Report for White Shoal (Michigan) - 1915
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | F. J. Otter, Asst. Supt. |
| Location: | On E'ly end of White Shoal, NE'ly end of Lake Michigan & off W'ly entrance to Straits of Mackinac |
| Date of Report: | 12/13/1915 |
| Latitude: | N 45° 50' 30" |
| Longitude: | W 85° 08' 08" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Water site; 20' depth of water |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 70' 7.5" x 70' 9" = 5097 sq.ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | None |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Water site |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Iron ladder recessed in NE & SW side of concrete base. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By means of boat, nearest post office at Mackinac City, 21 miles away. |
| 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: | Tower consisting of steel framework, with terra-cotta block construction; concrete base resting on timber crib & rip-rap stone foundation. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | Light est. Sept. 1, 1910, Fog Signal, est. Sept. 15, 19? |
| 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: | |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | |
| Color of Tower: | |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | |
| Tower Connection: | |
| Object of Navigation: | |
| Building Materials: | |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | |
| Number of Doors: | |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | |
| Number of Plates in Height: | |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | |
| Size of Plates: | |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Ventilator dome |
| Lightning Spindle: | 30" copper spindle with 6" platinum tip |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | 1 at lantern room floor level; 1 at base of glazed portion of lantern; both aluminum |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 aluminum door, glass upper panel, cast iron bronze hinges, lantern to balcony 1 copper covered door, glass upper panel, bronzed hinges & bolts. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast aluminum |
| Watchroom Doors: | Copper covered door, glass upper panel, bronze hinges & bolts from top of watchroom stair to lantern |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 9 in parapet |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1 travelling steel ladder |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Spring roller hooks, fastened with bronze brackets |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With desk, 1 chair, steam radiator, toilet room with water closet, 1 cleaning table, concrete & steel floor, plastered walls & ceiling, wood trim finished natural; situated on floor below lantern. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 2 hrs 18 minutes |
| Intensity in Candles: | 360,000 cp |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier, Benard & Turenne, Paris |
| Year Made: | 1910 |
| Marks and Number: | U.S. Lighthouse # 212 |
| Order of Apparatus: | 2nd |
| Inside Diameter: | Bullseye to bullseye = 4' 7.5"; Long dia = 8' 6" |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | 16 seconds |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | A revolving flasher, flashing every 8 seconds. |
| Number of Panels: | 4; 2 circular glass panels & 2 metal end panels |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 2 bullseyes in lens |
| Arc of Each: | 74 degrees (Rad = 7' 2"; chord = 8' 3") |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 7 in bullseye & 15 rings outside of bullseye |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| 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: | Hollow cast iron cylinder, bolted to structural work in floor |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Mercury float |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 44' 9.5" long, diam. 13.5" |
| Clock Weight: | 225 lbs |
| Length of Winding Time: | 2 hrs 18 minutes |
| Drive During Rewind: | Yes |
| Machinery Protection: | With glass case in metal frame |
| Regulated: | By friction governor |
| Lens Protection: | Zinc |
| How Color is Produced: | White light |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 3rd order |
| Type of Illuminant: | Mineral oil |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire cable cord |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 1/4" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | 98' |
| How Led: | Through galv. weight flue |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: | 9.5" diam. 6 7/8" long |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 mantel (Type "A" outfit) |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | 2 1/4"; 55 mm |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Mercury Float |
| Inside Diameter of Trough: | 4' 9.5" |
| Inside Depth of Trough: | 10 1/4" |
| Outside Diameter of Float: | 11' 8 3/8" |
| Depth of Float: | 10" |
| Weight of Mercury in Pounds: | 400 # |
| How Often is Mercury Renewed: | 50 # added 9/10/1912, to replace congealed mercury |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 5 with wood nails & hooks for clothes; 2 for engine supplies; 2 for miscellaneous supplies, such as provisions, etc. Total 9. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil room on 2nd floor, not fitted |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | Area 1/2 circle, 15' 5" rad., height 6' 2" diam. |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Concrete floor & ceiling, plaster on ceiling & brick lining of wall. |
| Oil House Capacity: | Est. 500, on acct of shape of room & space req. for handling. |
| Other (Describe): | 1 cook's storeroom on 2nd floor fitted with shelves; 1 supply storeroom on 1st floor, fitted with shelves; both used as stated. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suited to purpose for which they were designed & are now used. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 10" Compressed air whistle |
