Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-03

bencons In many cases the profession
OF housekeeping becomes Il sort Of,
family custom, descending from father
to son. that some OF the present.
Keepers are the sons OF tho men who
tended government lights forty years,
ago. Such men are not given any
preference in the matter OF appoint
ments. but they manage to get Into tho
service through the usual channels. and
usually prove particularly efficient. 1t
is interesting to note that Admiral
Dewey was connected with the light
house service In various capacities for
several ycars--as inspector and as
member and naval secretary OF the
Lighthouse Board.
majority Of the Keepers are mar
ricd men, and while not all OF them"
have seventeen children, the education .
or the younger generation is prob-
LEM When he is stationed on some
out-of-t he-way island. with only boat
communication at Irregular intervals
with the mainland, he is quite unable
to send the children 10 school, and his
salary makes it impossible to let them
live III Il nearby town. Tie State OF
Maine has taken the most progressive
stand in this matter, by detailing II
teacher especially to travel and teach
the children of light-kcepcrs. The
lighthouse bureau tries to meet the
situation by assigning the men with
children OF school age TO stations
where the children can attend school.
but this Is not possible in many cases.
Should Follow NInIne'r PInr.
What is needed here is action on tho
part OF all the States similar to that
taken by Maine. and Federal pro-
vision for paying the teacher cx-
pchses while travelling and living at
the lighthouse. AT present tho
tea sher's expenses have TO be met by
the Keeper or by the teacher himself
ncSe problems arc the ones that
confront the men on shore stations. +
The lightship captains and crews az
a rule worry less about children and
more about keeping their various sta
tons III the face OF storms and galec.
when an eighty or nincty-mile blow
gets up. the most firmly anchored rcs-
sci is likely To be plucked out by tho
roots rs II were. and taken along with
1T: in which ease. il is her duty to beat
back to station as soon possible.
Whatever the sea may he doing. Two
men steel mooring chains part before
such winds. and 5000 pound anchors
drag. The whistiinE buoys which arc
permanently inoorcd as warnings in
many places. sometimes go on Jour-
neSs OF their own under such condi-
iions. The buoy on Nantucket Shoals
recently set out 10 see the world on
It's ow II account. and Travelled n!nctccnS
months before it was picked up by q
merchant vessel mud towcd back to ita
government proDrictors This buoy
Travelled about 1900 nautical miles. and
Tn" "histlc continued to operate
usual On route. II was none the WORSE
for its journey when /, got back.
The lighthouse service always in
cludes a large number OF cases OF life
saving in its annual activities. Tho
most striking recent instance Of the
KIND was the rcaCu. of q British la rIS
aground OF Hawaii BY the lighthouse
tender columbne. The bark was
aground on a lee shore. and would havo
gone TO pieces with the loss Of all on
board had II not been for the Column
binc. The rescued vessel was four
times the size Of the little tender the
sea was very rough and the situation
dangerous.
Worked Finy-SiI Hourx.
The Coluinbinc WAS too small to haul
III" bark on--four towing hawscrs
parted in the attcmpt-but she kent
the other vessel from breaking up for
ffty-siN hours. during which time her
crew worked without rest. until !, navy
tug arrived and saved the situation.
For this service. the officers and crew
OF the Columbinc were thanked by per-
sonal letter from President Wilson. -
An important Improvement contem-
plated in the lighthouse service is the
establishment OF telegraph service be-
tween the lighthouses and the telc-
graph stations Of the Coast Guard This
viii not only enable the keepers To
make prompt notification OF vessels in
distress, but Will also prove n valuable
measure for national defense. In time
of emergency. the President is empow-
cred to put the entire lighthouse ser
vice under til: orders OF the Navy
Department the War Department.
when 1t can perform most valuable SER
vice IN the way OF lookout work for
suspicious vessels. In such case. prompt
means OF communication ARE essential.
Altogether. tho lighthouse keeper is
useful citizen in peace and war. and
ii is to be hoped that the most press
ing needs Of himself and his family
viii he adequately provided for