Many Lighthouse Service employees lacked the mechanical competency to operate the new fog signal machinery. The Naval Secretary wrote to the Eleventh District Inspector in December 1905, "The Board invites your attention to the fact that trouble is apt to come when steam or hot air fog-signal plants are put into old light-stations, as the keepers of such stations are likely to have little if any, knowledge of fog-signal machinery. When a new fog-signal plant is put into an old light-station, it is the Board's custom to send there another Assistant Keeper, who has special knowledge of fog-signal machinery; but the principal keeper and the 1st Assistant, if there is one who was selected for that station when there was no fog signal there, while being excellent men and good light keepers may have no knowledge of steam machinery.
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