Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-09-21
.7AE CANDLE BUOY
4 Friend Of the Mississippi Pilots
In the Old Days.
QUEER LITTLE LIeH1sHIPs,

They Wore elsatsd and Anchored In
tho Channel o. the River On Dark
Niahts and Showed the Navigator On
Down Trips Whore Reefs Were Net
In the old steamboat days on the
Mississippi. before the government had
undertaken the duty Of marking and
lighting the crossings" where the
channel swings over from one bank to
the other, the river pilots had to devise
their own means Of finding their way
through these difficult and dangerous
places.
In the daytime It was not hard to do.
and on moonlight nights the landmarks.
which every pilot knew by heart. could
be seen plainly enough to make the
crossing possible. But there were
many nights 50 dark or foggy that the
shore marks were not visible; then the
reefs had to he "candled."
Gambling was resorted to only on the
down trip. Going up the river the pilot
might feel" Of the reef with bis boat
and II be did not ind the best water
the first time be could back Oh and try
again a little to n side or the other.
wherever the soundings showed the
deepest water to be.
In going down the river, however.
that was impossible. The pilot had to
find the channel the first time. for II
the boat struck the current would drive
her hard on the reef Or else swing her
broadside on the bar and in ten min.
utes imbed her in the very midst Of 1t
with tons Of drifting sand.
To guard against such 4 disaster
when nearing Pigs Eye. Beef Slough
or Trempeleau bars-Or any one OF q
dozen bars Of equal did1culty-on a
dark or hazy night the pilot stopped
the boat at the head Of the reef. With
two men to row. a mate or watchman
to steer. a cub" pilot to manipulate
the candle buoys" and an older pilot
to take soundings. the yawl vas low
cred and permitted to drop down the
channel below the steamboat.
After the pilot had determined the
best course BY taking soundings the
cub" under, bis direction. anchored
two, three or even four Of the candle
buoys. one after the other. In the cen.
ter Of the channel. and then the men
let the yawl drop down below the reef.
where It lay a little outside the chan
mel. Then one, OF the men swung a
lantern-a signal at which the pilot on
watch came ahead. steering for the
Tiny lighthouses and running over
them. one by one, until the reef was
passed.. ,s.
The candle buoy vas made OF a piece
Of two Inch light pine plank. beveled
for four inches at the bow In order
to prevent its diving" a. the curreut
pressed. against It A tin 'sconce"
With three legs. three or four inches
long, was tackled down to the plank.
Half Of a common candle was placed
Ia each sconce, and after being lighted
an oiled paper chimney. with a base
corresponding to that Of the candle
stick. was placed over the light to pro-
tect it, from the wind. The outer ends
Of the tin legs" OF the sconce were
turned back over the base Of the paper
chimney to bold it in place, and the
buoy was ready for launching.
A hole was bored about six inches
from the end Of the plank. Through
the hole a small cord some ten or
twelve feet 10 length was rove and
knotted. and to this cord A lump OF
coal weighing perhaps ten pounds
was tied. This served az IN anchor
to hold the buoy In its place IN the cen
ter Of the channel.
Such was the procedure nifty years
ago or more. Since the, government
boats began pafrol,ins the river and
establishing pernia mem lights at all
bad crossings It is seldom necessary
Tor the pilots to 80 out in Il sotindlng
boat. although it Is not an uniieafd OF
proceeding even now.
But the candle buoy Is n thing ofs the
past. Probably there ARE scores OF
present day pilots who never even
heard OF the ma kpshift. little lightships
TINT their puzzled predecessors werr
wont to lnuinll amid the darkness and
doubt ~ former yr'irs. Youths Con-