Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-10-05

~ Will AO "OAO AAAANA NJ
darkness or fog ever since nan
first discovered that he could travel
on water in a boat. In the long ago
great fires were kept up during the
night and if the night was fog-bound
so that the fires could not be seen
men having heavy, coarse and pene-
trating voices would stand at the wa
ter's edge and one after the other they
would lift their voices to the highest
pitch in the "Lili-hi-li-ho!" Mariners
hearing the voices would know in
what direction to steer their craft. In
those days, however, fires were kept
burning or voices sent out over the
water when a boat was expected,
which was not often. Later, the watch
tower was added to the fire and the
voice signals.
The United States is generally re-
garded as leading the world in the
protection which she affords to her
own mariners and to those coming to
her shores from other countries. Like
many other of our institutions, the de-
velopment Of this service, though COM
paratively recent, has been both rapid
and thorough, and in some respects
marvellous. Other countries, however,
have also made notable strides along
the same line with the result that the
old dangers of travel upon the cas-
of the world have been. greatly re-
duced.
More than 200 years after the dis
covery of America only n lighthouse
had been built in this country, though
the value of such al aid to navigation
had been known since the days of the
ancients. Since they began to multi
ply, many almost unsurmountable OBJ
stacles have been overcome in estab-
fishing some Of the most important
lights and not a little heroism has
been c%hronicled in the work of con
struction as well as in the subsequent
daily tasks Of the keepers. Some most
notable feats of engineering skill have
also been chronicled.
The greatest heroism and skill has,
Of course, been exhibited in the cree.
ton of those lights which stand upon
the reefs or on huge boulders. Pas
sengers IN passing ships watch the
waves and heavy seas dash I've these
rocks on which now stand staunch
lighthouses, and marvel how they
were ever built. The history Of such
houses usually includes the loss by
drowning Of several Of the builders
not to speak of exposure and unusua.
hardships on the part Of all. MOI
have all the obstacles been upon the
ocean coasts. On n of the FIVE grea'
lakes-Lake Huron-there stands {
lighthouse on Spectacle reef which
for nearly forty years has been with
standing not. only the storms ant
heavy seas but also the pressure o
great packs Of ice.
Other lighthouses built under mucl
less difficulty, however, are of tn
greatest Importance. Buildings O
much less size built not upon rock
but perhaps upon artificial cribs
mile or so from shore are to be foun,
at many points. especially on tn
great lakes, and their lights illumin
the paths of the immense steel ship
which carry the ore from Lake Su
perior to the ports on Lake Erie. Som
of those now building on these water
are said to be a forerunner Of man
others of like construction which tn
government will build within a FEY
years. They are constructed Of stee
and concrete along the lines of a moe
ern Office building. One Of these moo
ern buildings has just been complete
and is known to mariners as the Whit
i Shoals lighthouse. Steel instead {
stone and brick ear as much t
modern lighthouse building as It doe
in so many other industrial lines.
The cost Of lighthouses ranges fro1
$1.e0O to $30o.0 600 and there have bee