Report for Portage River Light Station (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Near the mouth of Portage River, W'ly shore of Keweenaw Bay.
Date of Report: 07/24/1910
Latitude: 45° 58' 41"
Longitude: 88° 24' 50"
Premises
Site: Reservation Lot 2, Sec. 19, T53N, R32W; alsol purchase of corner of lot 1.
Date of Reservation: 04/05/1847
Date of Deed: 05/03/1883
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: Lot 2, 57,5 acres, Fraction of lot 1, 1.05 acres.
Area Inclosed:
Character of Soil: Sand & yellow loam.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Dwelling, tower, oil houses & privy surrounded by wire fence.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: None.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None.
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat from Houghton to White City, thence by road to tower or by boat from Lake Superior.
Distance to Nearest Road: RR station is at Jacobsville & public road.
Distance to Post Office: PO at Jacobsville a few yards away.
Distance to Village: Jacobsville a few yards away.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: By boat from Houghton to White City, thence by road to tower or by boat from Lake
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1856
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1870
Condition at This Date: Good.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Circular.
Form of Tower: Cylindrical.
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 51' 0"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 68'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Wooded.
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: By white wash.
Tower Connection: Connected to keeper's dwelling by covered passage 10.5 feet long.
Object of Navigation: Coast light & marks approach to Portage River.
Building Materials: Brick.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: Outer wall, 3', air space 6", inner wall 4'
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 14'
Diameter at Parapet: 12'
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Circular cast iron stairs.
Number of Landings: 2 & lantern floor.
Size of Glass: 11.5" x 16"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 3 windows, inside sash, single fold 2'3.25" x 2'2.5", Outside windows double fold, 3'1.25" x 1'1.25" each.
Number of Doors: Iron door leads from passageway to tower at first floor.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand stone rock with a surface soil of sand & yellow loam.
Soil Susceptibility: Grass & trees grow here.
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal.
Diameter to Glass: 7' 0.5"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 10
Type of Bars: Verical.
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 3' 3"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 1/4"
Size of Plates: 3' 4" x 2' 3"
Number of Storm Panes: None.
Unglazed Side of Lantern: All glazed.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron parapet; interior lined with vert. wood ceiling.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 10 sided pyramidal roof of cast iron plates, lined with zinc inside. No lens protoctor.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron.
Lightning Spindle: Copper with platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: A 2" x 1/8" copper strip is fastened to gallery floor, runs down outside of tower into ground below.
Balustrade: Balustrade of 2 rails of 2"x 1/2" iron; 1.25" stanchions with ball tops. Gallery floor is cast iorn & circular in plan.
Lantern Doors: Single fold cast iron door leads from tower part of lantern to gallery.
Floor of Lantern: 3/4" cast iron floor. Iron trap door in floor leads down to stairs.
Watchroom Doors: No watch room.
Parapet Diameter: 6' 7.25"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 5 in parapet.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to soffit.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: None.
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus: 4.5 hours.
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Henry Lepaute.
Year Made: Unknown
Marks and Number: None.
Order of Apparatus: 5th
Inside Diameter: 14.75"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white varied by white flash every minute. Lens fixed. Panels revolve once in 2 minutes
Time of Revolution: 2 minutes
Flash Interval: 1 minute.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: 90 degrees
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels: 2
Arc of Each: 60 degrees
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 3
Does Apparatus Revolve?: False
Is There a Revolving Belt?: False
Revolving Panels: 2
How Flash is Produced: Flash panels fastened to circ. frame revolve outside of lens by direct connection to clock work.
Number of Vertical Elements Panel: 5
Fixed Lens Covered: Lens totally covered.
Pedestal: Cast iron pedestal bolted to lantern floor.
Service Table: Wrot iron plate fastened to pedestal & supported by iron rods fastened to pedestal & floor.
Draft Tube Description: None.
Revolving Machinery: Cogs in circ. base which supports flash panels, work into a horizontal spur gear connected to clock work.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls: Chariot.
Chariot Description: Chariot composed of 3 sets fo wheels, 1 vert. & 2 sets of horiz. guide wheels. Vert. wheels are 2.75" diam. & hor. wheels are 2" diam. There are 5 vert. wheels & 10 hor. wheels.
Length of Drop Tube: Full length of tower.
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time: 4.5 hours.
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection: By sheet brass case with glass panels.
Regulated: By fan governor.
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced: By ruby glass screens hung by hooks to outside of flash panels.
Red Sectors Description: Revolv. light seen all around horizon.
Where Color Attached: To illum. apparatus.
Form of Colored Glass: Ruby screens.
Lamp Description: Hains 5th order.
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: None.
Candle Power:


Clock Cord Description
Revolving Cord: 1/8" wire
Size of Clock Cord:
Length of Clock Cord:
How Led: Cord wound around drum in clock case, suns down thro lantern floor, over 2 sheaves down into drop tube.
Diameter and Length of Clock Drum:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels:
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1 3/16"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 1 small cupboard at 2nd landing for cleaning material.
Oil House Description: 75' W'ly of dwelling.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 8' 6" x 6' 6"
Oil House Construction Material: Vitrified brick.
Oil House Capacity: 100 cans, 500 gals.
Other (Describe): 4 closets in dwelling & cellar under main part of dwelling.
Suitability: Dry & suitable.
Dwelling
Location: Connected to dwelling by covered passage way 10.5' long.
Coloring: Red.
Construction Materials: Red brick.
Number of Rooms: 8 rooms.
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 & family.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Barn & privy, white; oil-house, red.
Outhouse Coloring:
Paths and Walks: Concrete walks around dwelling & to out houses.
Area Inclosed:
Area of Garden:
Area Timber or Shrubbery:
Cultivation Area Available: Nearly all of reservation is susceptible of cultivation.
Area Cultivated: About 1/2 acre.
Character of Surroundings: Mixture of sand & gravel & yellow loam.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Cistern in ground back of kitchen.
Quality:
Quantity:
Injury Possible:
Purity Precaution: No filter.
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: No well.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthfullness, excellent.
Diseases: None.
Prevalency: No.
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: No boat house or landing. The public road leading past the landing is servicable, at all times of the year.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Tower & premises are in good condition. New wire finces to be built all around the premises this season. Sea wall 97' long has bee constructed directly S. of the dwelling. Wooden covering of cistern is rotted & needs replacing with new timbers.