1902 - Cabras Island, off the eastern coast of Porto Rico.—It was decided to establish this light, but it was found that the site selected could not be purchased from the only available appropriation, under a decision of the Comptroller of the Treasury.
Thereupon the Treasury Department addressed a letter, dated February 11, 1902, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of which the following is a copy:
This Department has the honor to state that the Light-House Board, at its session on February 3, 1902, decided that the proper steps should be taken to establish a beacon light on Cabras Island, Porto Rico. A site for the beacon can be purchased at a fair price- but it does not appear that the Board is yet authorized to purchase land for sites of light-house beacons in Porto Rico.
In the sundry civil appropriation act. approved March 3, 1901, under the head of ''Porto Rican light-house establishment," an appropriation of $75,000 was made "for maintaining existing aids to navigation and to establish and maintain additional day marks, buoys, and beacon lights where required for Porto Rico and adjacent islands;" but the language of that appropriation contains no such provision for the purchase of land needed as sites for lieasons as is contained in the item "Repairs of light-houses," where the phrase "including purchase of land for same" is embodied.
The Comptroller of the Treasury, in his decision of March 13, 1901 (Vol. VII, p. 524, Comp. Dec.), holds that the purchase of land for the United States, except under a law authorizing such purchase, can not be implied from the provisions ol a specified act which authorizes the establishment of a station and appropriates money therefor.
The Department is therefore of the opinion that the appropriation for the maintenance, etc., of the Porto Rican light-house establishment does not enable this Department to purchase a site for the needed beacon on Cabras Island, which the interests of navigation require should be established there.'
This Department therefore has the honor to ask, at the instance of the Light-House Board, that the proper measures may be taken to have included in the language of the appropriation "Porto Rican light-house establishment," forming part of the forthcoming sundry civil appropriation act, the words "including purchase of land for same now and hereafter," so that the item will stand thus:
Porto Rican light-house service: For maintaining existing aids to navigation and to establish and maintain additional day marks and beacon lights and buoys where required on Porto Rico and adjacent islands, including purchase of land for same now and hereafter.
By the act approved on June 28, 1902, the following way enacted:
Porto Rican light-house establishment: For maintaining existing aids to navigation and to establish and maintain additional day marks and beacon lights and buoys, where required on Porto Rico and adjacent islands, including purchase of land for same and the pay of officers and crews of light-house tenders, and of clerks and other employees in the offices of the light-house inspector and light-house engineer and at the light-house depot, seventy-live thousand dollars.
As the "purchase of land" for Porto Rico beacon lights is thus provided for, the Board is now taking the proper measures to purchase a site for Cabras Island beacon. When title is obtained and the United States Attorney-General has given a written opinion in favor of the validity of the title thereto, the Board will erect the necessary structure as soon as practicable.
1907 - At the engineer's office were made plans and sections of test borings made at the depot grounds. The office force also made specifications' and received bids for doing work at about seven different light-stations. They also prepared plans and specifications for a road and landing at the proposed light-station at Cabras Island. Proposals for the construction of Cabras Island light-station were prepared and sent out.
1908 - Cabras Island, Porto Rico.—Appropriation, "Porto Rican lighthouse service." A stone tower, landing pier, and road were completed May 13, 1908, at a cost of $5,654.55.
1909 - Cabras Island, Porto Rico.—The light at this station, located on the easterly end of Cabras Island, entrance to Ensenada Harbor, was established November 16, 1908. The light-house is a square two-story gray stone structure with white trimmings, with a small cylindrical tower on the offshore corner supporting a black lantern. The light is of the sixth order, fixed white, illuminating the entire horizon, and visible 14˝ miles.
1914 - Oil house completed Jan 6, 1941, reinforced concrete throughout. Cabras Island, P. R 370. 72
1914 - Teoflo Ruiz, keeper, rendered assistance with the station boat to the schooner Maria Dolores, which had grounded near the light station. See LSB Oct. 1913.
1937 - Deactivated
1966 - Demolished
Keepers: Francisco Agostini (at least 1911), Teofilo Ruiz (at least 1913 - at least 1921).
