The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-12

| mouse oil Hatteras is not only a necessity
but probability He thinks that it can
De bulit and he proposes to demonstrate
ais ability by carrying out his plans and
waiting fer his money until mis- work ma
~ithstocd every reasonable test. His pro-
position has been embodied in a bill which
has passed the Senatc and is now before
the House
His plans for building the lighthouse
are much the same as those of the Pitts
burg contractors who failed A casson,
hell shaped and 20 feet in diameter al Tire
oase, is to be sunk in the sand to depth
of 10 feet or as much more as may be
necessary. in 80 feet CT water, at tn
outer edge of the SHOALS and S1a miles
frcn tho mainland This caisson is TO be
lllled with masonry and concrete up to a
point at least 20 feet above mean water.
at which point it is to be q feet in diane
ter. On this a tubular steel structure is
to be erected that goes up 20 feet farther
and is % feet in diameter at the top. On
this there is to be another tubular steel
structure OF sufficient diameter to con-
tain spiral stairway leading to the top,
where there is to BE- light not less than
geo feet above mean low water level
plan, that he is not only willing to risk
his own meney in it and wait years FOR
reimbursement, but he mas secured fin
ancial backing. in it from a company OF
marine underwriters in Boston Also it
is indorsed by the Masters and Pilots
Associations and steamship lines
The only opposition to it, so far. has
ecme from the Lighthouse Board. who
claim that the plan is not practicable.
Changing the opinion held by them some
years ago, they say lighthouse on the
shoals is now possible, but they want an
appropriation of $1,6SS,OOO with which to
build 1t. The size of this estimate is ac-
counted for by the fact that they claim
it is absolutely necessary to construct
bleakwater around the lighthouse to en-
able 1t to withstand the force of thc
storms that rage almost necessarily at
Hatteras.
Though there has been no lighthouse
at Hatteras, it has OF course been neces
sary to keep there some sign to warn
ships off the shoals. How to do this has
furnished the Government with pro!-
lem that has cost it much money and
anxiety, and the attempts to solve it
make an interesting chapter in the his
| tory OF the lighthouse service.
| For nearly century a hghtship has
blen maintained at this point, and
| though at times its light is almost drown
ell IN spray and fog, it has rendered gal
liant service IN defending the place agains!
the storm dragon. The first lightship was
sent out on the shoals in the carly eos
L was schooner rugged vessel. anchored
IL the sand by sunken cable. but tb4
cable soon parted and she was blown
ashore and lost with all OF board Other
! lightships have met with the same fate
and, although in recent years the loss Of
tie vesse-s with those on board has been
lcss frequent it even now often happens
that the lightship is blown from its post
| OF duty. Only last February it was car.
ried out to sea by great storm and
three days elapsed before it could return
TO it's station.
There are two vessels built especially
Tor this purpose-No. II and No. Y. They
are steamships, equipped with powerful
lights that can be seen many miles in
clear weather, and with strong search,
lights, which are thrown Oh the clouds in
foul weather. They are stationed 50.
miles from the outer shoGl and are held
down by mushroom anchors weighing 5,O00
tons and are placed $50 foer from the ship
with huge. can buoy on her cable IN
der these condition the ship can rise with
the sea and the anchor and cable offer
little resistance to her riding the highest
waves. And yet it not intrequently nap
pens that she drags her anchor and her
cable has to be cut away.
Llghtship No. 60 was supposed to be ca.
n nj of L .f-
from the claments She was the stoutes:
whalers that 60 into the Arctic ices. anG
was held 20 her place by an immense
mushroom ancEor, but nevertheless a
storm tossed her ashore as il 50. wo:e a
shngle. TIC lighthouse engineers were
surprised at her fate, and tnen went tc
work 20 build even bigger and heavier
lightships. The result is No. Il and No
70, which arc constructed of thick steel
plates, are us tcet long and Is feet deep,
with three decks. and arc divided by hu,y
heads into five compartments SO that if
they should be stove in or sl,c..g aleak
at any part they would still float They
cost about $4,000 each, and cost the Gov
eminent about $4,000 year each for
maintenance The berth rooms living
ished and well warmed to withstand the
cold gales of winter. Tho entire stowage
capacity is filled with coal and ether sup
plies. SO that they cen maintain Them
selves indefinitely
Rising from the main deck are two hoi-
low steel masts carrying wire fo" y loo
candle-power electric lights, 100 feet above
the water, which are the most powerful
displayed by any lightship in the world
and are visible for distance of is miles.
The electrical apparatus is reinforced by
oic-tashioned oil lamps. to be Used III
Sc Of breakdown. There is also &
sll attached to the whistle TO- use dur
lis fogs. The machinery and the engines
are all duplicated as precaution. The
ship is kept under steam constantly, and
can move about with her own propeller
and runaway from danger if likely to
be overwhelmed.
These vessels remain at their posts
three months a a time. for that is AZ
long as the crews can endure it, The
intervening months arc spent in Norfolk
or Baltimore Harbors- making repairs
slowing away coal and supplies ard re-
covering from fatigue and exposure. Tho
Il ii.