Report for The Graves (Massachusetts) - 1927
| General |
| District: | 2nd |
| Inspector: | C. H. Robinson |
| Location: | On a ledge, submerged at high water on the SE side of Broad Sound Channel entrance to Boston Harbor |
| Date of Report: | 10/07/1927 |
| Latitude: | 42° 21' 55" |
| Longitude: | 70° 52' 11" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Ceded to United States by Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1903 |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 43, 500 sq. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Foundation of tower submerged at half tide |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Wharf |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Boat to Boston, distance about 9 miles |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | |
| Distance to Post Office: | |
| Distance to Village: | |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Granite tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1905 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 98' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Sky |
| Color of Tower: | Light grey granite - natural color |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | |
| Tower Connection: | Keepers quarters in tower |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast & local navigation |
| Building Materials: | Granite |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular cast iron |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | 13.5" x 14.5" sash 17" x 30" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 9 - 2 sashes, 2 lights to each |
| Number of Doors: | 1 double entrance 3' x 6' 10" inside 2' 5" x 6' 10" |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Ledge benched off tower anchored to ledge by 2" dowles through stones & by 6" iron dowels built into concrete core, tower solid up 40' with exception of 2 42" cisterns |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | 1 1/16" |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 9 1/2" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" regular 1st order helical |
| Size of Plates: | |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Bronze |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Bronze |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Bronze |
| Lightning Spindle: | Yes - copper |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Yes - copper |
| Lantern Doors: | Yes - hinged |
| Floor of Lantern: | Bronze & cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door hinged |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Parapet |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Yes |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Hooks for hanging curtains |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Closet & desk |
| How is Relief Called: | Call bell wires |
| Where is Call System Led: | 1 bell in kitchen, 1 bell in bedroom |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 1 hour 10 min |
| Intensity in Candles: | 380,000 |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier, Benard & Turenne, Paris, France |
| Year Made: | 1904 |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 12' 5" |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | 18 sec |
| Flash Interval: | 1st 1.3 sec; 2nd 4.3 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | .2 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 6 |
| Arc of Each: | 60 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 8 prisms & bullseye |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 18 flash |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 8 flash |
| 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: | Formed in float - iron |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | Regular 1st order draft tube fitted with damper |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Mercury float |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 45' 12" diam. |
| Clock Weight: | 250 lbs |
| Length of Winding Time: | 1 hour 10 min |
| Drive During Rewind: | Yes |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case |
| Regulated: | Friction governor |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Type B vapor 55 mm |
| Type of Illuminant: | Kerosene |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 vapor oil & 4 1st order wick |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 4 |
| Candle Power: | 1500 cp |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Gal wire |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 3/8" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | About 75' |
| How Led: | Over sheaves |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: | 13.5" dia, 7" long |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 mantel |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | 2" |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: | One only |
| Mercury Float |
| Inside Diameter of Trough: | 4' 8" |
| Inside Depth of Trough: | 11" |
| Outside Diameter of Float: | 4 - 7 3/4 |
