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Website Design and Content © by Eric Krause,
Krause House Info-Research Solutions (© 1996)
All Images © Parks Canada Except
Where Noted Otherwise
Report/Rapport © Bill O'Shea
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Report Assembly/Rapport de l'assemblée © Krause
House
Info-Research Solutions
Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
Heritage Notes
The
Louisbourg Lighthouse
(Part
I - constructing the light 1923/24)
The present-day Louisbourg light came into
service on February 1, 1924 after a fire eight months earlier destroyed
the lighthouse built in 1842.[i]
It was constructed in reinforced concrete by E.M. Dickson of Sydney for
the federal Department of Marine and Fisheries. Abutting the tower is
the base of the 18th century French light.
A short distance away is the foundation of the 1842 lighthouse.
The modern light continues a tradition of navigational security on the
east coast of Cape Breton bridging four centuries. The 3 lights together
represent a significant heritage resource.
..................
A
fire on June 3, 1923 destroyed the wooden lighthouse built in 1842.
Almost immediately a temporary light was erected on the roof of the
nearby fog alarm building to ensure the safety of shipping. The
temporary structure stood 45 feet high and was topped by a white
occulting (covered briefly at regular intervals) light flashing every 12
seconds and showing 3 seconds of light. It was visible 10 miles out to
sea.[ii]
With the short-term problem solved, the Marine
Department in Ottawa wrote to C.H. Harvey, its Agent in Halifax,
suggesting the construction of a double house and a concrete light
tower.[iii]
The Department of Marine’s district
engineer, J.A. Leger, recommended “.
. . that a tower similar to the one erected on Georges Island, Halifax
Harbour, be put up.” He
also wrote that “About
1/3 of (the) remains of the old French light will have to be removed,
(and the) chimney of old (1842) dwelling pulled down.”[iv]
Responding to Leger’s advice, the
Superintendent of Lights, P.C. Johnson, wrote that since the temporary
light was working well, it could be the model for a new type of
Louisbourg light. Rather than build a new tower, he felt that a 500 mm.
lantern mounted on a structure similar to a larger buoy would be
appropriate. He further reasoned that because the light and the fog
alarm could share the same location, only a single dwelling need be
built for the one engineer who could watch both facilities.
Fortunately for Louisbourg, Harvey’s superiors did not agree
with his cost-saving idea. There is a note in the margin of his memo
stating that “This would
be replacing a 40,000 CP light by a 500 CP one and would not be
recommended.”[v]
This reaction is not surprising since Louisbourg was important to Cape Breton’s economy. Beginning in 1895, with the arrival of the Sydney & Louisburg Railway, the town shipped millions of tons of coal to the rest of Canada, Newfoundland and New England. Even after 1919, when shipping from the harbour was largely limited to the winter months, Louisbourg was a significant location with its annual influx of coal boats, ships coming to refuel and fishing vessels.[vi] In 1925-26, for example, a total of 342 vessels entered the harbour.[vii] And, in addition to its role as a guide for ships entering the harbour, the Louisbourg light was important to coastal shipping since navigational technology was still relatively primitive in the early twentieth century.
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Louisbourg
Light, south elevation – 1917, Department
of Marine & Fisheries Plan (Fortress of Louisbourg NHS)
The
plans for a new light moved forward using the design for a reinforced
concrete tower drawn in 1917 by the Marine Department.[viii]
Public tenders were called for the light and the double house and, by
early September, two bids were submitted. The Standard Construction
Ltd., of Halifax did not include a deposit cheque with its bid and was
disqualified, and so the contract was given to E.M. Dickson of Atlantic
Engineering Works of Sydney for $18,100.00. This amount was actually the
lower bid submitted by the Halifax company and not Dickson’s original
bid.[ix]
Dickson set to work quickly and the
Superintendent of Lights, on a visit to Louisbourg on September 28,
1923, wrote that he “. .
