Evening star., 1939-05-28
Describes Building of
First Lighthouse
BIZ Frederic J. Hdsktn,

AAAot CA0NtA1CAlL VI tllC SOIlkIcSS VI LflG
United States providing for the erection
Of q lighthouse, the Colonial govern
ment Of the Massachusetts, Bay Colony
authorized the establishment of the
first beacon on what is now the terri.
tory Of the American Government. 1t
was on July %, IT'S, that the General
Court of Massachusetts, met the urgings
Of the merchants and seamen interested
In the trade of the Port of Boston by
authorizing Boston Light, which remains
one of the most famous Of this country
George I had been King of England
for less than a year and this was the
first legislative act of the entire Western
Hemisphere to provide for such an aid
to navigation. The action is the more
notable because 1t came only 18 years
after the construction of the first Eddy
stone Light of Lands End. At that
time lighthouses were few and far be.
tween throughout the world. Between
the construction Of the Pharos OF Alex
andria In the days Of antiquity and the
building of Eddystone Light there had
been very little provision for aids to
navigation, so the enterprise Of the
Massachusetts, Bay Colony is especially
notable.
From very early times in American
Colonial history Boston had been a busy
port. The Colonists had begun the
great seafaring tradition which has
clung to New England ever since and
because the entry to Boston Harbor was
dangerous and had cost many lives the
unprecedented action was taken.
The Bureau Of Lighthouses Of the
United States has shown an antiquarian
turn and recently has discovered some
fascinating old documents concerning
the early history of the Lighthouse Serv-
ice. 1t has unearthed the text of the
original act establishing the Boston
Light. Legislative documents, even that
long ago, read much as modern bills In
Congress or State Legislatures. This act
begins:
An act for building and maintaining
a lighthouse upon the Great Brewster
called Beacon Island) at the entrance
to the Harbour of Boston
Whereas the want of a lighthouse at
the entrance to the Harbour of Boston
hath been great discouragement to
navigation by the loss of lives and
estates Of several of his majesty's sub.
jects; for prevention thereof
BE 1t enacted by his excellency the
Governor, Council and Representatives
in General Court assembled and by the
authority of the same"
And then the details of the project are
set forth, it being provided that the
light be kept burning from sun setting
to sun rising" The thrifty burgesses of
the Massachusetts, Bay Colony had an
eye to the upkeep of the light and the
measure provided that every ship pass
ing the light must pay duty of l shill-
ing, specific, and also l penny ton Of
the burden. An exception was made Of
ships in the coastwise trade.
A further interesting provision was
designed to prevent neglect of duty on
the part of the keeper of the light.
Should he neglect his duty by permitting
the light to 60 out, or otherwise he was
to be subject to a fine of 100 pounds,
great sum in those days. Two-thirds Of
this fine was to go into the general treas
ury of the colony and one-third as
reward to whoever reported the neglect.
In view of the fact that the salary Of
the first keeper of the light was fixed at
only so pounds year, a fine Of twice
that sum was thought sufficient to in
sure close attention to duty.
The first keeper Of the light at Bos-
ton was George Worthylake, who began
his duties in IT'S but did not serve for
long, because 1t is recorded that on
November 8, 1718, but two years later, he
with his wife and daughter were
drowned. On this occurrence was based
ballad which had some popularity in
those days. 1t was called The Light
house Tragedy" and was written by Ben
jamin Franklin, who was but 13 years
of age at the time
The famous light passed through
many strange vicissitudes. In l72O
fire occurred in the lantern doing con-
siderable damage, but this was promptly
repaired. In 1751 another fire occurred
which nearly ruined the structure, but
repairs again were made with the i'm
replaced by one Of metal
The Boston Lights most extraordinary
chapter, however, was written during
the War Of the American Revolution
1t must be remembered that Boston was
occupied by strong British garrison,
but the Yankees who were capable of the
daring Boston Tea Party were capable
OF other exploits as well. To the revolu-
tionists, even though Boston was their
own town, the fact of the British occu-
patton made 1t enemy territory. So, on
July 20, ITS, only about three months
after the Battle of Lexington, party Of
American patriots contrived to reach
the lighthouse. They took the lamps
and burned the wooden parts of the
structure. The attitude of the patriotic
Americans is expressed in another old
document which has been found. It is
an eyewitness description of the fire and
this witness says he saw the flames of
the lighthouse ascending to heaven like
grateful incense"
1t was important for the British occu-
piers Of Boston to have the lighthouse
beacon kindled because their troopships
and supply vessels were using the port,
so the damage was put under repair
quickly. But on July 81, only II days
after the first raid, another was made.