The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-12-26
Hancock Department
PENSIONS FOR
LIGHT KEEPERS
COMMISSIONER GEORGE r. PUT.
NAM URGES THAT THEY BE
PROVIDED. MANY I'M
PRoVEMENTs.

Acts OF heroism and instances OF
casualties in the line of duty among
the faithful army that keeps the
government lights and beacons burn
ing along the shores of the oceans.
lakes and larger rivers are cited in
the report for the fiscal year ending
June 80 last, which Commissioner
George r. Putnam, of the bureau of
lighthouses has submitted to Secre-
tary Nagel of the department of com
merce and labor.
There are nearly $500 persons EN-
ployed in the service. The organiza-
ton is more extensive than any other
light house service in the world. In
spite of the peril of the work. the aver
age annual salary of lighthouse keep
CT is only 5000 per year, few earn
more and many less. The men who
follow the life are generally those who
come from families of sailors, and the
hardy life of the lighthouse keeper APP
peals to them.
One of the features of the present
laws which Commissioner Putnam
dwells upon is that, according to the
letter of the law. aged or disabled
employees must be discharged. 1t mat
tiers not that an old man may be
bent and twisted by rheumatism from
exposure to the furious gales of sum-
mer and winter nor that young
man be crippled because he has risk
ed his life to save others. the ser
vice demands active, able bodied men
and no provision is made for those who
fall below the requirements.
The report covers the first year that
the lighthouse service has been oper-
ated as an Independent bureau of the
department Of commerce and labor.
1t shows that n great saving has been
effected, the work being done with 200
less assistants and fewer number of
beats.
In order to bring about greater
efficiency in the service, Commission
er Putnam has inaugurated a system
of taking young men of adequate
technical education into the lower
grades. of service, where they receive
training and are promoted as rapidly
as vacancies appear. 1t is urged that
the old employees should be retired
with pensions to make this method
effective. Practically all European
countries provide for the retirement
of aged lighthouse employees.
The lighthouse service is charged
with the lighting and maintenance OF
lighthouses, lightvessels, buoys and
other aids to navigation. There are
10 lighthouse districts, three having
been established during the past year
The new districts embrace Alas
ka, Porto Rico and the Hawaiian is
lands. The service maintains over 49,
900 aids to navigation. During the
year sos aids were established and 2lS
discontinued, leaving net increase Of
AIS.
Improvements to lights and Other
aids have been made. Among the frs
class stations established are those
at White Shoal, Rock of Ages ano
Split Rock on Lake Michigan anC
Superior. Among the most importan
improvements underway is the light
ing of the new Livingstone channel II
the Detroit river, which is to be opened
to navigation next summer.
As a result of investigations ant
experiments, a new oil vapor LAM
has been perfected and put in opera
ton at some OF the stations. tn
use of acetylene has been extended
especially for unmatched beacons ant
buoys. Large buoys at sea viii oper
ate for long periods of time withou
attention when acetylene Is USED
New forms Of fog signals. which vii
sound instantly on the approach o
thick weather. have been investigated
The appropriation for the genera
maintenance of the service for tn
present year were $433,OO0 less thai
for the preceding year. The estimate
for the next fiscal year are practicall
the same as the appropriation TO
this year.