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{Captain lithottlas Knight, f'erved in f'tation of UJhich his Ilather and Grandfather also UJere Keepers; by C. Clinton Page ~ illsboro Light at Pompano 35 miles at sea. This light is dis­ exterior to stay the ravages of rust ~ Beach - that mute but con- played in alternating flashes of 10 incident to the salt laden air of the stant monitor to the great seconds each. sea, is done on the inside of the ships at sea as they ply the charted Hillsboro Light is what is known tower. course day or night along the in the government Iight service as a Captain Thomas Knight, the Atlantic sea coast - how many skeletal tower. That is, instead of official keeper of Hillsboro Light, of us who have glimpsed this silent being built of brick tile like the was at Palm Beach at the time of sentinel on the seashore from the huge chimney of a great industrial n1Y visit, so I am indebted to Mrs. road in passing really know or think plant, as in the case of some of the Knight and the first assistant about its highly important and older types of lighthouses, the up­ keeper, B.F. Stone, for data for often merciful service to mariners, right steel cylindrical center of the this story. However, both these and in these later days, the navigator structure, 13 feet or more in dia­ were most courteous and cheer­ of the hydroplane, who may also meter, is su pported and stayed to fully gave any information at their be passing along the coast? Com­ stand the storms with many steel command. From them I learned paratively few perhaps have tarried rods, braces and brackets fron1 its that Hillsboro Light, which required to inquire minutely and to learn cement base to the top and accord­ two years to erect, was completed that th is all-steel tower rising 136 ing to the most scientific concep­ in 1906. Mrs. Knight said, as she feet in the air supports at the top tion of steel construction. The top, recalled, it was bu iIt by the Cham­ an intense flash light of 370,000­ or light and watch tower, is reached pion Bridge Company. Captain candle power which may be seen by by a winding steel stairway on the the sh ip's navigator at a distance of inside of the tower, secu re from the 31 miles in ordinary weather, or wind and the weather. All of the on an extraordinarily clear night, work of the captain or lighthouse the reflection of th is giant Iight in keeper and his two assistants, *See "Behind the Scenes," inside the sky may be seen by the mariner except the annual painting of the front cover. -27- Knight, a native Floridian and now 48 hours is also similarly divided or because of its great size, pecul 46 years old, came to take charge shifted, giving all reasonable time construction and its revolving me of the Hillsboro station in July, for recreation. Though the salary anism. The lens consists of m 1911, from Cape Canaveral, where is not large, similarly the duties are than 300 curved glass prism secti he was born and where he was seldom arduous for a great length set in a globular frame work of br assistant lighthouse keeper of the of time. eight feet in diameter, besides Cape Canaveral light eight or nine Captain Knight's father before other smaller prisms at the cen years, when he was transferred here. him, Captain J.A. Knight, was of the "bull's eve." The light He was also lightkeeper at Jupiter lighthouse keeper at Cape Canaveral generated by a large lamp in t Inlet for five and a half years. in the early seventies, while a grand­ interior of this globular lens fr Hillsboro Light is known as father, Captain Burnham, was the kerosene by means of a va No. 126 in the sixth district of keeper of the same light before the burner with an asbestos man the government lighthouse service, former and during the Civil War. somewhat similar to many of though it was formerly included Hence Captain Knight's splendid gasoline lighting apparatus of in the seventh district. Charleston, record at Hillsboro as well as other present time used for house light S.C., is the headquarters, where stations, is but natural. He has where electricity is not availa the superintendent of the district grown up in the service. He also This lens is skillfully and s is located, to whom Captain Knight has an uncle, Captain Wilson, an stantially built on a circular pi has to make his monthly and annual assistant at Canaveral, who served form which sets in a large steel t reports. The superintendent also in the Mexican, Seminole and or circular vat containing appr inspects Hillsboro and all the Civil wars. His grandfather Burnham imately five gallons of mercury, other lighthouses in his district was at Fort Capron, two miles which the whole flashlight lens a four times a year. Hillsboro Light, south of Fort Pierce, when Fort revolving mechanism floats. T First Assistant Stone told me, was Capron was burned by the Semin­ mercury is used in Iieu of one of the best kept stations on the oles, and he barely escaped to sea in bearings or similar device, I coast, and further vouchsafed the a small boat, being picked up later told, because of the less fricti statement by saying that Captain by a schooner near St. Augustine. involved and because of the m Knight and his assistants during Captain Knight has a family of desirable sensitiveness to adjustm the past year won the lighthouse four children now quite grown. and rotation of the lens. The ro pennant and the efficiency star, When he and Mrs. Knight first came tion of the lamp and the lens which distinctions of exceptional to the Hillsboro station there were accomplished by means of cl work are awarded each year. no roads of consequence along the work gears and weights very simi Captain Knight has two assistants, beach and few residents much nearer to those employed in a grandfath B. F. Stone, first, and J.B. Isler, than the little town of Pompano old clock. second, all three of whom are fur­ on the Florida East Coast Railroad, nished comfortable homes for them­ over a milt) back from the seashore. The weights in this seemin selves and families. Besides these Naturally, it was somewhat lone­ primitive motive power are of he homes other minor perquisites and some at first, but roads have since metal slugs fastened to the end monthly salaries of $125 for the been built, the bathing beach a small metallic cable suspended keeper, $115 for the first assistant mile south improved, until now, the steel shaft in the center of and $100 for the second assistant with various homes in the vicinity tower. Th is clock motor has to are received. Their various duties, and small pleasure craft in the inlet wound every three hours for in addition to keeping the light in nearby affording considerable social vapor lamps. Because of the ef the tower burning every night from intercourse. A couple of years of the temperature on the mere sunset to sunrise, involve rescue ago also the Lake Placid winter in which the big lens floats, work in cases of storms and ship­ school for boys, formerly at Coco­ man on watch in the tower wreck, and to at all times keep the nut Grove, was located near the required to take off or put on m lighthouse in firstclass shape. lighthouse. All of these and the weights on this cable to main This includes painting of the development of residence subdivi­ the proper efficiency of the Ii exterior once a year and the interior sions nearby, are attracting visitors, Some of the adjustments inv something like every third year. bathing and fishing parties, until small weights of little more tha The watch periods in the tower vary Hillsboro Light is now quite firmly quarter of a pound and from t in length of from 12 to 24 hours, on the list of enjoyable places to on up to five pounds or m though the day part of the longer visit along the Atlantic beach in That the lightkeeper's nig shifts in calm weather give time for South Florida. work is not all monotonous rou rest and sleep. The short and long The immense glass flash light may be gleaned from the fact t shifts are divided among the men, lens in the top of the tower of so minute in adjustment is whose off time with a maximum of Hillsboro Light is of interest needle in the burner of his va -28- lamp that if perchance, as some­ times happens, a grain of sand or small fibre of asbestos from the mantle gets into the needle the Hillsboro Lighthouse. [Historical Commission] Upper left: the plaque indicates that the gear shift was manufactured in 1880 in Paris, France. [Hibbard Casselberry] Upper right: the watch room, with windows that face out in all directions, is located below the gear system. [Hibbard Casselberry] Below: the electrical conduit, originally kerosene, powers the pair of "clam shell" revolving lenses that had been invented by French physicist Augustine Fresnel. -29- light is immediately extinguished close to shore, by the firing of a except during blinding storms and he must repair it at once. gun or the displaying of special heavy gales. This accident of occurrence must light signals. Nineteen disabled First Assistant Stone, with who also be noted on his nightly log hydroplanes alone have been tow­ I talked, said he came to Hillsbor and show in his monthly report to ed in at Hillsboro light during other Light last June from the lighthou headquarters.

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