Report for Horseshoe Range West Group Rear Light (Pennsylvania) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Thos. J. Rout, Jr., Supt. |
| Location: | On Fort Mifflin Reservation, PA., about 1/4 mile, 274 degrees 15' (WNW 15/16 W mag) in rear of Lower Front (white) light of this Range. |
| Date of Report: | 04/10/1910 |
| Latitude: | 39° 53' 00" |
| Longitude: | 75° 12' 32" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Naval Reservation (Fort Mifflin) |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 8 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 6 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 1150' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Ditches & fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Philadelphia, PA., thence by private conveyance to station, or by trolley from Philadelphia to Penrose Ferry Bridge, thence by private conveyance to light station or by walking from bridge, or by small boats from river. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Station is on a public road, dist. to nearest RR about 2.5 miles Bell Road Station dist to electric RR about 7/8 miles, distance to RR station in Philadelphia about 6 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 3.5 miles (Pascalville) by road. |
| Distance to Village: | Straight line distance to Elmwood about 2 miles. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Teams can be hired at RR station in Philadelphia, distance about 6 miles. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One (Horseshoe W group light station has 3 lights) |
| First Built or Established: | 1881 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1909 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 74.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 70' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Bldgs & trees |
| Color of Tower: | White with black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range for general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Base of tower consists of 7/8" sheathing on 2" x 4" studs. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 7/8" sheathing - no inside lining. |
| Diameter at Base: | Tower is square 17' x 17' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Tower is square 8.5' x 8.5' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | 6 |
| Size of Glass: | 3 windows in WR & 3 in tower 8" x 10"; 2 windows in tower 28" x 30" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 8; 3 sash 21 1/4" x 44.5"; 1 sash 20.5" x 27"; 1, 20.5" x ?; 1 20.5" x 46.5"; 2 32" x 65" |
| Number of Doors: | 5, including lantern door. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick pier foundation, 4' deep |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Susceptible to grass, shrubbery & trees. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th order range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | About 6' 5.5" from rear wall to glass |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 6' 2" x 6' 2" |
| Number of Sides: | 4 |
| Type of Bars: | None |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 43" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Only 1 side is glazed |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 44" x 44" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 1 - for the 3 lanterns at this station |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 3 sides unglazed |
| What Bearings: | Glazed side faces down range |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Tin |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 1/2" copper cable wired to spindle & extends above same where point is soldered to end. Conductor extends down rear side of lantern & tower to std. ground connection. |
| Balustrade: | Balustrade- wood corner posts - iron pipe railing. Deck of wood, covered with tin. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 full height hinged wooden door, it has a thumb latch & bolt. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Swinging wooden door provided with lock, also lantern floor is provided with a hinged trap door. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 5' x 7' 3" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | None |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | 2 small hooks are screwed into top casing of window. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 3 windows, door to stairs, leading down tower, 1 shelf, & a door & stairway leading up to lantern. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 22" parabolic reflector |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | Not moveable |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | No lens |
| Number of Panels: | No lens |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| 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: | Reflector & lamp stand is supported on top of a wooden cupboard 4' 7" high. |
| Service Table: | None but top of cupboard |
| Draft Tube Description: | No lens |
| 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: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Lamp is a locomotive headlight lamp 1 wick. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 spare lamps at this station for 3 lights. |
| Number of Spare Burners: | Only those on spare lamps. |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | About 1.5" outside. |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 cupboard in lantern - it has a hinged door & 1 shelf. Used for storage of lamp supplies. |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house - it has a hinged door - a set of shelves & a concrete floor. 25' N of dwelling. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | About 7' x 10' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick |
| Oil House Capacity: | 1200 gals |
| Other (Describe): | Pantry on 1st floor of dwelling, it has shelves & is used for storage of food. 1 closet on 1st floor, it has 1 hinged door, but no shelves - used as clothes press. 4 closets on 2nd floor all have shelves & used for clothes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 1 dwelling serves for keeper of West group 3 lights. About 3' N of tower. |
| Coloring: | White, lead colored trimmings, green shutters |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, brick pier foundation. |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame barn, brick oil house, frame privy. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, lead colored trimmings. |
| Paths and Walks: | Board walks & 1 short brick walk. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 3 1/4 acres. Ditches & fences. |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None - grounds are low. |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Low meadow |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well & from roof of dwelling by means of downspouts to cisterns |
| Quality: | Cistern water is good when properly cared for, well water not used for cooking & drinking purposes. |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cutoffs. |
| Tank Capacity: | 1 cistern under dwelling has cap of about 2200 gals. The other is 3' W of dwelling, cap abt. 1900 gal. |
| Tank Material: | Both cisterns are of brick & need repairs |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Driven well - depth not known - water not good |
| Well Diameter: | 1.5" pipe is used. |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 22' in clear to pump. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | General character & condition of this station are fair. Horseshoe Range W group is composed of 3 lights which are under 1 keeper. Red lantern which houses upper front light now being replaced with high tower. Separate books are submitted for 2 front lts. |