Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
.LAMPL|GHTER SETS
19,5(l(MILE MARK
Joseph Ciuffreda, 81, Has
Changed Darkness 10 Light
for Il Years.
For Il years Joseph Ciufreda has

For Il years Joseph Ciuffreda has
been dealing ii lights and shadows.
Joe is the oldest Iamplighter in
Washington. both in point of age and
in point of service. He lit his first
lamp IA month after landing in this
country from Italy, and hopes 10 WELD
his magic wand which drives away
the darkness down the streets OF the
Lincoln Park section until lamp!ight-
ing days are done.
In fair weather and in foul Joe has
FASTENED from lamp 10 lamp, ladder on
back and stick in hand. He's 81 years
old. and as sturdy and strong as h"
was three decades ago, when he pulled
an oar through the blue waters OF the
Bay of Naples
BY day l40 polished globes on a and
b streets northeast ana Il street south
east reflect Joe's Vigilance as a tender
OF the lamps, and at night his trail is
marked by mellow pools of gold.
Has Walked 10000 Miles.
During the years that he has caused
the lamps to glow. one by one, scat
tering the gathering dusk, he has
walked more than 1880 miles AMI
touched $4,000 lamps with his light
Ing stick.
These Summer days Joe's task is
comparatively easy. Down the quiet
streets he hastens. racing against the
darkness, pausing but second at
each lamp before hurrying on to the
end of his pathway of light.
Children hail his coming with relief,
deserving the shadows by the trees
and the hedges, peTilous patches OF
darkness to a ten.year old, hiding all
manner of strange and mysterious
beings seen terrifyingly in the mag
ination, and seek the refuge of the
friendly beams of light. Nearly every
lamp shines over its particular coterle
of children. small tenants of neighbour
ing houses who romp and play with an
eye to the blackness bordering the
oasis of light and an ear dreading the
inevitable call of mother. It's time 10
come in now"
Hardships in Winter.
But when Winter winds shrek
through the streets and Winters
SHOWS make going difficult his patient
patrol is beset by hardships. The
lamps must be lit, however, and Joe
has never failed. During the Winter
his coming. hours earlier than during
the long Summer days. signalizes the
time when father comes home, and
small faces, pressed against frosty
window panes, look eagerly at each
pool of light to catch sight of we'll
loved figure Fastening home.
Joe still speaks in the soft dialect
of Italy. and his English is fragmen-
tary, but he is aware and proud Of the
responsibility of his position.
''Da lamp lite job" he said, means
go all da time. Rain, gotta go. Snow,
gotta go Max no diffrens. Da Tampa.
she mus be lit.
Sometimes mischievous boys smash
the globes. Joe has learned TO be
philosophical about such mishaps. But
none of his Is children has ever been
accused of smashing any lamps.
BY day, when he is not washing
globes and keeping the fixtures in
order, Joe is a member of shoes, main
tanning repair shop at , Fourteenth
street northeast.
During his nightly pilgrimages Joe
has made many friends along his
route. His smile is as CHEEKY as the
radiance in his globes. and sometimes
little ones, block or more from home,
will run by his side as he approaches
their homes, lamp by lamp.
There are older folk. too, interested
no longer in lights and shadows, who
greet him by name. familiar to them
since the days when the shadows
shielded ghosts and the light of the
lamp was a friendly refuge.
Likes His Job.
Joe likes his job. He confesses to a
feeling Of satisfaction each time he
makes a lamp go 'plop," and watches
it glow into life leaving a radiant
beam where once was darkness.
And as he goes down the street he
likes to hear the childish calls which
serve as notice of his progress, even
ahead of the orange globes which
herald his approach from afar
There's twinkle in his eye as he