. found that the contractor was busy engaged at the foundation for the
new light.”[x]
In spite of his energetic approach Dickson was anxious because he
had not received a formal contract. On October 3, he
telegraphed the government purchasing agent asking for plans and
specifications while confirming that he had material assembled and
ready.[xi]
The plans were obviously sent as requested, for by October 22 the
contractor was writing to the agent to say that the tower was partly
constructed and that he would like to be compensated for $5,000.00 worth
of work. He also wondered when the Order in Council authorizing his
contract would go through. The contract would not pass and be forwarded
to the Agent in Halifax until October 25, but Dickson continued working,
apparently assured that the project was his.[xii]
On November 10 there was an estimate of the
total cost for the lighthouse and dwelling. With the contract set at
$18,100.00, inspection costs at $150.00, and the lantern from the
Dominion Lighthouse costing $4750.00, the total cost for the light and
house was $23,000.00.[xiii]
A new lantern was essential and shortly after
the June fire, a request was made to the depot in Prescott, Ontario. The
Chief Engineer, in Ottawa, was told
that there was an 8 foot octagonal lantern on hand and the depot was
instructed send it to Louisbourg.[xiv]
The actual installation of the light would not take place until January
1924 when a Mr. Morrison came to Louisbourg to complete that task.[xv]
Meanwhile, work on the tower proceeded
smoothly and, by December 18, an official visiting the site found that
the tower was completed except for the entrance door and the trim. The
foundations for the house were finished and the structure was framed and
boarded with the roof and shingling started. The materials were those
specified in the contract and the work judged to be first class.[xvi]
On February 20, 1924, engineer Leger wrote
that he had competed the final inspection and taken the buildings over
from the contractor. He held back $150.00 of the contract to ensure the
cisterns were tight and that the tower received its outside wash when
the weather was better.[xvii]
The new Louisbourg light house was entered
into service on February 1, 1924. The
Notice to Mariners describes the light as a petroleum vapour, flashing
white, catoptric light showing every 7 seconds. The fixed light was 500
candle power with flashes of 50,000 candle power. It was seen at 12
miles.[xviii]
The Louisbourg lighthouse measures almost 55
feet high (14.5 metres) from the ground to the top of the vane with
the base 19 feet in diameter (5.8 metres).[xix]
It is an attractive octagonal form representing a classical
column divided into a strongly emphasized or rusticated base, a shaft,
and a capital consisting of the platform and lantern. There are
pedimented caps over the door and 3 of the windows, and decorative
brackets support the lantern platform.[xx]
The tower is painted white and the lantern is red.
With the completion of the new light the
responsibilities of the light keeper changed. Previously, while the
keeper had overall charge of the light station, there was an engineer
operating the fog alarm who was paid a higher wage. This wage
discrepancy caused no end of problems over the years between the light
keeper and engineer. The fog alarm began operation in February 1902,
[xxi]
with
D. A. Campbell in charge.
In 1916 he was replaced by William Covey. But it was not until Covey
became keeper of the new light, at the end of February 1924, that the
two positions were combined in one person.[xxii]
This
resolved the conflicting roles for the next 3 head light keepers:
Wilfred Covey (son of William), M. J. Tanner and Roy Forgeron.
The French Ruins
The construction of the new light tower drew attention to the ruins of the 18th-century French light. District Engineer Leger wrote, in mid October, that in moving the debris of the French tower, which was spread across the top of the hill, he found an outline of the 18th-century foundation, 6 or 7 steps of the stairwell, the location of the door and a number of artefacts, including the lead dedication plaque which was probably placed over the door when the light was built. He also recommended that the foundations be preserved. This was a major change in his plans since initially he anticipated removing all that remained of the French lighthouse.[xxiii] What changed his mind?
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The
Light Station in a June 1931 aerial photograph
by the Department of
Mines & Technical Surveys, Canada.
The double
house is on the left and
the fog alarm buildings
to the far right. (Louisbourg Heritage Society)
An awareness of the historic French ruins had
grown over the quarter century before the new lighthouse was constructed.
If you were to look
for a beginning it was possibly in 1895 with the arrival of the Sydney
& Louisburg Railway. On its opening day, the S&L carried members
of the United States-based Society of Colonial Wars to Louisbourg, along
with 1,000 citizens of Cape Breton, to dedicate a monument to the military
forces taking part in the siege of 1745.[xxiv]
In 1900 Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier visited Louisbourg and
at the ruins of the fortress spoke about the historic ground,
“consecrated by the blood of your forefathers, the English, and my
forefathers, the French. . .”[xxv]
The momentum continued between 1901 and 1907, when industrialist and
Louisbourg resident D.J.
Kennelly stabilized ruins at
the fortress site and obtained protecting provincial legislation. Then, in
1918, J.S. McLennan published his well-researched book,
Louisbourg: From Its Foundation to Its Fall, 1713-1758, giving
everyone access to a detailed history of 18th-century Louisbourg.
