Report for Guard Island (Alaska) - 1913

General
District: 16th
Inspector: Various
Location: At N'ly entrance to Tongass Narrows on N'ly Guard Island.
Date of Report: 10/02/1913
Latitude: 55° 26' 42"
Longitude: 131° 52' 50"
Premises
Site: Public land reserved by Executive Order
Date of Reservation: 01/06/1901
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 9.5 acres
Area Inclosed: None
Character of Soil:
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 65'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence:
Wharf or Landing on Premises: On NE'ly extremity of island.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat or launch from Ketchikan, about 10.5 miles.
Distance to Nearest Road:
Distance to Post Office:
Distance to Village:
Facilities for Public Conveyance:
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower, also carrying bell
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: Sept. 15, 1904
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1912
Condition at This Date:
Shape of Tower in Plan:
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball:
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 79'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Approach from N'd a dark background about 3 miles distant; generally the sky.
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: Detached
Object of Navigation: Aid to vessels approaching or leaving N'ly entrance to Tongass Narrows.
Building Materials: Frame on concrete foundation
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass: 1st floor 14" x 16"; 2nd floor 18" x 20"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 3 1st floor, 18" x 30"; 4 2nd floor 22" x 24"
Number of Doors: 1 outside door, 2' 10" x 6' 8"; 1 trap door to lantern, 1 lantern to parapet
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Tower is on highest point of N'ly island of group.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 8
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 3'
Number of Plates in Height: One
Number of Plates Each Side: One
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 2' 10 1/4" x 3' 5/8"
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron sill; bronze posts, cast iron soffit, wrought iron rafters & purlins
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Copper
Ventilator / Cowl: Copper
Lightning Spindle: Brass spindle with platinum tip
Description of Lightning Rod:
Balustrade: Wooden balcony rail, around gallery, gallery floor covered with copper.
Lantern Doors: 1 hinged trap door in floor 20" x 26"; 1 door thru parapet 26" x 33" galv. hinges & brass lock.
Floor of Lantern: Wood
Watchroom Doors: Trap door, hinged.
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: 4 in upper part of lantern
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: Wooden portable step ladder
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Curtains hung on spring rollers, bronze brackets.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: 1st floor of tower used as watchroom with locker.
How is Relief Called: None
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles: W 270; R 70
Name of Maker: Supplied from Thompkinsville Depot
Year Made: 1904
Marks and Number: None
Order of Apparatus: 6th
Inside Diameter: 11 4/5"
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: 7
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 0
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 0
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: Wooden pedestal, brass base added to bring flasher to proper height
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description: None
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: Not any
How Color is Produced: By ruby panel in lantern
Red Sectors Description: 299 degrees & 332 degrees
Where Color Attached: Lantern strips of ruby glass of proper width secured wooden cleats at top & bottom.
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: AGA Flasher
Type of Illuminant: Acetylene gas
Number of Spare Lamps: None
Number of Spare Burners: None
Candle Power: W 270; R 70


Compressed Gas
Gas Container: 4 AGA A25
Compressed Gas Capacity: 90 cu ft.
Compressed Gas Charge: 150 lbs
How Supply Renewed: Substituting full containers for empties
At What Intervals: 4 months
Spare Containers:


Gas Light
Gas Light Kind: Acetylene
Gas Light Number of Burners: 1
Kind of Burner: AGA type
Candlepower Per Burner: 30
Total Candlepower: Thru lens W 270, R 70
Consumption Gas Burner Per Hour: 3/4 cu ft.
Total Consumption Per Hour: .127 cu ft.
How Gas Obtained: From accumulators containing acetylene in acetone


