Report for Detour Light Station (Michigan) - 1909

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Ralph R. Tinkham
Location: On the W'ly side of the entrance to Detour Passage & St. Marys River, N'ly end of Lake Huron, Michigan.
Date of Report: 08/21/1909
Latitude: 45° 57' 21.69"
Longitude: 83° 54' 55.46"
Premises
Site: Reservation, Lots 2 &3, Fr. Sec. 10 & all of Fr. Sec. 15, T41N, R4E, Mich Meridian.
Date of Reservation: 01/03/1847
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 75 acres
Area Inclosed: None to buildings.
Character of Soil: Station stands in an artificial embankment of soole stone on bed rock.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: About 150 feet.
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: A board & ribbon wire fence is buildt on the N line of reservation across neck of land which divides reservation from any other property. Remainder is inclosed by water.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Crib deck at fog signal & small boat landing at dwelling, crib dock at boathouse.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: Concrete walk connects dock & fog signal with the dwelling. A wood road weel cleared from dwelling to boathouse.
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat or by rig from town of Detour. Very poor wagon road from Detour to the station.
Distance to Nearest Road: About 3 miles by trail to town of Detour, Mich.
Distance to Post Office: 3 miles to Detour, Mich.
Distance to Village: 3 miles to Detour, Mich.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: By tender or by rig from Detour or by launch or small boat from Detour.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1848
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: Rebuilt 1861, refitted 1870, refitted 1908-1909.
Condition at This Date: Good.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Circular stair wee, square skeleton.
Form of Tower: Cylindrical stair well within iron skeleton tower.
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 78 feet.
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 75 feet.
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Lake & sky, also woods adjacent.
Color of Tower: White.
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint.
Tower Connection:
Object of Navigation:
Building Materials: Cast and Wrot iron.
General Description: 26' sq. center to center of posts. remainder 3 sections from a pyramidal tower 26' sq. at base & 6' at main gallery. Sections are 15', 14', 13.5' in height. Posts sections 4.5" diameter. Horz struts 4.5" diam. Sections braced by 2" diag. tie rods.
Wall Thickness at Base: The iron skeleton is built in 4 sections; 1st if of 4.5' vert. corner posts
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 26' square at base.
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Circular winding, cast iron with pipe handrail.
Number of Landings: 2 and landing floor. 1/2 cast iron landings.
Size of Glass: 14" x 15.5"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2, sash casement 19.5", 18", 20" x 22" opening.
Number of Doors: 1 entrance foor at base of cylinder into passage.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Stone piers under each vertical post. About 2 ft. to bed rock.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Scanty surface sil on fragmental & disintegrated limestone rock. Bould
Soil Susceptibility: Trees & brush grow close up around the station.
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 3rd order
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal.
Diameter to Glass: 7' 9.25"
Diameter in the Clear: 7' 8.75"
Number of Sides: 10
Type of Bars: Vertical with horizontal sash bars.
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 5' 11"
Number of Plates in Height: 3
Number of Plates Each Side: 3
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: Middle, 25.5" x 29.5"; lower, 18" x 29.5"; top, 29.5" x 26"
Number of Storm Panes: None.
