Report for Frying Pan Island (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | On Frying Pan Island, W'ly side of Detour Range, St. Mary's River, about 2 miles from entrance |
| Date of Report: | 08/23/1909 |
| Latitude: | 45° 59' 12.97" |
| Longitude: | 83° 53' 44.55" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase. Entire Island - Sec. 35, T 42 N , R 4 E, Mich. mer. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 01/06/1881 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 1.5 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | Limestone gravel & stone |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 50' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Small boat landing on W'ly side of island. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Plank walk |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat only |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 1/4 mile to steamboat landing at town of Detour. No railroad. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1/4 mile to Detour |
| Distance to Village: | 1/4 mile to Detour |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None. Detour reached by steamboat from Cheboygan or Sault Ste. Marie, MI. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By launch from Detour. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1882 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 18' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 18' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded |
| Color of Tower: | White with black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Detached. Stands 150' SE of dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor Light with Pipe Island light station marks a range for entering Detour Passage. 2 miles btwn lights. |
| Building Materials: | Steel plates, 1/4" with 3" x 4" steel angle base ring. Concrete floor. All plates lap joint & riveted. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 1/4" steel plate |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 1/4" steel plate |
| Diameter at Base: | 8' 4" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 4' 6" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Winding of 1/2" steel plate strings & cast iron treads. |
| Number of Landings: | None |
| Size of Glass: | No windows |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | None |
| Number of Doors: | 1 outer door of steel plate, strap hinges. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Masonry, 5' with concrete top. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Limestone gravel |
| Soil Susceptibility: | No grass. There are a number of small cedar & spruce growing on the island. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 6th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 45" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 42" |
| Number of Sides: | 6 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 25.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 24.5" x 26" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Lower part on parapet of lantern formed by steel tower. Verticals & base ring, cast iron. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Conical, cast iron, not lined. Small tin plate lens protector suspended from roof over lens. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Wrought iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Gallery, circular on cast iron brackets, of perforated steel plate 22" wide. Rail 30" high of 1 1/4" pipe & pipe stanchions. |
| Lantern Doors: | Single fold steel plate door to gallery in parapet, fitted with iron strap hinges & brass lock. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron in 2 plates. |
| Watchroom Doors: | An opening in lantern floor leads to ladder below - but there is no door. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 5' at lantern floor. Upper part of conical tower forms parapet. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3 in parapet, cast iron hoods outside & cast iron valves inside |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Small hooks screwed to verticals. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre, Paris |
| Year Made: | Not given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 6th |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 7/8" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 3 panels of lens, each 90 to 270 degrees. 4th panel is the door & is constructed of 7 horizontal prisms - arc 90 degrees. |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Central belt, 2 elements above & below |
| 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: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Old pattern cast iron, dia. of top 11" circular. |
| Service Table: | None. Room in 1 end of oil house bldg used as service room |
| Draft Tube Description: | Nont |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | Mounted on cross & ring & 4 - 1 3/4" wheels, bearing on pedestal top. Movable for cleaning purposes only. Fixed with brass pin. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Ruby lamp chimney |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | To illuminating apparatus |
| Form of Colored Glass: | Lamp chimney |
| Lamp Description: | Single wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | About 50' W'ly of tower. Divided into 2 rooms. S room used for storing oil & N room used as cleaning & service room & for storage of lamp accessories. New brick oil house is to be built. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' x 12' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Vertical boards battened, & shingle roof. All painted red. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 20 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | Pantry & cellar in dwelling, also 2 closets & storeroom, on 2nd floor of dwelling. |
| Suitability: | Ample, dry & suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Stands 150' NW of tower |
| Coloring: | Green with red roof & red 2nd story |
| Construction Materials: | Wood frame construction, siding 1st story, & shingles 2nd story, & metal slate roof. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 rooms, 2 closets, hall, pantry & cellar. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & family |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 1 story house of 2 rooms & pantry (old dwelling) used as summer kitchen. Shingled walls & roof. Boarded privy 4' x 4'. Log hennery. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Old dwelling red with natural shingle roof. Privy, oil house & boat house red; hennery whitewashed. |
| Paths and Walks: | Plank walks connecting all bldgs. Walks replaced in season of 1909 by 450' of 2.5' concrete slab walk. |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Area of Garden: | About 15' square in 2 patches. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | Most of island is wooded with small cedar & spruce. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None, besides small garden patches. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Island is of limestone gravel formation mixed with boulders. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From river. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | Natural drainage. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boat house, on W side of island, is 12' x 18' plan, of boards, battened, with shingle roof. Whole is painted red. Roller boatways provided. Plank crib landing 8' x 30' is built alongside boatway, filled with stone & plank decked. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 100' W |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | An iron gate & short fence is built across shore end of landing to keep children off landing. |