Official Newspaper o f East Hampton Town and Village

Incorporated THE STARI A Community Newspaper Devoted to the Best Interests

of East Hampton

VOLUME LII EAST HAMPTON, N. Y., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1936 NUMBER 8

MACKAY WINS ISLAND TAX CUT; SENATOR DESIRES E.H. TOWN TO REFUND $23,302.68 TO VACATE POST

Assessment On Gardiner’s Island Down From $400,000 to FOR YOUNG MAN$200,000; Judgment Entered Against Town; Tax­payers in Springs W ill Be Hard Hit With Tax Re­adjustment.

Supervisor Perry B. Duryea last night informed the members o f the East Hampton Town Board, a t a special meeting held in the Tow n Hall, that a judgment, amounting to $23,- 302.68 had been entered against the Town yesterday afternoon by Clarence H. Mackay. through his attorney, Henry A. Uterhart, o f Manhattan.

The judgm ent is the result o f M ack- ay’s four year legal battle with the Town Board o f Assessors, in which he has been successful in his efforts to have the assessed valuation o f G ard­iner’s Island reduced from $400,000 to $200,000.

O n motion of Justice W illiam H. Strong o f East Hampton, seconded by Justice Everard F. Jones o f Sag Har­bor. the board voted, unanimously, to borrow funds to satisfy the judgment, on a certificate o f indebtedness, which is expected to bear interest at a rate not to exceed four per cent per an­num.

T h e judgm ent was entered by M ack­ay in order that he m ight secure from the Town the return o f all excess taxes and penalties levied against Gardiner's Island since 1933. The burden o f satis­fying the judgm ent will be distributed among the Springs School District, which is to pay 50 per cent o f the amount, and the Town o f East Hamp­ton and the County o f Suffolk, which are each to pay 25 per cent o f the amount.

How soon the Springs School District will refund to the Town its share of

. the cost o f satisfying the judgment is not yet known. T h e county refund is not expected to be received until after the tax levy is collected in the fall of 1937.

The effect o f the $200,000 reduction in the assessed valuation o f the Island will be felt primarily in the Springs School District, which, with a $400,000 assessment on the Island, had a total assessed valuation o f but^ ?1 021,162. I f the Board o f Assessors "maKes no change in the assessment rolls in 1937, it will probably be necessary to raise the Springs School T ax from .0109 to approximately .0131. The school tax in the six districts o f the Tow n this year varied between .0080 in Montauk. and .0109 in Springs.

I f the Springs School T ax rate

QUITS COMMITTEE

‘Uncle George,” 72, Ha Served on Group for

Many Years

GEORGE L. THOMPSON

CHARLES V. BOB FREED OF LAST

INDICTMENTSCharles V. Bob. form er resident f

Montauk. and Western mining engin­eer who became a promoter in New York in 1922 and built a large finan­cial structure around Metal and Mining Shares, Inc., an investment trust, was freed this week from the indictments which have hedged his activities since the company collapsed in the stock market crash o f I t22. <A fter three trials in Federal courts on indictments filed in 1929 had ended in disagree­ment, Judge George L. Donnellan, in General Sessions, discharged his bail on similar indictments by New York State, and wiped a confused litigation slate clean.

The third and last o f the trials in. , . .. . . . ... , Federal Court, on the same charge of

raised In 1937. as it probably will be, the(t o f belonging thethe increase will place an addi- com pany that ha(J , wlce bMn

argued, ended on June 11 last, with a hung jury. The Federal indictments were nolle prossed on October 19, and Mr. Unger pointed out that the state Indictments had been based on a nar­rower range o f evidence than the Fed­eral charges.

