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.