December 1905

Fri. Dec. 1 At Station

7.15 SE + V. Lt. Sunrise. Skyline clearly defined and hardly a cloud. Steam rising everywhere. Looks like fine day. Fires both OK. White frost in the air. Look for a warmer spell.

11.00 NE Light. Few clouds. Sun warm and pleasant. White frost has continued until recently. Another Indian Summer coming perhaps. Looking for Chet.

11.30 Chet came with a basketful of Thanksgiving but forgot to bring papers from Henry’s. But they will be good next time.

12.35 Lake calm and Chet just gone. Ruth’s folks were at Chet’s Thanksgiving day and Mrs. Carey stayed and Ray and Chestie went to Colchester.

10.30 SE Lt. Starlight, all lights visible. Writing to Bert Hines. Except for Chet’s coming the day has been uneventful and quiet. Very little wind. Sunny and pleasant though rather cold.

Sat. Dec. 2 At Station

7.15 S. Gale. Dark and very threatening clouds. Just a red streak at sunrise which disappeared very quickly. Both fires in good condition. I feel that I took a little cold yesterday. My eye is giving me much discomfort.

8.00 L.B. seems to be slowly clearing. The gale is booming.

Noon. S. Gale Harder than ever. Water on chamber windows and trap door to cellar banging every minute. The well is breathing like a steamboat and every thing that can be moved by wind and waves in moving. Sun almost shown for a few minutes. I think it must be raining everywhere but here. But it is pretty damp in this vicinity.

4.00 S. Gale continues. Looks rainy everywhere. A tough old day. Chet came and went at just the right time.

11.00 S. Wind easier and seems to be going down. L. Bar. is clearing so maybe tomorrow will be pleasanter. Writing to Bert and making sketch of my new signal system. Am feeling a little be queer tonight somehow. Perhaps it may be indigestion. Took a little wintergreen but don’t feel much better. Perhaps I may.

Sun. Dec. 3 At Station

7.00 36° N. Lt. Dark and Raining

9.00 “ “ Snowing quite hard

Noon “ Mod. “ “ “

4.00 “ Fr. “ “ “
This morning I found that the breathing of the well had forced open the C. window, NE side. I fastened them all so that nothing of that kind is liable to occur again. I also raised bow of boat so water ran out. I fastened it there. This has been a very bad day for outside work of all kinds.

Mid. 26° N. V. Fr. And Snowing. No Lights visible.
A tough night. I think no boats are out on this lake tonight.

Mon. Dec. 4 At Station

1.30 AM 35° N V. Fr. Snowing. No lights visible.
Was careless and let fire get low, so am sitting up with it. All right now, so am going to bed.

7.00 22° N. Mod. Snowing

10.00 23° “ “ “, Sun comes out a little. Indications of clearing up.

Noon 24° No. Light. Sun shining for half an hour or more. Still squally on the Mts. and everywhere covered with snow.

1.30 N. Lt. All closed over again. Don’t look like ever clearing off.

3.00 “ “ Snowing very hard. Mending clothes.

4.30 NW Lt. Stormy. Only nearest land and no lights visible.

6.00 23° “ Mod. Hazy but all lights visible. Supper just eaten.

10.30 20° “ “ All lights visible but cloudy and cold. Kitchen fire low so I have got to wait awhile for it.

Mid. 19° NW Freshening.

Tues. Dec. 5 At Station

7.00 15° W. Lt. Very nearly clear. Looks and seems like winter.

8.00 18° Looks as if we were to have a fine day. Sun warm and pleasant. Steam away to S. but nowhere else at present.

8.20 SE Light. A sudden shift of wind brings steam all around so thick one cannot see shore in any direction.

10.30 20° S. Mod. Not as much steam. Very pleasant only pretty cold.
Filled big Oil Can. Oil fell short 1 qt.

2.50 25° Chet came about noon with sweet milk, sour milk and mail. “Worlds”, “Stars”, and “News”, Circulars, etc.
I got a good old hot Thanksgiving dinner and after it was over we pulled up the lightening rod and took in the NW ladder. I brought wooden ladder round on NE side for present safety.

3.00 Chet left here at 2.20 and has only just landed. 40 minutes pull. Wind was rising before he left and now it is blowing quite.
S. Fr. Squall all round again. No more pleasant today. Cass and wife have a new 10 lb boy. Chore time is here and not a thing done today. I brought up the storm windows, but too much ice on window sills prevented putting them on.