T he m ining engineer was one o f the principal backers o f Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd on his Antarctic ex­peditions. A range o f mountains flank­ing the John D . Rockefeller jr M oun­tains has been named the Charles V. Bob Mountains. Since 1931 Bob and his co-defendants had faced three lengthy trials, lasting 42, 80. and 63 days each, without any o f the juries having reached a decision.

tional weight upon the already heavily burdened shoulders o f the slightly more than 300 resident taxpayers, who are now paying the bulk o f the cost o f maintaining the Springs Grammar School. Although there are thousands o f parcels o f taxable property in the district, all but 365 are owned by per­sons living outside o f the district. The m ajority o f the non-resident taxpayers, w ho are scattered throughout the world, own small lots in development areas, on which the annual school tax, in most cases, amounts to less than $1 .

On July 18. 1933. Mackay appeared before the East Hampton Board of Assessors and made objection to the assessment figure o f $375,000 placed on the 3.300 acres, and $25,000 placed on the improvements on Gardiner's Is­land. W hen the board refused to lower the assessment, M ackay brought court action to force the board to show cause why the assessment should not be re­duced. An order for a writ o f tax cer­tiorari was issued by Supreme Court Justice Frank F. Adel, returnable at a special term o f the Supreme Court in Riverhead on October 2, 1933.

In his petition Mackay alleged that the assessment o f the Island was made nt a higher proportionate valuation than had been the case with the as­sessment o f other real property in the township, which, generally, was not assessed for more than 50% o f the true value. T h e petition also alleged that the true acreage o f the Island is only 2,666, not 3,300, as listed on the assessment roll, and asked for a reduc­tion in the assessment from $400,000 to $112,500.

Nearly a year ago. form er Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Callahan, acting as a referee appointed by the Supreme Court, decided that the as­sessment should be reduced to $175.-

(Contlnued on page four)

Three Plays By Guild Hall Players

T he Guild Hall Players presented three one-act plays a t Guild Hall on M onday evening o f this week. The first play was "Sham ,'' by Frank Thompson, and was directed by Miss Ethel Sher­man. In this play Clifford C. Edwards took the role originally cast for John Randolph. Mr. Edwards had only a few rehearsals, but acquitted his part very well. Others in the cast for “Sham ” included Miss Elizabeth Mullane. Leonard Lester, and W arren Whipple. The second play, "Neighbors,” by Zona Gale, teas directed by Kenneth W. An­derson. Am ong those taking part in this play were Mrs. Clifford C. Ed­wards, Mrs. James Dietche, and the Misses R ita Cunningham. Laura G. Ebell, Gloria Finckenor, and Frances Scurry; also J. C. Lawrence and James Dietche.

The final play was “ T h e Unseen," by Alice Gerstenberg, and the cast in ­cluded Mrs. Leonard Lester, Miss Mary Bird, and Charles Mansir. This play was directed by Miss Harriet Wardlaw.

State Senator George L. Thompson, oldest member o f the Suffolk Repub­lican County Committee in point o f service, has submitted his resignation to Chairman W . Kingsland Macy. For 46 years the Senator has served as commit tee maai and now feels some younger person should take over the post, he stated in his letter to Mr. Macy.

In his resignation. Mr. Thompson wrote: "O ld men for counsel; young men for war’ still rings true today. I am no longer classed as a young man so I may counsel at least.” He has served in the Kings Park Third Dis­trict for the county committee and finds the duties o f governor o f the County Republican Club added to his legislative duties, too burdensome.

Burgess Meredith Here3 Days in “ Winterset’

On Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, Tarzan comes back. Johnny Weismuller, the Adonis o f the screen, with Maureen O'Sullivan appear in “ Tarzan Escapes.” All the wild beauty and glamour and thrills o f “Trader Horn” are revived, and greater spec- tables are presented in “ Tarzan Es­capes.” Beasts o f the jungle are pho­tographed in their natural habitat and all their wild animal natures are in leash on the screen.

