The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-06-25
In q Chesapeake
Lighthouse
~ Mamie r. Wilson.

Those who have sailed down the
broad and beautiful old Chesapeake
know that the toughest spots, as YOU
meet them, are: first, where the Pat
apsco empties; second, where the
beautiful Miles River comes round
just below Kent Island; third, where
the Choptank and Tired Avon ioin
and pour their waters in together:
and still farther down, where the
Potomac comes in.
doubt if there is a spot more dam
gerous in the bay than the third of
these, where the Choptank and Tired
Avon empty. At this point stands a
tall, lonely lighthouse, built of iron
and set deep in the mud at the bot
tom OF the bay
The lighthouse is six stories high.
The first story is pitch-dark, with no
windows, but is above the water. 1t
is used for the cellar, and coal, wood
and some supplies are kept there.
Above it is the living room, which is
light and pleasant and very clean.
here there are stove, table, chairs,
Ind quite library, filled with good
looks, that are changed often.
over this room Is the keepers bed
room; above it is the assistant Keen
er's room. Still higher is the watch
room, with about ten portfolios round
the wall. All the rooms are perfect
ly round.
The top and sixth story holds only
the lantern, but the lantern is about
as large as a good-sized barrel. 1t
has solid brass frame, polished un-
til 1t looks like gold, holding the
great lenses that reflect yellow. blue
and red, until you imagine you are
at the end of the rainbow or in a
cage of crown jewels; and it is worth
many good big diamonds, for it cost
several thousand dollars.
1t was after I had looked over all
these things and stood on the roof
outside the lantern-room, looking
across the bay, that 1 noticed what
appeared to be a huge, pointed rock
bullying up in the water Just to the
southwest.
What is that?" l asked.
THAT is what we call the stone
breaker, a queer name, for its duty
is to break up the ice and prevent Il
from crowding in on the lighthouse.
1t is a triangle of iron filed with
stone with sharp corners. 1t was
placed there when the new lighthouse
was built"
In answer to my query as to what
happened to the old lighthouse, the
Keeper told me the following story:
ut occurred some fifteen years
ago. You remember that very severe
winter OF IS, when the freeze did
nOt Dream up anti "a T. the spring,
when they crossed the bay on horse
back, went TO Baltimore on skates.
and the ice-boats few bither and
thither like white specks on the bay
river! 1t was a pretty lonely old
winter for us out here, and each
night Suow--he was my assistant
and l would talk about home, and
wonder when the freeze would break.
and how our old house would stand
It.
Solid as a rock. said I. Never
o fear have ] about that
our house was built Of wood upon
Iron legs, and at low tide It looked
like great spider walking on the
water The legs were iron bars
driven deep into the bottom of the
bay and the house was fastened Sc
ourely ON them. and had no fear
but tnaJ It would stand for many
winters to come. even though it did
look Ike q shanty.
The warm sun began to thaw the
Ice at last, and we felt thankful each
day as we heard the ice SNAP here
and there and loosen It's grip upon
some object it held SO long. Soon
great cakes appeared, which gradu-
ally crew wider and wider until
small rivers flowed here and there
between the fec fields.
Now the cakes began to move out
ward with the tide; now they sureed
slowly in again We watched the
progress each day with an interest
such as only q lonely man can feel
on the verge OF a great crisis.
"At night we kept watch, one at a
time. to attend to the light and see