In 1921, on the recommendation of the Historic
Sites and Monuments Board, the federal government bought land at the
fortress to preserve the ruins and prevent artefacts from being removed.
This was followed, in the summer of 1923, by a visit from Dr. J. C.
Webster and Major J. Plimsoll Edwards, of the Board. They met with Senator
J.S. McLennan and Archdeacon T. Fraser Draper of Louisbourg and in August
proposed a major initiative for Louisbourg involving the acquisition of
all the historic ruins including the lighthouse.[xxvi]
So
when he saw the construction activity at the lighthouse in September 1923,
Archdeacon Draper became concerned and
immediately wrote to Dr. Webster suggesting that any artefacts
found there should be held in safe keeping and that the ruins be
preserved. Webster wrote to J. B. Harkin, director of the historic sites
branch, urging that the new lighthouse be built alongside the old and that
any “relics” be delivered to Draper’s care. The result of this
intercession by Draper was that the 18th-century lighthouse
ruins were saved.
To
preserve the ruins, engineer Leger estimated that it would cost between
$50.00 and $75.00 to point the stone. The historic sites people in Ottawa
agreed with this and, though the final cost was $130.00, they paid the
bill.
As for the artefacts, some may have been given
to Archdeacon Draper for safekeeping. But there seems to have been concern
that they would leave the community and there was an effort to keep the
lead dedication plaque in Louisbourg. The plaque memorializes the efforts
of engineer Etienne Verrier and civilian contractor Ganet in the
construction of the French light and other principal buildings. The local
pressure to keep it in town may have come from either Mayor A.A.
Martell or councillor and soon-to-be mayor, M.S. Huntington, who
was becoming an advocate of local history.[xxvii]
Fortunately,
there was also support from the district engineer, Leger, and the local
sentiment won the day. The plaque hung inside the tower until the light
was automated in 1990. At that time it was transferred to the Fortress of
Louisbourg where it is on display.[xxviii]
The Summer of 1926
The
new lighthouse was the focal point for an important event in 1926.
Louisbourg was planning a Come Home Summer and the Historic Sites and
Monuments Board of Canada, at the same time, planned to unveil 4 historic
site plaques at Louisbourg – 2 at the lighthouse and 2 on the site of
the fortress ruins. Earlier correspondence between the departments agreed
that the plaques would be attached to the lighthouse.[xxix]
In
March 1926, Mayor A.A. Martell wrote, to the District Engineer about the
“summer carnival”, mentioned the historic plaque unveilings and asked
if the case would be ready for the historic lead plaque, which was found
in the ruins of the French tower in 1923. Heralding what would become a
long-term point of concern between municipal and federal responsibilities,
Martell also asked if the road to the lighthouse would be repaired
for the event.[xxx]
The town celebrated the first day of its Come Home Week on August 10, 1926 with a sports programme and the plaque unveilings. The day opened with a 3 mile race run from old town to the school in the modern town won by Truman Hunt. At 11:30 a.m. the activity moved to the lighthouses where Senator McLennan talked about the history of the site and Mayor Melvin Huntington welcomed the guests before unveiling two Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaques.[xxxi] One of the plaques commemorates the French defenders of the Island Battery in 1745 and 1758, while the other commemorates the French lighthouse and the British batteries constructed in the vicinity in 1745 and 1758.[xxxii]
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[i]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 500 File 20453-k, pt. 2, 2
January 1924 (#262). Melvin
S. Huntington Diary, 1 February 1924.
Bill O’Shea, The 1842 Louisbourg Lighthouse, Heritage Notes,
No 13, March 2002, Louisbourg Heritage Society.
[ii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-k, pt. 2, 16
June 1923, Johnson to Harvey (#253); RG42, Vol. 501, 20453-R, Notice
to Mariners No 34 of 1923 (#42), Harvey to DM, Marine, 4 June 1923
(#35), Harvey to DM,
Marine 8 June 1923 (#41)
[iii]National
Archives, Marine, RG 42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Johnston to Agent, 5 June
1923 (#36).
[iv]
National Archives, Marine,
RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, District Engineer to Agent, 14 June 1923
(#s 47-48, 49).
[v]
National Archives, Marine,
RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Superintendent
of Lights to District Engineer 4 July 1923 with marginal note dated 12
July 1923 (# 58).
[vi]
Brian Campbell (with A.J.B. Johnston), Tracks Across the Landscape –
The S&L Commemorative History, University College of Cape Breton
Press, 1995. Melvin S. Huntington, Diary, 17 & 19 May 1919.