5.00 26° S. Mod. Squally to S and E. Everything done up and now to look over the mail and read the news.

8.00 31° Mod. Some clouds.

11.00 “ “ “ “ Going to bed.

Mid. 31° “ Very Cldy. All lights visible.

Wed. Dec. 6 At Station

7.00 32° So. Lt. Dark and cloudy. Thawing through the night, very little or early this morning.

Noon. 34° S. Mod. Looking stormy all the AM.
Have put the wooden ladder in upright position on the NE side where it will be comparatively free from snow and ice I think. Hung up on esection of it in the porch together with oars and boat hook belonging to the big boat. I put the four fenders down cellar and stopped the shutter in SW door and now at 12.15 PM I am almost ready to sit down to breakfast.

1.10 35° Wm. Montgomery No. for Plattsburg. Looking like a storm very soon.

5.00 35° Conditions seem to remain about the same. Getting supper. Oat Flake Johnny Cake and Hash etc. Back aches pretty badly for some reason. May be drinking coffee two or three times.

9.00 36° Storm conditions seem to prevail. Dark and cloudy. No Lights.

Thurs. Dec. 7 At Station

7.00 39° NW Light. Dark and cloudy. Rain must have come in the night as the walk is wet or possibly it may be frost coming out of the stove. I don’t see where all the water birds are. Haven’t seen a duck or a loon for quite a long time.

2.00 PM 41° Sun Shining all round. Fair day tomorrow.

3.00 42° S. Lt. Sudden shift. Sunny and pleasant.

8.00 38° S. Mod. A very pleasant evening outside. Baked bread this PM and had fine luck. A solitary housefly, has come out, thinking spring is here I suppose as I have had the door open quite a while. Wind coming up again. Guess we are in for another Gale before long.

10.00 38° S. Fr. Moonlight. Pleasant.

11.00 “ “ V. Fr. Seems to be rising to a gale before morning.
365 different words compose our present signal code.

Fri. Dec. 8 At Station

The Day of Mary Rogers’ Execution
7.00 AM 38° S. Lt. Dark and very cloudy as usual. Sunrise red and smoky as in summer.

10.30 Chet came. Cloudy.

11.30 West Lt.

12.30 43° Chet left. Coming again Sunday if pleasant.

3.00 43° NW Have just finished the NW Door. The lock had to be taken to pieces and repaired. I was all to pieces. Have another job on porch door, but don’t want to tackle it today. Bert Hines + Howard made a hog trade that was rather unsatisfactory to Bert a few days ago. The old John Thayer place where Joe Dupan lived was burned lately.

7.30 40° NW Sudden rise of wind.

9.00 36° N. Fr.

Mid. 29° “ “ Finished letter to Bert Hines.

Sat. Dec. 9 At Station

7.00 20° NW Lt. Prospect of a fair day, I think. More frost on storm panes than I have seen before.

9.00 23° Quite pleasant. Wind very light.

10.30 26° SE and V. Lt. Storm rising.

Noon 32° “ Mod. Very Fine. No Steam.

2.00 36° “ “

4.00 38° “ Fr. Cloudy.

6.00 36° “ V. Fr. “ though nearly a full moon.

Mid. 35°

Sun. Dec. 10 At Station

7.00 SE Lt. Darker and Cloudier that usual. Looks like snow.

7.30 34° Snowing. Only nearest islands and Point to be seen.

9.00 34° NW Lt. Snowing lightly.

9.30 34° Sudden shift to Northerly and Fresh. Snowing.

9.45 34° Clearing in NW. Not snowing. Wind rising very fast.

10.00 33° Gale NW

11.00 32° “ “ Snow again. Very rough and stormy.

Noon 30° “ “

1.30 27° “ “ Ice all over NW windows and water and wind coming in round them, rocks rattling, sink bubbling and a great time all around. Looks as if Chet wouldn’t get here today.

5.00 22° Gale NNW. Hard as ever but clear. Water doesn’t come in around the windows for ice fills cracks and prevents it. A rather lonesome day.

8.00 18° Gale NW A little easier at times. Clear and Cold with a fine moon. Very pleasant except for the wind.

11.00 16° NW Mod. Clear. Fine stars. Wind going down. Writing to Henry and studying plan for a windmill.

Mon. Dec. 11 At Station

7.00 12° S. Lt. Light fine snow and thick steam. This is the coldest noted here this season.

