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 |