Report for Charleston Light Station (South Carolina) - 1918

General
District: 7th
Inspector: W. G. Will
Location: On south end Morris Island, Sea coast of South Carolina.
Date of Report: 09/06/1918
Latitude: 32° 41' 43"
Longitude: 79° 53' 01"
Premises
Site: Purchase
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 01/22/1790
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 561.5 acres
Area Inclosed: .56 acres
Character of Soil:
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 450 yeards
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Brick with iron gates
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Yes, wharf & boathouse
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station: Small boat from Charleston, 11 miles.
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: Conical brick tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: Begun building 30 May 1767. Present tower erected in 1875-76, and light shown Oct. 1, 1876.
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: Nov.-Dec. 1911. Boat house built 1915, wharf & treatle walk rebuilt 1918.
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: 155 feet.
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Trees & sky.
Color of Tower: Black lantern, 3 white & 2 black, alternate horizontal bands.
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint, Trus-Con Stonetex.
Tower Connection: Detached.
Object of Navigation: Seacoast.
Building Materials: Brick, stone trimmings, iron lantern & watch room.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Iron, circular
Number of Landings: 9
Size of Glass: 9" x 12" & 10" x 12"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2, 16 panes, 1, 12 panes, 4 12 panes, 2, 14 panes.
Number of Doors: 2 of 80" x 27.5", 4 of 48" x 90"
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Tower in good condition.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 1st
Shape of Lantern: Polygon
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 16
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 9.5'
Number of Plates in Height: 3
Number of Plates Each Side: 3
Thickness of Plates: 3/8"
Size of Plates: 27.75" x 30.75", 27.75" x 39", 27.75" x 44.75"
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern: Glazed through 360 degrees
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Iron & brass
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Copper, zinc lined, iron rafters.
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper
Lightning Spindle: Copper
Description of Lightning Rod:
Balustrade: Iron.
Lantern Doors: None.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron with deck lights.
Watchroom Doors: None.
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: 8 lower part of lantern.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: Portable wood.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Yes. screw hooks and rings.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: With locker & drawers & desk all wood.
How is Relief Called: Electrical bells #16 insulated wire.
Where is Call System Led: Down center, than branch outside to each keepers quarters.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles: 13000 cp
Name of Maker: L.Sautter, Le Monnier it Cie., Paris
Year Made: About 1875
Marks and Number: None.
Order of Apparatus: 1st
Inside Diameter: 72.5"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white.
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 8 pannels in central drum, 2-reflector, 6 lens, 16 panels upper & lower belts, 4 blank, 12 lens.
Number of Flash Panels: None
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 17 - 8 above & 8 below central drum.
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 18
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 column & platform.
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description: Russion iron, 3.75", damper not used.
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: Yes, linen cover.
How Color is Produced:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: 55 mm IOV, type A
Type of Illuminant: Oil
Number of Spare Lamps: 2 IOV 1 wick
Number of Spare Burners: None.
Candle Power: 900 cp


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 5 wick oil
Diameter of Outside Wick: 5 1/16"
Diameter of Mantel: 55 mm
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 2 lockers spare lantern panes, 1 for tools & spare parts. 2 rooms (formerly used for lard oil) on either side of entrance.
Oil House Description: 40' SW of tower, fitted with wood shelves.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 12' x 14" x 8' high
Oil House Construction Material: Brick
Oil House Capacity: 504 cans.
Other (Describe): 2 frame buildings, each with 2 rooms. 40 feet from tower, 1 room used as paint & tool room. 3 rooms used by keepers.
Suitability: Dry & suited.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: None.
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:
Duplication:
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:
Distance and Direction:
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building:
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Dwelling
Location: 80 feet SW
Coloring: White with lead trimmings & green blinds.
Construction Materials: Wood.
Number of Rooms: 18 rooms divided into 3 quarters
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper, 2 assistants
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 2
Outhouse Coloring: White
Paths and Walks: Concrete.
Area Inclosed:
Area of Garden:
Area Timber or Shrubbery:
Cultivation Area Available: 1/2 acre.
Area Cultivated: 1/4 acre.
Character of Surroundings: Sand near tower, marsh adjacent.
Stove, Maker: New Process, Economist, 43-I
Stove, Size: #4, 6 hole
Sink, Maker: White enamel with drain board.
Sink, Size: 20" x 30"
Pump, Maker: Rumsey, Seneca Falls, NY.
Pump, Size: #2 (Fig. 99.5)
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: 2 cisterns.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Yes, unless very dry.
Injury Possible: Yes.
Purity Precaution: None, except cleaning yearly & screening.
Tank Capacity: 2 - 3500 gal. each under each half of dwelling.
Tank Material: Brick.
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good.
Diseases: None.
Prevalency: No.
Local Causes: Large pond near the station is a place for mosquitoes.
Recommended Improvements: Yes, this is now being done.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Wharf is L shaped about 20' long along the legs, 10' wide, connected to lighthouse by a trestle walk. Boat house is 200' north from the walk & the boat travels on a tram car on an inclined tramway.
Distance and Direction: 1850 feet west.
Miscellaneous Remarks: Submitted to supersede description dated Nov. 11, 1911.
Boats
Boat Number: 7
Type: Motor boat
Length: 7'
Width: 25'
When Built: 1909
Date Harbored at Station: 1912
Sails: False
Suited to Work: Yes.


Power Boat
Engine Type: Lathrop
Horsepower: 6 HP
Engine Maker: J.W. Lathrop Co. Mystic Conn. No shop Number, 1909
Spare Coil: Enduro
Magnet: None.
Battery: 6 dry cells.
Propeller Diameter: 21"
Propeller Pitch: 28"


Hoisting Engines
Hoisting Engine Kind: Hand hoist.
Engine RPMs:
Engine Diameter:
Engine Stroke:
Engine Boiler:
Engine Maker and Date:
Serial Number:
Cylinders and Size:
Horsepower:
Fuel:
Hoist Starter:
Hoist Miscellaneous:


Miscellaneous
General Information:
Boats on Station: On tram car in boat house or along side wharf.