|
This column continues to provide excerpts from the “Lighthouse Service Bulletin”, a monthly publication of the Bureau of Lighthouses, U.S. Department of Commerce. The first was issued in January 1912, and it continued throughout the existence of the Bureau. Unedited quotes from Volume II, Nos. 13 and 14, dated January and February 1919 follow. The Bulletin had as its object “supplying information that will be immediately useful in maintaining or improving the standards of the Lighthouse Service, and of keeping the personnel advised of the progress of work and matters of general interest in the service and in lighthouse work in general.”
Closing of Navigation On Lakes – The conditions attending the closing of navigation on the Great Lakes during the past month form a marked contrast with the severe conditions encountered during December 1917. In the tenth lighthouse district, comprising Lakes Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, the weather was exceptional, it being very mild and no ice of any consequence having formed. All buoys were removed without any unusual incidents. An interesting fact in connection with the closing of navigation at Buffalo is that during the latter part of December there were 118 of the largest lake freighters moored in the harbor, containing in their holds an aggregate of 39,300,000 bushels of grain. In the eleventh lighthouse district, comprising Lakes Huron and Superior and connecting waters, about the same conditions were encountered as in the tenth district, only the lighthouse tender Amaranth being exposed to heavy snowstorms on Lake Superior. The keepers of Passage Island Light Station were taken off the station by the Canadian authorities and the station closed on December 15. The tenders Marigold and Aspen, assisted by the Crocus, landed all the gas buoys of the district from the Straits of Mackinac south. In the twelfth district, which comprises Lake Michigan and Green Bay, no trouble was experienced in picking up buoys and placing the light vessels in winter quarters, the work having been accomplished with less trouble than has been experienced for several seasons.
Fire At Execution Rocks Light Station N.Y. – On December 8, 1918, a fire, the cause of which could not be determined, broke out at Execution Rocks Light Station, damaging the station to the extent that the engine house was totally destroyed, the engine and machinery rendered useless, the brickwork of the oil house damaged and the roof thereof burned off, the stonework on the north and east sides of the tower badly chipped, windows on the east side of the tower burned out, woodwork in the lower hallway of the dwelling scorched, and the gutter on the east side of the dwelling and the eaves on the north end thereof burned away. The oil house, which was alongside the engine house,
was full of oil, there being about 2,000 gallons on hand; about one half of this oil was burned, the remainder being removed from the oil house after the fire was extinguished.
Credit is due the keeper and the second assistant keeper of the station, and also two navy men, Messrs. Balick and McKey, for their prompt action in attempting to prevent the fire from spreading. The naval scout patrol boats No. 9, No. 36, and No. 196 and the picket boat from the Zara [Navy U.S.S. Zara, ed.] arrived at the station and did excellent work in retarding the spread of the fire.
Assistance Rendered By the Lighthouse Tender Cedar – Commencing November 27, 1918, the lighthouse tender Cedar was engaged on special duty in southeastern Alaska in connection with the influenza epidemic, furnishing transportation for a corps of doctors and nurses, with medical supplies, to isolated localities, principally native villages. This work was in charge of a medical officer of the United States Public Health Service.
Testing For Fires In Piles of Stored Coal – According to Professor Parr of the University of Illinois, bituminous coal can be stored without appreciable loss of heat value, provided that the temperature is not allowed to rise above 180 degrees F . . . Common methods for testing coal piles for heat are: watching when the pile begins to steam; observing the odor, which is that of either burning coal or burning sulphur; inserting an iron rod into the pile and when drawn out testing it with the hand . . . In view of the possibility of spontaneous combustion occurring in bunkers of vessels, the Bureau directs that employees on vessels give special attention to the inspection of coal while it is being loaded to see that it is dry, and also that inspections of bunkers be made at short intervals in order to avoid any unusual rise in temperature in the coal.
Patriotism of Employee – (From the Feb. 1919 Bulletin) A December 1918 letter to the “Superintendent of Lighthouses” from “William H. Case, Laborer-In-Charge, Matanzas Pass Light” – “Salary check just received. Thanks for the raise. Since I reported last in regard to securities of the Government purchased by myself and family, my wife has purchased a $100 liberty bond of the fourth loan. I bought a $50 bond through your office; also bought $10 worth of war-savings stamps, and as cash was short when the war-work drive came along I gave my Detroit 18-foot canoe, which was my particular joy and pride, to the war-work committee. It was sold at auction and brought $26. I felt I had no right to keep this luxury in these times when the money was as much needed for war-work.”
The Bureau is glad to publish the foregoing letter, and the Secretary of Commerce has commended Mr. Case for his unselfish and patriotic action.
That’s another sampling “From the Bulletin” Watch this space in each issue of Lighthouse Digest for more.
This story appeared in the
Jul/Aug 2020 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
All contents copyright © 1995-2024 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.
|
