Evening journal., 1904-09-13
MINoT LEDGE LIGHT.
The Historic Storm which Destroyed
the Original Structure.

Inc AlAnNUEAt ENOEm W nAtA DGnNEONE0
the Original Structure.
The lighthouse on Minots ledge
stands within the shadow Of a tragedy.
1t is the second structure erected upon
the ledge. The first lighthouse and the
lives it held were claimed by the sea.
Begun in 1s4T and completed in No
vember. 1S4S, it was overwhelmed in
April, 1851. Its destruction was the
most tragic event in the history of our
lighthouse establishment. The struc-
ture was an octagonal tower supported
upon wrought iron piles strengthened
by braces. The piles penetrated five
feet into the rock. On the braces, thir-
ty-four and a half feet above the rock,
the keeper had constructed a platform
for the storage Of bulky articles and
had fastened to the lantern deck, sixty
three feet above the rock, five and a
half inch hawser, which he had an
chored to n seven ton granite block.
Along this hawser articles were hoist
ed up 10 the platform and there land
ed. These Improvements were con-
venient and fatal. not, however. TO the
keeper who made them, for he was on
shore when the storm which has be-
come historic for its fury burst over
the coast.
On Monday. April II, 1851. there was
strong easterly gale blowing. At that
time there were ON the tower two as
sistant keepers and a friend Of the
principal keeper The visitor became
frightened at the first indication Of a
storm, and in response to a signal from
the tower a boat put of for Cohasset
and took him ashore. On Tuesday the
wind swung around TO the northeast,
the most dangerous quarter from
which the elements can hurl them
selves upon Nlinot's, as they then re
joice in the accumulated fury Of miles
of wind torn sea. By the 10th it had
increased to a hurricane, and the tower
was so completely buried in the heavy
seas that nothing Of it could be seen
by the group of anxious watchers at
COhasset.
About o'clock in the evening OF the
10th the platform was washed ashore.
Then the watchers knew that the wa
ter had risen TO within seven feet of
the tower. At nightfall it was seen
that the light was burning. 1t was OBJ
served at fitful intervals until 10
o'clock that night. when it was finally
lost to sight. At o'clock on the morn
ing Of Thursday, April II. just at the
turn of the food. when the outstream-
ing tide and the inrushing hurricane
met at Minot's, a violent tolling of the
! lighthouse bell was heard. After that
no sound rose above the din of the
storm. About O'Clock in the morning
! a man walking along the shore saw a
chair washed up a little distance ahead
J Of him. Examining it, he recognized il
as having been in the watch room Of
the tower. After this discovery no one
had any doubts OF the tragedy which
had been enacted behind the curtain OF
the storm. When it lifted naught was
seen over Minot's ledge but the sea. its
white crests streaming triumphantly in
the gale
1t is believed by those competent tC
| judge of such matters that the destruc
tion of the tower was due TO the sur
face which the platform constructed
by the keeper offered to the waves and
to the strain Of the hawser upon the
structure Every time this hawser was
struck by a sea it actually tugged at
the tower. There seems also little
doubt that the sum appropriated by
congress for the building Of the light
house was insufficient by about two
thirds for such a structure as the peril
GUS situation called for.-Century.