Report for Statue of Liberty (New York) - 1887

General
District: 3rd
Inspector: Lieut. John Millis, Eng'r 3rd Dist.
Location: Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor.
Date of Report: 01/15/1887
Latitude: 40° 41' 19"
Longitude: 74° 02' 43"
Premises
Site: By authority of President, statue was turned over to L.H. Board to be maintained as a beacon, lighted & tended in accordance with such rules & regulations as now exist applicable thereto or such other & different rules & regs as Board may deem necessary.
Date of Reservation: 11/18/1886
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site:
Area Inclosed:
Character of Soil: Sandy
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 250'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence:
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Yes
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: Good about 600'
Means to Reach Light Station: By steamer from the Battery at New York.
Distance to Nearest Road: About 1 mile to steamboat landing at the Battery, NY City.
Distance to Post Office: 2 miles, NY City
Distance to Village: 1 mile, NY City
Facilities for Public Conveyance: Steamboat
Facilities for Private Conveyance: None
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Statue, with uplifted hand.
Number of Separate Lights: 9
First Built or Established: 1886
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: New
Condition at This Date: Incomplete
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square sitting on sq. pedestal.
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: About 255'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: About 300'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Sky
Color of Tower: Copper
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Natural
Tower Connection: Detached
Object of Navigation: General
Building Materials: Sheet copper
General Description: Statue is 150' high resting on a granite pedestal laid in a concrete foundation 80' sq. Statue is intended to represent the "Goddess of Liberty Enlightening the World". Material is sheet copper 3/8" thick 62' sq. at base on top of granite pedestal.
Wall Thickness at Base: 3/8"
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 62' sq.
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Iron
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass:
Number of Windows and Size of Sash:
Number of Doors: 4
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Concrete pier 80' sq. 15' below surface.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sandy mixed with some gravel.
Soil Susceptibility: Yes
Miscellaneous Remarks: Statue is a gift from the people of the Republic of France to the people of the United States. Concrete foundation & granite pedestal were built by public subscription & turned over, together with the statue, to the US gov't on 28 Oct., 1886.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: Substitute for a lantern is made from the flame of the torch
Shape of Lantern: 6 x 8' elliptical
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: Flame has 36 circular holes cut in it for glass.
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed:
Number of Plates in Height:
Number of Plates Each Side:
Thickness of Plates:
Size of Plates: 18 - 10" dia; 18 - 11" dia.
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Sheet copper
Construction Material Roof / Cowl:
Ventilator / Cowl:
Lightning Spindle:
Description of Lightning Rod: Provided for inside the statue.
Balustrade:
Lantern Doors:
Floor of Lantern:
Watchroom Doors:
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number:
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement:
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Screwed in copper rings of bulls eyes.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus:
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic:
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels:
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
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:
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: Electric
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Sets of carbons
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps:
Number of Spare Burners:
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description:
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity: 12 5-gallon oil cans.
Other (Describe):
Suitability:
Dwelling
Location: NW about 750' formerly used as hospital by garrison.
Coloring:
Construction Materials: Brick
Number of Rooms: 16
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 principal & 4 asst. keepers
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 1
Outhouse Coloring:
Paths and Walks: Yes
Area Inclosed: Partly enclosed by sea wall
Area of Garden: 1/2 acre
Area Timber or Shrubbery: Scattering trees
Cultivation Area Available: 4 acres
Area Cultivated: 1/2 acre
Character of Surroundings:
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Cisterns & tanks brought in water boat.
Quality: Good
Quantity: Yes
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution: None
Tank Capacity: About 30,000 gals placed within 60' of engine boiler, 1 near Keeper house.
Tank Material: Wooden tanks, brick & cement mortar cisterns.
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: 1 cistern at Keepers dwelling
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Good pile wharf distant about 600' by footpath & 975 by wagon road from statue. No boat house.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: There is at present at station 1 60 HP horizontal tubution boiler, 1 50 HP Arrington & Sims automatic high speed engine, 1 Dynamo & 9 lamps Woons patent. Some labor is yet required to put station in complete order.
Tools And Accessories
Lantern Curtains:
Lens Covers:
Damper Tube and Key:
Spare Damper and Key:
Carillon for Overflow Pump:
Time Marker: 1
Gauge:
Spare Lamp Ready for Use:
Rod Lamp Ready for Use:
Curtain Hanger:
Heater:
Spare Lamp Cover:
Lamp Stand:
Mechanical Lamp Cords:
Revolving Machinery Cords:
Revolving Machinery Weights:
Clutch:
Spare Fly Or Governor:
Gauge for Oil Cistern:
Feather Brushes:
Linen Towels:
Sponges:
Chamois Skins:
Scissors: 1
Chimney Filters:
Coupling Pliers:
Service Box and Implements:
Cleaning Materials:
Keepers Aprons:
Wicks: