Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-05
RAM ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE.
work Being Rushed on Much Needed
Structure

Inc United States engineers and the
Lighthouse board are performing a
iiotaply good example of tower con-
structlon at Ram island ledge, Port
iand Harbor where all records for light
mouse building are being broken.
Inc work when it was started early
in the spring was favored with the
most perfect weather. and phenomenal
progress was made. Then there came
a bad spell of weather, but this was
followed by another long period of
calm Seas and one could see the
structure mount higher each day.
1t is now assuming definite shape,
and climbing skyward at an astonish-
ing rate of speed, considering the
nature of the work, and extremely
rough and dangerous spot where it is
located.
At the present time the tower stands
out beautiful white which when the
water dashes over it as it does in
nearly all of the high winds, assumes
darker hue. Without doubt when the
storms of one or two winters have
dashed themselves against it, it will
take on the darker color permanently
and finally like Minot's ledge light, off
the Massachusetts coast. which is it's
duplicate, it will become. a dirty color,
and at low tide green sea MOSES and
seaWeed will be seen clinging to its
base, as it does now to the rock on
which it stands.
The structure will be ninety-one feet
above mean low water and of the sec
ond class. The material for the stone
work is Vinal Haven granite. There
will be twenty stones to the course and
twenty blocks to the course. The base
stones weigh four tons each, and the
upper course blocks will vary from
three to two and one-half tons each
The lower course blocks are keyed to
the ledge by steel bolts two and one
quarter inches in diameter, four bolts
to each block. The bolts are sunk
three feet into the ledge and project
eight feet into the granite blocks.
Each lower course block is bolted with
a wrought iron band to the next block.
and the whole of the base ring is
mass of granite blocks, bolts and
straps. The average weight of each
course. from the lowermost to the mid
die of the structure, is 100 tons, includ-
ing stone, bolts, bonds and cement.
The tower at the base measures
twenty eight feet in diameter. At the
top, measuring from the balcony desk,
the specifications call for the diameter
of twenty-four feet The cistern will
be lined with concrete, and will be
twenty-five feet deep and three feet
and six inches in diameter. There will
be four storage and living rooms. all of
he same size, viz. fourteen feet in
diameter and six feet high. The
character of the light has not been set
led by The Lighthouse board. But it
has been determined that the fog
signals connected Herewith will be
actuated by a gas engine and of the
compressed air trumpet type. Fifty
four years have elapsed since the
Lighthouse board and the commercial
bodies of Portland suggested that
lighthouse be built on Ram island
ledge. Since that time nine ships
have gone ashore on that ledge. Many
times. as in the case of Captain BOland,
of the Allan liner Bohemian, a ship
master, confused by the Two Lights
and by Portland Head light, in certain
kinds of weather. has managed to steer
lear of Ram island ledge only to go
ashore on adjacent lodges. With Ram
island ledge lighthouse in good con-
dition, Portland harbor will be amply
supplied with night marks for the
mariners