Report for Cape Disappointment (Washington) - 1882
| General |
| District: | 13th |
| Inspector: | Chas. F. Powell, Capt. of Engineers |
| Location: | On pitch of Cape Disappointment on Hancock - Washington Territory, mouth of Columbia River |
| Date of Report: | 06/03/1882 |
| Latitude: | 46° 12' 20" |
| Longitude: | 124° 02' 20" |
| Premises |
| Site: | |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 9.37 acres - most of site is occupied by military dept. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Clayey loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 300' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | A space 150' square is inclosed around the lighthouse dwelling, also about 4 acres for pasture. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | A good wharf belonging to military dept. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | A good wagon road distance from tower 1/2 mile. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By steamer tri-weekly. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Astoria, nearest steamboat landing, distance 14 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | All mail matter is received & sent by Military Post |
| Distance to Village: | Astoria, 14 miles. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | By mail steamer 3 times/week from Astoria |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Station may be reached from Astoria by charter of sailboat or steam tug. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1856 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | New keeper's dwelling was built in 1873 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 40' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 232' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Dark background |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Whitewashed |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast, and to mark mouth of Columbia River. |
| Building Materials: | Brick |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 3' 6" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 2' 10" |
| Diameter at Base: | 14' 4" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 10' 6" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden stairway & steps |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 10 x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 windows size of sash 4' 6" x 34" |
| Number of Doors: | 2 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stone foundation resting on solid rock, 10' below surface. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Clayey loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | By grass, shrubbery & trees |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower located on most S'ly point of cape, near edge of nearly a perpendicular bluff, ground slopes back from cliff. On right of tower is 15" gun. On left is battery 8 10" guns. If any of those guns are used, the plate glass of lantern will be destroyed. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 3.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 4 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 4 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | Bottom 24 3/4"; next above 38 3/4"; 2 upper 23 3/4" each all 27 3/4" wide. |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 3 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron, sheet copper |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Sheet copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Sheet copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper wire rope attached to spindle by loop in the end of the rope led down tower to main parapet & then off at an angle of about 22.5 degrees from the perpendicular down to moist earth. |
| Balustrade: | Of iron |
| Lantern Doors: | None |
| Floor of Lantern: | Brick laid in cement |
| Watchroom Doors: | None |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1 |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Fitted on rollers |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With trimming bench & lockers |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 8 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 12 |
| 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: | Cast iron |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| 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: | Funk float lamp, 4 wicks to burner |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | No closets in tower |
| Oil House Description: | In small wooden bldg attached to tower, fitted with wooden stands for oil |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | 11 100-gal cans; 3 50-gal oil butts; 2 other |
| Other (Describe): | 2 large closets in a room connected with oil room, fitted with doors & shelves & used for storage of all lighthouse supplies except oil |
| Suitability: | Dry & suited to purposes for which they were designed. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Keeper's dwelling is 2-story double house under 1 roof - it is located 1300' N from lighthouse tower. |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | Brick foundation - superstructure is 2-story wooden frame. |
| Number of Rooms: | 11 rooms each |
| Number of Dwellings: | 2 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 3 keepers at station, Principal keeper occupies 1 & 2 assts the other. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Barn, wood house & privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | Gravel walks around house. Plank walk from dwelling to light tower & from dwelling down to road leading to wharf. |
| Area Inclosed: | 150' square enclosing keepers dwelling is enclosed with picket fence - 4 acres pasture enclosed with open board fence |
| Area of Garden: | About 1/2 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 4 acres in timber and shrubbery |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 1 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | 1/2 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Soil clayey, fast ground |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | H & B Douglas #2 closed (2) |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Rain water from roof of Keeper's dwelling |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Cisterns are emptied & washed out clean once in 2 years. |
| Tank Capacity: | There are 2 cisterns, each having a capacity of 7000 gals. |
| Tank Material: | Cisterns are made of brick laid in cement mortar, & inside plastered with coat of cement mortar. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Water brought by means of a pipe & pump to kitchen |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 20' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Good |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | None |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | There is a good wharf built for accomodation of the military post at this place. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | In 1865, 11 panes of lantern glass were broken by the discharge of the 15" gun. Subsequent to this 1882 report, the lens was transferred to North Head. |
| Tools And Accessories |
| Lantern Curtains: | 2 sets |
| Lens Covers: | 2 |
| Damper Tube and Key: | 2 |
| Spare Damper and Key: | None |
| Carillon for Overflow Pump: | |
| Time Marker: | |
| Gauge: | |
| Spare Lamp Ready for Use: | 1 |
| Rod Lamp Ready for Use: | 1 |
| Curtain Hanger: | None |
| Heater: | 1 |
| Spare Lamp Cover: | |
| Lamp Stand: | |
| Mechanical Lamp Cords: | |
| Revolving Machinery Cords: | |
| Revolving Machinery Weights: | |
| Clutch: | |
| Spare Fly Or Governor: | |
| Gauge for Oil Cistern: | |
| Feather Brushes: | 2 |
| Linen Towels: | 10 |
| Sponges: | 2 |
| Chamois Skins: | 3 |
| Scissors: | 2 |
| Chimney Filters: | 1 |
| Coupling Pliers: | 1 |
| Service Box and Implements: | 1 |
| Cleaning Materials: | Rotten stone whiting, rouge, spirits of wine |
| Keepers Aprons: | 6 |
| Wicks: |