Report for Ballast Point (California) - 1933
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Wm. Mollering, Keeper |
| Location: | Northeastern extremity of Ballast Point, westerly side of entrance to San Diego Bay, California. |
| Date of Report: | 07/05/1933 |
| Latitude: | 32° 41' 04" |
| Longitude: | 117° 14' 04" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military reservation, Lighthouse Service obtained permission to use additional land of 1.86 acres |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | 05/16/1889 |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2.45 acres; Orginal 0.59 acres, additional 1.86 acres, Nov. 20, 1920 |
| Area Inclosed: | 7000 sq. ft. inclosed with picket fence |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 60 feet |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | 2 wharves |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Wheeled conveyance or boat |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | |
| Distance to Post Office: | Postoffice at fort Rosecrans, 1/2 mile |
| Distance to Village: | San Diego, Calif. 5.5 miles by water, 11 miles by road. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | August 1, 1890 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Electrified April 1928 |
| Condition at This Date: | |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 31.15 feet |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Rolling plateau, 300' elevation |
| Color of Tower: | White, Lantern black |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint. |
| Tower Connection: | Connected to Asst. Keeper's Dwelling on S.E. corner of building. |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor entrance light for general & local navigation. |
| Building Materials: | Wood, frame construction. |
| General Description: | Square tower 2'-0" x 9'0". Frame construction. |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden, winding, square |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 34.5" x 36" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4- 10" x 14" x 10 Hs; 1 - 10" x 16" x 12 Hs |
| Number of Doors: | 1 2'-8" x 6'-11.5" |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | 17" foundation walls with brick footing. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th old style |
| Shape of Lantern: | Octagon |
| Diameter to Glass: | |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | 1.5" |
| Height Glazed: | 36" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 1 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 1 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" to 3/8" main lts. |
| Size of Plates: | 34.5 x 36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | Storm Lts. 33.5" x 35" |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Metal, 17" diam. |
| Lightning Spindle: | 18" long, No lighting conductor |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Wood balustrade. O.S. gallery 12' long at balustrade. |
| Lantern Doors: | Double iron doors, brass catch & hinges. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood construction. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wood trap door. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 in lower part of lantern. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed into wall. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | None |
| How is Relief Called: | Call bell |
| Where is Call System Led: | From porch into hallway |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | 1600 |
| Name of Maker: | Sauter, Lemonnier & Cie, Paris |
| Year Made: | 1886 |
| Marks and Number: | #336 |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | 375 mm, 14.75" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed green |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None. |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 7 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 5 |
| 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: | Iron, old style. |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | No draft tube. |
| Revolving Machinery: | None. |
| 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: | None. |
| How Color is Produced: | By green shade. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | Shade attached to illuinating apparatur. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | Cylindrical. |
| Lamp Description: | 300 Watt,115 V. electric incandescent P.S. 35 bulb. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1, no fittings, used for storing spare lamps & cleaning gear. |
| Oil House Description: | 100 ft. N.W. from lighthouse |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 9.25' x 7' 8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Concrete |
| Oil House Capacity: | 128 cans, 640 gals. on wood shelves. |
| Other (Describe): | 1 pantry & 4 closets in each dwelling. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suited for the purpose for which they were intended. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Diaphone, Type C. Bell standy; hand operated. |
