Report for Cape May Light Station (New Jersey) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | F. C. Ruffhead, Chief Clerk & H. Bamber, Asst. Eng |
| Location: | On Cape May, NE'ly side of entrance to Delaware Bay, seacoast of NJ |
| Date of Report: | 07/28/1907 |
| Latitude: | 38° 55' 59" |
| Longitude: | 74° 57' 39" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/11/1847 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 4 acres. About 1.1 acres occupied by Life Saving Serv. & about 1/4 acre is right of way for RR |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2 65/100 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Sandy loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 1100' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Board & wire fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No wharf |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Cape May, NJ & trolley to Cape May Point. (Officials & employees of lighthouse service on official business are transported free over this trolley line. Passes obtained at Engineer's Office, 4th District. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Lightstation is near intersection of Howard & Lighthouse Ave. About 2.5 miles by road to RR station at Cape May. (Cape May, Del. Bay & Sewells Point RR now owned by Phila & Reading RR Co.) |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 3/8 mile to Cape May Point Post Office. Distance to street about 200'. |
| Distance to Village: | Light station is located in village of Cape May Point. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Electric street cars run from Cape May to Cape May Point, passing within 500' of the station dwellings. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | If necessary, busses & carriages can be hired in Cape May. Distance to RR station about 2.5 miles. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Brick tower supports lantern |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1823 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1859 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 157' 6" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | About 149'. Focal plane of lens is 141' 11". |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Buildings, trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | Gray, lantern & watchroom red |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast & general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Brick |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Outer, about 3' 10"; inner about 8.5" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | Outer, about 18"; inner about 8.5" |
| Diameter at Base: | 27' diam. outside, just above stone water table 10' 6" inside |
| Diameter at Parapet: | About 15' dia. outside, below watchroom. Outside diam. of w.r. abt 13' 6" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Cast iron spiral stairway |
| Number of Landings: | 6 |
| Size of Glass: | 20.5" x 23"; Watchroom 20 1/4" x 24"; entrance 9" x 12"; bullseye about 9" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3 double sash windows in lower entrance, each containing 6 9" x 12" frames. 7 stairway single frame double sash windows 2' 3.5" x 4'; 5 stairway bullseye windows about 8.5" dia.; 1 single pane double sash Watchroom window with glass 20 1/4" x 24". |
| Number of Doors: | In tower, 5 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | 12' masonry on 12" grillage (old note in office) |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Additional deed, April 8, 1858. Both good |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 11' 11 5/8" & 11' 11 1/4" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 9" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" to 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | Lower: 2' 3 3/4" x 2' 6 3/4"; Middle: 2' 3 3/4" x 3' 3"; Upper: 2' 3 3/4" x 3' 8 5/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Metal, posts are iron; sash bars, sill, lintel & glass stops are bronze |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Sheet copper, painted |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Is pinnacle of lantern, which is bronze. It has a conical platinum tipped point. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Spindle is provided with platinum point & 1/2" copper cable is looped around spindle. Cable passes through watchroom balcony deck, straight down left side of tower to std. ground connector. |
| Balustrade: | Cast iron floor, cast iron post, wrought iron rails. |
| Lantern Doors: | 2, outer wood on hinges & common iron bolt; inner door iron, hung on hinges & fitted with knob latch |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron, covered with t&g flooring |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wood, with glass panel fitted with mortise lock. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 10' to inside of lining |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 5 in watchroom wall, 8" diameter, covered with brass register |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | One |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Curtains are hung on 8 rollers |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1 small cupboard about 18" x 6' x 3' 3" high, 1 shelf, 1 lens clock, 1 telephone |
| How is Relief Called: | 1 telephone with magneto call bell in watchroom & another in each of 3 dwellings |
| Where is Call System Led: | Wires lead down watchroom wall through floor, thence to center col., down inside thence under tower floor & surface of ground to dwellings & thence to a bedroom in each dwelling. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | About 8 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute A Paris |
| Year Made: | Not marked |
| Marks and Number: | Henry LePaute A Paris |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | About 6' 1" |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 3 seconds |
| Time of Revolution: | 8 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 30 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | About 2 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | No fixed part |
| Number of Panels: | 16 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 16 |
| Arc of Each: | 22 degrees 30' |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 16 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 17 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 8 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | Whole lens is revolved by a weight actuated clock. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Cast iron, height 4' 8" above watchroom floor. |
| Service Table: | None, except top of cupboard mentioned in watchroom |
| Draft Tube Description: | Short cast iron tube set inside & attached to "spider" ring of lantern. Guide rollers of lens run upon outside of tube. Slipped down over its top is a 5" short brass tube, ext. up to pt. about 8" below lantern rafters. Damper tube is attached to con. tube |
| Revolving Machinery: | 1st order lens clock, operated by weights |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Chariot |
| Chariot Description: | 10 wheels, 5 3/8" diameter 20 guide wheels, 3.5" dia. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | Including window recess, about 28' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | About 8 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Iron & glass case, about 22" x 2' 1", standing on wooden base 18" high. |
| Regulated: | By 2 wing, 2 ball vertical governor. Wings are about 6" x 7" |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sectors |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Std. plunger lamp burner, has 5 wicks |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 (3 in all) |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire cord |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Vert. down through watchroom floor, thence to weight tube in tower over upper window |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Oil room upon each side of entrance & storeroom on 2nd floor of entrance, reached by means of ladder in right oil room. These rooms are closets used for general storage purposes. |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house 14' x 18' located about 32' to right & rear of tower. It has brick foundation & 5 shelves. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Dwellings #1 & 2 have 5 closets on 1st floor, & 3 on 2nd floor. #3 has 1 on 1st floor & 4 on 2nd & storeroom on 1st floor & another in basement. All closets fitted with shelves etc & used for domestic purposes. Basement under ea dwelling used for storage |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | #1 about 34' 7" from tower #2 about 35' 8" from tower #3 about 48' 7" from tower |
| Coloring: | White with lead colored trimmings & green shutters |
| Construction Materials: | All frame, with brick foundations |
| Number of Rooms: | #1 & 2, 7 & enclosed porch; # 3 - 8 rooms & bath |
| Number of Dwellings: | 3 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 each dwelling |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house, brick barn, brick stable & 3 frame privies. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick walks connect tower, dwellings, oil house & privies. |
| Area Inclosed: | 2 65/100 acres, by board & wire fences |
| Area of Garden: | About 1.5 acres |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 1.5 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | About 1.5 acres |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sandy loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From wells & from city water for 5 months each year |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Rain water not used |
| Tank Capacity: | No tanks nor cisterns |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | #1 dug well about 8' 6" deep; # 3 & 4 are driven wells |
| Well Diameter: | #1 - 4'; #3 & 4 - 1.5" |
| Well Lining: | #1 has brick lining |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | #1 - 5' from dwell 1&2; 3 near dwell #3, 4 in barn |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No wharf |
| Distance and Direction: | No wharf |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | General character & condition good. Illuminating apparatus, fine & well kept. |