Report for Egg Island Light Station (New Jersey) - 1908
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Thos. J. Rout, Jr. Draftsman |
| Location: | On Egg Island Point, NJ, W'ly side of Maurice River Cove, N'ly side of Delaware Bay. |
| Date of Report: | 02/27/1908 |
| Latitude: | 39° 10' 44" |
| Longitude: | 75° 08' 13" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 02/15/1878 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Present area, about 13 75/100 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | Salt marsh |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 72' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | There is a small boat landing on Maurice River Cove & a frame wharf on ditch. This wharf is on pine piles & 20.5' x 47.5' in plan. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Wharf & landing conn'd to lighthouse by elev'ed walk dist. about 50' (wharf) 400' (landing). |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Bivalve, NJ & thence by private boat to station. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 8.5 miles by boat to public road. Distance to RR station about 8.5 miles by boat. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 8.5 miles by boat to Bivalve, NJ |
| Distance to Village: | About 8.5 miles by boat to Bivalve, NJ |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Boats can usually be hired at Bivalve |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern tower on frame dwelling forming a lighthouse. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1838 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1878 |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Lantern tower is octagonal |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | No detached tower, this distance on lighthouse about 45'. |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 47' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Distant trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | White with black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern tower is on dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Bay, for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | About 6" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | About 6" |
| Diameter at Base: | Lantern tower is about 7' 6" x 7' 6" outside |
| Diameter at Parapet: | About 7' 6" x 7' 6" outside |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None, but 2nd floor |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1 in watchroom, about 22.5" x 2' 5.5" |
| Number of Doors: | Lighthouse has 26 doors |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick piers, probably on piles, depth not known. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Salt marsh |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Soil is susceptible of being protected by grass. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is well painted inside. 2 panes of glass of lantern are badly cracked & should be replaced. Banks leak & will soon have to be overhauled. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | From floor to glass, cylindrical; above this decogonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | About 7' .5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | Circular |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 3' 3/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 2' 3 5/8" x 3' 3/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 1 extra pane on hand |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 2 sides, 72 degrees arc |
| What Bearings: | SSE 1/4 E & SW 1/8 W. Dark sector covers the shore. |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood below & iron above the iron glass sill. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Cast iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | A round 1/2" solid copper rod runs from iron sill of lantern over roof & down end of lighthouse to std. ground connection. It is not attached to spindle. |
| Balustrade: | Wood |
| Lantern Doors: | Wooden door, 19" x 26" opening. Provided with hinges, a ring & hook & eye. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door in lantern floor, provided with hinges, a lifting ring & hook & eye. |
| Parapet Diameter: | About 6' 7.5" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 ventilators in lower wall of lantern. All have brass disc covers. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | 10 brass hooks tapped into tops of lantern posts |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1 window, lamp table, 12" above floor. Top is about 11" x 2' 7". Also a ladder 20" wide leading up to lantern. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | No machinery |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | 14.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | Not moveable |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 270 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | No flashes |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Iron, 42 3/4" high |
| Service Table: | Iron, fan shaped, 36.5" above floor & attached to pedestal. |
| Draft Tube Description: | No tube, but there is a 5" iron pipe directly over lens which extends up into the ventilator ball. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Not revolving |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | None |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | No machinery |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | No colored glass |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 5th order Haines, with 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 (3 in all) |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None, except that on spare lamp. |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | Galvanized iron oil house, 10' x 10' in plan, is located about 61' N of lighthouse. It has a concrete floor & 5 shelves, 7/8" x 9 3/4" on right side. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 5 closets on 1st floor & 4 on 2nd floor, all provided with shelves used for storing clothes etc. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern is on dwelling forming a lighthouse. |
| Coloring: | White, with black lantern |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, brick pier foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 9 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Galvanized iron oil house & frame privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house is white, privy is white with lead colored trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Board walks connect lighthouse with out-buildings. |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Salt marsh |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From roof of lighthouse by downspouts to 2 tanks. |
| Quality: | Good when properly cared for |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts are provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | 2 Tanks under lighthouse. Cap about 960 gals each. An old tank, cap about 325 gals stands on E side of lighthouse is almost worn out & water not used. |
| Tank Material: | Wood |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Wharf is frame, on pine piles. Top is 20.5' x 47.5' & abt. 11' 3" above mean low water. Boat landing is frame, on wooden piles, about 8' above mean low water. |
| Distance and Direction: | Wharf is about 50' N of lighthouse & boat landing about 400' E of lighthouse. Both are connected to lighthouse by elevated boardwalks. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The illuminating apparatus is in excellent order. |