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 |