Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-29
Need Of More Lighthouses
On Coast Of Maine.
Different Lights Motor Boats
Large Or Small Must Garry.
Rep. Stevens Of Minnesota, Former
Bangor Man, Knows Maine Coast.

Washington, April 2S.-(SpeciaD.--
Congress will hear much. before ad :
journment. about the needs of addi-
tional lighthouses on the coast OF
Maine. An omnibus lighthouse bill
carrying Il total of 81 100000. which
has been reported to the House carry :
ing On item of $4,000 for light of
the fourth order and a fog signal OPP
Grated by machinery. will undoubted-
ly be taken uo in the Senate. There
efforts will be made to obtain addition
al items for the Maine coast.
The House Committee on Interstate
Commerce was u little surprised to
find one of its members especially
familiar with the Maine coast. when
it came to talking about the need of
lighthouses there. The committee was
in tie midst of inquiries about Otter
Island, when Representative F. c..
Stevens, of Minnesota. who used to
live at Bangor. broke in with some
explanations. AS I recall" said Mr.
Stevens. there is considerable coast
ing business past Otter Island Con-
siders bic Penobscot River business
goes up by there.
Admiral Mark. chairman of the
Lighthouse board interposcd to say
that 10000 vessels year sailed past
the point and a Wisconsin member
wanted to know between what ports
those vessels were mostly engaged.
"Oh. can tell you about that" con-
tinued Mr Stevens. "Penobscot River
ports and from Bangor down, and
down the coast from Boston to Nor
folk"
The Government wanted to spend
$4,000 in building Il light at Otter
Island but the House felt it could not
spare that amount of money. There
was an urgent appeal for powerful
fog Signal en- the high bluff at the en-
trance to Cutter Harbor which would
vessels as d place of refuge. This was
not voted because there We're many
other urgent projects. 1t is proposed
sometime to have siren there oper-
ated by an oil engine.
Admiral Mark estimates that it will
cost $4,000 for proper light and fog
signal at Clark Ledge near PASSPORT.
Like Otter Island it is an inland
point. The House Committee was I'M
able to consider it favorably.
Some relief from the oncrouS regu-
lations Of the federal government is
in prospect for the owners and oper-
ator5 Of small craft along the shores
of Maine 4 bill to that end, which
Senator Frye introduced some time
ago in the Senate. has been favorably
reported and the House Committee on
Merchant Marine is laboring with an
almost identical measure. IT will
probably become law at this session OF
Congress. as there seems little oppo-
sition to it in the Senate or the House.
There has been long and uphill
struggle for this legislation. which
will not require motor boats to display
lights in impossible positions or to
carry life saving belts. The measure
will also be a boon to the owners of
steamboats, under 40 feet in length.
AS matters now stand, the law makes
it impossible for the owners of these
boats to operate them over a voyage
25 miles long without hiring pilots
unless they are willing to take the risk
of violating the federal law.
Under the new provisions motor
boats less than 26 feet long will be re-
CURED to carry a white light aft to
show all around the horizon and d
combined lantern in the fore part of
the vessel and lower than the white
light aft showing green to the star
board and red to port, SO fixed as to
throw the light from right ahead to
two points abaft the beam on their
respective sides. The larger boats. more
than 26 feet long. will be required to
show a bright white light in the
fore Dart Of the vessel, as near the
stem as practicable, so constructed as
to show an unbroken light over an arc
of the horizon of twenty points of the
compass. and so fixed as to throw the
light ten points on each side of the
vessel Tie glass or len must be Il
square inches for vessels between %
and 40 feet long and 81 square inches
for motor boats more than 10 feet long
A white light will be required aft
as or smaller boats. On the starboard
side there will be required green light
to shine over an arc of 10 points and
on the port side a red light of similar
capacity FOR vessels between &c and
30 feet the lenses of these side lights
must be IS inches square and % inches
square for boats more than 40 feet
long.