Sunday. Monday, and Tuesday, De­cember 20. 21, and 22. will bring some­thing entirely new to the screen. A stage presentation actually photo­graphed with all its stars and settings intact. “ Winterset,” the dramatic play that was a Broadway hit for over a year has been transferred to the screen, just as it appeared on the stage. Pre­sented exactly the same as the legi­timate stage production to preserve its dramatic intensity, “ W interset” is a picture marked for greatness, pro­duced by Maxwell Anderson, the peer o f all Broadway producers. It cannot fail to grip motion picture audiences as completely as it has legitimate pa­trons. The cast includes Margo, Bur­gess Meredith, and Eduardo Ciannelli.

On W ednesday and Thursday, D e­cember 23 and 24, the Edwards Theatre will offer “ The Accusing Fin­ger,” w ith Paul Kelly. Marsha Hunt and Robert Kent. "The Accusing F in ­ger” is the story o f a relentless Dis­trict Attorney who has sent m any men to the electric chair, only to find him ­self caught in his own trap. The chair he filled w ith murderers is being pre­pared for him. “ The Accusing Finger” is a powerful story against capital punishment.

Rice Sportlight Movie Taken at Napeague Beach

Four veteran cam era m en took some fine shots o f Harry Conklin’s prize- winning Chesapeake Bay retriever at Napeague, on Monday, for a Grantland R ice Sportlight moving picture. Mrs. S. K ip Farrington jr.. and Mrs. Carl Erickson were in the picture; they did some duck shooting, and Skipper and some other members o f his illustrious fam ily did the retrieving. A fter the shooting, the dogs ran up over the dune with lunch for the young ladies, m ak­ing a very attractive picture.

One o f the camera men here has Just returned from Buenos Aires and other South American points; he made the trip by Pan Am erican Airways planes, taking sports pictures for Grantland Rice.

LOCAL SHOPPERS WIN PRIZESAT XMAS DRAWING IN THEATRE

The second in the series o f Christ­mas drawings for prizes donated by a group o f local merchants, which will clim ax in the big drawing for a G ra ­ham sedan on Saturday night. Decem ­ber 26. took place on Saturday night. Manager George Bannan o f Edwards Theatre was again master o f cere­monies. with three men from the Os­borne Trust Com pany: Eugene Lester. Joseph Perrottet. and Royal Luther Jr.. acting as Judges. Ltule Jean Auburn again drew the lucky numbers. Miss Eunice T elfer acted as secretary, tak­ing down the names and numbers.

First prire. an overcoat from William Le Vesconte. only went after three numbers were drawn. The first slip be­longed to M M. Grimshaw, w ho was not present: next. Raymond Magee Jr..

was drawn, but was unfortunate enough to have left his ticket stubs at

[hom e. Lastly the name o f Mrs John ‘ A. M iller was drawn and the coat awarded.

Second prize, two wool blankets from the Dominy store, were won by Norman G ray. Third prize, $20 credit w ith Bam s Brothers, masons, was won by S. Arnold. The whole houv* laughed when it was announced that Katharine Vail < Mrs. Frank Jewels' had won the permanent wave at the Madeleine Beauty Shop. Miss Vail is in the beauty shop business here herself. The Christ­mas basket from the M arm ador was won by Frank B. Smith Mrs Joseph Cicero won the special prize—a 10- j piece curtain and bed set from the O T . G. Corporation.

No Tableaux At GuildHall This Season

Bids for Post OfficeLease Asked By Govt.

Notice is posted in the lobby of the local post office asking for bids to furnish suitable quarters for the post office.

The lease will call for tw o years with the privilege o f three additional years and will be the standard post office department lease. The 10- year lease on the present quarters in the Barns Block expires in Aug­ust, 1937.

Forms on w hich to submit bids and inform ation as to equipment required and any other particulars can be obtained from Postmaster Samuel B. Cline.

The required space is about 2270 square feet.

Bids must be returned to P. O. Inspector R . N. Criss, Jamaica, N. Y., not later than January 9, 1937.

