The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-18
ZLCHZHOU1E ON
ALLLGHZL2P AE-EW
.NORZRH RE-EES

kteadfast serene, immovable-the same
Year after year, through all the silent,
night,
Burns on forever more that quenchless
Shines on that inextinguishable light.
-LONGFELLOW.
When the setting sun has cast its dy-
ng rays across land and sea and the top
bf the orb has passed below the horizon.
pr. rather. when the clock points to the
bf1cial hour of sunset, there springs into
lie a thousand lights along the shores OF
he Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, the Gulf
bf Mexico. the Great Lakes and on a
hundred rivers.
These are the beacon lights that mark
he pathway of navigation as plainly as
he streets of the city. From the eastern
most point of Maine along the coast to
Tape Hatteras the lights are the thickest
nd. with lightships lying out upon the
most dangerous shoals and with the men
4 the United States Life-saving Service
constantly patroling the beach. there Is
eaily but little excuse for the skipper
no piles his craft upon the shore.
The United States waters are best
uoyed and lighted i'm the world The
nnual appropriation for the Lighthouse
Department runs into the millions, while
early 5000 men find constant employ
hent keeping the service up to the high
tdnOdIQ tudt mas Deen
bg the past few years
Along the Atlantic Coast. from Maine
b Mexico, there ia scarce a point that is
OF fully covered by a light. and from
he time the steamer leaves one light
ver her stern another appears ahead.
nd thus, from light to light, she feels
err way along, secure In deep water.
Each distant CLEAN tells its story. Each
b the skipper with a coastwise manual,
.ven though he be n stranger I'm
Eaters, has certain characteristics that
forms the watchful seaman the point 1t
covering. It may be a plain red light.
may be n plain white light. 1t may be
Irst one and then the other, 1t may
3nddenIy appear and then fade away.
Tut. whatever 1t does, no light within
hundred miles behaves like 1t, and by it's
.rtion the light Is known and the eager
hptain closely times the seconds be-
5veen the flashes, notes the change of
fhite to red and red to white and is
cased to learn that he is close TO the
bast. but just where his reckoning the
ny before told him he would be and,
18th lighter heart, he bears away on his
roper course.
BY day each lighthouse tells Its story
its individuality and by its colorings,
pighborhood. etc, for the same book
bat tells Of the characteristics of the
ght also tells of the style, color and
eneral details of the lighthouse. The
reat tower that rises a hundred or more
ct may be identified by its markings.
For instance, Cape Henry Lighthouse Is
b octagonal tower and each of the faces
Re colored half-blSck and ha1f-w hite al
rnately, thus giving IL a far different
bpearance from the next important light
Puse In the neighborhood- Island
hich Is colored with black and white
brixontal bands, while Hatteras Light
Puse has black and white spiral bands,
wing 1t the resemblance OF barber
>le.
ected upon solid land well above the
ash of the sea. where the construction
simple and the ability required is only
Mt Of the mason. ironworker and car
inter. and these structures cost from
900 to $3.50. 600 according to their size.
hportance and location, the latter fire.
entIy increasing the cost because of the
f1cuity I'm getting the material to the
Re and maintaining the workmen while
Hiding II.
lrhe remaining lighthouses. erected In
e water and built on the most difficult
id dangerous places that can be selec-
p, are the most expensive and have cost
pre- In construction and subsequent main
finance than all the others combined.
These lighthouses are upon rocks and
oalS that stand directly in the path of
$vigatfon, within the scope of heavy
hyes, running ice and all the dangers
the sea, and In the erecting Of such
ructures there has developed a trade
own as the sea builders-meu who, In |
her that the government might be served |
d the mariner aided. daily take their |
es in their hands and labor under cir |
Instances that would make the ordinary |
In quit within 10 minutes.
IL Is no wonder that the sea-builder /
Pks with contempt upon the ordinary /
pre- light and speaks with pride upon /
srhf Nth xz-ht lob he
Rich represents all OF the best that Is |
human being. for not only must the |
builder be skilful and resourceful I
gineer. with thorough knowledge of |
craft. but he must also possess the /
sterious elements of courage, execu- |
e foresight and perseverance in sur
uniting the hundred and one obstacles |
It nature throws in his path.
While England may well boast of her
stwise lights and hold them up "a /
rvels OF skill and construction. the |
tied States government has not stood /
i. and In this country the building of |
hthouses has progressed greatly and /
ire Is scarcely a Congress that does |
make an appropriation for the cree
of beacon upon some>nenacing rock
] shoal. and so, year by year, the work
- on. and in time waters In the |
rid will be so well marked by day or
hted py night -
he last Congress made arrangements |
have lighthouse placed upon Dia-
nd Shoals. the graveyard OF the At !
tic. and the most dreaded place in the
en- seas A properly placed beacon
pc at that point Is an imperative ne
sfty. for the lighthouse located on the |
oh Is TOO far inward from the Diamond
$als. while the lightship is too distant
ward In rough weather the lights
not easily discernible.
or four or we years past Capt. Al
e F. EellS. of Boston. Mass has
IN the subject much study, and has
ently been successful In persuading
lRress TO give him opportunity to
ID lighthouse at his own expense
act specifies that Captain Eells and
associa ties shall build the Night sta
at their own cost, maintain the
&cture and operate the light in &C.
fance with the regulations OF the
hthouse Board for one year also at
own cost. after which il shall be