The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-13
BEACONS NOT
YET LIGHTED
Difficulties ISLAND Light
house Men Must
Meet.


shown in the picture herewith. The
+vne is distinctly Hawaiian. The au-
thor of the style is Lieut. j. X. sat
terry of the United States Army En-
o,ineer Corps. The two lights have
been erected on land belonging to the
United states at Keahele, on the ex-
treme western point of Hawaii county,
and at Ka Lac, the extreme southern
point of that county.
They are officially knows as beacon
lights" which do not require a special
anpropria ton from Congress for their
construction, as distinguished from
lighthouses which do require special
mention in national legislative enact
nent by items in appropriation bills.
The lights, however, which are equip
ned with French lenses, are about the
same strength as the light in the light
house at Honolulu harbor, which is
officially called a lantern of the sixth
order
Although these lights have been
nroperlv installed in lighthouses con-
structed for their especial accommoda-
ton. and are ready for use, and have
been for some days, they are not
i, burning. 1t happens in this way. 1t
is made the duty of the Army Engineer
Corps to construct all lighthouses and
beacons and install lights. 1t is also
it's duty to make all repairs thereto
which may be necessary. But it is the
duty of the Lighthouse Establishment,
of the Department of Commerce and
Labor, to take them over from the
War Department and provide keepers
and supplies in the way of oil, etc. An
officer of the navy is always detailed
as inspector of the Lighthouse Dis
trict'' and he acts for the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor and the
lights, when taken over, become what
are officially known as lads to navi-
CATION.
NOT YET LIGHTED.
. But these two Hawaii county light
houses or "beacons" are not yet aids
to navigation and nobody knows
when they will be classed as such. The
difficulty is that the Department or
Commerce and Labor, or more specifi-
cally, its Lighthouse Establishment"
has no funds with whichs to pay keep
ers or provide oil and other supplies.
Lighthouses whose lamps are not
kent trimmed and burning are as
useless as those of the foolish virgins
of Bible lore. Hence the lighthouse
establishment, locally represented by
Captain A. P. Niblack assistant to the
inspector of the twelfth lighthouse
district. refused to recognize the new
lights for the very good reason that
they are not yet lights, but merely
places where lights ought to be.
This brings out the facts which show
the difficulties under which the light
houses have been managed by Uncle
Sam since they were taken oyer from
the Hawaiian Government in 1904 at
the suggestion of the Delegate to Con-
gress, Prince Kuhio.
1t will be remembered that the |
Lighthouse Board did not know that |
Hawaii was an integral part of the |
United States and supposed it to be an
insular possession, but upon it's being |
proven to their satisfaction by Mr. |
Clark that this was part of Uncle |
Sans domain, they took over light
houses.
They have since been maintained |
under the general appropriation which
is annually made by Congress for the
maintenance of the lighthouse estab /
lishment and which is then apportion-
ed in Washington according to the
needs and demands of the various
lighthouse districts. Although the Of
ficials directly in CHARGE 20
with the work state that there has BEEN
no increase in the general lighthouse
appropriation nor in the
for the construction and
repair of lighthouses and the construc-
ton of beacons since then for the pur-
pose of specifically providing for the
Hawaiian service. And that, therefore,
1t has been necessary to squeeze out
from the general appropriation and, of
course, from some other district, the
funds or allotment of funds with which
Hawaii has been supplied with ''aids
to navigation
WHERE CREDIT Is DUE.
The result has been that both the
navy officer in charge of the lighthouse
here and the army engi-
neer charged with construction and re-
pair have been put to their wits ends
to do what the service here demanded
of them. That they have succeeded so
well reflects great credit upon Lieut..
Siattery and Capt. Niblack, respective
~, as well as upon the national light
mouse board that has made the a1lot-
ment of appropriations. u
When the lighthouse service was
taken over, many of the lighthouse
Keepers had practically no houses in
which to live or else were compelled
TO travel several miles two or three
Or four times a day over the worst of
roads. or no roads at all, or over lava
9eds TO reach their posts of duty Lit
lie by little this has been changed and :
oy spending a few dollars here and
lew more there, conditions have been =
improved. The character OF ,
NJ service has also been distinctly i'm
proved
For instance, the American light =;
house board found in the so-called :
lighthouses at Puakaa Point, Hawaii
county, Kawaihae. Hawaii County;
Aaalaea Bay, Maui County; Mahukona.
Hawaii County; Nawiliwili, Kauai