![]() ![]() Lewis and Swift consulted together on the design for the first Minot’s Light. His recommendation was supported by Capt. Lewis recommended that a light be placed on the ledge immediately. Daniel Lothrop indicated that 40 lives had been lost there between 18. Ships had been going aground on the many large rocks in that vicinity for centuries–40 vessels between 18 alone. One of Lewis’s recommendations addressed the terrible dangers of Minot’s Ledge just off the coast of Cohasset, Massachusetts near Boston Harbor. A Boston newspaper noted that Lewis’s, “temerity in exposing the actual condition of things” brought about immediate repairs and widespread replacement of lamps. The Establishment had failed to maintain facilities and made little effort to build new beacons or take advantage of new technology. ![]() But he had done a great disservice by allowing the Lighthouse Establishment to fall into lethargy. Pleasonton, back during the War of 1812 when he was a clerk with the State Department, had done our nation an enormous service by rescuing the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and many other precious documents just before the British burned Washington. He criticized the administration of Stephen Pleasonton (1775-1855) who had been Superintendent of the Lighthouse Establishment for the past 23 years. In that time he inspected 70 lighthouses and surveyed many dangerous shoals in need of a beacon. A respected civil engineer and former master mariner born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, Lewis had been appointed to this task some eight months earlier. Lewis, then 35 years old, submitted a report to Congress on the condition of lighthouses in New England. The first Minot’s Ledge Light, built 1850
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |