Report for Round Island (Michigan) - 1909

General
District: 11th
Inspector: Ralph R. Tinkham
Location: On extreme NW'ly end of Round Island. S'ly side of passage btwn Round Island & Mackinac Island.
Date of Report: 09/03/1909
Latitude: 45° 50' 14.75"
Longitude: 84° 36' 59.73"
Premises
Site: Reservation. Fr. Secs. 16, 17 - T 47 N, R1 W. Mich. mer. The whole island.
Date of Reservation: 04/06/1853
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 387 acres
Area Inclosed: None
Character of Soil: Gravel & boulders
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: Practically at the water's edge.
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Boat landing at boat house.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None.
Means to Reach Light Station: By rail or steamboat to Mackinac Island, thence by small boat to light station.
Distance to Nearest Road: 6.5 miles to Mackinaw; 5.5 miles to St. Ignace; 7/8 mile to steamboat landing, Mackinac Island.
Distance to Post Office: 7/8 mile to Mackinac Island.
Distance to Village: 7/8 mile to Mackinac Island.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Small boat from Mackinac Island or by lighthouse tender direct.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: One
First Built or Established: 1896
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square
Form of Tower: Square prism
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 51'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 53' 2"
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Lake & sky; or from certain directions, wooded.
Color of Tower: Red
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Natural color of red brick
Tower Connection: Connected to & forming NE corner of dwelling.
Object of Navigation: To mark N Channel, Straits of Mackinac, btwn Round Island & Mackinac Island.
Building Materials: Brick
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 16"
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 16"
Diameter at Base: 12'
Diameter at Parapet: 12'
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Main dwelling stairs to service room floor level; wood stairs to watchroom; ladder w.r. to lantern.
Number of Landings: Watchroom floor & lantern floor.
Size of Glass: 8" x 12" & 8" x 20"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 5; 3 4-lt. 8x12", 2 2-lt. 8x20" semicircular top.
Number of Doors: 2; 1 to 2nd floor of dwelling, 1 to 3rd floor.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Concrete & brick pier, 9' high on bedrock.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Lighthouse situated at end of long narrow point off main island. Point is low & of gravel & boulders.
Soil Susceptibility: No
Miscellaneous Remarks: Pier upon which dwelling & tower stand is 40' x 39' plan, 9' high; 6' concrete wall outside, decked with stone flags, & faced with 14" of brick, interior filled with stone & boulders, except that boiler room & coal bin floors are 3' 4" below surface.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 7' 1/4"
Diameter in the Clear: 6' 6 1/4"
Number of Sides: 8
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2' 11 3/8"
Number of Plates in Height: One
Number of Plates Each Side: One
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 34" x 36"
Number of Storm Panes: None
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron parapet lined with sheet iron, cast iron vertical
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Cast iron pyramidal, lined with zinc held by iron batten strips screwed to roof plate flanges.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Brass with platinum tip.
Description of Lightning Rod: Copper band 1/8" x 1.5" fastened to lantern deck & led down outside into water, there attached to a weight.
Balustrade: Balustrade: top & bottom rails of pipe, 8 pipe stanchions; Gallery, cast iron plates, 13' square. Sheet iron gutter entirely around gallery.
Lantern Doors: Cast iron in parapet with brass bolt & hinges. Door is 2-fold & sheet-iron liined.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron flanged plates.
Watchroom Doors: Iron plate trap door on brass hinges in lantern floor.
Parapet Diameter: 6' 7 3/4"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 4 in parapet, unprotected openings outside, brass valve registers inside with wire screen beneath valve.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None needed.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Brass screws screwed into soffit of lantern.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: Not furnished
How is Relief Called: None
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus: Will run 4 hrs. Is wound every 2.5 hours.
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Henry LePaute, Paris
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter: 19 5/8"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white varied by red flash
Time of Revolution: 40 sec
Flash Interval: 20 sec
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: 4 panels fixed, each 90 degrees - 360 degrees
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels: 2
Arc of Each: 40 degrees 30' subtended at the focus.
Number of Elements in Central Drum: Fixed; Central belt & 3 elements above & below.
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: Fixed: 6
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: Fixed: 3
Does Apparatus Revolve?: True
Is There a Revolving Belt?: False
Revolving Panels:
How Flash is Produced: 2 panels of vertical elements attached to lens apparatus outside fixed lens & revolving with it.
Number of Vertical Elements Panel: Central belt & 2 elements each side.
Fixed Lens Covered: Whole height of lens.
Pedestal: Old pattern cast iron
Service Table: Cast iron & attached to pedestal & supporting clockwork.
Draft Tube Description: None.
Revolving Machinery: Clockwork driving pinion working in a horizontal spur rack on ring of lens apparatus.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls: Pivot bearing.
Chariot Description:
Length of Drop Tube: About 45'
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time: Will run 4 hrs. Is wound every 2.5 hours.
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection: By brass-bound, glass-paneled case.
Regulated: By fan governor & changing weights.
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced: Colored flashes are produced by ruby glass screens held in bronze frames over vertical flash panels.
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached: To illuminating apparatus.
Form of Colored Glass: Outside of apparatus.
Lamp Description: Funk-Heap
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: One
Number of Spare Burners: One
Candle Power:


