Report for Finns Point Range Rear Light Station (New Jersey) - 1908
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Thos J. Rout, Jr. Draftsman |
| Location: | About 1 3/8 miles N by E 1/4 E in rear of front light of range |
| Date of Report: | 02/14/1908 |
| Latitude: | 39° 37' 02" |
| Longitude: | 75° 32' 03" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/22/1876 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 3 8/10 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 3 8/10 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 1 1/4 miles |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wire 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: | Station is on public road. Distance to RR station is about 5 miles |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 3 miles to Pennsville (But keeper gets his mail in Salem) |
| Distance to Village: | About 3 miles to Pennsville |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in Salem. None in Pennsville. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Iron tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | There is 1 lantern on tower, provided with 2 light |
| First Built or Established: | 1877 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Skeleton framework, hexagonal; stairway shell, circular |
| Form of Tower: | Framework, pyramidal; stairway shell, cylindrical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 103' (Top of piers are about 2' 3" above ground) |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 98.5" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | Brown |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range, for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Iron |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Of wrought iron stairway cylinder, 1/4" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | Of wrought iron stairway cylinder, 1/4" |
| Diameter at Base: | Skeleton frame, about 34', stairway cylinder, 8' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Skeleton frame, about 9', stairway cylinder, 8' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Cast iron spiral stairway |
| Number of Landings: | 4 |
| Size of Glass: | 11" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 7 total; 2 in vestibule, 15" x 4' 6"; 4 in stairway cyl. 2' 3" x 4' 6"; 1 in watchroom, 2' 8" x 4' 6" |
| Number of Doors: | 3, 1 of which is iron (does not include lantern balcony door) |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Rubble masonry, depth not known. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Is susceptible |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is in fair condition. About 5 panes of glass in windows are broken & zinc lining of lantern is loose & in poor condition. Site is in good order, but some dead trees should be removed. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th, range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 10 5/8", from rear wall to glass |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | Circular |
| Type of Bars: | None |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 9 5/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 2; 1 faces down range & 1 ruby pane in left wall. |
| Thickness of Plates: | Front glass abt. 1/4"; ruby glass about 1/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 1 - 3 |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 9 5/8" square; 1 - 9 3/8" x 14 3/8" |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | Front pane faces squarely down range. |
| What Bearings: | Red light visible btwn E 1/8 N & Se by E 1/2 E or 30 degrees. Rest unglazed |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Metal, inside wall is lined with wood & roof with zinc. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wrought iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Cast iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None, except tower which is iron |
| Balustrade: | Gas pipe railing - no balusters |
| Lantern Doors: | Inner double door to balcony, wood, hung on hinges & provided with handle & slip bolt. Outer door, iron, fastened with bolt & hung on hinges. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door in lantern floor, hung on hinges & provided with lifting ring. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 11 1/4" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3, in lower wall of lantern, covered with brass discs |
| 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: | Wooden ladder leading up to lantern & 1 shelf but no closet. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | No machinery |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre, Constrs A Paris |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None, except makers name |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th; white, range lens; red, 1 panel lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | No central drum |
| Light Characteristic: | Range light, fixed white; other light fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | Not revolving |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Range light has range lens; other light, 1 90 degree panel of a lens lantern, the light however, only shows through 30 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | White light has range lens; Red light has 1 panel of lens lantern |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | White light - 3; red light - 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | White light prisms are circular; red light - 3 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | White light prisms are circular; red light - 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, 32 5/8" high. |
| Service Table: | Iron, fan shape, attached to pedestal & 20.5" high |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| 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: | No machinery |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Pane of ruby glass |
| Red Sectors Description: | In addition to white light which faces down range, lantern is provided wih red light to mark turn from Newcastle Range to Deep Water Point Range. Going up river, red light will show between E 1/8 N & SE by E 1/2 E |
| Where Color Attached: | Ruby glass is set into frame just outside lantern wall |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Range lens: 4th order lamp with Funk Heape burner & wick; Red light: 5th order Hains lamp, 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 of each kind |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None, except those on spare lamps |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | Frame oil house, 7' 2" x 7' 2" in plan, located 24' E of dwelling. It has hinged door, but no shelves. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Dwelling has 3 closets on 1st floor & 4 on 2nd floor, each having shelves & used for storage of clothes |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Dwelling about 56' W of center of tower. |
| Coloring: | White, with lead colored trimmings |
| Construction Materials: | Wood, with stone wall foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame oil house & frame privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, with lead colored trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick walks |
| Area Inclosed: | About 3 8/10 acres with wire fences |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | All not occupied with buildings |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Farming lands |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | No cisterns or tank |
| Tank Capacity: | No cisterns or tank |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Dug well, 14' 4" deep. Water in it 2/12/1898 was 6' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 2' 7" x 4' 3" |
| Well Lining: | 4" brick lining |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | Under right rear corner of summer kitchen. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Premises are in fair condition. Zinc lining of roof of lantern in poor condition. Wild cherry tree has grown up among iron work of tower & should be removed. It is planned to build a frame barn at station during coming summer. |