Great Interest in XmasContest at R. A. Corwin’s

W ith only another week left in the Christmas Contest at Richard A. Cor­win's Store, the 159 young boys and girls are keenly interested in the con­test. The contest will close on Decem ­ber 24. at 9 o'clock, and prizes will go to the first six boys and girls. Twelve very attractive prizes are being award­ed.

The first 15 boys and girls in the con­test to.date are:

GirlsLydia Raynor, Norma Edwards, Kay

Luther, Geraldine Gould, Shirley Grant, Adele Rose, Betty An Haas, Adele M ott, Janet Foster, Shirley Day­ton, Helen Palmer, Nancy M ott, Claire Edwards, Florence Ott, Jane Shott.

BoysRay Whitaker jr., Fred Mazzanobile,

Billy Bain, Leonard Schaefer. Allan Vail, Perry Clark, Bobby Flynn, R ich ­ard Miller, Allan Steele, John Ketcham. Morris Schockett, Arthur Schwarberg jr., Billy Collum, Donald Reutershan, Stanley Bergman.

Altogether there are 102 boys and 57 girls.

$1,600 Profit Made By Suffolk Fair

The net income of the Suffolk County Agricultural Society last year was about $1,600, according to the re­port o f Frank M. Corwin, secretary and treasurer, submitted at the annual meeting held recently.

Dates for the society’s 85th annual fair in Riverhead were tentatively set for August 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.

The following officers were unani­mously re-elected.

President, John G. Downs o f Cut- chogue, w ho is assemblyman for Suf­folk ’s First A. D.; vice president, John N. Brennan, Supervisor o f Smithtown. and secretary and treasurer. Frank M. Corwin. Former Supervisor Charles H. Smith of Shelter Island, and John H. Dayton of East Hampton, directors, were added to the membership o f the board o f managers o f the fair, the other members being Downs, Brennan, Corwin, Harold H. Hallock o f North- ville, and Leslie H. Davis for Coram, the latter also a director.

Southampton Has New Paper; Hampton Herald

On Thursday, December 10. a new Southampton weekly, the Hampton Herald, made its first appearance. The Herald is Southam pton’s third paper the Southampton Times and South­ampton Press having been established for m any years. The Herald announces In its editorial colum ns that it will be an independent newspaper.

Arthur F. Smith is the publisher of the Herald, and G. Hudson Phillips the editor.

CHURCHES HERE MERGER OF LOCAL LIGHT CO. WITH PLAN PROGRAMS L. I. PROPOSED; RATE CUT PROBABLE

FOR CHRISTMASSpecial Christmas Music In

All Churches; Pageants For Children

HEADS FAIR AGAIN

It is with regret that The Star learns that there will be no series o f tableaux depicting the Nativity, at Guild Hall this season. For the past two years a series o f very beautiful tableaux have been arranged by the Guild Hall Players, assisted by the East Hampton Choral Society, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Herter. This seas­on. due to the postponment o f the Guild Hall Players’ first production of the season to M onday o f this week, and the lack o f time necessary to arrange the tableaux, they will be omitted. It is hoped however, that a series of tableaux can be presented at Easter time.

M. E. Church Men’s Club Holds Successful Social

Approxim ately 70 people attended a social evening held at the Methodist Church hall last Thursday, under the auspices o f the church ’s recently or­ganized m en's club.

T h e evening's program, which was under the direction o f H. M artin, con ­sisted o f games, impromptu sketches, music, and refreshments. The high spot o f the evening was the playing o f a game called ‘'anim ated alphabet,” an old fashioned spelling bee brought up to date.

JOHN G. DOWNS

THE EAST HAMPTON STAR is the ideal Christmas G ift for a friend in a istant city or students away from j

home— *2.50 per year. School subscrip- I Uao cost $2 for the school term —Adv.

Christmas Hours AtE. H. Post Office

For the convenience o f the pub­lic. Postmaster Samuel B. Cline wl3 keep the Po6t Office windows open all day, Saturday. December 19, un­til 7 p. m. The windows will also be open on Sunday. December 20. from 2 until 5 p. m , for the transaction o f all business, except m oney or­ders. T he windows will not be opened on Christmas Day.

The Presbyterian Sunday School will present, on Christmas Eve at 7 o'clock in the church, a short pageant entitled ‘T h e Littlest Shepherd." Ruby Bar- teau will appear as the littlest girl; and Jack Osborne as the little shepherd; 10 children will take part in all. The Junior Choir will sing, and Betty Fos­ter will play the organ. The entire pro­gram will be given by the Sunday School.

A fter the pageant, there will be a Christmas tree and a visit from Santa Claus, in the Session House.

Dr. Edward H. Foster is superinten­dent o f the Sunday School. Miss Caro­line Collins is chairm an o f the com ­mittee planning the pageant; she is being assisted by the Misses Carryl Tilllnghast, Ruth Conklin, and Mary Emma Lester.

This week., on Sunday morning, De­cember 20, the Rev. E. E. Eells will conduct services in the Presbyterian Church at the usual tim e; his topic

ill be "Put Up and Put Down by Christ’s Birth." Miss Louise Mulford, church organist, has arranged the fo l­lowing program o f special Christmas music to be given at this time. Voluntary, Christmas Pastorale

HarkerSinging by choir, Allelulia Kyrie

Christe, (old French Carol).W om en’s Chorus, Silent Night Postlude, M arch o f the Magi!....DuBols

Miss M ulford is hoping to arrange for more Christmas music the follow - I ing Sunday.

SPRINGS CHRISTM AS SERVICEOn Sunday evening, December 20, at 30, the Presbyterian Chapel at |

Springs will be the scene o f a pageant, 'G od ’s Christmas G ift,” presented by i

the whole Sunday School and Junior Choir under the direction o f Miss R e­becca Miller, chairman.

The children and the parts they will take are as follows:Questioner ............... Norma EdwardsM editation .......................... Essie MillerUnderstanding ........... Elizabeth W oodLights o f Understanding

The Beginners’ Class Joy Emma M ay MillerTrumpeters ........... The Primary ClassFreedom ................... M argaret RenklnsSpirits o f Freedom, Ruth Miller, Jean

Betkln. Doris Goldz, Flora MillerBrotherhood ................... Charles MillerSpirits o f Brotherhood, W ayne Field,

Donald Wood. Paul Beckwith. Walter Ray. Kenneth Ray. Charles Field

Hope Harriet PigeonTrust Louise BetldnPeace Lottie May WoodSalvation Florence MillerEternal Life Esetlle Beckwith

ST. LUKE’S SERVICEChristmas observance at St. Luke's

Episcopal Church, of which Rev. Wm. Grainger is the Rector, begins on Thursday, December 24, ChristmasEve. A t 3 o ’clock on that day the Children’s Festival Service will be held at St. Luke’s Church. At 11:30 that evening Holy Communion will be cele­brated there.

On Christmas Day. Friday, December 25, a t 8 a. m., Holy Communion will be celebrated in St. Matthew’s Chapel. At

o ’clock, Holy Communion at St. Peter’s ; and a t 10:45, Holy Commun­ion and a sermon at St. Luke’s.

Saturday, December 26, St. Stephen’s Day, H oly Communion at St. Luke's Church, 8 a. m.

Sunday, St. Joseph’s Day, 8 a. m „ Holy Communion. St. Luke’s Church, 10:45; M orning Prayer and Sermon; a t 7:30 p. m., The Christ Child Mystery Play.

Monday, December 28, Holy Inno­cents' Day, 8 a. m „ Holy Communion, St. Luke's Church.

John E. Snyder, organist and choir­master at St. Luke's, has arranged a program o f Christmas music, which will be given at the 11:30 o ’clock ser­vice Christmas E v e .'It follows:

OrganOverture Messiah ....................... HandelPastorale ........................................ Kullak

ChoirProcessional Hymn. “ O Come A ll Ye

Long Island Lighting Petitions Public Service Commission For Merger; Lighting Company Here Established 33 Years; End o f Fight for Lowered Rates Seen If Plan Gets Commission’s Approval.

