Section of
LANS COWTT1 HOME Fit Wt PAPER
Sunday, Feb. 21. 1937
( tntlr Utut copyrlghUd'm? by FW SUr PublWhing Corporation. Reproduction
without pcrmiulon prohibited. Grt BrlUln lights rawrvad.
America's
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CAPE
HATTERAS
LIGHT
A TALL sentinel shooting skyward on a nar
row sand island south of The Chesapeake
and a short distance off the North Carolina coast,
flashes a guiding light to passing ships, along this
section of the Atlantic seaboard, which constitutes
one of the greatest dangers to shipping on the
United States coastlines. It is the Cape Hatteras
lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse on American soil,
rising one hundred ninety-three feet above sea
level.
The first lighthouse was erected on Cape Hat
teras in 1798. It was but ninety feet highand due
to the low coast line was inadequate protection for
mariners. The present brick tower with granite
base was completed in 1870, in a position a few
hundred feet to the north of the first tower. It is
painted with broad spiral stripes and its beam is
equipped with a twenty-four panel revolving lens
which flashes a warning every six seconds.
After the first lighthouse was erected on Cape
Hatteras at the turn of the nineteenth century, it
socn became evident that a light was not suffici
ent. A lightship was built and placed on Diamond
Shoals off Cape Hatteras in 1824. After a few
months this vessel broke from her moorings, and
after being driven a great distance to sea, suc
ceeded in gaining the port of Norfolk. The vessel
was replaced several times, but finally, in 1827,
was driven ashore near Ocracoke Inlet and
wrecked. It was seventy years before anothet
lightship was placed on Diamond Shoals. Floating
bell beacons, "whistling" buoys, and other pre
cautions for navigation were tried, but all met
with failure. The old Cape Hatteras light alone
stood dependable.
EVEN as late as the World War, disaster hov
ered over Diamond Shoals, the Diamond
Shoals lightship, just off Cape Hatteras, being the
only navigation aid in the United States destroyed
by the enemy. On the afternoon of August 8th.
1918, a submarine raider began firing on a mer
chant ship about a mile and a half away. The
lightship sent out a radio warning to other vessels
in the vicinity and this was undoubtedly the means
of saving many ships. It resulted, however, in the
enemy submarine firing, six shots at the lightship,
and later returning to sink it by gunfiire. The
Diamond Shoals lightship crew' escaped in life
boats, aided by the Cape Hatteras lighthouse crew.
A lightship is now stationed at Diamond Shoals,
but is occasionally carried away by the fierce
storms that strike this section of the Atlantic sea
board. The light that .never fails is the Cape
Hatteras light, itself. Swept by the unrelenting
fury of the seas, the peppcr-mint-stick-like pinnacle
lands, a guiding light to all mariners on the most
projecting point of land on the Atlantic coastline.
Beside the tall tower, the house of the light
house keeper stands, lonely, desolate, but typical
of the strong, brave men of the sea, alone and un
afraid, battling the fury of the elements.
For twenty miles out to sea the Cape Hatteras
light can be seen. The reflection of its powerful
beams on the sky can be seen for more than fifty
miles. From the lighthouse balcony on a clcir
night it is a beautiful sight to watch the twenty
four sparkling shafts of clear light sweeping the
horizon. For many a ship that comes staggering up
the coast, battered by fierce gales, rain, snow, and
Mountainous waves, the bright guiding light of
Cape Hatteras is indeed a welcomed sight. It not
only is a warning to keep mariners clear of the
dangerous shoals, but means to them that port U
ju beyond and a long hard voyage ended.
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