Report for Fort Washington (Maryland) - 1909

General
District: 5th
Inspector: Major W.E. Craighill, Lighthouse Engineer
Location: On the wharf at Fort Washington, MD., easterly side of Potomac River
Date of Report: 06/24/1909
Latitude: 38° 42' 44"
Longitude: 77° 02' 14"
Premises
Site: On Military Reservation
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission: 01/03/1857
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: On military reservation
Area Inclosed: No inclosure
Character of Soil: Sandy
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 30'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Landing to military reservation
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat & wagon
Distance to Nearest Road: Steamboat landing at station
Distance to Post Office: 1/4 mile
Distance to Village: 7 miles
Facilities for Public Conveyance: Wagon or boat
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Boat, 7 miles
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Fog bell tower
Number of Separate Lights: One
First Built or Established: 1857
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: June, 1909
Condition at This Date: Fair
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square frame, wooden structure
Form of Tower: Pyramidal
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: No lantern
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 28'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Woods
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: Detached
Object of Navigation: General purposes
Building Materials: Wood
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 13'
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wood
Number of Landings: One
Size of Glass: 8" x 10"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2, 20" x 36"
Number of Doors: One
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Not known
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand & clay
Soil Susceptibility: Yes
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern:
Shape of Lantern:
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides:
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed:
Number of Plates in Height:
Number of Plates Each Side:
Thickness of Plates:
Size of Plates:
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern:
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Tin
Ventilator / Cowl: None
Lightning Spindle: Galvanized iron
Description of Lightning Rod: Spiral copper, slipped over head of spindle, fastened to roof, down side of house to land & water.
Balustrade: None
Lantern Doors: None
Floor of Lantern: None
Watchroom Doors: None
Parapet Diameter:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Made at General Depot, Tompkinsville, N.Y.
Year Made: Not known
Marks and Number: None
Order of Apparatus: Fixed white
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic:
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum:
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum:
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:
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description:
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:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: 5th order, one wick
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: One
Number of Spare Burners: None
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1 1/4"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description: On first floor of tower
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity: 42 5-gal cans
Other (Describe):
Suitability:
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Bell & Martin striking apparatus
Time to Start: 2 minutes
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: E.J. Codd Co., Baltimore, MD.
Year of Manufacture: Not known
Characteristic: Single blow every 15 secs.
Duplication: None
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:
Distance and Direction: On same structure from which light is shown
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building: A wooden pyramidal structure 32' 8" in height, 13' square at base.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Bell Signal
Weight: 1400 lbs.
Metal: Bell metal
Diameter: 38"
Height: 32"
Time: 1.5 hours
Manufacturer:
Weights for Operation:
Dwelling
Location: Eastward
Coloring: Drab
Construction Materials: Wood
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: One
Outhouse Coloring: White
Paths and Walks: None
Area Inclosed: Not inclosed
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery:
Cultivation Area Available:
Area Cultivated:
Character of Surroundings:
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Artesian well, piped from military reservation
Quality: Good
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution:
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Not known
Well Diameter: Not known
Well Lining: Not known
Pump or Bucket: Not known
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Not known
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthy
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Wharf on military reservation
Distance and Direction: About 30' ENE
Miscellaneous Remarks: