Report for Essex Reef Light Station (Connecticut) - 1889

General
District: 3rd
Inspector: LH Engineer, 3rd dist.
Location: Near Hayden's Point 1/2 mile below Essex CT.
Date of Report: 12/22/1889
Latitude: 41° 20' 36"
Longitude: 72° 22' 54"
Premises
Site:
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: Water 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: Land on rip rap from small boat, ladder up the pier.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station: By small boat from Essex.
Distance to Nearest Road: 1/2 mile by water to dock in Essex & thence 1.5 miles to RR station.
Distance to Post Office: About 3/4 mile
Distance to Village: 1/2 mile to Essex
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: By small boat & carriage from station 1.5 miles to river.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Small wooden tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1889
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Hexagonal
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 13'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 23'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:
Color of Tower: Wood color
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Natural color of shingle
Tower Connection: No dwelling
Object of Navigation: Channel
Building Materials: Wood
General Description: Pyramid is filled with small stone, sheathed at sides & top w/ 3" planking; corners are protected by 1/4" x 18" boiler iron plates & angle iron, 4.5". Up stream sides are protected by 1/4 x 18" horizontal strips of iron at further level.
Wall Thickness at Base: 2" sheathing & shingles in frame
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 2" sheathing & shingles in frame
Diameter at Base: 8' across hexagon
Diameter at Parapet: 4' across hexagon at top
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden ladder with small platform at top to enable keepers to attend to lamp.
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass: No windows
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: No windows
Number of Doors: 1 door with upper portion glazed.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: 15' Square crib foundation of yellow pine timbers sheathed with 3" planking & filled with small stone resting in rocky bottom of river, protected by rip rap. Crib extends to high water above is a frustrum of a square pyramid 15' base, 10' top, 6' 8" high.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Water site
Soil Susceptibility: Water site
Miscellaneous Remarks: Tower is a frustrum of an hexagonal pyramid surmounted by a small lantern set on the top frame; inside has plain joist & ceiling varnished; outside is shingled.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: Beacon's lantern
Shape of Lantern:
Diameter to Glass: 3' 8" outside bottom ring
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 6
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 26"
Number of Plates in Height: One
Number of Plates Each Side: One
Thickness of Plates: 1/4"
Size of Plates: 26 5/8" x 24 1/4"
Number of Storm Panes: None. 2 extra lights of same size.
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Brass & copper
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Copper
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper
Lightning Spindle: Pinnacle of lantern
Description of Lightning Rod: Copper ribbon 1/8 x 1.5" connected to metal of lantern nailed to tower & piers & carried into water below low water to a copper plate 2'.
Balustrade: There is a small shelf gallery for cleaning outside of lantern glass & wooden ladder.
Lantern Doors: None
Floor of Lantern: None
Watchroom Doors: None
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: 2 in upper part of tower wall
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: Small wooden ladder
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Fitted to inside upper frame.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 6th
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic: Fixed red
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: Entire horizon
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: None
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: None
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: Fastened to a shelf
Service Table: None
Draft Tube Description: Ventilating tube into ball on center of lantern.
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: Ruby chimney
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Funck 6th order
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps:
Number of Spare Burners: 3 in set
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None
Oil House Description: Oil kept in boxes in lower part of lantern.
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): None
Suitability:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Landing made on rip rap & ladder to top of pier.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: