Report for Round Island in St. Marys River (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | On E'ly shore of Round Island, MI., lower part of St. Mary's River. |
| Date of Report: | 08/23/1909 |
| Latitude: | 46° 06' 33.03" |
| Longitude: | 84° 01' 10.81" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase. Part of Fr. Sec. 23, T43N, R3E, Mich.mer |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 05/20/1892 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 1 acre |
| Area Inclosed: | None, except small chicken yard. |
| Character of Soil: | Limestone rock, boulders & gravel |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 15' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Boat landing in front of boathouse |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | None |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat only |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Nearest steamboat landing is Detour Village, 11 miles. No railway station. |
| Distance to Post Office: | Raber, 2 3/4 miles |
| Distance to Village: | Raber, 2 3/4 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By launch from Detour Village or by tender. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1892 |
| 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: | 39.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 40' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded |
| Color of Tower: | Yellow with black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Attached to center front of dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Coast light & range light |
| Building Materials: | Wood frame construction. Lower part sided, upper part shingled. Brick foundation walls. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 6" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 6" |
| Diameter at Base: | 8' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 7' outside, 6' inside |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | 1 flight straight wood stairs from 2nd floor of dwelling. |
| Number of Landings: | 1 at top |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 20" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 - 4 light, sash 23.5" x 25" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 outer door |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Of red brick |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Limestone rock, boulders & gravel. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | If sodded. The ground directly in front of tower is sodded. Reservation, except for bldgs, wooded. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | There is a jog in tower walls at 2nd floor level from 8' dia. below 7' diam. above. 1st floor of tower forms entrance hall to dwelling. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 6th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 3' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 4' 7" |
| Number of Sides: | 6 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 35' 4" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 30 3/4" x 36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 1 plate 60 degrees |
| What Bearings: | SW x W 3/8 W & NW x W 3/8 W |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron verticals, cast iron cornice supporting upper part of lantern on tower walls which form lower part of lantern. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Pyramidal cast iron, zinc lined. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Wrought iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 1/8" x 1.5" copper band from lantern into 6" wrought iron pipe set in the ground to water level. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery wood covered with tin, 22" wide, 11' square. Double pipe rail & stanchions, pipe fittings. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 single fold wood door with steel hinges in parapet. Also a screen door inside this door held with buttons. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood flooring on joists & varnished. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wood trap door 21" x 31" fitted with iron hinges to leather handle leads to landing below by wood step ladder. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 5' 8". Top of wood tower forms parapet. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3 in parapet, brass valves inside & cast iron hoods outside, also 1 ventilator in parapet of wood box with wood slide damper & wire screen protection. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed to soffit. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | Lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 7/8" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white with fixed red sectors |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Fixed white arc 180 degrees, Red sectors to W'd of both sides of fixed white part, each sector 45 degrees. 4th panel - 90 degrees - is brass door. |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Central belt, 3 el. above & 3 below. |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| 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: | Cast iron flanged bracket springs from cast iron cornice, front side of lantern, & supports lens lantern near center of lantern. |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| 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 formed by 2 ruby glass plates 4.5" x 9", resting in grooves outside the lens. |
| Red Sectors Description: | Fixed red sector to W'd of 1 degree (N 1/8 E) & another to W'd of 181 degrees (S 1/8 W) |
| Where Color Attached: | To illuminating apparatus |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | 100' NW of dwelling. No shelving. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 5' 7" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Wood frame with vertical boards battened. Metal slate roof. Painted white - red roof. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 50 5-gal cans. |
| Other (Describe): | Pantry & lamp room 1st floor of dwelling. 2 closets 2nd floor of dwelling. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Attached to tower on the W side thereof. |
| Coloring: | Yellow with white trim, red roof. Kitchen addition painted white. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood frame construction on brick foundation, wood shingle roof. |
| Number of Rooms: | 3 rooms, hall, pantry & lamp room on 1st floor; 2 rooms & 2 closets on 2nd floor. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & family. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 12' x 12' woodshed, sided, metal slate roof; 5'x6' privy of battened boards & metal slate roof; Barn, shed, & hennery all attached, of rough boards with tar paper roofs. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Woodshed & privy: yellow, red roof; Others weathered. |
| Paths and Walks: | 175' concrete walk in place. 118' to be put in 1909. Total 293' |
| Area Inclosed: | None, except small chicken yard inclosed by high picket fence. |
| Area of Garden: | No garden |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | All of reservation except immediate site of bldgs. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Limestone stone, gravel & boulders. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From river by bucket |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| 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: | Boathouse, 12' x 28' built of vertical boards, battened, painted white, & with red wood shingle roof. Iron roller boatways & iron winch. Double boat landing, 1 crib of squared timbers 16' x 32' filled with stone & plank decked, 1 crib of plank 16' x 20'. |
| Distance and Direction: | 130' N of dwelling & tower. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | S'ly red sector covers & it's E'ly edge guides clear of, shoals to S'd & W'd of Round Island. E'ly edge of N'ly red sector with Winter Point Range line marks turning pt. into Mud Lake. Low sea wall is built across front of house & tower 12' there from. |