LIGHT CO. PRESIDENT

Nathan N. Tiffany, who has been President o f the East Hampton Electric Light Company since 1907.

TAX PAYMENTS TO DATE AHEAD

OF LAST YEARTax collections a t the Town Clerk'

office are proceeding at a rapid pace, far surpassing collection^ at a similar date in previous years. A t the close o f business yesterday. Town Clerk G il- martin reported a total collection of $51,772.43, which compares with $39.- 418.47 on December 16. 1935; $25,460.86 on that date in 1934; and $17,971.14 In 1933.

The bulk o f collections to date have been received by mail. Collections were accepted this year beginning on De­cember 1st, instead o f waiting until December 10th, as In form er years. The early collections have proved a boon to the school districts, w hich are usually at the end of their funds at this time o f the year. A payment of $35,000 on account o f school district taxes was made to Supervisor Duryea on December 10th, and this has been divided am ong the several school dis­tricts and has made it possible for some schools to proceed with the year's business without the customary tem ­porary borrowing.

Payments o f taxes without additional penalty will be accepted on all receipts on or before January 10th. Total col­lections this year amount to 12.1% of the warrant o f $416,000.00; whereas last year the percentage ran 7.8^ of the total o f $505,000.

Auto Plates OnSale Monday Next

Application blanks for renewal o f automobile registration In this State for 1937 will be available beginning Friday, December 18. The sale o f 1937 plates, with numbers above 100, will begin Monday, December 21.

A proposal that the East Hampton Electric Light Company be merged with the Long Island Lighting Com ­pany, which would undoubtedly result In consumers in this area enjoying a lowered light and power rate, has been made by the Long Island Lighting Company In a petition to the Public Service Commission. On December 3 application was made to the Commis­sion for approval o f this merger. I t is understood that it will be at least two months before the details o f the m er­ger are completed.

A statement Issued by the New York office o f the Long Island Lighting Company said: "The Long IslandLighting Company has petitioned the Public Service Commission for per­mission to merge the East Hampton Electric Light Company. Control of the latter company has been owned by the Long Island Lighting Company since 1926, in which year it received con­sent o f the Commission to acquire all o f the common stock o f the East Hampton Company.

"For some time the Long Island Lighting Company has been working assiduously to facilitate the projected merger. This 1s in line with the pro­gram o f the Company described in 1932, when hearings were Instituted on the East Hampton rate case, and the promise was given to expedite the level­ing o f rates in the East Hampton ter­ritory as rapidly as operating condi­tions o f the Long Island Lighting sys­tem would permit. The Long Lsland management believes the condition has been reached when it is practicable for that com pany to acquire, and oper­ate the plant and system o f the East Hampton Electric Light Company, be- pany, because 6f tho economies that will arise from the more efficient, uni­fied operation. The creation o f a larger system under single com pany owner­ship, it is felt, will permit the produc­tion and distribution o f electricity at the minimum to consumers consistent with th ; best .service.”

Rates were reduced here two years ago following the series o f hearings conducted by the Public Service Com ­mission, the first o f which was held here in 1932. A t that time it was held that East Hampton, with the major part of its installation underground, and served by the smaller local com ­pany, could not hope to enjoy a much lowered rate until such time as it m er­ged into the Long Island Lighting Company. W hen the merger 1s com ­pleted the rates for underground ser­vice In the East Hampton area will be slightly higher than for overhead service in the general territory served by the Long Island Lighting Company.

Light Co. Started In 1903In 1903, a number o f progressive citi­

zens o f East Hampton, who had in mind the conservation o f the natural beauties o f the community and the preservation o f Its trees by eliminating the possibility o f trolley lines and over­head structures In the streets and high­way^. organized the East Hampton Electric Light Company. Among those early identified with the company were Messrs. Benjamin H. Van Scoy, Jo­seph S. Osborne, George A. Eldredge, George L. McAlpin, Henry A. James, Dr. George E. M onroe, S. M inot Jones, C. L. W. Eldlltz, and Dr. Everett Her­rick.

