Report for Conovers Beacon (New Jersey) - 1880
| General |
| District: | 3rd |
| Inspector: | Genl. J.C. Duane, Engineer, 3rd district |
| Location: | Front range of Main channel entrance to harbor of NY. |
| Date of Report: | 02/03/1880 |
| Latitude: | 40° 28' 14" |
| Longitude: | 74° 03' 22" |
| Premises |
| Site: | |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 3 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Sandy |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 125' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wood fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None - landing may be made on beach at high water. Low water about 3/4 mile further out. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | None |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By NJ Southern RR to Middletown thence by carriage or wagon. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1/2 mile to public road & 2 miles to RR station. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1 mile |
| Distance to Village: | 1 mile |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By light wagon or carriage. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower of wood |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1856 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1874 at which time day marks or screens were erected - tower sills etc renewed & otherwise repaired & strengthened in 1877 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Hexagon |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 55' to focal plane |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 60' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Rising ground |
| Color of Tower: | White & red horizontal bands |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Detached, about 103' from dwelling - plank walk |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel range NY Harbor |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | 2 day marks or screens are 25' high x 20' wide painted black & are intended to show more plainly the tower when snow is covering the ground. |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 14" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 7.5" |
| Diameter at Base: | 11' 4" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 6' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wood |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 9 x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4 - 22 x 28.5" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick & stone built solid up to sills, which are heavy timber framing the sides & radii of a hexagon & spreading out beyond the base of tower abt 3 - 4' all around |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy |
| Soil Susceptibility: | No except in some few spots - scanty growth. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower was thoroughly repaired in 1877 - having been supported & braced outside by timbers running 1/2 way up. Sills were entirely replaced as also the lower portion of corner posts to height of some 6 - 10'. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | Special design - no order. |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | 5' 1" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 6 |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 4' |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 24 x 24; 15 x 24 & 8.5 x 24 |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | Glazed 1 side only |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wood tinned |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Sheet iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Wrought iron |
| Balustrade: | Wood, copper floor. |
| Lantern Doors: | 2 doors of wood, hinges etc. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood covered w/ copper. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door in floor of lantern - hinged & ring for lifting. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 in lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None required |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed into window sash. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Sautter, Paris |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 3rd |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Seen in range only. |
| Number of Panels: | |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 concentric rings |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 5 concentric rings |
| 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: | Iron |
| Service Table: | Wood |
| Draft Tube Description: | Cast iron |
| 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: | White |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funck lamp - 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 fitted w/ shelves etc. |
| Oil House Description: | In bottom part of tower, 1st floor. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | 1 - 50 gallon oil butt; 2 - 54 gallon oil butts; Butts placed on wooden stand. |
| Other (Describe): | 4 closets in dwelling - 2 each floor located back of staircase. |
| Suitability: | Dry |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Frame bldg, 1 full story & half - pitch roof shingled. |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | Wood - brick & stone foundation. |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 rooms inc kitchen in lean to addition. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 2 sheds |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | None |
| Area Inclosed: | Enclosed by fences about 3 acres |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sandy |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Rain & well water |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Charcoal filter for cistern. |
| Tank Capacity: | Under kitchen. 630 gallons. |
| Tank Material: | Brick lined w/ cement. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | 12' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 2' 3" |
| Well Lining: | Not lined |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 60' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | None - landing may be effected on the beach at high water. Very bad at low water as it is shoal to about 3/4 to 1 mile from shore. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |