Report for Little Rapids Cut Light No 27 (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | Close to W'ly side of Little Rapids Cut, at its N'ly entrance, in 20' of water, St. Mary's River, MI. |
| Date of Report: | 08/05/1909 |
| Latitude: | 46° 29' 32.3" |
| Longitude: | 84° 18' 22.8" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Submarine site. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | On shore side is a ladder of iron bars with timber fenders & on S side of pier is a flight of steps with wood rail leading to small landing platform. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat only. Boat landing at Ribbey's boathouse is on American shore opposite light station. A boat or launch may be hired there. This boathouse is reached by streetcar from Sault Ste. Marie, MI. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1500' & boat landing. 2 miles to Government Slip, Sault Ste. Marie. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2 miles to Sault Ste. Marie |
| Distance to Village: | 2 miles to Sault Ste. Marie, reached by streetcar. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | No public conveyance stops at lighthouse. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By boat launch or tender |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern on dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1895 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 37' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Water |
| Color of Tower: | Black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern on dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel light. Marks turn from Little Rapids Cut to Bayfield Channel, St. Mary's River. |
| Building Materials: | |
| General Description: | Dwelling is 24.5' square & centered on pier, 35' sq. & 6.5' above water to deck. Pier built of sawed, crib timber laid tight & filled with stone, except openings for cellar & oil storage. Deck is 3" plank. |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular, winding cast iron from 2nd floor of dwelling. Enclosed in cylindrical wood center well |
| Number of Landings: | None |
| Size of Glass: | |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | |
| Number of Doors: | |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Crib stands in 20' of water & is rip-rapped on all sides. There is 16' of water on channel side of crib & 17' on shore side. Double chain railing with 2.5" pipe stanchions extends E'ly around deck. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Lantern rises from center of roof of dwelling. Bottom of crib is limestone rock & pier is riprapped with limestone fragmental rock & boulders. Wood box coal bin is built against house on shore side of crib & contains 2 tons. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 6' 5.5" |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 35 1/4" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 34 1/4" x 36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron parapet lined with sheet iron. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Pyramidal cast iron lined with zinc held to cast iron plates by iron batten strips screwed to flanges. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass with platinum point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Gallery square 13' on a side. cast iron plates. Rail - double - of iron pipe with pipe stanchions & fittings. |
| Lantern Doors: | 2-fold cast iron door in parapet, lined with sheet iron. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Of cast iron plates |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door opening in lantern floor, but door is not in place - stored elsewhere in bldg. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 7" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 ventilators in parapet. Brass valve registers inside & unprotected openings outside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed to soffit. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | No Watchroom. Hallway on 2nd floor of dwelling used as cleaning & service room & is fitted with table, locker, glass box & shelf. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | L. Sautter Lemonnier & Co. |
| Year Made: | Not given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | 14 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white, occulting every 5 seconds. |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 seconds |
| Flash Interval: | 5 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | 5 seconds |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 4 panels of fixed lens, each 90 degrees = 360 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Central belt & 2 elements above & below |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | Lamp only revolves, supported on ball bearing plates on a cylinder thru base of lens apparatus. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Circular top 29" diam. supported on 4 posts with a middle plate to support clockwork. |
| Service Table: | Circular iron table below pedestal top & supported by same 4 posts. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clockwork driving vertical shaft. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | Lens apparatus is supported on 4 - 1 3/4" rollers bearing on top of pedestal - movable for cleaning only. ck fixed with brass pin. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 25' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By brass bound glass case |
| Regulated: | Fan governor |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Not colored |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funk-Heap, single wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | 1/8" wire cord |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Wound on drum in clock case, runs thru hollow newel, over rider sheave supporting weights & returns to fastening on service table. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Small semi-circular groove on lower plate |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 17 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 5/16" |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | Single wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Occulting Light |
| Characteristic: | Occulting every 5 seconds |
| Time Limit: | |
| Eclipse Type: | Sleeve |
| Size and Amplitude: | 3 part sleeve over lamp chimney |
| Axis Rotation: | |
| Axis Relation: | |
| Screen Revolution: | |
| Screen Number: | |
| Screen Time: | |
| Screen Form: | |
| Screen Mounting: | |
| Screen Order: | |
| Screen Date: | |
| Valve Maker: | |
| Valve Pattern: | |
| Reliability: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | Oil room roughly formed under deck of the crib by removal of portion of stone fill. Reached by trap door in deck. Oil butts stored in crib were frozen into the ice in Spring, so new oil house was built & stands near boathouse, 5/8 mile SE'ly of station. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | Room: irregular. Oil House: 6' 6" x 8' 8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Oil House - vitrified brick walls, metal slate roof painted red, concrete floor & globe ventilator. Fitted with wood shelving. 8' 10" x 11' outside. |
| Oil House Capacity: | Room: 90 5-gal cans. Oil House: 100, 5-gal cans. |
| Other (Describe): | 1 storeroom 2nd floor. 1 large pantry, 2 closets 1st floor. A 6' x 8' cellar in stone fill of crib opening from pantry. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable except cellar which, tho dry, is unlighted, shallow depth, & small. It is not used except to store boxes, etc. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern rises from center of dwelling roof. House is 24.5' sqaure. |
| Coloring: | Yellow walls with white trims & red hip roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood frame construction with patent siding; roof of steel angle framing, sheathed & wood shinglesd. |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 rooms + pantry, 2 closets, wc, storeroom & hall used as cleaning room |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | Asst. Keeper & family in dwelling, Keeper & family live ashore. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 16' x 20' battened Boathouse, oil house |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Boathouse - white with yellow roof; oilhouse red. |
| Paths and Walks: | None |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From river thru pipe by pump in kitchen. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | No cistern |
| 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: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No, other than dampness of river fogs etc. |
| Recommended Improvements: | None needed. There are sewer pipes leading from kitchen & WC into river on downstream side. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boathouse used in connection with station for care of Bayfield Range & Little Rapids Cut Lights. Fitted with boatways & winch. No landing connected with station. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boathouse situated 5/8 mile SE'ly of light on W bank of cut & opens into small bay to W of bank. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |