Report for Cape Flattery Light Station (Washington) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 17th |
| Inspector: | Maj. J. F. McIndae, Corps of Engineers |
| Location: | Situated on Tatoosh Island, S'ly side of entrance to Strait of Juan de Fuca, WA. |
| Date of Report: | 02/28/1910 |
| Latitude: | 48° 23' 30" |
| Longitude: | 124° 44' 06" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Public land set aside for Lighthouse purposes. |
| Date of Reservation: | 10/03/1851 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 20 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 10 acres fenced off for pasture |
| Character of Soil: | Clay & loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 170' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Small patch of garden, about 1/4 acre. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Landing on beach in small bay on Main Island. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Footpath leads to landing & tramway to derrick distant respectively 500' & 375'. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By Tender, or by Tug landing in small boat or by boat or canoe from Neah Bay. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 6 miles to Neah Bay |
| Distance to Post Office: | Tatoosh Post Office is located at station. |
| Distance to Village: | 6 miles to Neah Bay |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None. Mail canoe leaves Neah Bay for station once each week. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Indian canoe can be hired in Neah Bay 6 miles distant. Steamboat line makes 3 calls weekly at Neah Bay |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Towe |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1857 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1900 workroom & additions made |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 74' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 155' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Dark green timber & distant hills seen against sky from S. |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Whitewash |
| Tower Connection: | Tower connected with double stone dwelling. Frame dwelling 95' from tower. |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast |
| Building Materials: | Brick, cemented |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Outer walls, 17"; inside walls 13" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 30" at spring of arch forming watchroom floor. |
| Diameter at Base: | 17' tower circular, 10' 6" inside |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 15' 2" outside, 10' 6" inside. |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden stairs to landing below watchroom, iron ladder to watchroom & iron steps to ladder. |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 8" x 12" (12 lights) |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 - 2' 3" x 2' 5" |
| Number of Doors: | 5 & trap door in watchroom floor. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | About 5' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Clay & loam overlying sedimentary rock. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | By grass, too windy for trees, Salmon & thimble berry bush grows readily. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Executive Order, May 23, 1877 & July 27, 1877. Tower situated on highest point of Main island. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 11' 4" |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 4.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" to 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 24 3/4" bottom; 38 3/4" middle; 23 3/4" 2 tops should be 1 - 47.5" all 27 3/4" wide |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 3 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | Glazed all around |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron, steel, copper, brass & glass |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Hemispherical sheet copper roof on steel or iron frame. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper ball with ventilating openings on lower side. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Of brass with platinum tip |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 5/8" dia, copper wire rope with eye passed around spindle & led down to iron pipe buried in ground about 12' from base of bldg & about 3' deep. |
| Balustrade: | Iron gallery & hand rail at level of watchroom floor & at lantern floor with iron ladder connecting the 2. |
| Lantern Doors: | No door in lantern. Door from watchroom to gallery iron door fitted with rim knot lock. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | No door btwn watchroom & lantern, trap door in watchroom floor, iron door on iron frame |
| Parapet Diameter: | No parapet. Lantern is glazed to floor. Balcony is circular 18' dia. Lantern gallery is 16 sided 16' dia. Watchroom - 12' dia |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Sliding register below lantern pane in each face of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Wooden step ladder used for cleaning lantern glass. |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | None. Curtains fitted on shade rollers & are operated by pulleys & cords. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1 locker for cleaning material, 1 for storm panes. Watchroom at base of tower used as watchroom & fitted with work bench containing locker & drawers, deck chair & box heating stove. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Louis Sautter & Co., Paris |
| Year Made: | 1854 |
| Marks and Number: | Fresnel light 1st order constructed by order of the Honorable Secretary of the Treasury of the United States & the lighthouse Board N.A. Bartles Lieut |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 6' 1/8" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white with red sector covering Duncan Rock |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 270 degrees Fixed 90 degrees silvered reflector |
| Number of Panels: | 6 lens panels & 2 reflecting panels |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 17 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 13 |
| 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: | Of cast iron extending to watchroom floor. |
| Service Table: | Locker in watchroom top of locker being used as a table. |
| Draft Tube Description: | Of brass 5" in dia. connecting with 7" cast iron tube to ventilator. Damper tube is 3 15/16" dia. & is connected to upper tube by lugs rivetted on damper tube 1 set carrying tube when in place & 1 set when raised for placing of 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 sector produced by strip of ruby glass 10" wide attached to lantern |
| Red Sectors Description: | 164 degrees 45' (SE 7/16 W) 171 degrees (SSE 15/16 E) |
| Where Color Attached: | To lantern on inside of lantern pane |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Float lamp 1st order |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 complete |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 besides those on lamps |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 4 5/16" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | 1 - 43' NE'ly & 1 - 43' NW'ly from tower |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' x 11' 4" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Glavanized iron |
