Report for Croatan (North Carolina) - 1868

General
District: 5th
Inspector: J.M. Berrien, Inspector, 5th LH Dist.
Location: Croatan Sound, NC
Date of Report: 01/15/1868
Latitude:
Longitude:
Premises
Site:
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site:
Area Inclosed:
Character of Soil:
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence:
Wharf or Landing on Premises:
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station:
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: Screwpile
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established:
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
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:
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:
Color of Tower:
Color of Tower/ How Produced:
Tower Connection:
Object of Navigation:
Building Materials:
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps:
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass:
Number of Windows and Size of Sash:
Number of Doors:
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: A regulation time piece in good order. Kept in watchroom.
Ventilators
Location / Number:
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement:
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Curtain is hung up by hand.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic: Fixed white
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels:
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum:
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum:
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:
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description:
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: Lens of 4th order, Franklin lamp
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1, in good condition
Number of Spare Burners: 1, in good condition
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description:
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): There is a closet provided for the preservation of utensils, wicks, chimneys and cleaning materials. Paints, oils, spirits of turpentine, paint-brushes, etc. are kept in a closet by themselves.
Suitability:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse:
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: The stove is bad - will last but a short time. Note: A new cooking stove has been furnished to this station.
Boats
Boat Number: 0
Type:
Length: 5' 6"
Width: 18'
When Built:
Date Harbored at Station:
Sails: False
Suited to Work: In fair condition
Condition
Lantern: In good condition
Illuminating Apparatus: In good condition in all respects.
Service Lamp: In good condition. Glass chimney was free from smoke, soot & stains. Pipe was free from soot inside & rubbed bright outside.
Oil: Specimen examined & found to be clear & clean. It had not been filtered.
Service Lamp Burner: In good condition; wick trimmed according to instructions & ready for lighting.
Service Lamp Burner Level: Found to be level.
Plate Glass: Was perfectly clean & free from scratches & stains.
Lens Cover: Cover was off, was clean & made of linen sheeting, & is kept in lantern room when not in use.
Lantern Curtains: Were clean; are regularly put up & taken down & are kept in lantern room when not in use.
Carillon or Alarm Bell: None
Rod Lamp: In good condition, but not filled with oil. Keeper was not present to state whether he knew the use of it or not. Assistant did not know & was instructed.
Dwelling:
Stairway and Landing: Very clean.
Inside of Tower:
Glazing of Dwelling: In good condition
Improvements Needed: Did not observe or hear that anything was needed.
Outhouses:
Boathouse:
Grounds:


Equipment Care
Does Keeper Understand the Use and Care of
Lens: No one is ever permitted to do this.
Lantern and Trap Doors: Yes
Watch or Trimming Room: None of these articles were to be seen, at time of making the inspection.
Lucernes or Matches: Matches were found in lantern room & attention of assistant was called to the impropriety.
Heater: No heater
Ventilation: Keeper was absent; but assistant understands use of ventilators.
Dome: They were so painted & in good order. Lightning conductor was in good order.


Oil Room
Oil Room Condition: In good condition, with no appearance of waste of oil.
Oil Carriers: In good condition but not very well arranged in order.
Number of 100 Gallon Oil Butts:
Number of 50 Gallon Oil Butts: 3
Number of Small Butts for Waste Oil: 1 of 25
Number of Dripping Buckets:
Number of Oil Tanks: 4 holding 175 gallons
Oil Butts Made According to Regulation: They are so made
Oil Butt Covers: Gutters were so filled & air cocks closed. Keeper was absent, but assistant understands use of covers & air cocks.
Drip Bucket Placement: There was a vessel under each drawoff cock to catch the drip.
Oil Butt Platform: They stand upon a raised platform.
Empty Oil Butts: There was no empty oil butt.


Tool Chests and Presses
Cleaning Materials Put Away: Yes
Paints Separate: Yes
Tool Chest: No
Tool Condition:
Tools Free from Rust:
Closets Clean: Yes
Service Box In Good Order: Only tolerably so
Trimming Scissors Clean: Only tolerably so
Brushes and Floor Clothes: Yes
Lantern Condition: Good


Keeper and Assistants
Keeper Appearance: Keeper was absent
Keeper Interested in Duties: Absent
Keeper Capacity for Duties: Absent
Keeper Understanding of Regulations: Keeper was absent
Keeper Complaints: Keeper was absent
Keeper Family: Keeper has a family, but it does not occupy dwelling with him.
Keeper Name: Moses D. Lane
Keeper Age: Young
Keeper Present or Absent: Absent on private business- "is not often absent unless there is sickness in his family"
Number of Assistants: 1
Assistants Attend to Duty: He appears to do so.
Assistants Capability: He appears capable.
Assistants Complaints: No
Assistants Family: Assistant has no family at light station.
Assistant Keeper Names: Samuel B. Lillett, young, was present.
Did Principal and Assistant Keepers Accompany the Inspector?: The Assistant Keeper attended me throughout the inspection.


Account and Regulations Books
Account Books
Daily Expenditures Posted: Yes
Quarterly Returns on Hand: Yes
Receipt and Expenditure Accounts Kept: Yes
Shipwreck and Vessels Passed Book: They appear to be
Regulations, Instructions, and Directions
Rules and Regulations Copies: 1
Instructions and Directions Copies: 1
Placard Directions Copies:
Notice to Visitors Copies: 1
Summary of Duties: 1
Index of Instructions: 1
Guide for Mixed Paints: 1
Directions for Purifying Water: 1
Placards Easily Visible: They were hung up as far as they had them.
Books Easily Accessible: Yes
Blank Books and Forms: