The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1916-02-05

Song Of the Fog Siren Welcomes Or
Warns the WatokSul Mariner.
The work Of safeguarding navigation
on the coasts of the United States ID 4
far greater and more complex problem
than most people appreciate. for there
Is a multitude of complex conditions to
be met, each one varying with the pc
culiarities Of its location. The terri
tory to be covered v also unusually
great. as 1t includes not only the entire
ocean fronts Of the country, both on
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. but Of
Alaska. the Hawaiian Islands. portions
Of the West indies and the great lakes
as well. and the service never ends
either by night or day. summer or win
ter.
The lighthouse service comprises a
force Of 5000 men, on whom devolves
the duty Of maintaining over l4.OOO
aids to navigation Of various kinds. i'll
Guiding lighthouses, llghtships, light
beacons and buoys Of various descrip-
tons. together with many fog signals.
and an important incidental duty is
that of protecting the shores in the
neIghborhood of stations from damage
by erosion that might endanger the
structures.
The desirable distribution of lights
and other aids along coast depends
on its maritime development and its
physical characteristics and Is innu-
enced by the prevailing meteorological
conditions. Thus the north Atlantic
coast has a large foreign and coasting
trade. and the shores are intricate and
In part rugged. and along this coast
the main lights are. with few excep-
lions. placed at such intervals that
their arcs Of visibility overlap. On
portions Of the coast Of simple corr
tour. and with smaller traf11c. there
are unIlghted stretches between the
lights which stand on the projecting
capes. The design and construction
Of lighthouses vary with their loca-
ton and the surrounding conditions.
no two being exactly alike.
Next to the lighthouse. the lIghtship
IN one OF the most picturesque objects
+een along our coasts. This vessel Is
uinety-two feet on the water line.
twenty five feet beam and has 4
draft Of eleven feet four inches. II h
built Of steel and incOmbustible ma
eriuis Throughout and has Eve water
tight hulkheads. It IL self propelled.
t,eing provided with an internal com
buxtion oil burning engine of 200
horsepower. and has an oil vnpor or
Yas light fifty feet above the water.
iNated ON tubular mast, through
which access to the light can be safely
had In any weather. The fog signal
Ia siren using compressed air, and
a submarine bell il also fitted. Fifty
two light vessels are maintained. and
that there may be no interruption OF
hr service there are fourteen relief
ships. 81 that II anything happens to
IA ship "r station another can be quick
~ sent to take its place. All Ut these
vessels are very strongly built to en-
able them TO Withstand the severe
service they are required to perform
and hive nush decks for increased
safety
Only one light. that at Navesink.
n. j.. In equipped with electric light for
which current Is generated at the sta
zion. but there are thirty minor stations
where electric lights. either incandes
cent or are. are used which obtain cur
rent from outside sources. In most Of
the coast lights oil vapor lamps are
used having nantes Of either thirty.
i've or dfty-ave millimeters diameter
and arranged either singly or in groups
giving light intensities Of from 600 &c
$500 candles These lamps are not
only very powerful and reliable. but
are much more economical than the old
oil wick lamps. as they require but
from O.6 TO OsS gallon per candle pow
er per year as against 4.S to 10 gallons
for the old oil lights The increased
Illuminating efficiency il about eight
times
Bencons. both fixed and floating. are
numerous and depend on either gas OF
electricity for their lights. and these
IRE especially valuable In inaccessible
places where attendance Is difficult
These. however. are only put In sta
lions Ut subordinate importance. The
majority OF such beacons use gus and
are prov ded with tanks Of sufficien,
capacity FOR storing supply Of acety
leue y,is for about five months
Fog signals are Of particular value II
many places. and these are distribute.
along the coast. according to condition,
prevailing Thus on the coast OF Main,
there is an average Of 1857 hours o.
fog during the year, while on the soutl
Atlantic and gulf coasts the average I
Dnly $40 hours There are 328 fog sig
sails from CAPE Lookout northward gu
" total Of 567 maintained by tn,
service. There are l2I fog signals OF
the American shores Of the great lake
and efghty-tbree on the northern Pa
.ifc and Alaska shores. while in Port,
Rico and Hawaii. where fog Is rare. n,
signals of this kind are required.
The principal fog signals used are al
SIRENS. steam whistles. reed horns. bell
controlled by cIOckwork and submarine
hellN Oper,,ted by cOmDreSSed air nil q