Report for American Shoal (Florida) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 7th |
| Inspector: | H Jervey, Corps Eng., revised by W C Dibrill |
| Location: | In 5 ft of water on American Shoal, one of the outer line of reefs off the coast of Fla. & within 1/4 mile of deep water of the straits of Fla. 20 miles ENE from Sand Key Lighthouse |
| Date of Report: | 03/24/1909 |
| Latitude: | 24° 31'30" |
| Longitude: | 81° 31' 10" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Submarine |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 3.999 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Ladders only |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat from Key West Fla., 19 miles |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | |
| Distance to Post Office: | Key West Fla, 19 miles |
| Distance to Village: | |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Skeleton Iron Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1880 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Last scaled and painted in 1909. Minor repairs March 1911 |
| 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: | 109' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Sky and tropical growth on Florida Keys |
| Color of Tower: | Dark Brown inclosing brown dwelling and white stair cylinder. Black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painting |
| Tower Connection: | Dwelling in tower |
| Object of Navigation: | Primary seacoast |
| Building Materials: | Iron |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Spiral iron stairway and steps inclosed in iron cylinder |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | 8" x 10" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3 in stair cylinder, 19' 1/4" x 4'4 7/8", 8" service room 19 1/2" x 2 " 10 3/4" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Octagonal skeleton iron tower on 9 piles driven 10 feet into coral rock |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Cession of jurisdiction of State of FL. June 6, 187? |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12'- 1 1/2" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical staggered |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 9" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 16 in each horizonal section 48 in all |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 27 1/2"x3 1/2";dox39 3/8";dox 45 1/2" curved |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | On ventilator ball |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Brass |
| Lantern Doors: | None |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Spiral steps |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Has (?) |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Has (?) |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Table |
| How is Relief Called: | Bell wires |
| Where is Call System Led: | To bottom of stair cylinder |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 1/4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | White 250,000 red 64,000 |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute |
| Year Made: | 1874 |
| Marks and Number: | HL 305 for de Pointe- Reyes |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 6' - 00 1/2" |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | 2 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 24 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 24 |
| Arc of Each: | 15 |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 17 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 18 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 8 |
| 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: | Clock case forms pedestal |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls, brass cage ring |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 1/4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case |
| Regulated: | Fan governor |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | 68 degrees to 90 degrees; 115 degrees to 130 degrees; 242 degrees to 263 degrees. Red panes secured to inside of lantern |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Type B - single tank system 3rd order |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One spare I.O.V. 2 spare wick lamps |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 3 spare wick burners |
| Candle Power: | White flashes 250,000, red flashes 64,000 |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Down thru&under clock base, at right angles under watch room floor, at right angles down to weitht and returns to top of sheave boxed outside of newel post 5' long |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | V grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 39 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 1 1/2" |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 mantel |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | 55 mm |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 2 in service room |
| Oil House Description: | Suspended under dwelling |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Wood-Steel tanks to be substitued for wooden rooms |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Octagonal two story located in tower |
| Coloring: | Brown |
| Construction Materials: | Iron Ceiled with wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 8 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One Keeper and 2 Assts |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | Standard Oil Co. |
| Stove, Size: | 3 wick "Perfection" |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Rain |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Fair |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable to be injured |
| Purity Precaution: | Covered to prevent impurities from entering |
| Tank Capacity: | 2 5000 gallons each (under dwelling) |
| Tank Material: | Cypress |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Good |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Ladder only |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Boats |
| Boat #1 | |
| Boat Number: | 5 |
| Type: | Sail boat (rd btm sloop) |
| Length: | 8' |
| Width: | 21' |
| When Built: | June 1899 |
| Date Harbored at Station: | March 1912 |
| Sails: | True |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Boat #2 | |
| Boat Number: | 5 |
| Type: | Rd btm dingy |
| Length: | 4 1/2' |
| Width: | 12 1/2' |
| When Built: | Jan 1906 |
| Date Harbored at Station: | Feb 1906 |
| Sails: | True |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous |
| General Information: | One sailboat; one dingy |
| Boats on Station: | Hoisted to davits |