Report for Grassy Island South Channel Range Front Beacon (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk & Norris Works, Supt. |
| Location: | On Grassy Island Fishery, W'ly side of main channel of Detroit River, 1300' S from Rear Beacon. |
| Date of Report: | 02/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 13' 12" |
| Longitude: | 83° 07' 58" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Reserved from US public lands |
| Date of Reservation: | 11/19/1848 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Area of fishery = 1.54 As embankment from rear beacon abt 880' x 22' = 0.44 acre Total = 1.98 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Soft black loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 4' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boardwalk from Rear Beacon on top of rip-rapped embankment, thru garden, fishery, etc. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1.5 miles to Ecorse Landing, 1/4 mile from landing to RR Depot. |
| Distance to Post Office: | Ecorse, MI., 1.5 miles |
| Distance to Village: | Ecorse, MI., 1.5 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Electric car & RR to Ecorse, thence 1.5 miles to station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Electric car & RR to Ecorse, thence 1.5 miles to station. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Wooden, frame tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | Completed, Feb. 28, 1896 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Concrete foundation completed about Sept. 15, 1907 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 24' 4" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 25' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Marsh & sky |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Dwelling at rear beacon |
| Object of Navigation: | Forms a range with Rear Beacon for Grassy Island South Channel |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 10" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 10" |
| Diameter at Base: | 11' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 8' 4" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden, winding, steps of Norway pine. |
| Number of Landings: | No intermediate |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2, size 2' 5.5" x 4' 6.5" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete slab 14' x 14' x 1' thick under frame under water. Wall 13.5' x 13.5', 2' thick at slab & 1' thick at top under beacon, rises from slab & supports beacon, built in Sept. 1907 |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Soft black loam. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Rich soil, suitable for trees, grasses & garden purposes. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Surface of ground is low & level, being about 1' above River level as est. 1860-1870. Land is mostly made of material dredged from fish pound. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 6' 11 7/8" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 2 lts, 32.5" x 36" - 1 lt 36 1/4" x 36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 5 sides = 225 degrees |
| What Bearings: | Bearings:N 67 deg. - 58' E to N 67 -02 W; Azimuth: 67-58 to 292-58; Bearing of range N 28' E, Glazed 67.5 degrees each side of range line. |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood, covered with siding, painted white & lined inside with ceiling. Matched & beaded. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wood, covered with tin, painted red & lined inside with zinc. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper tipped with platinum |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper 5/8" tubing, soldered to ball vent. & led down outside of tower into ground, 5' 8" below surface & 4' 8" below M.L. of River. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery of wood covered with tin, painted red, Iron pipe hand rail painted black. |
| Lantern Doors: | Wood, with 5 horiz. panels hung with L.P. butts; outside door has hooks inside door has lock & knobs. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wooden floor of Norway Pine, upper floor of oak. |
| Watchroom Doors: | None |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 7.5" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4, protected on outside with brass wire netting, covered on inside with brass caps. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks, screwed into wood at top of glass. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | U.S. General L.H. Depot |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 90 degree lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 13/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 90 degrees visible: Bearing N 44 degrees - 3.5 W to N 45 degrees -28' E; Azimuth 315-28 to 45-28; 45 degrees each side of range. Bearing of range N 00 degrees 28' E |
| Number of Panels: | One |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 3 |
| 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: | Hollow octagonal tube of wood, which forms newel for stairway & reaches from floor to 3' 4" above deck. |
| Service Table: | Built of wood, with shelf under. |
| 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: | Lens lantern lamp with 5th order burner |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1 1/4" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 in angle of tower, fitted with door & 4 shelves. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil house at Rear Beacon is used. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: |