape Elizabeth at Casco Bay In
Maine. One of these is steady white
~ ate
varied by a white flash that appears
once every minute. The two lights
can be seen II IA miles out at sea
Cape Ann has two lights that are
set so high above the ocean that they
can be seen even farther away, ships
having sighted the pure white rays
10 miles at sea.
The Cape Cod light which flashes out
a dazzling beam every five seconds has
been seen 20 miles at sea in clear
weather.
A beautiful light is the one at Gay
Head on the Massachusetts coast. II Is
visible 10 miles away and 1t sends out
a great flash every ten seconds. Three
times 1t flashes white. Then a deep,
fiery red flash shoots over the water.
Then come three white flashes again
and so on. as regular as the finest
clock.
But the mightiest of them all is the
great Navesink light that towers from
the high land at the entrance to New
York harbor. 1t stands 246 feet above
sea level, and every five seconds flashes
white electric beam more powerful
than most searchlights. Fifteen miles
away, its glare blinds the beholder. In
ordinary weather 1t is visible 22 IA
miles at sea and the sailors have re-
ported that they saw the fash on the
sky 35 miles and even 80 miles away
from land.-New York Press.