The Washington times., 1904-05-29
Captain EellS Would Fix
a Lighthouse Where
All Have Failed.
Seven Miles From the
Coast on TreacherouS
Diamond Shoals.
There 1t Would Warn
Mariners Against Rocks
and Sandy Bars.
7 F Capt. Albert F. Eens succeeds in

uF Capt. Albert F. EeIls succeeds in
building lighthouse on Diamond
4 shoal. of Cape Hattens. he win
have done something quite a number of
engineers Of distinction have projected
or actually attempted and failed. In
some cases their well laid plans have
vanished from their own minds. under
the influence of that sober second
thought philosophers so highly COM
mend: in one instance, at least. the ac-
tual structure has disappeared in the
shifting sands Of the Carolina coast.
Captain Eells, according to the terms
of the act of Congress, under which he
has to work. has rather unusual in
centive to do his best. II his lighthouse
can endure the stress Of storm and tide
for five years ne is to receive $500. 600: if
IL does not. he Will have his labor for
his pains and an excavation in his ex-
chequer as well as in the bottom Of the
ocean; for the former there will be no
varying currents to I'LL il up.
Cape Hatteras has been a menace TO
navigation since there were such things
as British colonies on this hemisphere,
and many a brave ship and gallant sea-
man have gone down beneath the
treacherous waves OF that part of the
sea. The Gulf Stream. sweeping up from
the South and bringing current OF
warm air into the colder climate. pro-
duces an area OF almost perpetual fog;
the winds are variable; the currents as
unstable as the mind of a pretty woman
and as cruel as the heart Of a bad one.
l. On 20
Atlantic Coast, and though the Gov
eminent has been constantly willing to
spend any amount Of money, reasonable
or unreasonable. to make it snfe, every
plan that has been suggested has either
been abandoned or shown by experience
to be impracticable.
Deathtrap for Seamen.
The shape and other peculiarities of
the coast at this point combine 10 rem
der all forms OF life-saving service
largely ineffective. Diamond ShOal, on
which It is purposed TO erect the light
house Is seven miles eastward OF the
mainland, from which II is separated
by an expanse of shallow water, fecked
and disturbed by rocks and shoals
and sandy bars, in which It would be
impossible for a ship TO live The bot
tom Is sandy and treacherous, and the
winds and currents. coming from all d.
rections and changing without appreci-
able reason. make it a matter Of i'm
possibility for even the most experienced
pilots OF the neighborbood TO tell for
twenty-four hours in the future what
the currents will be.
OF course, it has always been easy
enough to erect a lighthouse on the
mainland-but this has not served the
purpose. It's light has not penetrated far
enough out TO sea to warn of the ships
in the mask OF the fog. and they have
gone ashore on the banks OF Diamond
Shoal. II Is to place a light and fog
signal on the shoal that the past efforts
have been directed.
In 1881 Anderson & Barr. a New York
firm Of engineering architects. obtain
ed from Congress an appropriation TO
build a lighthouse on this dangerous
coast. Their plan involved the sinking
OF a steel caisson. which 1t was hoped
would anchor on a secure foundation
and thus permit the erection Of the
superstructure The work was begun
with nigh hopes OF ultimate success.