River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-11-16
old BOSTON LIGHT
The First Mariners Beacon to Be
kindIed In America.
TWICE BURNED AND REBUILT.
Then 1t Was Destroyed by the British
Revolutionary Naval Forces and
Again Rebuilt Through the Efforts OF
Governor John Hancock.

The first lighthouse of which there
is any record was built by Ptolemy II.
on the island of Pharos, at the en-
trance to the harbor of Alexandria.
Egypt.
Probably the most famous lighthouse
of modern times is the Eddystone
light, which was one of the first built
in Britain and which has been famous
because of its dangerous situation and
of it's having been four times destroy
ed by the angry waters of the English
channel.
Minots Ledge light, at the entrance
to Boston harbor, is among the most
noteworthy of American lighthouses
and shares with Old Boston light the
interest of every vOyager who enters
the tortuous channel to the city Of
Boston.
Boston light is famous in its way.
1t was the first lighthouse built in
America. It is one of the most impOr-
tant lighthouse stations on the north
Atlantic coast. Every sailorman and
seagoer knows Boston light. Every
school boy and girl has read the many
tales of shipwreck in which Boston
light figures It was captured and re-
captured several times in the early
DAYS of the Revolution.
On the evening of Friday, Sept. IA,
1716, the light was first "kindled,' to
use the expression of the chronicler
of the day.
For some years the shipowners and
merchants of Boston agitated the prof.
ect of establishing a lighthouse at the
entrance to the harbOr. The general
court took the matter up on petition OF
John George and others. The town
officials Of Boston also considered the
proposition and urged the colonial au-
thorities to make an appropriation to
erect a suitable light. At last ia
vorable action was taken by the au-
thorities, and the building Of the light
on the outer Brewster began.
When the light was ready to put into
commission George Worthylake was
appointed keeper. He and his wife
and daughter were drowned two years
later.
Benjamin Franklin wrote a ballad
on the drowning of the family. The
salary Of the first keepers of the light
was $3.50 year.
On the death of Worthylake Captain
John Hayes, a shipmaster. was ap-
pointed.
The early lightkeeper had many 9th
er duties to perform besides looking
after the light. He had to act as pilot
for vessels and discharge the duties of
health officer of the port. In the case
of a vessel being in distress it was
his duty to go to it's rescue.
In 1920 the lighthouse was burned
and rebuilt Again in 1851 the light
house and other buildings were burned
and were again rebuilt.
Robert Ball, the keeper who succeed
ed Captain Hayes, remained until the
British fleet sailed from Boston to Hal-
flax during the Revolutionary war. Ac-
cOrding to the stories at that time, Ball
sailed away with the fleet and never
returned.
The British wantonly destroyed the
harbor property, including the light,
before they sailed away when they
evacuated Boston. Thus it is that
the island on which Boston light stands
is the last soil in Massachusetts occu-
pied by British armed forces.
The destruction of the light was
great loss to mariners and the mer-
chants, and shipping interests induced
Governor John Hancock to send spe-
cial message to the Massachusetts leg
islature recommending an appcopria-
ton for the rebuilding Of the light.
With commendable promptitude the
legislature complied with the request
of Governor Hancock, and plans were
made for one of the finest and largest
lights on the coast. This was i'll 1870.
The new structure was Of stone Oil
lamps furnished the light. Then the
government took over the lighthouses
and assigned their care and mainte-
nance to the treasury department, I'M
der whose jurisdiction they still re-
main. The island and the light We're
formally ceded to the United States
government in 1890.
The treasury department has always
given Boston light great deal OF at
tention because of its Importance and
because it is the most widely known
landmark to the entrance to the Sec
Ond port in America.
1t has been improved and enlarged
from time to time, and the accommo-
dations for the keepers and their fam
lilies are all that could be desired. De-
spite its age the light station is, for
all practical purposes, essentially mod
ern and up to date. 1t displays an
incandescent oil vapor light, giving a
white flash of 100000 candle power eV-
cry thirty seconds, visible sixteen miles
in clear weather. and as an auxiliary
aid in foggy weather sounds power
full first class siren, with double blast
Of five seconds each every minute
Boston Globe.
Some Exception.
at must be hard to see people