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CAPE MEARES
January 27, 1886: "The senate committee on public bui8ldings has decided to report favorably a bill by Senator Mitchell, to appropriate $60,000 for the construction of a lighthouse at Cape Mears, Tillamook bay. Now with a lighthouse at Gray's harbor, this vicinity would be given much needed facilities to commerce in the matter of a well lighted coast, which in winter of a well lighted coast, which in winter is naturally enshrouded in darkness sixteen hours out of the twenty-four." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
February 5, 1887: "The Lighthouse Inspector has received a private telegram from Washington, notifying him that the House Committee on Appropriations has taken favorable action upon Senator Mitchell's bill to appropriate $60, 000 with which to begin the erection of a lighthouse at Cape Meares, at the entrance of Tillamook Bay, twenty-six miles south of Tillamook Lighthouse and forty-six miles north of Yaquina Bay. It is proposed to provide the lighthouse with a revolving light, visible for twenty miles. Stone will be used in the construction of the station and tower." (Daily Alta California)
March 29, 1887: "The sundry civil bill makes the following appropriations for Oregon: For purchasing a site and the construction of a first-order coast lighthouse at Cape Meares, Tillamook bay, Oregon, or at Cape Lookout, Oregon, if in the opinion of the lighthouse board, that site is more advantageous to mariners, $60,000." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
September 3, 1887: "Capt. Rockwell, of the United States coast and geodetic survey, has made a special report to superintendent Thorn upon Capes Lookout and Meares, on the Oregon coast, as to their relative importance for a lighthouse site. Congress at its last session made an appropriation for a lighthouse at Cape Meares, or some other selected point.
The captain states that as Cape Lookout projects outside the line of Cape Meares, and is nearly half way between the first-class seacoast lighthouses on Tillamook rock and Yaquina heads, it has an important advantage for large coast steamers." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
August 3, 1888: "Office of U. S. Engineer, Thirteenth District, Portland, Oreg., July 9th, 1888.
Proposals will be received at this office until noon on Thursday, the 30th day of August, for furnishing all materials and labor necessary for the following named works:
1. For the metal-Work of the Lighthouse Tower for Cape Meares, O)regon.
2. For the erection of the Tower at Cape Meares, Oregon.
3. For the Construction of two Keepers' Dwellings, two Oil Houses, Barn, two Cisterns, and Draining, Grading, etc., the grounds of the Light-Station at Cape Meares, Oregon.
Separate proposals will be received for each class of work, specifications, drawings, and full information relative to which can be obtained on application to this office. Responsible persons, who can satisfy the Light-House Engineer that they actually intend to submit proposals, will be given an opportunity to visit the site from Astoria. The right is reserved to reject any or all bids, and to waive any defects.
T. H. Handbury.
Major of Engineers, U.S.A., Light-House Engineer." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
September 29, 1888: "The secretary of the treasury has awarded the contracts for the construction of a lighthouse at Cape Meares, Oregon, as follows: Erection of the tower to C. B. Buhrkoop, Seattle, W.T., $2,800; metal-work of tower to Willamette Iron Works, Portland, Oregon, $7,800; erection of keeper's dwelling and oil-house to Robert Seaman, Seattle, $26,000." (The Eugene City Guard)
November 26, 1889: "The tower of the new lighthouse on Cape Mears is completed, and Mr. McClure, lampist of this district, has gone down there to put up the light, which will be of the first order. The lamphouses, etc., weigh 14,000 pounds and cost $10,000. The lamp will probably be lighted about the middle of December." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
December 5, 1889: "The tower of the lighthouse on Cape Mears is completed. The lamphouse, etc., weighing 14,000 pounds and cost $10,000. The lamp will probably be lighted about the middle of the month." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
July 24, 1890: "A. P. Hall, first assistant keeper at the Cape Mears lighthouse, arrived yesterday on the Louis Olsen. His health is very poor, and he came for medical treatment." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
September 6, 1893: "Mrs. A. P. Hald, from the Cape Meares lighthouse, is in town." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
August 13, 1895: "Mrs. R. H. Leabo leaves today for Cape Meares lighthouse, on the Tillamook coast, where she will visit her brother Edward for a month. The latter is assistant light-keeper at that place." (Statesman Journal)
January 25, 1900: "D. R. Hurlbut, first assistant lighthouse keeper at Cape Meares, has been transferred to Tillamook rock lighthouse." (Morning Oregonian)
December 7, 1900: "Word has been received from Cape Meares lighthouse that Captain Geo. W. Boyington, assistant keeper, died today." (The Morning Astorian)
June 27, 1901: "On his trip Captain Langfitt visited and inspected the Cape Mears lighthouse, which he found in first-class condition, but needing the usual annual repairs." (Morning Oregonian)
July 12, 1903: "Captain George Hunt, keeper of the Cape Meares lighthouse and one of the oldest members in the lighthouse service, died last night of pneumonia." (San Francisco Call)
December 31, 1909: "Mrs. W.P. Ford and children after a few days visit with friends in Toledo left Wednesday morning to join her husband who is stationed at the Cape Mears lighthouse near Tillamook City." (Lincoln County Leader)
June 14, 1912: "W.P. Ford, keeper of the Cape Mears lighthouse in Tillamook county, arrived last evening for a visit among old friends here and at Newport. This is Billy's first visit home for over two years. Mrs. Ford and children will arrive within a few days." (Lincoln County Leader)
June 28, 1912: "W.P. Ford who has been visiting old friends here the past two weeks, returned to his duties at the Cape Mear lighthouse Tuesday morning." (Lincoln County Leader)
July 14, 1912: "Stories by the keepers at Cape Meares of bears in the woods have caused amusement until a few days ago when a lone tramper through the woods was confronted by bruin in the pathway. He does not relate full circumstances of his actions immediately following, but it is gathered that the cleared trail near there has been well tested. It is said that the loganberry season is bring out the beasts. The lighthouse keepers have killed several and the skins adorn their premises." (The Sunday Oregonian)
December 12, 1913: "Mr and Mrs. Wm. P. Ford returned to Bayocean Friday morning, where Mr. Ford is keeper of the Cape Mears lighthouse." (Lincoln County Leader)
January 9, 1963: "After 73 years of continuous operation the Cape Meares Lighthouse is going to be made automatic.
It will be heightened 15 feet to 232 feet above sea level, and will be much brighter.
The house will go automatic about April 1, the Coast Guard said. Two resident keepers and their families will be sent to another location.
The light has been a fixed white one with a quick red flash every 60 seconds. The red has 160,000 candlepower and the white 180,000.
But the new light, which will show a flashing white light every 15 seconds, will have normal visibility of 17 miles.
Built in 1890, the house is 10 miles west of Tillamook. Historians have said, however, that it is not where it is supposed to be. They say it was intended for 10 miles farther south on Cape Lookout, which juts 1 1/2 miles more into the sea. But charts of the early days got the names mixed and construction crews built the lighthouse on Cape Meares." (Statesman Journal)
March 10, 1963: "A tiny spire on an Oregon coastal headland discovered by British Capt. John Meares, Cape Meares Lighthouse has guided sailors by night and entertained visitors by day for three quarters of a century. Lens, gears and building material for the structure were hauled up from the beach by mule-pack when it was built in 1890. Last of the families to occupy the lonely lighthouse station is scheduled for transfer next month when an automatic light is completed." (Statesman Journal)