Middletown transcript., 1912-04-27
WOMEN WARN SAILORS
There are Twenty-seven Of Them
Whose Work Is Important


Along the coasts and rivers of th
United States there are twenty
women in the service of the Bureau o
Lighthouses, Department of Commerc
aud Labor. as keepers, assistant keepers
assistant laborers in charge, or laboreF
at the light stations which warn vessel
of the presence of dangerous rocks, reefs
and shoals which in times past haVr
wrecked ffsstsyjf 3 RFseea ship
All but three of these women are eithe
married or widowed; there being ten Wit
succeeded their husbands, two thei
mothers, and one her father as keepers o
the great beacons. Three help their hus
husbands with their hazardous work anc
a few lend helping hands to other reIati
yes. Two are widows of lighthouse in
spectors, one of whom in the discharge
of his duty lost his life by drowning.
Were brave and royal Ida Lewis living
to-day the record would show twenty
eight women on the rolls. She was the
most conspicuous of all these women
during her rfetime, which ended October
24th last, at the age of SO years, as her
record shows a saving of Is lives in =
different rescues, each at the peril OF her
own life.
The absence OF a law providing pen
sions for the husbands and fathers who
become superannuated or totally disabled
in the line OF duty is largely responsible
for the burden of care they take up when
their loved ones are no longer able to
keep the fights shame in fair or foul
weather. The lighthouse officials are
fully aware OF the hardships resulting
from the inability to retire their faithful
employees, but whenever possible, if q
keeper becomes unable to continue his
task, they appoint in his place, or as bis
assistant, his wife, or daughter, as
in the case of Ida Lewis, or some
other relatives. Il is however, necessary
for such relative to have passed the re-
CURED civil service examination in order
to succeed to the vacant position.
The pay of these twenty-seven hero
ines, as they justly may be called, ranges
from $96 to $500 per snnum' the keepers
receiving $50 to $500; the assistant
keepers, $3.50 to 5000; the laborers in
charge $96 to $214; and the laborers,
$3.50 to $3.50; the average being $54O per
annum, there being l9 of the total
number who receive $552 and upward
each. The smallest salaries for the care
of lights are paid persons who live nearest
them and who have other means of
support.
Women who are appointed keepers or
assistant keepers receive in addition to
their salaries the regular allowance Of 80
cents per diem for rations. This lie
either paid them in cash or the govern
ment furnishes their rations and deducts
the cost thereof from this 80 cents per
diem. Men or women appointed as
lsborers, or laborers in charge, of lights are
not entitled to this ration allowance,
which was provided for by an act of Con-
gress and only applies to keepers and
keepers.
One has served from 1867, one since
1872, two since 1881, one from 1883,
three since 1890, one from 1895, one
since 1902, three since 1908, three from
1904, two since 1905, one from 1906, one
since 1909. and five date before 1895, the
year they were placed in the civil service
list.
They are stationed in 13 states, Califor-
mia having the largest number, 5; Louisi-
ana 4; New York, Maryland aud Florida
) each; Connecticut and Michigan, 2 each
and Maine, Vermont New Jersey, Mississ-
ippi, Wisconsin, and Oregon, each.
In addition to the 27 women who hold
issued by the Department
of Commerce aud Labor, there are many
women employed as lAborers to care for
the many small post lights dotting the
Mississippi river and its tributaries and
various small rivers on the Atlantic aud
Pacific coasts. Their pay averages about
$8 per month.