Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1903-10-15
LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM,
That q Our Government Il Without
N Equal IN tho World.
CDwAs1s ~ EAAy Vessels and over
UoaF Thousand Men gagged II
the Sesvies-lnteresttng
PARtlculaRs.

The necessity for affording aid and
protection to vessels along a seacoast
OF excessive length has resulted in
the development by the United States
government OF Il lighthouse system
which 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
50 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
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-
Punishment 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
steam launches and two calling ten
terra lighthouse fleet without q
counterpart in the world-and the ag-
tregate Of the officers and crews OF
which amounts to nearly 1000 men.
4 the recommendation OF the United
states lighthouse board is carried out
he feet will shortly be increased by
the addition Of four new steel tenders.
Dne of these will be q handsome vessel
10 be constructed at a cost OF $751;
GOg 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 giver
TO the thousands OF buoys maintained
by his government. also distribute eacf
year supplies valued at about $780,,
boo.
In the lighthouse Asst are vessels o.
several distinct types and, indeed. thi
development Of the tender to it's pres
ent high plane of efficiency may b
traced by means OF vessels yet in serv.
ice. One Of the pioneer craft is the
wooden sidewheel steamer Geranium.
which 10 in service on the of
Maine. This vessel was built in 1864
And IL OF only $50 tons burden, but she
oteams, on an average, about 6,0OO
tniles . year in discharge Of het
luties. which consist. principally Of the
naintenance Of buoya. Another woods
IN sidswheelsr, the verbena. built IN
1870. IL also In service on the New Eng.
And coast. B
An AdednAAS A~ppseciation Of <hA
th~Aracteristacs Of the latest approved
type Of craft for lighthouse service
nag be gained from the stipulations
a the specifications for the steamer
Magnolia, to be constructed nj n cost
bf about $125,000 for service along the
ffforida coast and In the Gulf Of Mex.
leo. This tender has . length over
all Of 173 feet; length between per-
p~endiculars. 16s feet; beam nodded,
so feet. and a depth Of hold Of 10 feet.
She Is fitted with two compound sur.
face c~ondensine 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 retder il imperative that
A. .k~,n4u ~hn11 La -. onNsH r,eptad