Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02

4 A Lghtkeeper on the Columbia
river. Ore, has taken only two days
leave in twenty-three years and one
Of those two days was for the pur-
pose OF being married.
Commissioner Putnam tells a pa
thetio story of the keeper OF Key
West light. who after thirty-hve
years Of service became SO absorbed
in his duty that he would not leave
his task. even for a short vacation.
laboring under the delusion that no
ono else could properly care for the
light. On very stormy night a ship
was wrecked near the fort at Key
West The keeper, then nearly sew
enty years OF age, excited by the
storm and the prolonged whistle
blasts Of the unfortunate vessel. in
| sisted that the wreck was due to the
front range light being out, although
1t had just been examined by his
son and found burning properly. In
spite of his feeble condition he took
a lantern and, resisting efforts to de-
tain him. went on foot in the storm
to the range light to satisfy himself
that it was really burning. He disd
soon afterward.
There are also some amusing Incl
dents-as when the keeper of a light
on Buzzard's bay asked the inspector
to use felt slippers over his shoes in
going up into the tower, to keep the
stairs clean.
The keeper of an island light sta
ton on the coast of Maine had sew
enteen children, many born at the
! island and all well reared. A few
years ago he, with his family, was
transferred 10 another station. An
other keeper reared a family Of
twelve children at Isle Royal light
house, on a lonely rock on the north
side of Lake Superior. This man had
helped build the lighthouse and ap-
piled for the position of keeper. be
ing then a bachelor. The inspector
told him he wanted married man
for keeper, SO he went to the main
land and was promptly married.
The keeper of a minor light on
the upper Hudson river died several
years ago at the age of ninety-three
having tended the light for fifty-two
years. His son had an ambition to
succeed the father in the care of this
light, and he did so at the age of
sixty-fve.
1.-THE government has a feet of YES
sells in its service whose duty it
is to go where no other vessels are
allowed to go, and which, through
storm, darkness and sunshine, does
its work for humanity without boast
ing. without advertising. In this
fleet the most important ship is the
Nantucket lightship. because nearly
all vessels coming to the north At
lantic shore from Europe make this
ship. This ship is anchored forty
one miles from the nearest land and
constitutes the mariners first out
post 1t guards one of the most dan
gerous parts OF the United States
coast. This vessel is fully equipped
with a submarine bell and a radio
service.
The sinking by a submarine of the
Diamond shoal lightship has already
been told. Only last week the sue
cessor of this hero ship was officially
tried out. This is No. los. 1t is the
finest equipped lightship in the world
1t has the new radio fog system,
which has been put in service only
this year. and it is the only ship yet
constructed with the radio fog sys-
tenn as part of the original equip.
ment.
The most interesting of all the
lights on the Atlantic coast is Mi
not's Ledge light. at the entrance to
Boston from the sea- This is the
earliest lighthouse built in this coun-
try in an extremely dangerous posi-
ton. This reef off Boston harbor
had long been a terror to mariners.
An openwork frame structure,
supported on wrought iron piles
wedged into holes five feet deep
drilled into the rock. which was bare
only at low water. was completed in
1S4s. There was great gale in Ap-
: ril, 1851. and early on the morning OF
the 18th, when the sea was at its
| very highest, the light was destroyed.
Two keepers were in the tower and
were lost, and the story of their
tragedy in the doomed Lighthouse
has never been known.
The present massive stone structure
was built on the same site on Mi
not's ledge, commenced in 1855 and
completed in 1860. 1t ranks among
the most difficult lighthouse en-
cheering works of the world. Dur
ing the first summer only $50 work
ing days were obtained on the rock
and after three years work only four
stones of the foundation were laid.
Longfellow visited Minot's light in
1871 and thus describes it: 1.-The
lighthouse rises out of the sea like a
beautiful stone cannon, mouth up
ward, belching forth only friendly
fires"
| y
1.-THE most interesting light on the
Pacific coast is TiIlamook Rock.
Off the mouth of the Columbia river.
The light rises 1876 feet above tn.
water. There the spray has thrown
rocks above the light and wedgeJ
l&l