The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-02
OUR NOTED LIGHTHOUSES
UNITED STATES COAST BETTER
PROTECTED THAN ANY OTHER.
Historic Nfinot't Ledge -IcebOund Reefs
I'M the Great Lakes -FOwte Rocks n
Tflamook Capt. Eelss Undertaking
why Oil Ia Better Than Electricity.

Tfnamook-Capt. Eeis's Undertaking
why OH Ia Better Than Electricity.
In less than two hundred years this coun-
try has marched from the position OF having
no aids to navigation to being. in proper
ton TO her coast line, the most perfectly
protected country in the world.
Historic and possibly first in order in
difficulty Of construction 10 Minot's Ledge.
near Boston. On this lonely rock. awash
with the tide at low water and covered at
high water a lighthouse wal erected in
1913, Of iron piles.
In 1851 the house was swept away and all
in 10 at the time-a'keeper INT two assistants
lost their lives. In 1890 the last stone OF
the present structure was laid, completing
one OF the great stone lighthouses of\the
world.
Work could be done only at low water.
Blasting and cutting a rock hardly big
enough for the lighthouse itself, constant
| interference from wind and sea, made the
laying OF every fresh block Of stone a new
and unsolved problem. Minot's Ledge
Light to-day. one Of the loneliest lighthouses
in existence. is Still a triumph. although
some other structures since erected have
equalled it in difficulty.
Spectacle Reef, for instance, in Lake
Huron, was In engineering problem the
solution Of which was watched by the en-
gineers of the world. Even when in 1873
the structure was completed every one
predicted hat the terrible ice push OF the
winter would sweep it away. But the man
who built it, Gen. o. NJ. Poe. had wrought
with q cunning hand.
The masonry courses were so fitted to-
gether and so strongly and securely bolted
that q minimum calculation showed it to
be even stronger than a shaft OF solid
stone. The ice is first crushed by impact
on an outer stone structure. Thus broken
II grounds in the seven feet Of water on the
reef and protects the house from the force
OF other ice.
Ten miles from the nearest land, and with
Ice and waves having a fetch Of 40 miles
to the southeast, it is in a pitfully unpro-
tected position. In 1874, when the keepers
returned for a new season, they found Toe
piled forty feet high around IL.
Fowey Rocks lighthouse. In Florida, was
hardly loss difficult in construction thar
Spectacle Reef. 1t i a steel structure
built on iron piles driven ten feet into living
coral rocks. 1t 10 at the extreme north point
Of the Florida Reefs.
The work was 90 interrupted by stress
Of weather that at last q platform was built
over the foundation piles twelve feet above
the water, and a force OF workmen left
there for days at a time, working when they
could get material, at other times waiting
with what patience they could for the
weather 20 allow the supply tugs TO tow
out new girders and plates for the work
10 continue.
Perhabs one OF the most spectacular
lighthouse achievement Of the service lie
the light on Tnlamook Rock, Oregon. This
apparently impossible feat vss accomplished
under tremendous difficulties.
Tllamook Rock is a small, abrupt rock
formation one mile from the mainland.
The sides are 90 precipitous and so in
hogpitable that even in calm weather the
landing lie exceedingly dangerous. 90 that
on the first attempt TO put q working party
on the rock tile foreman lost his life.
The party did not land and IL was dlficult
thereafter TO get the skilled labor necessary;
but at last in 1879 nine men succeeded In
landing with provisions and tools. Build
ing themselves a strong shelter. bolted TO
the rock. they set to work. Blasting had
TO be done to get the foundation, supplies
and stone and tools and apparatus had to
be landed from ships, involving much
difioult engineering and many hairbrcadth
escapes but after eighteen months OF
labor the structure was completed.
bess spectacular hut hardly less In i'm
portance u the mariner are the lesser
lights-the post lLRhtS, which have made
river navigation and particularly Mieaia-
tippl River navigation possible bt night,