| Oil House Capacity: | 3240 gallons |
| Other (Describe): | In dwellings fitted with shelves & hooks & used for storage of household effects & wearing apparel |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Steam fog signal 12" whistle in duplicate |
| Time to Start: | 1 hour to 1.5 hours |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Whistles & 1 engine from Tompkinsville, NY; other engine NY Safety Steam Power Co. |
| Year of Manufacture: | Unknown |
| Characteristic: | 8 sec blast, 52 sec silent |
| Duplication: | 2 complete plants by whistles are only strictly duplicate parts. |
| Timing Device: | Governors on engines; Pickering on N; Gardiner on S. |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | 75 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | 117' |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | 90' N'ly from tower & established to mark entrance to Straits of Juan de Fuca. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 100' NW'ly |
| Water Supply: | Cistern & tank |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By foot walks |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Brick bldg cemented on outside, roof lined with corrugated iron & covered with plain galvanized iron; Brick stack 36' high surmounted by iron stack 16' long. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | 1 boiler brickset, 1/2 arch front; 1 boiler brick set, full arch front; both 42" dia, 12' lont |
| Kind: | Cylindrical shell tubular brick set externally fired |
| Tube: | Flue tubes |
| Dimensions: | 12' |
| Length: | 42" |
| Diameter: | |
| Tube Description: | N Boiler - 36 tubes, 12' long; S Boiler - 42 tubes, 12' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 3" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Brick |
| Furnace Length: | N 42"; S 48" |
| Furnace Width: | N 48"; S 52" |
| Furnace Height: | N 18.5"; S 23.5" |
| Steam Heat Surface: | N 381 sq. ft.; S 441 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | N 12.7 sq. ft.; S 16.7 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | N boiler 35 single bars; S boiler 19 double bars |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Single web bars - N boiler; Double web bars - S. |
| Steam Fuel: | Bituminous domestic |
| Steam Safety Valve: | N - weight loaded; S - pop valve, waynes safety |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | 100 lbs |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 75 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | Brick stack 23" x 26" inside with 20" dia. sheet iron exterior. |
| Smokestack Height: | 50' to top of extension. |
| Drum Dimension: | N 32" high; S 40" high |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | N 24"; S 29" |
| Steam Covering: | Boilers brick set & covered with brick |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Fair |
| Steam Boiler Built: | N - 1893; S - 1897 |
| Where Built: | Erie City, PA |
| Manufacturer: | N - Erie City Boiler Works; S - PA Boiler Works |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | N- vertical; S - old style horizontal |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | N - 200 rpms; S - 90 rpms. |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | N - 3"; S - 4" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | N - 5"; S - 10" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | N - 3/4"; S - 1" |
| Steam Engine When Built: | Unknown |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | N - NY; S received from Tompkinsville, NY |
| Manufacturer: | N - NY Safety Steam Power Co.; S received from Tompkinsville, NY |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 12" |
| Whistle Height: | 32" over all |
| Whistle Orifice: | 3" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 1 double dwelling attached to tower & 1 double frame dwelling about 100' from it. |
| Coloring: | Stone dwelling is whitewashed, frame dwelling painted white. |
| Construction Materials: | Tower dwelling - stone with concrete additions. Other dwelling - wood. Both have shingle roofs. |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 in each tower dwelling; 6 in each frame dwelling. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 4 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Large woodshed, barn, 4 privies & 2 poulty houses; Carpenter shop, boat house, hoisting engine house & storehouse |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White with brown roofs |
| Paths and Walks: | Cement walks around dwellings; paths to landing & tramway from tower to derrick. |
| Area Inclosed: | 3 acres, wire fence |
| Area of Garden: | About 1/2 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 15 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | About 1/2 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Reservation comprises whole group of islands & rocks, mainland about 3/4 mile distant & heavily timbered with spruce & cedar. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Rain water collected from roofs & shallow well. |
| Quality: | Good. Water in well unfit for other than boiler use. |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Brick filter walls are placed in cisterns. |
| Tank Capacity: | 2 cisterns N of tower, 6000 gal.; tank SE of frame dwell, 15,000 gal; cistern N of FS bldg, 31,000 gal; tank N of FS bldg, 6,000 gal. |
| Tank Material: | Cisterns of brick; tanks of redwood. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Well in low swale & collects seepage of surface. 6.5' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 5' |
| Well Lining: | Lined with brick laid without mortar. |
| Pump or Bucket: | Force pump to Fog Signal cistern |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | Abt. 500' from tower dwell; 600' from cistern at Fog Signal. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Station considered healthy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | Ground E'ly from station could be drained to advantage to carry off surface water which collects rendering pasture swampy but not unhealthy. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Landing made on E'ly beach of small bay. Frame boat house equip'd w/ windlass placed above HWM. Portable track laid from boat house to water edge. Landing fair in mod. weather & rough weather is best at 1/2 tide on ebb. Track equip'd w/ car for supplies. |
| Distance and Direction: | Landing about 500' from tower & bears NE'ly |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower & illuminating apparatus in good order. Minor repairs are req'd to dwellings & other bldgs. Boat house should be rebuilt. |
| Hoisting Engines |
| Hoisting Engine Kind: | J.S. Mundy, Newark NJ # 1666 (1892) |
| Engine RPMs: | 225 |
| Engine Diameter: | 5.5" |
| Engine Stroke: | 10" |
| Engine Boiler: | Vertical 34" x 84" - 60 tubes 2" dia. 57" long |
| Engine Maker and Date: | |
| Serial Number: | |
| Cylinders and Size: | |
| Horsepower: | |
| Fuel: | |
| Hoist Starter: | |
| Hoist Miscellaneous: |