Report for Finns Point Range Front Light Station (New Jersey) - 1908
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Thos. J. Rout, Jr. Draftsman |
| Location: | Near shore on NJ side of Delaware River, about 5/8 miles SE'ly from Finns Point |
| Date of Report: | 02/13/1908 |
| Latitude: | 39° 35' 39" |
| Longitude: | 75° 32' 18" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/21/1876 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Present area about 7 3/10 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 4 8/10 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | From lighthouse to high water, 120' to Delaware River, about 50' to ditch in rear |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Ditches, banks & fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No wharf |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Salem, NJ, thence by private conveyance to station. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 1/8 mile to public road; distance to RR station at Salem, NJ about 7 miles by road. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 7 miles by road to Salem |
| Distance to Village: | About 7 miles by road to Salem |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in Salem, distance about 7 miles. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern is on dwelling forming a lighthouse |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1877 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Lantern tower is square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | No tower. This distance on lighthouse is 34.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 32' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees |
| Color of Tower: | Lighthouse is white, with red lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range, for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Lighthouse is a frame structure |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Of lighthouse about 7" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | Of lighthouse about 7" |
| Diameter at Base: | Lantern tower is square, 9'2" x 9' 2" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Lantern tower is square, 9'2" x 9' 2" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None but 2nd floor |
| Size of Glass: | 12" x 14" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1 window in watchroom has 2 sashs, both 16 1/4" x 33" |
| Number of Doors: | Lighthouse has 19 doors |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Foundation of lighthouse, stone, depth not known. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Is susceptible |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is in fair condition. A portion of sea wall is washed away & should be repaired. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th. Range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | About 8' 2 3/4" from rear wall of lantern to glass. |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4 |
| Type of Bars: | None |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 7" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Glass in front only |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 1 plate, 3' 7" x 3' 7" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | One |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 3 sides are unglazed |
| What Bearings: | Glazed side faces down range |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Shingle roof |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Galvanized iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Galvanized iron. Lightning conductor is not connected to spindle. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 7" brass point, extending about 6' 6" above roof & abt 7" from ventilator ball, is screwed to 5/8" iron pipe. Pipe extends down rear roof & wall of lantern, thence along rear roof & wall of lighthouse to std. ground connection. |
| Balustrade: | Wood, covered with tin & grillage |
| Lantern Doors: | Single wooden door to balcony, provided with lock & knob. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door in lantern floor. It is provided with 2 hinges & counter balance weight & cord. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 10 5/8" square |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3 brass ventilators, having brass discs in lower wall of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Curtain supported on 2 brackets fastened to jamb of window. It can be rolled up by means of cord running on small sheaves. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Small window, closet & wooden ladder leading up to lantern. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | Occulting machinery will run 6.5 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre - Constrs A Paris |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None, except name of maker |
| Order of Apparatus: | Range lens, 4th order |
| Inside Diameter: | No central drum |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white 2 seconds, eclipse 1 second |
| Time of Revolution: | Not moveable |
| Flash Interval: | Intervals between eclipses, 2 seconds. |
| Duration of Flash: | Duration of eclipse, 1 second |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Apparatus is a range lens |
| Number of Panels: | Range lens is used |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | Prisms are circular |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | Prisms are circular |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | Eclipses are produced by cylindrical shade |
| How Flash is Produced: | Lifted & dropped by clockwork |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Iron, 31 3/4" high |
| Service Table: | Iron, fan-shaped & supports clockwork |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Not revolving |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 27' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | Occulting machinery will run 6.5 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case marked "USLHE Lamp Shop, 1894" |
| Regulated: | By vertical 2-fan governor, attached to clockwork |
| 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: | Constant level, 4th order. Funk Heap burner lamp & has 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1, 2 in all |
| Number of Spare Burners: | Only 1 on spare lamp |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire rope |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | From clock, down to traveling pulley on floor, thence up to 2 single pulleys attached to ceiling of lantern |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Closet in watchroom & another in lantern. Each has hinged doors & shelves & are used for storage of cleaning, lamps, powder, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil shed of rough lumber, just inside river bank about 50' E of lighthouse. It has no shelves. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Lighthouse has 5 closets on 1st floor, each having shelves. 2 used for storage of lamp supplies, rest for clothes. 4 closets on 2nd floor, having shelves & used for clothes. Number does not include closets in watchroom or lantern. |
| Suitability: | All dry & suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern on dwelling, forming a lighthouse |
| Coloring: | White with red lantern |
| Construction Materials: | Wood - stone foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame barn, frame oil house & frame privy. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | All white |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick & wooden walks |
| Area Inclosed: | About 4 8/10 acres by ditches, banks & fences |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 3 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Loam meadow |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From roof of lighthouse & barn by downspouts to tanks & cisterns. Well water unfit for cooking or drinking purposes |
| Quality: | Good when properly cared for |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided wth cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern under lighthouse, cap abt 3000 gal.; Tank under LH(not in use & to be removed), cap abt 920 gal; 2 tanks near barn cap abt. 800 gal each. |
| Tank Material: | Cistern of rubble masonry lined with brick & cement; tanks of cedar. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Driven well. Keeper states it is abt. 33' deep. |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump is broken. |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Buildings in fair condition. Portion of seawall has been washed away & should be repaired. Illuminating apparatus is in excellent condition. Proposed to build a brick oil house during coming summer. Barn is small & inconvenient. Propose building new one. |