Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-23
AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSES
Uncle Sans Beacon Service is tht
Most Extensive of it's Kind.

Most Extensive OF its kino.
The sea coast line under the juris-
diction of the United States is 1881
statute miles, measured in three mile
steps. The general government pro-
vides lighthouses and other aids to
navigation along all this coast, with
the exception Of the Philippine Is
lands, 11,511 miles, and Panama,
where the marking Of the coasts is
maintained by the local governments
In addition, the United States pro-
vides lights along the American shore
of the Great Lakes, 1920 miles and on
interior and coastal rivers, 5,47S miles.
The United States lighthouse SER
vice thus maintains lights and other
aids to navigation along 46,S28 miles
Of coast line and river channels. q
length equal to nearly twice the cir
cumference of the earth. In this dis
tance 1t has 1884 aids to navigation
Of all classes, sufficient to place one
every two miles around the equator.
In respect to territory covered and
aids maintained, says George r. Put
nam, commissioner Of lighthouses in
the National Geographical Magazine.
It is much the most extensive service
of its king under single manage
ment. There are 1,462 lights above
the order Of river post lights, and
there are 762 lights having resident
keepers, 81 light vessel stations and
43S lighted buoys. The total lighted
aids Of all kinds is 4,516.
There are in all 9S3 fog signals, Of
which $40 are for signal stations, 43
submarine bells, 1874 whistling buoys
and 256 bell buoys. There are 8,2S1
unlighted buoys and 1,474 day marks,
or unlighted beacons. There are also
51s private aids to navigation, main
tained at private expense, but under
government supervision.
This service Is carried on through
an organization Of nineteen districts,
under central office in Washington.
Each district is In charge Of light
house inspector and has a local office
and one or more supply depots and
lighthouse tenders. In all there are 46
Of these small vessels which carry the
supplies to the stations and place and
maintain the buoys and light vessels.
! About $500 men are required for
the lighthouse work, Of whom I'll are
in the executive, engineering and cler-
ical force, 1873 are keepers Of lights
and depots, 1,570 care FOR post lights,
1916 are on vessels and 4S9 are in the
construction and repair forces.
The entire personnel Is under the
civil service rules, and appointments
and promotions are on a strictly mer-
it system. This is Of great Importance
for the maintenance Of good organiza-
ton and rigid discipline In purely
technical service, on the efficient con-
duct Of which Is directly dependent
the safety Of all the lives and all the
property carried on the seas and the
navigable waters Of this country.
The annual maintenance cost Of the
entire service is close to $35,000,000,
and in addition in recent years there
has been expended about $1,00o,00o a
year on new lighthouse works and
vessels. -.#
At all important light stations there
are from two to five keepers, who
maintain a continuous watch OF the
light all night and at the approach OF
fog at all times. At less important
are from two to five keepers, who
sometimes a single keeper cares for
several lights.
The first lighthouse on this conti-
nent was built by the province or
Massachusetts in 1715-1716, on an is-
land in the entrance to Boston harbor.
Although candles and even coal fires
apLear to have been used In light
house illumination in England to a
much later date, Boston light was
probably illuminated from the first by
oil lamps. In 1889 the light was pro-
duced by sixteen lamps in groups OF
four. Crude lenses and reflectors were
fitted in 1911, and also revolving me-
chanism, 1t having previously been a
fixed light. Several other lighthouses
were built and maintained by the CO.
lonial governments. .. --LATEST
For New York harbor and immedi-
ate approaches alone 26S aids to navi-
CATION are required, including 46
shore lights, two light vessels and 36
lighted buoys; there are 1872 buoys OF
all classes and 81 for signals, includ-
ing sounding broys.
Among the lighthouses Of the coun-
try may be found examples of great
engineering skill and Of dignified and
simple design.
Various materials have been en-
ployed in lighthouse construction
stone, brick, iron, steel, concrete, re-
inforced concrete and wood; In new
work, however, the latter is now little
used because of the desirability Of
permanency.
Numerous types Of construction
have been used. Where the founda-
ton is exposed, even at the lowest
tides, masonry towers have been with
great labor and often danger, fitted to
the bedrock; otherwise the structure
has been erected on iron piles driven
screwed or pumped into the sand or
coral, or on caissons f1oated to the
sight and set on the bottom or sunk
deeper by the pneumatic process, or
by the use of cofferdams, within
which the masonry tower has been
erected; smaller structures have been
placed on riprap foundations.
The earliest example now existing
of a sea-swept lighthouse is the beau
tiful tower Of Cordouan, built In 1854
to 1911 on a rock in the sea at the
mouth of the Gironde, on the west
coast Of France. This lighthouse has
since been altered and raised IN
height. The original structure was
elaborately decorated and one floor
was occupied by a chapel.
The most famous Of the sea-swept