Occulting Light
Characteristic: Light 0.5 sec, dark 1 sec., light 0.5 sec, dark 4 sec.; period = 6 sec, luminous time = 1/6
Time Limit: Unable to state
Eclipse Type: Valve
Size and Amplitude:
Axis Rotation:
Axis Relation:
Screen Revolution:
Screen Number:
Screen Time:
Screen Form:
Screen Mounting:
Screen Order:
Screen Date:
Valve Maker: American Gas Accumulator Co.
Valve Pattern: Dahlen patent, flasher
Reliability: Yes
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: Locker in 1st floor fitted with 1 shelf & coat & hat hooks.
Oil House Description: 40' E'ly of tower, not used
Oil House Inside Dimension: 9' x 15'
Oil House Construction Material: Wood & corrugated iron
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): None, except in dwelling
Suitability: Dry & suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Stevens improved fog-bell striker & 1200 lb bell operating weight 800 lbs, 3/8" steel wire cable 50' long.
Time to Start: Ready for immediate service
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic: 1 blow every 20 sec.
Duplication: None
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location: Bell hung from beam on N'ly face of tower on 2nd floor, clockwork placed on 2nd floor, weights passing thru to 1st floor.
Distance and Direction: Attached to lighthouse
Water Supply: None required
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building: Bell tower supports lantern
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Bell Signal
Weight: 1200 lbs
Metal: Bell metal
Diameter: 40"
Height: 28 5/8"
Time: 2 1/4 hours
Manufacturer: Geo. M. Stevens, Boston, MA 1904
Weights for Operation:
Dwelling
Location: 1 dwelling about 100' N'ly from tower
Coloring: White with brown roof
Construction Materials: Lower story concrete, balance frame
Number of Rooms: 6 living rooms, fuel room, cellar, pantry, bathroom & garrett
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant: Boynton's Water Heater, NY
Number of Keepers: 1
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 1 boathouse & car house, both frame
Outhouse Coloring: White with brown roof
Paths and Walks: Cement walks from dwelling to all other bldgs.
Area Inclosed:
Area of Garden:
Area Timber or Shrubbery:
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Rocky
Stove, Maker: Niagara Stove Co., Buffalo NY
Stove, Size: 2' 2" x 2' 10" Range
Sink, Maker: Enameled
Sink, Size: 1' 6" x 2' 6"
Pump, Maker: Gould, Seneca Falls, NY
Pump, Size: 3"
Lamps: 3 5th order table lamps, 2 kerosene hand lanterns, 3 kerosene hand lamps.
Water
How Procured: Rain water off roofs
Quality: Fair
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: Well protected in cement cistern 10' above high water.
Purity Precaution: Filters thru brick wall; cistern painted inside with P&B paint
Tank Capacity: 1, 12000 gal cap, 6' from N'ly end of bldg
Tank Material: Concrete
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump
What Power Used: Hand
Distance from Dwelling: Hand pump in dwelling, tank in attic.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good
Diseases: None
Prevalency: No
Local Causes: No
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Landing (inclosed tramway); boat car operated by gasoline engine in boat house.
Distance and Direction: About 300' NE'ly from tower
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Boats
Boat #1
Boat Number: 12
Type: Launch
Length: 5'
Width: 18'
When Built: Oct. 20, 1910
Date Harbored at Station: May 22, 1912
Sails: False
Suited to Work: No
 
Boat #2
Boat Number: 13
Type: Dinghy
Length: 4' 8"
Width: 14'
When Built: Not known
Date Harbored at Station: Nov. 1905
Sails: True
Suited to Work: Yes


Power Boat
Engine Type: Scripps Motor
Horsepower: 4:5
Engine Maker: Scripps Motor Co.
Spare Coil:
Magnet: None
Battery: Dry - 6
Propeller Diameter: 14"
Propeller Pitch: 16"


Hoisting Engines
Hoisting Engine Kind: 4 STP gasoline engine
Engine RPMs: 350
Engine Diameter: 5"
Engine Stroke: 8"
Engine Boiler:
Engine Maker and Date: Fairbanks Morse No 131,740
Serial Number:
Cylinders and Size:
Horsepower:
Fuel:
Hoist Starter:
Hoist Miscellaneous:


Miscellaneous
General Information:
Boats on Station: In boathouse