July, 1913 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



255 



Old 



Lanterns 



By Edgar Harrison Watts 

 Photographs by Mary H. Northend 



MB 



Hand Lantern. Date, 1800 



HERE is an air of romance that surrounds 

 a simple, battered old tin lantern of crude 

 design. It represents a period in our coun- 

 try's history which should be kept vividly be- 

 fore our minds. In the early days, before 

 the clearing of the forests, the lantern was 

 in general use. Hung on a wooden peg, by the side of the 

 roaring fire, it was ready at hand for instant use. 



These lanterns of tin, painted brown, had inside either 

 home-made candles or lamps filled with the oil extracted 

 from fishes which were so plentiful in the harbor. They 

 were divided into several classes, each of which was dis- 

 tinctive and representing a use that was a necessity in those 

 days. 



First there was the lantern with its long bale, known as 

 the hand lantern, which was the kind that hung on a wooden 

 peg, and was used to go to the barn after dark, or to light 

 the way when paying a visit to a neighbor's. There was the 

 ship lantern that hung at the poop, or mast-head as signal 

 for other "ships that pass in the night" — a dim affair, serv- 

 ing its purpose as well as the searchlight of 

 to-day. 



Along the streets, as civilization in- 

 creased, came the watchman, with his tin 

 or horn lantern, calling the hour and 

 telling the good people that "All's Well!" 

 Then again, we find the fourth type, which 

 was the hall lantern, used to greater extent 

 after better houses were built in the colo- 

 nies. 



These four kinds of lanterns are the 

 most prominent, although there are said 

 to be a hundred and fifty-eight heads to 

 this kind of light, and eighteen different 

 ways of spelling the word "lantern." 



The old light of the past has practically 

 gone out of existence, being shown mostly 

 in collections. Five thousand years before 

 the Christian era, long before authentic 

 history commences, this form of lighting 

 was in use. The invention is claimed by Ship Lantern, 



the Chinese, who in their Sacred Book mention the use of 

 paper lanterns in their temples. 



The ancient popular spelling of the English word was 

 lanthorn, and this referred without doubt, to the horn which 

 was generally used in the panel. The spelling used to-day 

 is more nearly correct, for we find that the word is derived 

 from the Latin "lanterna" and thence probably from the 



Watchman's Lantern. Date, 



Greek, "lampter," from which our word "lamp" originates. 

 During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, they 

 were used in our own country in crude form. The night 

 watchmen, in the large cities, carried with them always a 

 dark lantern. These were fitted with a sliding panel of 

 mica and were a necessity as there was no light save that of 

 the moon or the glimmer that shone from house windows. 

 Occasionally, too, private lanterns were suspended over 

 front doors or gates, which opened into the main street, 

 and sometimes they were placed in front of some of the 

 larger stores. 



On the corners of well-traversed thoroughfares were 

 placed large iron cressets, or fire baskets. These were fed 

 with pine knots by the night watchman on his beat. There 

 was no systematic lighting of the streets of Boston until 

 1774, and with the ill-paved sidewalks, it was almost a 

 necessity to carry a light in order to avoid a serious fall. 



In 1772 a series of meetings was held and the subject of 

 lighting was thoroughly discussed. A committee was ap- 

 pointed whose duty was to secure from England three or 

 four hundred lanterns for the purpose of 

 street lighting. These were to be placed at 

 stated intervals along the highways of the 

 town, and the expense was to be met by 

 private subscription. Among the names 

 upon the committee we find that of John 

 Hancock. 



The lanterns were ordered from the 

 Mother country and were sent over in a tea 

 ship which suffered shipwreck off the coast 

 of Cape Cod. While no tears were shed 

 for the loss of the unwelcome tea, great re- 

 gret was expressed over the loss of the 

 coveted lamps. 



They were rescued from the bottom of 

 the sea, however, and fitted with glass tops 

 by a local craftsman, by name, Thomas 

 Newell. Of such interest was this general 

 lighting that two responsible persons were 

 chosen from every ward, to advise with the 

 general committee as to the most fitting 

 They were finally lighted 



Date, 1780 



locations for the new lanterns. 



for the first time, on the second day of March, 1775, and 



attracted great attention throughout the community. 



With the building of large Colonial mansions, the great 

 front hall, imposing, yet inviting, came into evidence. It 

 was spacious and well proportioned, with a graceful, wind- 

 ing flight of stairs which was broad and low. This led to 



