The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-23
WORK FOR LIGHT
ON DIAMOND SHOAL
New Plans Being Dis
CuSSe0
BIC MEN ON the JOB

CANA "o ~
gagged in Study of the Situation
Difficulties Of the o Are Gigantic.
Mattamuskeet Drainage Plan.
By THOS. j. PENCE.
Washington, D. c., Feb. 20.-Sev-
eral hearings have been held before
and Foreign Commerce with respect
to the new plans for the construction
of a light house off Diamond Shoals
at Cape Hatteras, which is known to
sea folks as the graveyard Of the At
lantic.
In conformity with the plans of AL
bert +. Ellis and his associates, Rep
r~esentative John H. Small has intro
duced a bill providing for the con
structiOn of the lighthouse. The
House Committee is very much inter
ested in the clans and has heard Mr.
Ellis and his associates, who are John
r. O'Rouke, Henry W. Goodrich n
Owen Brainard. All Of whom are
substantial business men OF high
standing.
Mr.. O'Rouke is the executive head
and owner Of one of the largest con
struction companies in the United
States. His corporation has Just COM
pleted the contraction Of two tunnels
under the East River in New York
for the Pennsylvania railroad. Mr.,
Rrainard is a Well known engineer
and architect. He designed the two
great marble buildings for the use OF
Senators and congressman, which are
located on either side of the capitol.
The committee has bolteu at the
building price, which is two million
dollars. but Mr.. O'Rouke informed the
members that the job was the most
hazardous one any corporation could
undertake. He said no one could eS-
innate h cost, and that hundreds Of
thousands of dollars might be On
pended without accomplishing a
thing.
The bill introduced by NJ. Small
requires that the focal plane of the
lighthouse shall be 5 feet above
mean nigh water. The other import
ant provisions Of the Measure are:
The United States shall pay on
million five hundred thousand dollars
Tor said lighthouse within one wear
after completion; or. at its option, it
may pay therefor the sum of four
ndr thousand dollars annually for
nVe years, the first payment to become
que one year after completion.
exercise Of the option shall be made
by the Secretary Of Commerce and
Labor.
Nothing in this act shall be con
strued to impose upon the United
states the obligation to accept, main
mainain and operate. said lighthons,
unless the same shall be-in an eff
clent state, nor shall the United
states be under. any ligatio TO
make any OF the payments hereinbe-
Tore specified unless at the date when
the same shall be@due, the lighthouse
snail De in an efficient state. The paw
ilentS Speclfled in section 7~ShaAI con
s1ltute, when made, a. full and com
plete olscharse of all the indebted
nssS .! the United States to said Bells
ana ms associates in respect to. said
lighthouse. IN the event Of tbe fail
ure II Eells and his associates to con
slrucA SAID lighthouse. so that the
same shal! be efficient the Unitad
state shall be under no obliration 70
make any payment uhate%er IL r.
however, Eel1s and his = associates
sndi1 build a, Lighthouse which ebaII
remain in an efficient state then ana
=, NAT case Ee9as: and his associates
nran, naVe 1ulflled,v their duty in the
p!emlSes and any INTERRUPTION Of co.
wee due to defective anna~atns a.
eectlVe installation thereon az az
uclent maintenance and ona~o+;o,
eneteo1 shall not excuses the tinted
tha ION IT'S obligations, to make
herelnoefore described.
FOR Draining Matta,nuskeet
W. +. Hearne. of the Rnraou :,
SOILS, left here today for Hvda x =
whSre he vii! make a survey ofa.Eo,
- o! MattaInuskeet Jake ana c~h
rounding lands for a distance Of +m.aa
thin Mr. Hearne is making this
mons ! a Inc instance of Senator sim
cmnn ana representative John r
small who wish to place he ;nfa II,
a IA before the. State authorities
a. Kalelgh. There are 10000 arres
IN IN tne lake. Mr.. Small is very. much
dra pGSsed with the POSSIBILITIES of
State. 1922 teitile IN the
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