8.00 16° Mod. Looks as if we might have wind before night. Moon full at 6.25 PM which indicates fair and frosty weather if northerly winds prevail.

9.00 20° Fr. Steam very thick. Snow continues.

Noon 24° “ “ “

3.00 25° Mod. Steam and snow continues

5.00 25° Lt. “ “

8.00 22° Shifted to N Lt. Steaming. No lights visible.

11.00 18° N. Lt. Steam and light snow. No Lights. Bed-time.

Tues. Dec. 12 At Station

7.00 14° Northerly Light. Steam obscures everything on the water and a dark heavy cloud of it hangs over all.

9.00 16° N. Lt. Less steam. Scattering flakes of snow or frost are flying. Chet to come if present conditions prevail.

11,00. N. +18° Conditions remain about the same.

Noon. +18° N. Lt. “ “ “ “

Heard whistler at city. First time for quite a while. The clock indicates three or four minutes past 12, which is all right.

Am getting breakfast. Have been waiting for Chet, but he wont be here now until too late. At times it looks as if the sun might break through: at others, as if it never would. Probably we won’t see much more sun until after the lake freezes over. This is not the most pleasant season of the year in this part of the country.

2.00 +18° N. Lt. rising a little. Steam more dense.

Don’t expect Chet to-day. Getting too late in the day. Has been a good day, so far for him to get here, if he could have come.

3.30 A female Loon came up within 30 feet of the S.E. side while I happened to be looking out. In half a minute she disappeared, I think she must be down there yet, for I could see no sign of her afterward.

An almost white duck went S. a few minutes past 5.00

6.00 Heard city whistlers plainly. Sounds carry a long distance.

9.00 +20° N.W. V. Lt No Light.

11.00 +19° “ “ “ The situation unchanged.

Wed. Dec 13 At Station.

7.00 20° N.W. V. Lt Not as dark as usual. Very little steam now. Lots of ice formed along on eastern shore. Think it must come at least a third of the way from shore of Station.

7.30 Easterly V. Lt. Sun shining very pleasantly. Ducks are flying. Looks as if we might have a fine day.

8.15 +22° Westerly V. Lt. Steam rising, Southward.

9.00 +23° S.E. V. Lt

10.00 “ “ “ Sun has gone, for all day I guess. Wind seems to be working around into the S. Have got a nice kettle of hash in the oven so when Chet comes over will have some.

10.45 Snowing quite hard.

1.40 +30° Chet came a little before noon with milk +mail. Porter to have lawsuit with R.R. Co.

Chet left about 1.10 and now he has just drawn his boat on shore with the horse.

The folks are at Col. + he is alone at home.

1.40 Wind S rising as Chet left here.

4.00 + 29°- So. Lt. Snowing lightly the past two hours. Looks Stormy.

9.20 + 26° E. + V. Lt Cloudy. A very quiet evening. No lights.

Sent letters to Bert + Henry by Chet.

Thur. Dec. 14-1905 At Station

7.00 + 20° N.W. Lt. Fairly clear overhead, but looking equally all around.

8.00 + 20° “ “ Mod. Sun shining. Clearing. Prospect of a fair day.

9.00 + 20° “” Fr. Clear and fine. No steam at all this morning.

2.00 P.M + 18° “” Lt.

2.43 + 19° N.E mod “” Sudden shift with lots of steam, colder.

3.15 + 15° “” A cold wave truly, 6° in 30 minutes.

5.00 +14° N. Mod. My eyes bothering a good deal to-night.

9.00+13° N.W. Mod. Clear. Good now. Few stars, with scuds of steam. A fine day and evening but cold.

Oat flake pudding + milk for supper. Stirring up bread to take to-morrow. Can’t help wondering when I am to go ashore: but will probably know before many days. I am willing to go or stay, whichever may seem best. There’s lots to be done on shore, but if some one must be here it may as well be me.

Mid. N. Mod + 10° Clear. Few Stars. Steam Scuds. The coldest yet up to this time.

Fri. Dec. 15 At Station The Coldest Yet

7.00+ 6° S. Lt. Steam Obscured everything ten rods away, and a heavy coat of frost covers everything outside. Frost in the air alas gives hope of higher temperature in a day or two.

9.00 + 6° Sun shining pleasantly, and steam gradually growing less.

Mixing bead and my hand writes unsteadily.