| Time to Start: | 3 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | 5 minutes |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | 2.5 sec blast, silent interval 18 sec, 2.5 sec. blast, silent interval 37 sec. |
| Duplication: | All parts, except whistle, but spare 1 is at station. |
| Timing Device: | Crosby Automatics in duplicate |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Whistle 90# pressure |
| Height Above Water: | 45' |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Whistle extends 25' beyond walls of structure on structural steel platform, 45' above water, on E'ly side of shoal, & marks turning point of deep channel. |
| Distance and Direction: | Whistle app. on 1st floor & plat. proj. from S 18' |
| Water Supply: | Obtained from well sunk through outer foundation (18' long) |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Pumped from well to fixtures in lighthouse. |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Fog signal machinery & engines are located on 1st floor of tower in room on NW side. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Internal Combustion Signal |
| Fog Signal Kind: | |
| Internal Combustion Kind: | Oil engines in duplicate bore 12.5"; stroke 18" |
| Internal Combustion Manufacturer: | Fairbanks Morse & Co., Beloit, WI |
| Internal Combustion Date: | Nov. 1912 |
| Internal Combustion Size: | 12.5" bore, 18" stroke |
| Internal Combustion Horsepower: | 40; 200 RPM, Type N |
| Internal Combustion Fuel: | Mineral oil |
| Internal Combustion Starter: | Various methods, inc compressed air |
| Compressor Maker: | Fairbanks, Morse & Co., Nov 1912 |
| Compressor Seat: | Same bed & geared with engines (herringbone gears) |
| Compressor Machinery: | Single stage compressor 10" x 12" cylinder, 140 RPM del. 152 c ft of freer air per minute at engine rev. of 200 rpm |
| Compressor Diameter: | |
| Compressor Stroke: | |
| Compressor RPMs: | |
| Character of Air Inlet: | |
| Kind of Unloader: | |
| Diameter of Delivery Pipe: |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 10" |
| Whistle Height: | 16.5" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 2.5" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Dwelling inside of & part of lantern |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | |
| Number of Rooms: | There are 8 rooms contained in 3rd - 6th floors. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 Keeper, 3 assistant keepers |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | None |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | None, Isolated pier |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Surrounded by water |
| Stove, Maker: | Arcadian Malleable Range Co. Milwaukee, WI |
| Stove, Size: | A |
| Sink, Maker: | Std. enamelled iron, maker unknown |
| Sink, Size: | 20" x 28" |
| Pump, Maker: | Fairbanks Morse & Co. Beloit, WI Power pump |
| Pump, Size: | Vert. eng. 2 HP 400 RPM gear connected to F&M 3" x 5" horiz. pump |
| Lamps: | 4 hand lamps, US make, 4 improved table lamps US make with 5th order burner. |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well sunk in concrete foundation |
| Quality: | Excellent |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable to be injured by inroads of storm, tides & seas |
| Purity Precaution: | More adequate & convenient provision should be made for thorough cleaning of pressure tanks at reg. intervals. |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Well sunk through concrete base, depth 16' below basement floor |
| Well Diameter: | 3' |
| Well Lining: | Concrete walls |
| Pump or Bucket: | Power pump system |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | Located in basement of tower. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Good |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Means of access to lighthouse is by 2 iron ladders recessed back in walls of concrete base 1 on NE side & 1 on SW side; There is plenty of water, so small boats can come alongside concrete base of structure. |
| Distance and Direction: | Pier of lighthouse tower. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | There are 3 - 3 ton hand power pillar cranes installed on concrete pier; Mfr'd by Northern Engineering Works, Detroit, MI |
| Boats |
| Boat #1 | |
| Boat Number: | 72 |
| Type: | Row boat |
| Length: | 5' 2" |
| Width: | 16' |
| When Built: | Unknown |
| Date Harbored at Station: | Aug 26, 1910 |
| Sails: | False |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Boat #2 | |
| Boat Number: | 85 |
| Type: | Motor boat |
| Length: | 7' |
| Width: | 25' |
| When Built: | 1911 |
| Date Harbored at Station: | June 15, 1911 (Draft 26") |
| Sails: | False |
| Suited to Work: | Yes |
| Power Boat |
| Engine Type: | Gasoline |
| Horsepower: | 8; 2 cyl. 2 cycle |
| Engine Maker: | Kahlenberg; Shop # 73-D; 1911 |
| Spare Coil: | The Knoblock, Heideman Mfg., Co. "Quick Action" #143 |
| Magnet: | "Wizard" # 70412, Hercules Elec. Co., Indianapolis |
| Battery: | 6 "Acme Rapid Fire" 3.5" x 8" |
| Propeller Diameter: | 20" |
| Propeller Pitch: | 28" |
| Miscellaneous |
| General Information: | |
| Boats on Station: | Boat passage in base of tower on 1st floor. |
| Supplemental Reports |
| Temporary Winter light, Acetylene | |
| 1915 | |
| 300 m/m Light Vessel lens lantern modified to suit: for acetylene, located on top ventilator of Lantern of Tower. AGA single flasher, 1 cu ft. burner, 1 A-5C acetylene accumulator. | |
| Characteristic: Flashing white, Flash 0.3 seconds duration every 3 seconds. 280 candlepower, 134' to focal plane. | |
| This will show a temporary light for practically 6: Light was displayed Dec. 10, 1914 | |
| White Shoal Pneumatic Pressure Water Supply System | |
| Aug. 11, 1913 | |
| System as originally installed in basement:: 1 complete Kewaunee System No. 11 with 30" x 8" Kewaunee Tank, cost FOB Milwaukee $74.25 | |
| Pump of outfit was hand pump, operated by vertical: lever handle (similar to that at Toledo Harbor Light Station) | |
| Tank installed on basement floor in horizontal pos: & has hand hole for access to interior of tank. | |