The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-18

had cut under one side and the structure
| was leaning about 10 degrees. Remem
| bering their experience with the Smiths
| Point light. they did not think that 1t
| was serious but it was. as, despite all
| they could do. the great mass of wood
| and iron continued to list, and gradually
went over, until 1T finally lay on its side.
This accident occurred, unfortunately,
just week before the government was
TO have paid its first insta 1ent OF $50, 900.
and, of course, that was withheld and
the contractors were forced into bank
ruptcy. The bondsmen of the contractors
were game, however, and soon pos
sible they secured another firm to carry
the work, and the caisson has
been righted and the structure is In
course of erection. BY many engineers
the building of this lighthouse, with the
foundation having to be so deep, Is
looked upon as equaling In difficulty the
construction of Minots Ledge lighthouse,
which is considered the acme Of deep
sea building.
Minots Ledge is a bold ledge of rock
that lays off Boston harbor. At low water
it protrudes its ugly head. but at high
water there was nothing save few rest
less waves and handkerchief lace spray
to make its presence known. and many
good ship met her fate upon it. In fact,
the wrecks began averaging more than
one a year, and it was determined, IL
possible TO erect n beacon upon the
ledge. The plans for the structure were
gineers United States Army, and In 1853
they were turned over to Lieut. b. S.
Alexander. of the Engineer Corps, to
carry out.
The most difficult portion of the work
was the laying of the foundation. Owing
to the position of the rock, being stu
ated in deep water and so nearly awash,
the slightest breeze made it exceedingly
dangerous to approach in small boat
1t was found that the surface of the
rocks covered with and also
that there were portions of the rock that
were dry only three or four hours at a
time, that what had to be done had to
be accomplished quickly.
gang of men were sent to the rock
with scrapers and large tug stood By
to watch them. The work was exceed
fngly tedious and frequently, when sud
den storms blew up. their lives were In
danger, as the tug could not approach
closer than 30 feet. In such it
became the custom to haul the men
the tug by ropes.
Such were the difficulties of the work,
the number of storms and the sufferings
of the men, owing to being repeatedly
drenched with the biting salt water,
which covered them with itching sores,
the work of the first season amounted to
but little. yet Lieutenant Alexander an
nounced that he was satisfied with the
progress. The following summer a series
of holes were drilled In the rock and an
iron platform 20 feet above low water was
erected and from the supports life lines
were stretched, but even with that pre-
caution one man was swept of and nearly
lost his life.
The work progressed all summer, and
when the workmen left In the fall q por-
ton of the rock was ready for the first
foundation stone. During the winter an
inbound bark crashed upon the reef, tore
down the work of two years and added
another good ship to the already long list
of victims.
daunfed
again went with the work the next
summer, and by fall four of the great
founda ton stones had been laid. During
the winter squad of men were busiiy
engaged IN cutting the stones for the
various courses. These stones were cut
to interiock and carefully fitted one into
the other, in order that they would not
be torn apart by the beating of the seas
that would dash against them in storms
The laying Of the foundation stones and
those that formed the first few courses OF
the tower was attended with great dini-
entity 1t was necessary to form a sort OF
coferdam around the position Of each
stone. and this was done with sandbags
The stones. which were brought as close
to the rock as possible on derrick
barge, were prepared with a muslin NOR
tar plaster, the edges of the muslin
then drawn up over the top Of the stone
and made fast to hold the cement, and |
then the derrick lifted them from the
deck to the rock.
With the barge swinging and jumping
In the sea and the stone swayfng II to |
and fro, it sometimes required the com |
bined efforts Of half q dozen men and /
block and tackle to finally place the bowl /
der in Its place, but the workmen, en- /
couraged by Lieutenant Alexander never /
faitered, and the beginning Of the sum-
mer of the fifth year was the beginning
of the completion of the task, as after |
the frst few courses the work became /
easier, and, stone by stone. arose until /
at the end Of summer the light was burn
Ing, a monument TO the skill Of its build
ers. The structure cost 900 0O0 br1t IL
was money well spent.