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: |