Report for South Buffalo South Side Light (New York) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk and Norris Works, Supt |
| Location: | On N end of Stony Point Section of Breakwater |
| Date of Report: | 02/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 50' 02" |
| Longitude: | 78° 52' 04" |
| Premises |
| Site: | On US Breakwater Reservation, except dwelling, which is on purchased property. Breakwater reservation granted to US by NY state |
| Date of Reservation: | 09/12/1908 |
| Date of Deed: | 08/09/1902 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Dwelling site - 56' x 72'; occupy on Breakwater = 4032 sq. ft.; add'l land alongside Breakwater 54,600 sq. ft. = total of 1.48 acres. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | At dwelling, filled land over muck. |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Dwelling site not inclosed, bldg occupies most of lot. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Iron ladder on breakwater, dwelling located on public street. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Public macadamized road (Hamburg Turnpike) from Dwelling to Buffalo & Susquehanna Iron Co's Canal, 1500' |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | From Buffalo: By boat thru outer harbor. By electric car or steam train to adjacent shore, thence by small boat to light, or on boat thru plant of Lockawanna Steel Co. & out Stony Point Breakwater. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Light 3650' by water from Hamburg Turnpike. Dwelling on Hamburg Turnpike, along which passes electric car line. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2 free deliveries daily from Buffalo, NY 1.5 miles to PO at W. Seneca. |
| Distance to Village: | Buffalo City Hall (air line) 3.5 miles. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Buffalo electric car to W. Seneca, Hamburg RR Co's electric cars to dwelling, Or S Buffalo RR Co's steam train to dwelling. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | 4 miles by boat from front Main St. or walk 1500' from electric car terminus to Buffalo & Susquehanna Canal, & thence by boat to station. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1903 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 43' 4" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 52' 9" MLL |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Low flat shore, covered by blast furnaces & rolling hills, which emit dark smoke. |
| Color of Tower: | White, with brown band about base. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Lead & oil paint |
| Tower Connection: | Dwelling located about 1 mile distant on shore. Fog Signal house adjoins tower closely. |
| Object of Navigation: | Main light, marking S side of S entrance to Outer Harbor. |
| Building Materials: | Wood covered with flat & corrugated iron. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 15" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 10" |
| Diameter at Base: | 16' 3" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 6" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden winding up to watchroom. Iron winding to lantern. |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 16" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 5 - 19" x 22.5"; 5 - 20" x 22.5" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete to mean Lake level, resting on stone filling of crib & stone & gravel to bedrock at 61' MLL. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | At dwelling - filled land over muck; macadamized streets |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | A small boat is employed to travel btwn lights & btwn lights & dwelling on shore. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7 3/16" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 11.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 6 full curved plates 2' 1.08" x 2' 1.08"; 2 1/2 plates cut vertically; 14 1/2 plates cut horizontally; 1 door pane 2' 6 3/4" x 2' 10 3/16" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron, sheet steel lining, with zinc lining to roof & brass glass stops. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Conical cast iron with zinc lining. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron, with 14 - 1 5/8" holes, covered with wire cloth. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass, 18" long, screwed into ventilator ball, & with platinum point. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Cast iron balcony with wrought iron rail. |
| Lantern Doors: | Curved cast iron, upper portion glazed. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron, checkered surface. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door in lantern floor of plate steel, provided with counterbalance spring brass hinges. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 1 9/16" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 openings thru parapet, screwed on outside & provided with brass valves on inside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Hung on 3/4" spring tin rollers, supported by brass brackets screwed to sheet steel lining. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Room below lantern is used as service room & is provided with small wooden service table, with shelf below. Next room down in tower has cupboard with 5 shelves, for chimneys, wicks, etc. Room on 1st floor used as watchroom & prov with stove, desk & closet |
| How is Relief Called: | Electric bell wires from governor on lens clock to bell in Fog Signal House to call keeper automatically in case clock should stop. |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 2 hrs 20 min. |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier, Benard & Turenne, Paris |
| Year Made: | Installed 1903 |
| Marks and Number: | Makers name in several places. |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19 11/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white & red, every 3rd flash red, interval 10 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 sec. |
| Flash Interval: | 10 sec. |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 3 lenses & 1 reflecting lens. |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 3 |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Iron, with clock, 3' 7.5" high. |
| Service Table: | Small wooden table, with shelf below, in room below lantern. |
| Draft Tube Description: | Not required |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock in lens pedestal, operated by weight falling thru central column of tower. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | To 2nd floor, 19' 9" |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 2 hrs 20 min. |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Inclosed in glass case. |
| Regulated: | Ball governor, with friction disk. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Red glass half cylinder between the lamp & largest lens, which takes in 180 degrees of circumference, reflecting lens opposite. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | Rests on lamp rest in illuminating apparatus. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | A half cylinder, 4" radius, 19" long. |
| Lamp Description: | 4th order lamps, 1 round wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 3 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Steel cord or cable |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 1/8" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | To weight & pulleys in hollow column immediately below lens. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Flat surface |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 21 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 3/8" |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Small closet under service table for oil etc., 5 shelf closet on 2nd floor, for spare chimneys, wicks, etc. - Large closet on 1st floor, under stairs, for brooms, cleaning utensils, paint, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Basement in concrete foundation under tower, has one concrete shelf or ledge on 4 sides, oil cases are stacked up. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: | Suited, dry |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 13 HP Hornsby-Akroyd (11" x 14.5") oil engine, geared to 8" x 8" Ingersoll Sergeant Air Compressor, supplying air to high & low pressure tanks, from which automatic siren is driven, thru agency of Crosby Automatic Apparatus. |
| Time to Start: | 15 min. to start engine, 5 min. to raise sufficient pressure, = 20 min |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | De La Vergne Refrigerating Mach., Co., NY |
| Year of Manufacture: | 1902 or 1903 |
| Characteristic: | Deep gutteral blast, sounding like voice of a bull. 2 sec blast followed by 28 sec silent interval. |
| Duplication: | Engine, compressor, & Crosby Automatic Apparatus. |
| Timing Device: | Crosby Automatic Apparatus, in duplicate. |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Siren at 30 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | 26' 8" |
| Compass Direction: | S 54 degrees W |
| Location: | On S side of lighthouse, marks S side of S entrance to Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY. |
| Distance and Direction: | 4' S |
| Water Supply: | From lake |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | 24' x 30.5' x 15' high. Has solid walls of 12" x 12" pine, cylindrical roof of 6" x 6" lagging over heavy steel trusses. Covered with corrugated iron, sound reflector of plate iron 12' dia. on Lake side, all painted brown. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Siren Signal |
| Siren: | Cylindrical |
| Siren Diameter: | |
| Siren Built Date: | |
| Siren Manufacturer: | 3rd district Machine Shop |
| Siren Ports: | 20 - 2 3/4" x 1/16" |
| Siren Revolutions: | |
| Siren Governor: | Friction blocks |
| Siren Condition: | Good |
| Compressed Air |
| Compressed Air Machinery: | High pressure tank 3' x 6' - 45 lbs; Low pressure tank 4' x 6' - 30 lbs |
| Kind: | Hornsby-Akroyd Oil Engine |
| Manufacturer: | De La Vergne Refrig. Mach. Co. |
| Date Made: | 1902 or 1903 |
| Nominal Size: | 11" x 14.5" |
| Horsepower: | 13 |
| Compressor: | Horizontal, single cyl., 8" x 8" double acting |
| Compressor Manufacturer: | Ingersoll Rand Co., formerly Ingersoll Sargeant. |
| Compressor Bed and Gear: | Same bed, geared. |
| Trumpet Signal |
| Trumpet: | |
| Trumpet Length: | 5' |
| Trumpet Diameter: | Small end 6"; large end 27" |
| Trumpet Material: | Copper |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | On public street ashore, 4500' (air line) S 71 degrees E from light. |
| Coloring: | Natural colored red brick. Cornice & trimming lead color. |
| Construction Materials: | Brick walls on stone foundation, wooden floors, roof framing & trim, slate roof. |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 rooms, basement & attic each side |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 double dwelling |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 on each side |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | Narrow board walk, from street to each of 2 front entrances of dwelling. |
| Area Inclosed: | Not inclosed. Lot about 56' x 72' = 4032 sq. ft. = 0.0925 acres. |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Originally low flat meadows, rather wet. Has been filled 4 to 6' & is now well built up. The Lockawanna Steel Co. Plant is just across street, 1000 acres, more or less, & other iron works are near. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | At Dwelling - Lake Erie water from Lockawanna Steel Co., from Depew Water Co.; At Fog Signal by power pump from Lake. |
| Quality: | At dwelling - good; at Fog Signal - not potable. |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| 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: | Each side of dbl dwell is provided with bathroom. Sink & boiler in kitchen. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Lighthouse is healthful. Atmosphere at dwelling is not healthful due to smoke & gases from adjoining steel plants. |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No boat house is provided. Davits are provided at light. Ashore, boat tied in protected nook in canal of Buffalo & Susquehanna Iron Co., 1500' distant from dwelling, by Hamburg Turnpike, & 3600' distant from lighthouse by water. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | 3 lenses are mounted vertically on rev'g carriage, so their axis divide horizon into 3 = parts of 120 deg. each. 1 lens consists of cntrl 6" disc w/ 9 concentric prisms, dia 3' 4 1/4". Other 2 lenses are similar except that total side are cut away. |