Nathan N. T iffany was elected man­aging director in 1907 and later suc-

(Contlnued on page four)

CEDAR ISLAND LIGHT, BUILT IN1839, UP FOR AUCTION BY GOVT.

..... Wade

.... Gruber

.... SaxbyTow n of ... Redner

Faithful’Introit Hymn "Silent Night’Communion Service ...........Sermon Hymn "O Little

Bethlehem ” .........................Offertory, “ W hile Shepherds W atched’’

ThimanGloria In Excclsls, Chant. TraditionalNunc Dlmlttis, Chant ............... SnyderRecessional Hymn, "Hark the Herald

Angels Sing ........ .......... MendelssohnOrgan

Christ is Born in Bethlehem ____BachPastorale _____________________Handel

Christmas Day Service, December 25, 10:45 a. m ., repetition o f foregoing music together with Festival T e Deum In D o f Woodward.

Westhampton Beach ToBuy School Site

A t a special meeting o f the W est­ham pton Beach school district, held in the high school auditorium on Satur­day evening, it was voted to purchase 18 acres, owned by Fannie Bishop, as a site fo r a proposed new school. The property was offered to the village at

Cedar Island and its nine-room house and lighthouse tower, dating from the days when whaling ships and brigs set forth from Sag Harbor for the Brazil Banks, soon is to go on the auction block. The word from W ash­ington was that Henry Morgenthau Jr., Secretary o f the Treasury, hoping some one would want the tiny lslancl for a summer home or for boating, would receive bids until January 12, and would have until February 12 to decide whether any were high enough. The property has been turned over to the Treasury Department by the Lighthouse Division o f the Commerce Department as "surplus property.’’

According to historical data collected by the late Harry D. Sleight, trustees o f East Hampton Tow n appointed a committee to Investigate the town's claim to the lsland, and on August 13, 1838. the trustees agreed to sell it to the United States government for $200 and ordered the deed executed.

At that time the island was a three- J acre tract known to seafaring men as a ‘‘sandsplt’’ and had a grove o f 40 or 50 ccdar trees. In 1839 the government constructed the lighthouse and the adjoining two-story house o f granite block with walls two feet thick.

The house still has n o heat and no running water system. The last occu ­pant. W illiam H. Pollett, now at the j Long Beach Bar Lighthouse, used the kitchen range and individual room

land away until Its size is now .947 of an acre. There are no more cedar trees. A new lighthouse tower, operating automatically on a breakwater several hundred feet In front o f the Island, does the Job the old tower and Its tenders did until 1934.

The breakwater was constructed a f­ter 1908 when a high tide accom pany­ing the blizzard o f January 24 covered the lsland and swept much of it away. But the concrete and rock foundations o f the tower and the house are such that officials believe they will never fall before the pounding o f the waves.

The lsland Itself lies 200 yards off Cedar Point, 1,300 yards southeast o f Shelter Island in the narrow strait connecting Gardiner’s Bay and Shel­ter Island Sound. According to Mr. Sleight’s researches, agents and owners o f the brigs and whalers maintained "stake lights" for 25 years prior to the establishment o f a lighthouse on the island. A Captain Joshua Penny, who lived on Three Mile Harbor, tended the "stake lights," described as lights marking restricted or dangerous water areas.

According to one story told Mr. Sleight. Mrs Penhy saved Sag Harbor from destruction by the British In 1814. The officers o f the British fleet, at an­chor in Gardiner’s Bay, went one eve­ning to dine with Lord Gardiner on Gardiner's Inland and plan their at-

Mrs. Penny saw them go and sent to Commodore Stephen Decatur, at New London He formed a

any of men, roweDd Seers In