The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-07-18
DE D|EMAR MAY our.
Report Current That Change Is
To Be Made at the Kenosha
Lighthouse Soon
REFUSES TO CONFIRM REPORT
Keeper de Diemar. Who Has Been in
Service for Nearly Forty Years,
Says He Is Not Ready To
Tell of His Action

OOnS1u6Td Die surprise Was caused IN
kenosha last Saturday by the report
that L. N. de Diemar, who has been
in charge of the Kenosha lighthouse
for the past thirty-six years, was to
give up his position within a few
days. The report is not confirmed,
for when Mr.. de Diemar was asked to
give out statement in regard to the
matter he refused to be interviewed
more than to state that he would give
out some public statement within a
few days. On the order of Inspector
]. M. Orchard, of Chicago, William
Raether, who is at present the keeper
of the Waukegan light, came to Ke-
nosl1a on Friday afternoon in order
to be in readiness to take the place
as temporary light keeper should
de Diemar retire from the service.
Differences between ms pc ctor Orchard
and Mr.. de Diemar are said to be at
the bottom of the retirement Of the
light keeper and it is possible that
these differences may yet be arranged
in some manner that will make it pos
sib1e for the keeper, who has been in
service for SO many years, to remain.
Light Keeper de Diemar has been one
of the fixtures among the government
employees at Kenosha and the an
nouncement that he was to retire or
even contemplated such an action
caused no end of a sensation in the
city.
The light keeper was first appointed
to his position in June of 1872. He
has been a resident of the county
since 1847, and with the breaking out
Of the war he enlisted as member Of
Company E of the First Wisconsin
infantry and after being mustered
out year later he re-enlisted. He
was wounded with a mimic ball. at
Perryvil1e, aud forced to leave the
service on account of the loss of an
arm. He returned to Kenosha after
the war and was soon after that time
named as keeper of the Kenosha
light. During his long term of serv-
ice many changes have been made at
the lighthouse. The Kenosha light
is now one of the most important on
the west shore of the lake, and since
Mr.. de Diemar was named as keeper
Of the light the new outer light has
been put in, and the government has
spent thousands of dollars in re. build
ing the various lighthouses. Mr..
de Diemar has had good record as
light keeper, and it was generally
supposed that his place was one of
life tenure.
William Raether, who has been sent
to take the position temporarily, is a
former Kenosha boy, and he had his
first service with the department. at
the Kenosha lighthouse. Beginning
work as second assistant he re-
NAMED at the lighthouse for more
than fourteen years, and at the time
he was taken from Kenosha and
placed in charge of the lighthouse at
Waukegan he was first assistant to
Mr.. de Diemar. Mr.. Raether, when
seen, refused to discuss the change
stating that if any statement was to
be given to the public it must come
from Mr.. de Diemar. He stated that
he had simply answered the orders Of
the in spectors, and had come to Re
nosha prepared to take charge of the
lighthouse when Mr.. deDiemar gave
up the work, and that he was still
waiting for further orders from the
department.