Report for Alpena Light Station (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Alpena Lt. Sta. located on the northerly side of the entrance to Thunder Bay River, Alpena, Mich.
Date of Report: 06/12/1910
Latitude: 45° 03' 39"
Longitude: 83° 25' 25"
Premises
Site: Dwelling site purchased, W. 1/2 lot 16, Block 82, City of Alpena. Tower on submarine site.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 06/24/1877
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: Lot is 66' x 132', 1/5 acre
Area Inclosed: Property around dwelling enclosed by fence
Character of Soil: City lot - sodded
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Tower is a crib 45' x 45' at the mouth of the river. Property around dwelling is enclosed by board fence on NE & S sides & by picket fence on W side.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: None.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat from Thunder Bay & River and by board walk that leads from dock at foot of Fletcher St. & over wooden bridge to pier of beacon.
Distance to Nearest Road:
Distance to Post Office: Located in city of Alpena, Mich.
Distance to Village: Located in city of Alpena, Mich.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Wooden tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1877
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: Rebuilt 1888
Condition at This Date: Fundation in bad shape.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Pyramidal.
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 50 feet
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 53 feet
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: City buildings & afew trees.
Color of Tower: Brown
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: Detached, Keeper's dwelling about 1500' away.
Object of Navigation: Harbor light.
Building Materials: Wooden skeleton frame-upper part enclosed by vertical wood ceiling.
General Description: Wooden skeleton tower.
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 18' 0"
Diameter at Parapet: 9' 6"
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden stairs & steps lead from crib to lantern.
Number of Landings: 1st landing at fog signal floor. 2nd at lamp room floor.
Size of Glass: 10" x 14"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 4 windows - 2'2.5" x 2'8.75", 4 panes to a sash.
Number of Doors: 1 wooden door leads from landing into fog signal apparatus room.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Wood crib in 12' of water.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand bottom.
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: The crib supporting the tower is in bad shape. Timbers are rotten & the planking is very rotten & full of holes - not safe to walk on at night. Crib should be topped with concrete & a steel beacon with fog bell provided.
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: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2'11.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 2'2.5" x 2'11.75"
Number of Storm Panes: None.
Unglazed Side of Lantern: 4 olates of 36 degrees each.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Parapet of cast iron outside & lined with vertical wood ceiling inside.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 10 side pyramidal roof, upper plates outisde & lined with sheet zinc inside, a tin cone lens protector is suspended from the roof by 4 small chains.
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper.
Lightning Spindle: Copper with platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: A 3/4" iron pipe leads from base of parapet down outside of tower & into the water below the crib.
Balustrade: Top & bottom rail of 4x4 wooden pieces, circ. wooden stanchions with ball tops, gallery sq. in plan with corners cut off, wooden joinsts & flooring.
Lantern Doors: A cast iron door leads from lantern to gallery, door is in parapet.
Floor of Lantern: Wooden joists covered with wooden flooring; under side ceilind with wood flooring.
Watchroom Doors: No watch room.
Parapet Diameter: 6' 8.25"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 5 ventilators in parapet.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: 1 wooden step ladder 2' high.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to soffit.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: No watch room.
How is Relief Called: None.
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: None given.
Year Made: Unknown.
Marks and Number: None.
Order of Apparatus: 4th.
Inside Diameter: 1' 7-5/8"
Light Characteristic: Fixed red.
Time of Revolution: Not movable.
Flash Interval: No flashes.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4, Only 2 of 4 panels are composed of glass elements. Other 2 are made of sheet brass reflectors., concaved toward the lamp. Both hinged so as to swing as doors.
Number of Flash Panels: None.
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 6
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: Cylindrical cast iron bolted to the lantern floor. 18" table for supporting lens.
Service Table: None.
Draft Tube Description: No vertilator flue.
Revolving Machinery: Not revolving.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls:
Chariot Description:
Length of Drop Tube:
Clock Weight: No clock work.
Length of Winding Time:
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection:
Regulated:
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced: Red light produced by red glass chimney on lamp.
Red Sectors Description: None.
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Fk. Hp., 1 wick 1.5"
Type of Illuminant: Oil
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: None
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1.5"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 3 cupboards 3' high & 2' deep in 1 end of lamp room ruse to store cleaning gear.
Oil House Description: 30' from dwelling, fitted with shelves.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 5'2" x 7'2" x 8' 10" high.
Oil House Construction Material: Brick.
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 3 closets in dwelling; 1 on 1st floor; 2 on 2nd. 1 cellar under main part of dwelling.
Suitability: Dry & suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Bronze bell opperated by Stevens apparatur.
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic: 1 blow every 10 seconds.
Duplication:
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location: Bell is attached to east side of tower and facing Thunder Bay.
Distance and Direction:
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building: Fog signal machinery is in lower part of enclosed part of tower under lamp room.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Bell Signal
Weight: 1500 lbs.
Metal: Gun metal bronze
Diameter:
Height:
Time: 2.5 hours
Manufacturer:
Weights for Operation:
Dwelling
Location: Dwelling is about 1500' NW of tower.
Coloring: White.
Construction Materials: Frame building, clapboarded & shingled with wood shingles.
Number of Rooms: 6 rooms & attic.
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant: Steam heating plant has been installed.
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & family.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Barn, privy, oil-house
Outhouse Coloring: Barn, brown, privy, white, oil-house, brick.
Paths and Walks: Concrete walks in front of house & lead to all outbuildings except privy.
Area Inclosed:
Area of Garden:
Area Timber or Shrubbery: City lot.
Cultivation Area Available:
Area Cultivated:
Character of Surroundings:
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: City water.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Ample.
Injury Possible: No.
Purity Precaution: No cistern.
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: Healthfulness fair, somewhat impaired by smoke from neighboring factories.
Diseases: None.
Prevalency: No.
Local Causes: No.
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: No landing on premises. Tower is reached by waling down Fletcher St., thence by Gilchrist tramway to end of dock; thence by wooden trussed bridge to crib which supports tower.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Dwelling & premises are in apparently good condition. No sewer connection however & no bath room. Crib supporting tower is in very bad shape. Timbers rotten, planking on top in such bad shape that it is full of holes. Wooden bridge seems sound; its founda