Noon + 9° N.W. Lt. Steam very thick. Heard noon whistle at city.

4.00 +9° N. Lt. Steam everywhere. From the tower the Bay looks as if it must be either nearly or quite frozen over, or else covered by steam. Of course at this time and at this distance it is impossible to tell certainly. There is a large tract lying S. of W. Pt and off the S. Beach that is frozen over and if wind goes down to night as it looks as if it might. There will be a big surface covered with ice in the evening without doubt. Put up all the shutters up stairs except where I sleep + two in the tower. Have closed and caulked two cellar windows.

9:00 + 8°. E. V. Lt. Good moon but steam by spells.
Baked bread at 5 P.M.; had fine luck.

10:30 + 7° E V. Lt. Hardly a ripple to be heard. Lots of steam. No lights to be seen. Going to bed. Lots to do tomorrow.

Sat. Dec. 16 – 1905. At Station.

7.00 + 12°. S.E. Mod. A London Fog obscures everything beyond the railing.

8.00 + 11° Frost in festoons hang from ropes, railing, and every other place where it can hang and stick to everything else covering it like snow. Only at intervals for a few seconds at a time can water be seen and then only for a few feet distant from the wall. I have never seen a thicker fog in my life at any time. It is as if the windows were of ground glass.

Noon. 21°. S.E. Lt. Sun almost shone through fog a few minutes ago. Have seen shore two or three times. Heard whistle at city.

1:00 + 22°. S. Lt. Sunshine everywhere. Smoky on Eastern side. Wish I was going ashore just now. A nice time to close up.

3:00 + 22°. N.E. V. Lt. Looks smoky all around.

11:00 + 18°. E. V. Lt. No lights visible except moon and few stars. Lake has been very nearly calm since 6 P.M.
Hardly knew what to do about lighting up, but thought I had better, though I could not see Juniper’s light until 4:30. I wish I could know just now when this thing is to close.

Sun. Dec. 17 At Station.

7:30 + 25°. E. V. Lt. Frost covers everything again thicker than ever. This is the third frost exhibition on three consecutive mornings. Seems as if it might to being a thaw, if anything can do it. Another London Fog hangs solidly to the walls, shutting out everything. Chet will be certain to come today if wind or fog do not prevent. The barometer is slowly moving toward the stormy quarter and if he doesn’t get here today, am afraid he will be delayed for a few days.

Noon + 22° S.E. Calm. Not a sound except the ticking of clock for the feast three hours. Sunshine once more, just on the stroke of twelve. Fog lifting. Can see shore, and Chet will be here soon.

9.00 PM At Home Again. Chet came at 1.30 and we closed up Station and came ashore. Landed “just as the sun went down”. We drove to Chet’s. He came over and build a fire for me and after supper brought me home.

Mon. Dec. 18 At Home

9 PM Warm. Wheeled in the wood and piled it in wood room.

Stopped two windows. Went over to see Henry’s folks and took breakfast with them. No wind to speak of. Good day.

Tue. Dec. 19 At Home

Warm and no wind to speak of. Pretty good day. Wheeled wood.

Wed. Dec. 20

Another warm day and hardly any wind.

Helped Chet sand and oil new sled. We cut, drew and fitted for stove a load (small) of wood.

Thur. Dec 21

Another warm day. Snow AM. Over to Chet’s this mng. Too stormy for him to go to the city. Piled wood, swept and cleaned up. Over to Henry’s PM and took supper, had good visit in evening. Discussion on windmills, pumps, mechanical movements etc. Aunt Em gave me a big peck of pears and a pail of buttermilk. Thawing this evening.

Fri. Dec. 22 At Home

Warm and Damp. Thawing all day and though looking like rain all the time nothing more than a little mist has fallen here. Over to Henry’s twice. To get wheelbarrow and return it and to Chet’s twice. Wheeling wood between times. Feeling very tired. Have quite a lot of wood in to be piled when I get time.

Sat. Dec. 23

Warm. Stormy + Snow.

Helped Chet all day. Barrowed Henry’s scoop shovel. We went to Station and cleaned sawdust out of Watkin’s and Stone’s icehouses. After supper we built hen coop in stable and transferred poultry. Finished at 10 o’clock.

Sun. Dec. 24

At home all day resting until 4 PM

Monday Dec. 25 Christmas

Wheeled Wood.

Have lost track of everything. Will wait till I find out where I am at before I try to write more.

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