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Iron, lower part of lantern lined with vertical wood ceiling.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Sheet coppper dome, 10 dided, lined with zinc.
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper
Lightning Spindle: Iron, copper, platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: None.
Balustrade: Top & bottom rails of 1/4" x 2" bar with 5/8" verticals spaced 5" & 1.25" stanchions with ball tops. Octagonal, 32" wide & rail 40" high.
Lantern Doors: From lower part of lantern a bouble set of 2 fold wood single panel doors lead to main gallery.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron in flanged plates. Gallery: Circular, 25" wide, rail 23" high of 1/2"x2" flat & 1" stanchions.
Watchroom Doors: None, is open to lantern. A trap door in floor of watchroom is fitted with 2 brass handles & hinges.
Parapet Diameter: Watchroom lined with vertical wood ceiling. 7'6.25" diameter, 10 sides.
Ventilators
Location / Number: 10 in lower part of lantern, are recesses cast in wall plates with cast iron slides in recesses on inside. They are not used.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: 2; 1 17" wide leads from main gallery to lantern gallery outside. Other for cleaning glass 12" wide.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks in soffit casings.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: Watchroom or lower part of lantern is fitted with service table, lamp utensils & strainer & filter for vapor lamp apparatus.
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus: 15 hours. Never wound to full length of cord.
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Barbier, Benard & Turenne, Paris
Year Made: Not given
Marks and Number: None.
Order of Apparatus: 3.5 order
Inside Diameter: 29 5/8"
Light Characteristic: Flashing white.
Time of Revolution: 40 seconds.
Flash Interval: 10 seconds.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: No fixed part. 1/2 of 1 panel opes on barss hinges to form door of lens. Other haof swings open also, forming 2-fold door.
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels: 4
Arc of Each: 90 degrees.
Number of Elements in Central Drum: Bull's eye, 4 concentric circular elements.
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 10 in concentric circular arcs.
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 4 in concentric circular arcs.
Does Apparatus Revolve?: True
Is There a Revolving Belt?: False
Revolving Panels:
How Flash is Produced:
Number of Vertical Elements Panel:
Fixed Lens Covered:
Pedestal: 4 2.5" brass posts 6' high on ring bolted to lantern floor supporting circular iron table on which 4 2.5" brass posts, 23", support top circular iron table carrying helical screw & ball bearing. On this turns lens table from which is hung drop ring level
Service Table: A wood table standing in lower part of lantern.
Draft Tube Description: A 3" Russia iron tube leads from over lamp chimney up through spider of lantern but doen not reach the ventilator ball.
Revolving Machinery: Clockwork operating vertical shaft with split sleeve.
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls: Balls.
Chariot Description: 4-1.75" horizontal guide rollers attached to lower guide or drop ring of lens apparatur & bearing against circumference of lower pedestal table.
Length of Drop Tube: 45 feet. Is a cylindrical galvanized sheet iron tube in flanged sections extending from lantern gallery floor to base
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time: 15 hours. Never wound to full length of cord.
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection: Glass panels connect upper 4 posts of the pedestal.
Regulated: Fan governor connected by electric wires to a bell in deeper's dwelling which gives warning if the apparatus slows or stops.
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced: Not colored.
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Hydraulic, 2nd order, 3 wick. Also fitted with with oil vapor lamp.
Type of Illuminant: Oil
Number of Spare Lamps:
Number of Spare Burners:
Candle Power:


Clock Cord Description
Revolving Cord: 3/16" wire cord
Size of Clock Cord:
Length of Clock Cord:
How Led: Would on drum in clock case, led down through dedestal table to lantern floor over 3 sheaves on lantern floor & through lantern wall into weight flue outside.
Diameter and Length of Clock Drum:


Chariot Balls
Balls Description: V groove raceway.
Cage to Separate Balls: False
Number of Balls: 19
Diameter of Balls: 1/2"


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 3
Diameter of Outside Wick: 2 5/8"
Diameter of Mantel: 2 3/8"
Diameter of Circum Circle:


Gas Light
Gas Light Kind: IOV
Gas Light Number of Burners: 1
Kind of Burner: Bunsen
Candlepower Per Burner: 5410 per gill
Total Candlepower: 5410 cp
Consumption Gas Burner Per Hour: 0.2 gill
Total Consumption Per Hour: Same
How Gas Obtained: By heating kerosene oil to a vapor & mixing with air.
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description: 100' E'ly fo tower. Fitted with steel plate & angle-shelving,
Oil House Inside Dimension: 5' 4" x 7' 2"
Oil House Construction Material: Brick walls & foundation, concrete floor, steelplate door; galv. iron roof, painted red.
Oil House Capacity: 72 cans, 260 gls.
Other (Describe): 4 closets & pantry in each part of dwelling.
Suitability: Suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: 10" steam whistle.
Time to Start: 15-20 minutes with heater.
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture: Established 1871, rebuilt by J.Lauzon 1905 & refit
Characteristic: 2 characteristics, fog on lake & clear in Pass; 8 sec. blast, 2 sec. silent, 3 sec. blast, 47 sec silent: Fog both, 8 sec. blast, 52 sec. silent, 8 sec. blast, 52 sec silent.
Duplication: All parts.
Timing Device: Spur & worm gear operating cams.
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: 75 lbs.
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location: On same point with lighthouse, facing St. Marys River & used to guide to entrance of the River from Lake Huron.
Distance and Direction: 460 ft. E'ly of light tower.
Water Supply: From lake, No. 2 American fire plug, wellhouse on dock.
Reached from Lighthouse: By concrete walk.
Description of Fog Signal Building: Building is of brick, metal slate roof, red, lined inside with No.26 smooth iron. It si 22'x40' in plan. Concrete floor, brick chimney. Old fog signal buildings.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Steam Signal
Steam Boiler:
Kind: Kingsford compact open bottom marine boiler, Pat. 1894
Tube: Flue tube.
Dimensions: 7'9" high
Length: 6'6.75"
Diameter: 4' 9.75"
Tube Description: 102 tubes, 4' 10"
Steam Tube Diameter: 2.5"
Steam Furnace Kind: Internal
Furnace Length: 6' 6.75"
Furnace Width: 4' 3"
Furnace Height: 19"
Steam Heat Surface: 413.88 sq. ft.
Steam Grate Surface: 21.25 sq ft.
Number of Grate Bars: 17
Kind of Grate Bars: Double barrs, 5 ft. long.
Steam Fuel: Bituminous coal.
Steam Safety Valve: Lever, 2.5" single side outlet.
Steam Maximum Pressure: 150 lbs.
Steam Working Pressure: 75 lbs.
Steam Diameter of Smokestack: 20"
Smokestack Height: Iron stack replaced by 40' brick chimney 20"x20"
Drum Dimension: 5' long
Steam Drum Diameter: 30"
Steam Covering: Compound, asbestor, felt, paper, vancas
Steam Boiler Condition: Good.
Steam Boiler Built: 1896
Where Built: Oswego, NY
Manufacturer: Thomson Kingsford.
Steam Heater: True
Kind: Gurney, No. 402
Size:
Heater Time Affect:
Steam Engine Kind: Horizontal
Steam Engine Revolutions:
Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: 4"
Steam Engine Piston Stroke: 6"
Steam Engine Pipe Size: 3/4"
Steam Engine When Built: 1871
Steam Engine Where Built: Detroit, Mich.
Manufacturer: Detroit Locomotive Works.


Whistle Signal
Whistle Diameter: 10"
Whistle Height: 18"
Whistle Orifice: 2-3/8" to 2-11/16"
Whistle Tone: Single
Whistle Chime:
Dwelling
Location: Attached to tower by covered passage leading from 2nd floor. Is double dwelling.
Coloring: White with red roof.
Construction Materials: Wood frame construction on brick foundation. Metal slate roof, 3 brick chimneys.
Number of Rooms: 6 rooms, hall, cellar under rear part of house, pantry, front vestibuls, & 4 closets.
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: Keeper & family in 1 part, asistant & family in other part, also 2nd asst. has a room in house.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 2 privies; 1 brick & 1 frame, wood; summer kitchen, old fog signal used as barn; old stone oilhouse, log ice house near boathouse.
Outhouse Coloring: 1 privy natural red brick, red metal slate roof other is white, red roof. kitchen tar paper & weathered, barn white; oilhouse whitewashed.
Paths and Walks: 750 ft. concrete walk & 750 feet wood walk
Area Inclosed: None.
Area of Garden: About 500 sq. ft. in rear of dwelling. Not good, p
Area Timber or Shrubbery: All of reservation except immediately around buildings.
Cultivation Area Available: None.
Area Cultivated: None.
Character of Surroundings: Soil is gravel & disintegrated limestone with numerous large boulders over whole area. Limestone boulders & underlying bed rock.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From lake by pump.
Quality: Fair
Quantity: Ample.
Injury Possible: No. A pump at the water's edge 150' from house pumps water through pipe to cistern whence it is pumped by cistern pump into kitchen when used.
Purity Precaution: None.
Tank Capacity: Not known
Tank Material: Brick, 1 cistern.
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: No well.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: By pump.
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Excellent
Diseases: None
Prevalency: No
Local Causes: No
Recommended Improvements: None needed.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Boathouse is of boards battened, painted white, with natural shingle roof, 12'x28' in plan. Roller boatways & iron winch in boathouse. Crib landing filled with stone & planked over, at fog signal is 150' long. outer end turns at slight angle, 10' wide.
Distance and Direction: 600' W'ly from dwelling & connected there to by road through woods.
Miscellaneous Remarks: