Report for Devils Island (Wisconsin) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 9th |
| Inspector: | Oliver G. Brown |
| Location: | Devils Island Lt. Sta., on the N'ly end of Devils Island, Wisconsin, on of the Apostle Islands. SW'ly part of Lake Superior. |
| Date of Report: | 08/30/1910 |
| Latitude: | 47° 04' 47" |
| Longitude: | 90° 43' 41" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Condemnation of whole island. Lots, 1,2,3,4,5, & 6 fr. Sec. 10 & lots 1,2, Sec. 15, all in T3N, R3W. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 07/02/1893 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 320 acres approx. |
| Area Inclosed: | None. |
| Character of Soil: | Soft red sand stone covered with thin layer of gravel & sand. |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Yes. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Rough trail from south end of island 1.1 miles to dwelling. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat from Bayfield, Wis., only. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 22 miles to RR station at Bayfield, Wis. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 22 miles to PO at Bayfield, Wis. |
| Distance to Village: | 22 miles to Bayfield, Wis. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Can be reached by boat only. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1891 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | New steel tower built 1898, new light installed 1901. |
| Condition at This Date: | Excellent. |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular. |
| Form of Tower: | Cylindrical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 80' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 100 feet |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded. |
| Color of Tower: | White. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted. |
| Tower Connection: | Detached. Stands about 350' NW from dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Coast light. |
| Building Materials: | 1/2" steel plates horizontally riveted. Tower is braced at base bny 8 buttresses 13' high & built of latticed angles & plates. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 1/2" steel plates. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | 8' to outside of plate. |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 8' to outside of plate. |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circ. cast iron stairs with pipe rail. |
| Number of Landings: | 1 landing & watchroom & lantern floors. |
| Size of Glass: | 12" x 18" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 5 windows of 1 sash, ea. 16" x 22.5", cast iron frames. |
| Number of Doors: | 1 fold iron door leads into tower at base & single fold iron door leads from top landing up into watch room. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Monolithic base 23' square & 5' deep. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | A thin layer of sand & gravel covers solid sandstone-sandstone outcrop |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Grass & trees grow here. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | White cylindrical steel tower surrmounted by white cyl. watch room of larger diameter. Black lantern. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 3rd. |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 8' 7" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Helical bars. |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 6' 0" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 24" x 24" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None. |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All sides glazed. |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Lantern is cast iron through out execpt lower part inside is lined with steel plates. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron conical roof lined inside with sheet zinc. A tin cone lens protector is supported by radial bars attached to lower part of roof. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper with platinum tip. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 2 2" x 1/8" copper strps are fastened to base of tower & run down into ground at base. |
| Balustrade: | Balustrade of 3 rails, ea. 2" x 3/8" iron bars, vert. ball-topped stanchions, Floor cast iron. |
| Lantern Doors: | Single fold iron door opens from lantern to outside gallery-upper part glazed. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron 3/4" thick. |
| Watchroom Doors: | A double iron trap door leads from lantern floor down into watch room. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 8' 0" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 5 in parapet. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None. |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Curtains are hung on rollers fastened to upper part of lantern. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 5 circ. windows 12" dia., steel cupboard riveted to wall. shelf for trimming lamps. etc. Iron door. Cast iron chimney runs from watch room up thro lantern deck to roof. |
| How is Relief Called: | None. |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry Lepaulte |
| Year Made: | Unknown. |
| Marks and Number: | None. |
| Order of Apparatus: | 3rd order |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing alternately red & white; every 10 seconds. |
| Time of Revolution: | 80 seconds. |
| Flash Interval: | 10 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 8 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 8 |
| Arc of Each: | 4 @ 58 degrees 8' & 4 @ 30 degrees 20 ' |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 10 with 1 bullseye |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 9 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 4 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | The base plate of lens equiped with cogs whick work into gears in vertical shaft driven by clock work. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | A cast iron table supported by 4 cast iron legs & resting on lantern floor. |
| Service Table: | No service table. The clock case rests on the lantern floor directly under the pedestal. |
| Draft Tube Description: | A damper flue of Russian iron 3" diam. leads from top of chinmey of lamp into conical flue also of Russiaa iron & thence up into ventilator ball. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock work drives a set of bevel gears. The horiz. gear wheel is fastened to a vert. shaft, which is equipped with a horiz. gear wheel that works into cogs in base of lens. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | Full length of tower. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By sheet brass case with glass panels & placed under pedestal table. |
| Regulated: | Set screw works on a lever, which causes a rubber pad to come in concact with a vertical wheel connected to clock work. The machinery is thus regulated by friction. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Ruby glass screens are hung outside of each large panel & entirely covering it. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | Attached to illuminating apparatus. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 2d order air pressure lamp |
| Type of Illuminant: | Oil |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire Rope |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 5/16" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Wound around drum in clock case thence down into a cast iron drop tube in center of tower. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Semi-circular grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | |
| Diameter of Balls: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 3" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 iron cupboard in watch room used to keep cleaning rags, spare burners, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | About 300' SE'ly from tower. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 4' 10" x 7' x 8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 250 cans. |
| Other (Describe): | 3 closets in keeper's dwelling, 4 in assts. dwelling, store house & cellar in each dwelling used as a store room. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 10" steam whistle. |
| Time to Start: | 45 minutes. |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | R.J. & T.H. Millar |
| Year of Manufacture: | 1891 |
| Characteristic: | 5 sec. blast, 10 sec silent, 5 sec. blast, 10 sec. silent. |
| Duplication: | All parts. |
| Timing Device: | Spur & worm gear operating cam. |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | 75 lbs. |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Fog signal house is on the northearnmost point of Devils Island. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 150' NNE from tower. |
| Water Supply: | Fire plug draws water from lake inoto cistern south of building. |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By board walk along tramway. |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Frame building 40.5' x 22.5' in plan. Covered with corr. iron & roof is same. Lined with heet iron. The east landing is connected to fog signal house by tramway 1500' long. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | |
| Kind: | Standard locomotive. |
| Tube: | Tubular |
| Dimensions: | 5' 3.5" |
| Length: | 15' 6" |
| Diameter: | 3' 10" |
| Tube Description: | 58 - 8' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 2.5" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Locomotive |
| Furnace Length: | 5' |
| Furnace Width: | 3' 3.75" |
| Furnace Height: | 3' 11" |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 371 sq. feet. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 16.25 sq. feet. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 16 |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Double 58" long |
| Steam Fuel: | Soft coal. |
| Steam Safety Valve: | Lever, single, 2.5" side outlet. |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | 150 lbs. |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 75 lbs. |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | 20" |
| Smokestack Height: | 38' 2" Brick |
| Drum Dimension: | 4 feet long |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 30" |
| Steam Covering: | Combination |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Good. |
| Steam Boiler Built: | 1891 |
| Where Built: | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Manufacturer: | Variety Iron Works. |
| Steam Heater: | True |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | Vertical |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | 120 RPM |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | 4" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | 9" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | 3/4" |
| Steam Engine When Built: | 1891 |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Manufacturer: | Thos. Manning, Jr. & Co. |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 10" |
| Whistle Height: | 18" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 2 3/8" to 2 11/16" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Keepers' dwelling about 350' SE from tower. |
| Coloring: | Red brick color |
| Construction Materials: | Brick. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 rooms in keepers, 6 in assistants. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 2 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & family to each dwelling. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 2 privies & 1 oil-house of brick, 1 store house |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Painted white. |
| Paths and Walks: | Concrete walks connect the dwellings to all out houses. |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Area of Garden: | None. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sand & gravel soil with out croppings of sand stone. Island is thickly wooded except the clearing around the station proper. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From lake for drinking pruposes. |
| Quality: | Good. |
| Quantity: | Ample. |
| Injury Possible: | |
| Purity Precaution: | Brick filter in each cistern. |
| Tank Capacity: | Placed under each dwelling |
| Tank Material: | Brick lined with cement. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | No well |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent. |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No. |
| Local Causes: | No. |
| Recommended Improvements: | None. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Rubble sea wall built on W side of boathouse, connects with timber wave break on landing. Crib landing built to form a horbor around boathouse. 2 landings. West landing about 1200' SW of dwelling at fog signal. Tramway here. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The towers & dwelling are in excellent condition. 2 hoisting engines on premises. 1 in a small frame house near fog signal & steam supplied from fog signal boilers. Used to run hoisting derrick on top bank in front of fog signal. Another engine at house a |
| Hoisting Engines |
| Hoisting Engine Kind: | |
| Engine RPMs: | |
| Engine Diameter: | |
| Engine Stroke: | |
| Engine Boiler: | |
| Engine Maker and Date: | |
| Serial Number: | |
| Cylinders and Size: | |
| Horsepower: | |
| Fuel: | Coal |
| Hoist Starter: | |
| Hoist Miscellaneous: |
| Miscellaneous |
| General Information: | |
| Boats on Station: | Boats are kept at the boathouse. |