still a boy in the High School, he conceived the project, his mind straying from his Latin lessons out over the hills to the "Western Washing Pond," a beautiful sheet of water, two miles from town. A few years later he proceeded to realize his dreams, and, in the face of great financial difficulties, set about the preliminary work. His enterprise was regarded with skepticism and open ridicule by the majority of his townsmen. The wells of their grandfathers were good enough for them. Then, how was he going to make it run up hill? The scheme was sure to result in failure, etc., etc.

He commenced work in 1878, building a small pumping station, an iron reservoir, and a line of pipe into the town, and in April, 1879, the water was turned on. He struggled along with the enterprise, the number of consumers increasing slowly. In 1880 he had the Wannacomet Water Co. incorporated, turning over his property, the water works, to it. He held the greater part of the capital stock, and was the President and Treasurer until 1882, when he sold his interest to R. Gardner Chase, Charles H. Robinson, William F. Codd and others. They have managed the property since, except that Mr. Chase, who was President, retired in 1898, and was succeeded in office by Mr. David Folger.

The capacity of the works has been steadily enlarged to meet the demands of increasing business, Its pipe lines now coyer more than two-thirds of the town, including the North Cliff section and Brant Point.

In 1900-1901 a second pumping station was built and a second line of pipe laid to the town, thus making It reasonably sure that the water supply will not be

crippled by any accident. There are more than fiftyfive hydrants in the town for the use of the fire department. The supply of water varies from 60,000 gallons in winter to 300,000 gallons in the summer. The Wannacomet Pond, with its clean water-shed (practically all owned by the water company), its pumping stations with the different kinds of pumping engines, is well worth inspection, and visitors are always welcome. No account of the water works would be complete without special mention of Mr. William F. Codd, who has been identified with the enterprise from its beginnings. A conscientious and efficient practical engineer, his services as superintendent are invaluable, not only to the water company, but to the whole community.

Lighthouses.

There are four lighthouses on Nantucket Island, and one on Great Point, the northern extremity of Coatue Island.

Of these the first in importance is on Sankaty Head, a cliff about 100 feet high on the east side of Nantucket, one mile from Sconset. This lighthouse is a round tower built of bricks and stone, the top being of iron. The whole structure is about 75 feet high. The light is a "Fresnal," of the second order, producing a fixed white light of 50 seconds duration, varied by flashes of 10 seconds' duration each minute

The light, when flashing, is visible at a distance of about 23 miles at sea. It was lighted for the first time February 2d, 1850,

SANKOTY HEAD.

BRANT POINT.

On this point, at the harbor entrance, was erected in 1746 the first beacon for vessels ever built in the United States. It was for some time maintained by private citizens, was then ceded to the town, and in 1791 passed under control of the U. S. Government. The first lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1759 and the second was blown down in a gale in 1774. A third was burnt in the fall of 1783. In 1856 a lighthouse was built of brick and stone, with a fixed white light of the fourth order. This light was maintained until 1900, when it was discontinued, and a smaller (wooden) tower built on the beach at low water mark. This change was made necessary by the construction of the jetties, which threw the old light out of range for incoming vessels.

GREAT POINT.

On the Ewer map this point shows as a part of Nantucket island, but since the opening was made by the sea in 1896, Coatue and its outstretched arm, Great Point, have formed an independent island. On the end of this point a wooden lighthouse was built in 1784. This was burned in 1816, and the present stone tower was built. It is a fixed white light of the third order.

CLIFF OR "BUG" LIGHTS.

On the north beach, under the cliff, are two small wooden structures of pyramidal shape. On these are lights of the reflecting order, one white, the other red. They were established in 1838, and refitted in 1856.