[vii]
Dominion of Canada, Annual Departmental Reports, 1925-26, Vol. 3, 59th
Annual Report Department of Marine & Fisheries, pp. 78-79.
[viii]
Marine Department plan, Reference No. CR-11840, Designed May 1917,
Fortress of Louisbourg NHS archives.
[ix]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, 6 Sept. 1923
(#77).
[x]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R,
[xi]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, telegram, 3
October 1923 (#88).
[xii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, 22 October
1923 (#115 also 114, 119).
[xiii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, 10 November
1923 (#128).
[xiv]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, 27 June 1923
and 16 July 1923. It was
to be sent with a
set of 8 murettes.
[xv]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Leger to
Agent, 4 January 1924 (#143).
[xvi]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Brown to
Leger, 26 December 1923 (#141).
[xvii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, J. A. Leger
to Agent, 20 February 1924 (#154).
[xviii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Notice to
Mariners, No 7 of 1924- Atlantic No 5 (#148).
[xix]
Department of Transport, Lighthouse Data Form, Dartmouth, N.S., file
7952-420, 17 July 1962.
[xx] M. Coleman, Louisbourg Light tower, Louisbourg, N.S., Building Report 90-267, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, pp 3-4.
[xxi]
National Archives, Marine, RG42,
Vol. 502, file 20456-7k, Fraser to Chief Engineer, 30 January 1902 (
#152); Notice to Mariners #9 of 1902; RG42, Vol. 500, file 20453c memo
to Commissioner of Lights 19 January 1916 (#501); RG42, Vol 502, file
20456-7k, Chief Engineer to Schmidt, 15 August 1906 (#349); Schmidt to
Cordeau, 20 Dec 1906; Summers to J. A. Legere, 26 April 1907; Legere
to Chief Engineer, 7 Jan 1908 (#s 413-414).
[xxii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 500, file 20453-K, part 2,
Hawken to Agent, 25 March 1924 (#279).
[xxiii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, J. A. Leger
to Agent, 9 Oct 1923.
[xxiv]
Report of the Committee on Louisbourg Memorial, New York, 1896.
[xxv]
Daily Record, Sydney, Nova Scotia, 20 August 1900.
[xxvi]
A.J.B. Johnston, Preserving History: The Commemoration of 18th-century
Louisbourg 1895-1940, in Eric Krause, Carol Corbin & William
O’Shea, eds., Aspects of Louisbourg, University College of Cape
Breton Press, 1995, pp. 253-285. For an 18th-century effort
at commemoration see Johnston’s article Commemorating Louisbourg, c
1767 in the same volume, pages 286-288.
[xxvii]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, District Engineer to Agent 9 October 1924 (#91); Telegram,
Engineer to Deputy Minister, 15 Oct 1923 (#103); Draper to Webster, 3
October 1923 (#106); Webster to Harkin, 8 October 1923 (#107); Corey
to Hawkin – ADM Marine – 12 Oct. 1923 (#109); District Engineer to
Agent, 15 October 1923 (#111).
[xxviii]
The last head lightkeeper Roy Forgeron contacted Bill O’Shea at the
Fortress of Louisbourg and arranged for this transfer. The plaque is
on display in the Bigot House exhibit.
[xxix]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, ADM Interior
to ADM Marine, 2 September 1924 and 11 Sept. 1924 (#163).
[xxx]
National Archives, Marine, RG42, Vol. 501, File 20453-R, Martel to
Leger 6 March 1926 (169); Leger to Agent 10 March 1926 (169, 170).
[xxxi]
A.A. Martell was mayor between Feb. 1920 and Feb. 1926. Melvin S.
Huntington was mayor from Feb. 1926 until Feb. 1946.
[xxxii] Sydney Record, Sydney, N.S., 11 August 1926; Sydney Post, Sydney, N.S. 10 & 11 August 1926; Chronicle-Herald, Halifax, N.S.17 July &11 August 1926; Melvin S. Huntington, Diary, Tuesday, 10 August 1926; Louisbourg Amateur Athletic Club, Program, Louisbourg, August 10, 1926 in James Peck scrapbook copy Bill O’Shea.
© Louisbourg Heritage Society, 17 Holland Ave.,
Louisbourg, N. S., B1C 2K7,
ISSN 1183-5835,
ISBN 1-896218-16-4
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