Report for Whale Rock (Rhode Island) - 1887
| General |
| District: | 3rd |
| Inspector: | Lieut. John Millis, Eng'r 3rd Dist. |
| Location: | Entrance to Narragansett Bay, RI. Marks entrance to W passage, to Providence & opposite Beavertail, RI. |
| Date of Report: | 01/03/1887 |
| Latitude: | 41° 26' 40" |
| Longitude: | 71° 25' 26" |
| Premises |
| Site: | |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 1/4 acre |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Rock |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 15' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Small boat |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 3 miles to Narragansett Pier Steamboat Wharf or RR station |
| Distance to Post Office: | 3 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 3 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | 3 miles to Narragansett Pier Steamboat Wharf or RR station, then by small boat to light station. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1882 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 48' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 76' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Land |
| Color of Tower: | Red |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | In the tower |
| Object of Navigation: | Mark entrance to W passage |
| Building Materials: | Iron & brick |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 18" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 4" |
| Diameter at Base: | 21' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 18' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Iron |
| Number of Landings: | 5 |
| Size of Glass: | 10.5 x 21 |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2' x 4' 6" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Iron shell filled with Portland cement concrete resting in circular groove cut in surface of rock. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Rock |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Iron & concrete pier upon which tower is built is 24' high & 30' in dia. Surface of rock was leveled off to receive lower edge of iron shell leaving a cone-shaped piece of rock remaining inside about 5' high. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 3 3/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 27 3/8" x 36 3/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Zinc lined |
| Lightning Spindle: | |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Iron post gas pipe rail in iron deck. |
| Lantern Doors: | Iron hung on hinges |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door, iron hinges |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed in iron frames |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Ladder to lantern & fog bell machinery |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Fixed red 315 degrees btwn N around by E & S to W. |
| Number of Panels: | |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 4 |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 8 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 6 |
| 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 |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| Draft Tube Description: | Red chimney |
| 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 chimney |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Constant level lamp |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Built in brick lining of tower, fitted with drawers & shelves & used for clothes presses, dishes, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | In basement or pier |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | 36 5-gal oil cans. |
| Other (Describe): | Storeroom in basement, 1 closet on 1st, 3rd, 4th floors & 2 on 2nd floor. |
| Suitability: | Well suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Stevens fog bell apparatus operated by clockwork |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | Stroke every 20 sec. |
| Duplication: | |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Mark Whale Rock & entrance to W passage to Narragansett Bay |
| Distance and Direction: | On tower |
| Water Supply: | |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | In tower |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | Iron & brick |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 1 |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Filters |
| Tank Capacity: | 2500 gal |
| Tank Material: | Brick plastered with cement mortar |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Land on rock from small boat. Davits for hoisting boat. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | In good condition. |