OCR Text |
Show THE HEIGHT OF OCEAN WAVES very respectable hills, Somo years ago tho steamer that carried supplies to the lighthouse on Tillamook rock, on tho coast or Oregon, was able to make a landing and establish communication com-munication with tho light keepers aftqr a series of storms pnly by stren-itou stren-itou endeavors coverlug a period of six weeks. Tho waves of tho Pacific had torn way tho wharves and other con structions on tho rock, oven carrying off timbers which wero riveted to the rock. As yet. howovor, tho lantern hud remained untouched. Hut tho storm Increased, tho waves toso In height, and soon dashed against tho lantern, which was ISO feet nbovo tho lovol of the sea. Finally Final-ly the water washed over tho top of the lighthouse, cpmlng In through tho ventilators overhead. The keepers woro compelled to work desperately all night long to keep the laiuu llehted. They were continually t In fear that the lights In the glasses looking soaward would ho brokon In by the force of thq wares, and (hat they themselves should bo washed out Into tho sea to certnln death. Hut tho Iron lattice work outside the windows saved the panes from doatriictlou. Tho light keopetn, who wero old sailors, affirmed that no experience on shipboard could be as horrible as this long struggle with tho storm at the summit of the lighthouse. Thoy would havo been glal to take refuge even In a frail ship, Tho Tillamook light had on provlous occasions been washed over completely complete-ly by waves. The samo thing happened hap-pened to tho Eddystono light, off tho const or England, and to tho light at Kleaux-do-Drechot, off tho east coast of France, both of which are about ono hundred and fifty feet in height. It seems woll established, thorofore, that waves may mount to u height ICO tout above tho general level. |