Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1932-12-22
Tho Founding Of
Tillamook Lighthouse
Dear News-Record:

Dear News-Record:
In looking over some old files "
newspapers and clippings we found an
article In Tillamook paper copied
from an Astoria paper giving q re-
porter's account Of a visit to Tillamook
Rock Light Station where Mr.. Hunt, In
his bachelor days was keeper, tdate
not given but must have been around
$780, We thought a short excerpt OF
this article and from San Francisco
Examiner Of January 20, 1899, and
from young People Of November
1881, might be Of interest to your
readers, some of whom must have
passed In sight Of this lighthouse on
trip to California, along the Oregon
coast.
It would be a treat to visit Mr. 9.
Tanner, retired, now living at West
port, WASH, below Aberdeen, and Mr..
M. Calvin, whom we believe is stu in
the lighthouse service at Point VIII
son, WASH, both Of whom were assist
ant keepers with Mr.. Hunt OF the Rock
before and during 1889, and who could
| give experiences first hand that would
| coincide with newspaper accounts
though probably not so highly colored.
Tillamook Rock, mass Of basalt less
than an acre In extent, rises one hum
dred and twenty feet above the turbu-
lent Pacific, one mile, or more off the
mainland, thirty-two miles from As
toria, the lighthouse and buildings
ticking up the entire space. Great
difficulty was encountered In building
the lighthouse. Quoting from "Caleb
West, Master Diver" who told Of the
light off Boston at Minot's Ledge,
where they had to chisel down sub
merged rock into steps to get a foot
ing for the tower, "it was even worse
at Tillamook Rock on the Pacific
Coast. There the men were landed
on a precipitous crag sticking up out
of the sea from brooches bouys sluns
to the masthead of vessel For weeks
at time the sea was so rough that
no one could reach them. They were
given up for dead once. AT that time
they were lying In canvas tents, dashed
down to the sides Of the crag to keep
them from being blown into rags. All
they had to eat or drink for days was
raw salt pork and the rain water they
caught from the tent covers. And yet
these fellows stuck to It day and
night until they had blasted off q
place large enough to put shanty on
Every bit Of the material for thai
light house, excepting in the stnlesi
weather, was landed from the vessel
that brought it by line rugged from
the masthead to the top Of the crag;
and all this time. she was thrashinl
around under stream, keeping as Gloss
| to the edge as she dared. Oh, I tel
you. there Is something stunning to m,
| in such battle with the elementsl'
| There are five keepers at the station
mo families allowed, men recruited
| from the United States Civil Servic,
register, four Of whom are on continue
duty at the light while the fifth is 0,
shore leave, thus giving each maj
ninety-six days leave throughout tn
|year.
There is a piano and other musica
instruments at the station, each keepe
has his own room. and everything
possible is done by the government Il
counteract the Loneliness that is boun,
to creep in where there is so littl
J. outside contact. The Astoria reporte
I. mentioned receiving beautiful flower
from the keeper-white and scarle
| geraniums raised in window boxe
from dirt brought from the mainland
The lighthouse tenders visit the statiol
once a month bringing supplies an
mail and the men back from leave o
absence all of which is hoisted ont
: the cliff by means of derrick, steam
operated, The sickening feeling Will
being suspended. with the swinging
Il upward motion of the basket was S