Clock Cord Description
Revolving Cord: Wire cord
Size of Clock Cord: 1/8"
Length of Clock Cord:
How Led: Wound on drum in clockcase led down drop tube around weight sheave, returning up tube & anchored under apparatus.
Diameter and Length of Clock Drum:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1 wick
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1.5"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None
Oil House Description: About 95' S'ly from tower. Fitted with wood shelving.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 6' 6" x 8' 8"
Oil House Construction Material: Brick walls, red vit., red metal-slate roof & globe ventilator.
Oil House Capacity: 100 5-gal cans.
Other (Describe): 8 closets & storeroom in dwelling; 2 closets, storeroom & pantry 2nd floor, 6 closets 3rd floor; cellar on 1st floor - pier level.
Suitability: Suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: 10" steam whistle.
Time to Start: 25 to 35 minutes
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: Erected by B.A. Todt
Year of Manufacture: Built in Sept. & Oct. 1896
Characteristic: Blasts 5 sec., silent intervals 55 sec.
Duplication: All parts.
Timing Device: Spur & wom gear operating cam.
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: Steam whistle at 75#
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location: Attached to light tower to mark N Channel, Straits of Mackinac.
Distance and Direction: Same bldg.
Water Supply: From lake. 1 tank 4.5' dia., 5' high of steel. Cap. 600 gals.
Reached from Lighthouse: Short flight of steps from boiler room floor to 1st floor level & to outside doors onto pier. Main stairs of dwelling connect all floors of bldg.
Description of Fog Signal Building: Boiler room 17' 6" x 17' 4", 16' floor to ceiling, occupies NW part of 1st floor of dwelling, tower room in NE corner below 2nd floor being used for coal bin & is open to boiler room. Floor of coal bin & boiler room is 3' 4" below 1st floor level.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Steam Signal
Steam Boiler:
Kind: Kingsford compact open-bottom marine boiler, Pat. 1894.
Tube: Flue-tube.
Dimensions: Height 7' 9"
Length: 6' 6 3/4"
Diameter: Width 4' 9 3/4"
Tube Description: 102 - 4' 9.5" long (order 4' 10")
Steam Tube Diameter: 2.5"
Steam Furnace Kind: Internal
Furnace Length: 6'
Furnace Width: 4' 3"
Furnace Height: 19"
Steam Heat Surface: 413.88 sq. ft.; steam space 53.75 cu. ft.
Steam Grate Surface: 21 1/4 sq. ft.; water space 62.29 cu. ft.
Number of Grate Bars: 17
Kind of Grate Bars: Double bars, 5' long, spade ends.
Steam Fuel: Bituminous coal
Steam Safety Valve: Lever, 2.5" single side outlet.
Steam Maximum Pressure: 150#
Steam Working Pressure: 75#
Steam Diameter of Smokestack: 20"
Smokestack Height: 54'
Drum Dimension: 5' long
Steam Drum Diameter: 30"
Steam Covering: Combination; asbestos, felt, paper, canvas.
Steam Boiler Condition: Good
Steam Boiler Built: 1896
Where Built: Oswego, NY
Manufacturer: Thomson Kingsford
Steam Heater: False
Kind:
Size:
Heater Time Affect:
Steam Engine Kind: Vertical
Steam Engine Revolutions: 120 rpm
Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: 4"
Steam Engine Piston Stroke: 9"
Steam Engine Pipe Size: 3/4"
Steam Engine When Built: 1896
Steam Engine Where Built: Cleveland, OH
Manufacturer: Thos. Manning & Co.


Whistle Signal
Whistle Diameter: 10"
Whistle Height: 18"
Whistle Orifice: 2 3/8" to 2 11/16"
Whistle Tone: Single
Whistle Chime:
Dwelling
Location: Attached, tower forms NE corner of bldg.
Coloring: Natural color of red brick, red roof.
Construction Materials: 2.5 stories high of red brick built on brick & concrete pier & has shingled roof, stone window trim outside, stone belt & base courses.
Number of Rooms: 1st floor: boiler room, coal bin, cellar, WC, hall; 2nd floor: 4 rooms, pantry & hall; 3rd floor: 3 rooms & hall; 8 closets.
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & 1 asst.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Boathouse, oil house, privy, pump house.
Outhouse Coloring: Privy is of yellow vitrified brick, red metal-slate roof, & 6' x 6' in plan. Pump house 4' square, built of vertical boards battened & shingle roof, all painted red.
Paths and Walks: 50' of concrete walk. Boardwalk leads from pump house to pier.
Area Inclosed: None
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery: All reservation except point where light is.
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Limestone gravel & boulders, of low elevation that wears away & builds up continually.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From lake.
Quality: Good
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution: No cistern
Tank Capacity: No cistern
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Well for fog signal 4' square & 4' below lake level.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining: Curbed & decked with 2" plank
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Excellent
Diseases: None
Prevalency: No
Local Causes: No
Recommended Improvements: Natural drainage.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Landing at boathouse, 50' from tower; 32' long, 8' wide, of 2 16' cribs, 1 of plank, 1 of logs. Boat house is 12' x 20' plan, of vertical boards, battened, painted red & with a red wood shingle roof. Fitted with wood roller boatways but no winch
Distance and Direction: 50' E'ly of tower.
Miscellaneous Remarks: Pier is riprapped on W & N sides with qty of granite boulders. Riprap is said to be rapidly displaced & washed away by ice & seas. There are 2 rough cribs as shore protection, 1 in front of oil house & privy, of logs, 8' x 30' plan, 1 S of boathouse.