| Depth of Float: | About 11.5" |
| Weight of Mercury in Pounds: | Not known |
| How Often is Mercury Renewed: | Has never been renewed |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 6 shelves & doors, wardrobes & storage |
| Oil House Description: | On ledge - 127' - 193 degrees |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 10' 10" x 10' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Granite, copper roof |
| Oil House Capacity: | About 700 5-gal cans. |
| Other (Describe): | Storehouse & toilet on wharf |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 1st class reed horn |
| Time to Start: | About 10 to 15 min |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | About 1 minute |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | 3 sec blast 1 sec silent, 3 sec blast, 13 sec silent |
| Duplication: | Engines, compressors & automatic clocks |
| Timing Device: | Automatic clocks |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | 6.5 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | 94' |
| Compass Direction: | 45 degrees |
| Location: | Mark dangerous ledges at entrance to Boston Harbor |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Water Supply: | Cistern |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Pump pipe line overboard # 665799 2H P Fairbanks Morse horizontal tyoe - 800 RPM |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Apparatus on 2nd floor of tower |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: | 6.5 lbs yes |
| Internal Combustion Signal |
| Fog Signal Kind: | |
| Internal Combustion Kind: | Oil |
| Internal Combustion Manufacturer: | August Mietz Corporation |
| Internal Combustion Date: | 1915 |
| Internal Combustion Size: | 7" x 8" |
| Internal Combustion Horsepower: | 9 |
| Internal Combustion Fuel: | Kerosene |
| Internal Combustion Starter: | Hot ball |
| Compressor Maker: | August Mietz Corporation 1915 |
| Compressor Seat: | Both on same shaft |
| Compressor Machinery: | |
| Compressor Diameter: | 7" |
| Compressor Stroke: | 8" |
| Compressor RPMs: | About 300 |
| Character of Air Inlet: | Disc 3 3/4" diam |
| Kind of Unloader: | None |
| Diameter of Delivery Pipe: | 2" |
| Daboll Signal |
| Daboll: | 1st class |
| Daboll Reed: | |
| Daboll Length: | 1' 8" |
| Daboll Breadth: | 5" |
| Daboll Base Thickness: | 11/16" |
| Daboll Tip Thickness: | 5/16" |
| Trumpet Signal |
| Trumpet: | |
| Trumpet Length: | 6' |
| Trumpet Diameter: | 2' at bell |
| Trumpet Material: | Copper |
| Air Receiver |
| Number: | 1 |
| Diameter: | 3' 6" |
| Height: | 28' |
| Capacity Cubic Feet: | 27 |
| Pressure in Each: | 6.5 lbs |
| Make of Reducing Valve: | None |
| Remarks: | Air receiver formed in base of tower |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Keepers quarters in tower |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | |
| Number of Rooms: | |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | Gothic # 14 |
| Number of Keepers: | Keeper & 2 assistants |
| Furnished Quarters: | 1st & 2nd assts on shore |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | Keeper |
| Outhouses: | Storehouse & toilets on wharf |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Brown |
| Paths and Walks: | Walk from tower to oil house |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Ledge |
| Stove, Maker: | Magic Hub |
| Stove, Size: | No. 8 -20x |
| Sink, Maker: | Not known |
| Sink, Size: | 22" x 36" |
| Pump, Maker: | None |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: | 4 hand lamps in use by all the keepers at station from General Depot. 1 table lamp. |
| Water |
| How Procured: | By tenders for drinking, etc., sea water for cooling |
| Quality: | Ample |
| Quantity: | Yes |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Tank filled by tender |
| Tank Capacity: | About 1500 gal in tower base |
| Tank Material: | Concrete |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | Hand |
| Distance from Dwelling: | From cistern in base of tower |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Wharf - boathouse on end of same |
| Distance and Direction: | About 75' - 210 degrees |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | 3 new oil tanks recently installed for bulk oil - 1 square, 2 round. |
| Boats |
| Boat #1 | |
| Boat Number: | 163 |
| Type: | Dory - power |
| Length: | 4' 10" |
| Width: | 16' |
| When Built: | 1912 |
| Date Harbored at Station: | 1921 |
| Sails: | False |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Boat #2 | |
| Boat Number: | 129 |
| Type: | Dory |
| Length: | 4' 6" |
| Width: | 13' |
| When Built: | 1917 |
| Date Harbored at Station: | 1918 |
| Sails: | False |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Power Boat |
| Engine Type: | Gasoline |
| Horsepower: | 3.5 |
| Engine Maker: | Palmer S-type no number - date 1912 |
| Spare Coil: | None |
| Magnet: | None |
| Battery: | Dry - 4 |
| Propeller Diameter: | 16" |
| Propeller Pitch: | 23" |
| Miscellaneous |
| General Information: | |
| Boats on Station: | On davits & in boat house |