Report for Buffalo (Main) (New York) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk and Norris Works, Supt |
| Location: | On S Pier, entrance to Buffalo Harbor, 342' from outer end, & 59' from Buffalo River face of S Pier. |
| Date of Report: | 02/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 52' 40" |
| Longitude: | 78° 53' 24" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Tower stands on US S Pier, no special reservation made - Dwelling stands on US Lighthouse reservation; (area 1.72 acres) no special reservation made. |
| Date of Reservation: | 02/28/1904 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | No particular area reserved for tower. Dwelling occupies abt 0.179 acres of reservation. |
| Area Inclosed: | Not inclosed |
| Character of Soil: | Tower - stone paved mound, concrete pier, adjoins sand beach. Dwelling - sand beach |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Base of tower at +14.28' MLL on original pier finial. Dwelling at +8' 3" MLL 250' from shore |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Not inclosed. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Tower stands on S Pier. Dwelling is about 100' from US Engr's ferry landing, opposite front Erie St. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Cement walk from dwelling to Ferry slip, as above, 100'. Tower 1400' distant along concrete pier, from above Ferry St. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By public streets to foot Erie St. (McMillan Alley), thence by ferry scow or boat across Buffalo River, thence 100' to dwelling, or 1400' to tower, along pier. Also, foot of Michigan St., thence along beach 3300' to dwelling, thence 1400' to tower. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Ferry landing near dwelling, is 250' distant across Buffalo River from foot of Erie St. (McMillan Alley |
| Distance to Post Office: | 4/5 mile |
| Distance to Village: | In city of Buffalo, NY. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By public streets to foot Erie St. (McMillan Alley) 4/5 mile from Post Office, thence by foot 250' across Buffalo River, thence 100' to Dwelling, or 1400' to tower. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Stone tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1828 in its front location, before probably 1819 a beacon was erected near slip at inner end of pier, not far from Keeper's dwelling. |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1857 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Octagonal |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 68' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 76' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Dark colored elevators & bldgs & smoke of the city. |
| Color of Tower: | White, black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Lead & oil paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor light, marks outer extremity S Pier, entrance to Buffalo River, Inner Harbor. |
| Building Materials: | Gray limestone |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 3' 7" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 2' |
| Diameter at Base: | Outside dia. 18' 6"; inside 11' 4" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Below architrave = 11' 8"; btwn architrave & cornice 12' 8" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Winding circular stone steps up to point abt 1 story in height, below watchroom where there is a landing, thence straight iron ladder to watchrooms |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | 12" x 13" & 11" x 13" & 14" x 21.5" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 12 - sash on hinges |
| Number of Doors: | 1 iron |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stone masonry rising thru pier from safe bottom of lake (at least 12' below top of pier). |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | None at lighthouse |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | In 1905, at time of installing flash light, a 12" galv. iron pipe, for weight, was placed vertically in tower, cutting thru abt center of steps, in 2 places, from watchroom floor down 30' 9". |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 3rd |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 8' 3" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 5' 9 1/4" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/16" or 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 70" x 31 3/4" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron, brass & copper |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Forged iron ribs, covered with heavy copper plates. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast copper, about 22" dia. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper, about 6' high, platinum tip. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 9/16" copper cable, leading down thru surrounding stone work, on SE side of tower. |
| Balustrade: | Main gallery about watchroom: stone deck 27" wide, inside cast iron railing. Gallery abt lantern - cast iron deck 21" wide, with wrought iron railing. |
| Lantern Doors: | None - plate iron door 26" x 47.5" from watchroom, out onto main gallery on SE side. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Shop door, on hinges, into clockroom. Trap door, folding on itself, into lantern, from clock room. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 7" in clockroom; 7' 10" in watchroom |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 5 revolving brass ventilator valves, in parapet, clock room. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None - Iron ladder leads from main balcony up to lantern balcony. |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Small brass hooks at top of corner posts. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Small shelf, coal stove, small cot or bed. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 7 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | New lens from Paris installed in Feb., 1905 |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 3rd order |
| Inside Diameter: | 3' 3 1/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | White flash every 5 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 20 sec. |
| Flash Interval: | 5 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 bullseye lenses |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 4 |
| Arc of Each: | 90 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Each panel is made up of central disc surrounded by 6 full circular prisms |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 9 segments of prisms |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 2 segments of prisms. |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | 4 panels revolve about a vertical axis, every 20 sec., giving a flash every 5 sec. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Cast iron, on 4 posts, supporting lens above clockwork, which is supported by 4 posts from clockroom floor. Top of pedestal 10.5" above lantern floor. |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | Brass, 2 7/8" bottom at 3 1/8" above top of chimney, passes up to point beneath ventilator ball. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock work actuated by weight of about 200 lbs. falling thru 12" tube, supported by 4 posts of small wire cable. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 30' 9" |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 7 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case |
| Regulated: | Fan governor |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 2nd order, 3 concentric wicks of mean dia. 1", 1 3/4", 2.5", air pressure, circular, 4 gal. tank for oil. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 3, besides above 2. |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Down thru floor of clock room, horizontally under ceiling of watchroom, to NE side, thence vertically to pulleys to weights in tube, leading down from WR floor |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Semi-circular grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 10 or 11 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 1" |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Large closet under stairs, with coal bin, on 1st floor. Closets on 1st floor, 4' 8" x 6' 11", with 4 shelves for paint, etc., - closet at top of stone steps below watchroom 2' 3" x 6' 10", 3 shelves for lamps, etc., closets in WR 2' x 4' 3", 2 shelves. |
| Oil House Description: | Square iron oil house located on parapet of S Pier, 46' 5" to E'd fitted with 3 iron shelves. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 7' 6 7/8" x 7' 6 7/8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | Room for 18 x 5 = 90 - 5-gal oil cases. |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | On or near beach, adjacent to inner end of S Pier, abt. 1400' distant from tower. |
| Coloring: | Dark red, trimmed with dark green. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood, erected in 1899 |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 rooms & bathroom |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Small shed - 6' 4" x 12' |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Dark red, trimmed with dark green. |
| Paths and Walks: | 4' cement walk leads past house, 32' distant to ferry landing, a 2' plank walk connecting same with rear of house. |
| Area Inclosed: | Not separated from adjoining dwellings of keepers of LH Depot & Horseshoe Reef Light. |
| Area of Garden: | Small flower beds - total area of 309 sq. ft |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | Some scattering poplar trees near house. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | 309 sq. ft. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sandy beach adjoining on S side, front & side yard has thin layer of rich soil over a general body of sand, covered with lower grass kept trimmed. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Buffalo city water thru 2 lines of 4" pipe, under Buffalo River to point near dwelling, thence by smaller pipe |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable, except as pipes under River may be damaged by anchors or dredges. |
| 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: | Fairly healthful |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | All in very good condition. |