Report for Portage River Rear Range (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Front Range on W'ly bank of Portage River near its mouth. Rear range about 730' in rear.
Date of Report: 07/25/1910
Latitude: 46° 59' 03"
Longitude: 88° 26' 05"
Premises
Site: Purchases, parts of lots 8 & 9 in Section 13, T53N, R33W, Mich Merd.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 05/25/1867
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 1.44 acres.
Area Inclosed: None
Character of Soil: All swampy.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Timber revetment with platform on top connects the ranges & is used as a landing.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None.
Means to Reach Light Station: Steamer from Houghton to White City. Small boat from White City to ranges.
Distance to Nearest Road: 7 miles to RR station at Chassell, Mich.
Distance to Post Office: 7 miles.
Distance to Village: 7 miles.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Steamer from Houghton to White City. Small boat from White City to ranges.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower for both ranges.
Number of Separate Lights: 1 at each.
First Built or Established: 1868
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1900
Condition at This Date: Good.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square
Form of Tower: Square pyramidal
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 32' 9"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 27'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Wooded.
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint.
Tower Connection: Tower rises from front of dwelling.
Object of Navigation: Range for entering Portage River from Keweenaw Bay.
Building Materials: Both frame towers.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 6"
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 6"
Diameter at Base: 10' x 7'
Diameter at Parapet: 10' x 7'
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden stairs
Number of Landings: 1 landing at top of stairs.
Size of Glass: 2' 11.5" x 1' 11.5"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 1
Number of Doors: Wooden door leads into each tower.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: On pile platform.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: All swampy.
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern:
Shape of Lantern: Square
Diameter to Glass: 5' 10"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 4
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2' 11.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1 window on 1 side only.
Thickness of Plates:
Size of Plates: 2' 11.5" x 1' 11.5"
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern: 3 sides.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Clapboarded, inside is lathed & plastered above wainscoating. Wainsboating is 3.5' high of vert. wood ceiling.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Pitch roof shingled with metal slates.
Ventilator / Cowl: Small ventilator ball.
Lightning Spindle: Lighting conductor spinde=le.
Description of Lightning Rod: Copper strip 2' x 1/8" runs down outside of tower into river below.
Balustrade: None.
Lantern Doors:
Floor of Lantern: Floor is wooden & not covered.
Watchroom Doors: None.
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: Only 1 ventilator in roof of lantern which opens up into ventilator ball at top.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to upper window casing.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: None.
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 5th order
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic: Fixed white.
Time of Revolution: Not movable.
Flash Interval: No flashies.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4 in rear.
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
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:
How Flash is Produced:
Number of Vertical Elements Panel:
Fixed Lens Covered:
Pedestal: Pedestal of rear lens is of wood & octagonal.
Service Table: None.
Draft Tube Description: None.
Revolving Machinery: Not revolving.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls:
Chariot Description:
Length of Drop Tube:
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time:
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection:
Regulated:
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: 5th order Hains lamps in both towers.
Type of Illuminant: Oil.
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: None.
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None.
Oil House Description: Brick oil house about 100' from dwelling & between the ranges.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' 2" x 5' 6"
Oil House Construction Material: Brick
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 2 closets in dwelling. Small cellar under dwelling but is not serviceable.
Suitability: Cellar is damp & unsuitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: No fog signal.
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:
Duplication:
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:
Distance and Direction:
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building:
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Dwelling
Location: Rear tower rises from front of dwelling.
Coloring: White
Construction Materials: Frame building.
Number of Rooms: 5 rooms.
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & faimly.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: White woodshed on rear of dwelling. Boat house, white, coal house, red. Privy, white & oil-house, red.
Outhouse Coloring:
Paths and Walks: Board walk 2.5' wide on top of revetment leads down between the tanges.
Area Inclosed: None.
Area of Garden: None.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None.
Cultivation Area Available: None.
Area Cultivated:
Character of Surroundings: All Swampy.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From well for drinking. From lake for household purposes.
Quality: Fair.
Quantity: Ample.
Injury Possible: No.
Purity Precaution: No cistern.
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Driven well 45' feep.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: NW corner of dwelling.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good.
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Boat house is built up on platform same level as dwelling. Revertment is used as landing; also the platform around the house.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Cellar under dwelling is not suervicable because it leaks badly & full of water most of the time. Water from well is good for drinking but is not suitable for cooking as it turns yellow when heated & spoils food cooked in it.