Report for Tibbetts Point (New York) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk and Norris Works, Supt |
| Location: | E'ly end of Lake Ontario & S'ly side of S'ly entrance to head of St. Lawrence River. |
| Date of Report: | 01/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 44° 06' 02" |
| Longitude: | 76° 22' 20" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 03/18/1827 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2.96 acres (deed) |
| Area Inclosed: | 2.96 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Clayey [sic] loam & black loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 50' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Stone wall along N side, wire fence along E side. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Landing pier 40' long 8' wide extends out into lake, beginning at point 25' from shore. Connected to shore by wooden elev. walk, 40' long. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Wharf reached from main road to LH, about 270' distant to N. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By livery or boat from Cape Vincent, NY |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 3 miles to Cape Vincent RR station on RW & O RR |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2.5 miles, Cape Vincent, NY |
| Distance to Village: | 2.5 miles, Cape Vincent, NY |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Good wagon road from Cape Vincent, NY 3 miles distant. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1827 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1882 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Round |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 58' 7" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 68 3/4' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | By whitewash |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Lake coast & river light |
| Building Materials: | Bricks & stucco |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 3' |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 2.5' |
| Diameter at Base: | 12' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 11' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Iron spiral to 1st landing, iron ladder to watchroom, iron ladder from watchroom to lantern |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 11" x 14 3/4" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3 windows, each 4 lights. |
| Number of Doors: | 2 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Rock, stone foundation 4' 4" below surface. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Clayey loam & black loam. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Foundation of tower rests upon solid rock. Exterior of tower is plastered with Portland Cement (stucco) & is now in good condition. Site is being encroached on by lake at rate of 6"/year, distance to bluff 42'. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Octagon |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 1" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36 5/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | All 36 5/8" x 34 1/4" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 8 - not used now. |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All glazed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Copper, iron & wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper, on iron frame, zinc lining |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper, 16 holes, 1.5" dia. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Steel, platinum point. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper, screwed on & fastened with set screw, led down outside of tower, into a box of charcoal, 20' from tower. |
| Balustrade: | Wooden floor, covered with copper, cast iron posts with wrought iron railing 13' circle. |
| Lantern Doors: | Wood, with heavy wrought iron hinges, knob & bolt. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wrought iron with heavy hinges. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 4.5" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 brass revolving ventilators in parapet wall. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1 iron |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed into astragals. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Locker, 3' x 6' with shelves for lamps, etc. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | L. Sautter & co., Paris |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19 9/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 270 degrees visible 339 degrees 15' (N x W 7/8 W) to 249 degrees 15' (WSW 1/8 W) |
| Number of Panels: | 3 panels & 90 degree reflector |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| 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: | Iron, 3' 5" above lantern floor |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| Draft Tube Description: | Brass tube, 2.5" dia. with cap. |
| 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: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 4th order |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 3 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 round wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1.5" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 closet in watchroom, fitted with 3 shelves & 1 door. |
| Oil House Description: | Square iron oil house, about 25' S from tower & fitted with shelves for storing oil. Built in Sept. 1904. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Steam Whistle |
| Time to Start: | 45 min from cold water |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Boilers made by D. Connolly, Cleveland, O. |
| Year of Manufacture: | Installed 1896 |
| Characteristic: | Blasts of 3 sec., alternate silent intervals of 17 & 37 sec. |
| Duplication: | Boilers, whistles & Crosby Apparatus. |
| Timing Device: | Crosby Automatic Apparatus |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Whistle - 75 lbs sq. in. |
| Height Above Water: | About 38' (above ground 22' 5") |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Marks entrance to St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. Fog Signal house is 22' from edge of bank on W side & 29' on S side. |
| Distance and Direction: | 31' W |
| Water Supply: | From lake by steam or hand pump. Iron tank 690 gal, bottom 7' above floor. |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Cement walk |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Fog signal house built of red brick, natural color, upon foundation. Hip roof, covered with tin & painted. Concrete floor. Size of bldg 22' x 36' - 1 story = 13' from floor to top wall. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | |
| Kind: | Locomotive type |
| Tube: | Flue Tube |
| Dimensions: | 6' 8" |
| Length: | 4' 9" |
| Diameter: | |
| Tube Description: | 117 - 4' 10" long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 2.5" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Internal |
| Furnace Length: | 4' 7" |
| Furnace Width: | 4' 3" |
| Furnace Height: | 1' 6" |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 462 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 19.5 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 95 |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Straight & crowned |
| Steam Fuel: | Anthracite coal, stove size. |
| Steam Safety Valve: | Pop |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | Tested to 150 lbs cold water pressure |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 75 to 80 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | 21" |
| Smokestack Height: | 33.5' (stack proper = 28.5') |
| Drum Dimension: | 5' 8" |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 2' 8" |
| Steam Covering: | Asbestos & canvas. |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Good |
| Steam Boiler Built: | 1896 |
| Where Built: | Cleveland, OH |
| Manufacturer: | D. Connally |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | |
| Steam Engine When Built: | |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | |
| Manufacturer: |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 10" |
| Whistle Height: | 18" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 3 3/4" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Old dwelling about 36' NE of tower, built in 1880. New dwelling, about 112' SE of tower, built in 1907. |
| Coloring: | White, with lead color trimmings. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 in each |
| Number of Dwellings: | 2 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper to each |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Barn, woodshed & laundry & ice house. Ice house built in 1902. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, with lead color trimmings. |
| Paths and Walks: | Various bldgs are connected by cement walks placed in 1908. |
| Area Inclosed: | Inclosed on N & E sides. |
| Area of Garden: | 2 gardens, about 1/2 acre each. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None, some shade & fruit trees. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | 1.5 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | 1 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Clay - beach is rock. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well to lake. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Well from which drinking water is obtained fails in dry season. |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | ; Iron tank 690 gal in Fog Signal House. |
| Tank Capacity: | 3 Cisterns - 1000 gal under woodshed, 1000 gal under pantry of old dwelling, 1700 gal under back porch new dwelling; Tank, 690 gal in Fog Signal house |
| Tank Material: | Iron tank, cisterns of brick. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Blasted out of rock - abt 15' deep drilled to total depth of 20' |
| Well Diameter: | 3' |
| Well Lining: | Lined for about 8' at top |
| Pump or Bucket: | Iron pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 84' from old dwelling & 72' from new dwelling. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Landing wharf is 40' long, 8' wide & extends into lake, beginning at a point 25' from shore. It is connected to shore by a wooden elevated walk 40' long. Station is reached by a good gravel road along shore from Cape Vincent, about 3 miles distant. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 270' N. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Stone retaining & protection wall on S'ly side of point was washed out by high water of 1908 & replaced Aug, 1908 by concrete wall. Entire station is in good condition. |