| Time to Start: | 4 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | 2 minutes. |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | Diaphone, 1.5 sec. blast, 13.5 sec. silent. Bell, 1 stroke, 10 sec. silent, 1 stroke, 10 sec. silent. |
| Duplication: | None. |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | 18 feet |
| Compass Direction: | S.E.E. |
| Location: | Warning to navigation at entrance to San Diego Bay. |
| Distance and Direction: | 55 ft. 106 degrees North. |
| Water Supply: | By pipe line from Fort Rosecrans. |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Sidewalk fromm enclosed area around dwelling. |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Frame construction same finish as dwelling, lower part of building houses fog signal apparatus, upper part supports bell. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: | Bristol recording pres.gauge Model (4) 0-80 lbs |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 900 lbs. |
| Metal: | Bronze |
| Diameter: | 4' 6" |
| Height: | 36" |
| Time: | |
| Manufacturer: | Unknown |
| Weights for Operation: | Struck by hand |
| Compressed Air |
| Compressed Air Machinery: | |
| Kind: | Single stage, electric motor drive |
| Manufacturer: | Gardner |
| Date Made: | |
| Nominal Size: | |
| Horsepower: | 5 HP |
| Compressor: | |
| Compressor Manufacturer: | |
| Compressor Bed and Gear: | Belt driven, 3.15 gear ratio. |
| Internal Combustion Signal |
| Fog Signal Kind: | |
| Internal Combustion Kind: | |
| Internal Combustion Manufacturer: | |
| Internal Combustion Date: | |
| Internal Combustion Size: | |
| Internal Combustion Horsepower: | |
| Internal Combustion Fuel: | |
| Internal Combustion Starter: | |
| Compressor Maker: | |
| Compressor Seat: | |
| Compressor Machinery: | |
| Compressor Diameter: | 6" |
| Compressor Stroke: | 6" |
| Compressor RPMs: | 350 |
| Character of Air Inlet: | 3-3/8" |
| Kind of Unloader: | Erie |
| Diameter of Delivery Pipe: | 2" |
| Air Receiver |
| Number: | 1 |
| Diameter: | 3' 6" |
| Height: | 8' 0" |
| Capacity Cubic Feet: | 77 |
| Pressure in Each: | 35 lbs. |
| Make of Reducing Valve: | |
| Remarks: | Safety valve, cCrane, 1.25" pop-valve type. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Dwelling & tower built as a unit. |
| Coloring: | White, having lead colored trimmings. |
| Construction Materials: | Frame construction. |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 each |
| Number of Dwellings: | 2 |
| Heating Plant: | Stove & fireplace. |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | Both |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 2 coal sheds, 1 tool & workshop, concrete oil house, 3 car garage. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, leadcolor trim. |
| Paths and Walks: | Concrete walks inside the fenced area. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | 160' x 360' |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | 160' x 360' |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | Jas. Grahm Mfg., Royal Wedgewood |
| Stove, Size: | Type 7-16, No. 380 |
| Sink, Maker: | Std. type |
| Sink, Size: | 18" x 29" |
| Pump, Maker: | Water piped from Fort. No pump. |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Assistant Keepers Dwellings |
| Location: | |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | |
| Number of Rooms: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | |
| Outhouses: | |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | Weir Stove Co. Fullerton, Mass. |
| Stove, Size: | Modern Glenwood, F. No 380 |
| Sink, Maker: | Std. type |
| Sink, Size: | 17" x 34" |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Water service piped from Fort Rosecrans |
| 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: | Healthful. |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No. |
| Local Causes: | No. |
| Recommended Improvements: | None. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | 1 small landing wharf with T-end, frame construction on iron piles. 1 large wharf with T-end const. wooden deck on wooden piles. |
| Distance and Direction: | 450' W.N.W. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Boats |
| Boat Number: | 51 |
| Type: | Gasoline Launch |
| Length: | 6' 4" |
| Width: | 25' 6" |
| When Built: | Unknown |
| Date Harbored at Station: | Dec. 1926 |
| Sails: | False |
| Suited to Work: | Yes. |
| Power Boat |
| Engine Type: | Internal combustion |
| Horsepower: | 20-35 HP |
| Engine Maker: | Anderson Engine No. 1813 |
| Spare Coil: | N spark coils |
| Magnet: | Type Du-4 Bosch |
| Battery: | 1-6 volt auto battery |
| Propeller Diameter: | 18" |
| Propeller Pitch: | 18" 3 blade. |
| Hoisting Engines |
| Hoisting Engine Kind: | None. |
| Engine RPMs: | |
| Engine Diameter: | |
| Engine Stroke: | |
| Engine Boiler: | |
| Engine Maker and Date: | |
| Serial Number: | |
| Cylinders and Size: | |
| Horsepower: | |
| Fuel: | |
| Hoist Starter: | |
| Hoist Miscellaneous: |
| Miscellaneous |
| General Information: | |
| Boats on Station: | At mooring buoy 50' N.W. of boat landing. |