Report for Belle Isle (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | On SE point of E'ly end of Belle Isle, Detroit River, MI. |
| Date of Report: | 03/29/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 20' 24.46" |
| Longitude: | 82° 57' 36.75" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase. Deeded by City of Detroit, MI for $1.00 |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/08/1881 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 1 acre & 177 sq. ft. = 1 1/246 acres. |
| Area Inclosed: | 17671.5 sq. ft. |
| Character of Soil: | Black loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 75' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Circular stone wall, 150' dia. supporting an ornamental iron fence & inclosing tower, dwelling & oil house. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Small boat landing about 30' long. Water too shallow for it to be used. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Cement walk from dwelling to this landing. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By street railway to shore end of Belle Isle bridge, or by steam ferry to Belle Isle boat landing, thence from either place by motor vehicle or omnibus to station. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Dwelling 125' to Park Dr., 2.5 miles to Ferry Landing, 5.5 miles to Detroit Ry. Station. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 5.5 miles to Detroit post office |
| Distance to Village: | 5.5 miles to City Hall, Detroit, via Belle Isle bridge. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Abt 5 miles direct by launch from Woodward Ferry Landing, or by carriage via Belle Isle bridge. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1882 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 42' 3" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 42' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Thickly wooded |
| Color of Tower: | Red |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Red paint on red brick walls. |
| Tower Connection: | Built into & forming SE corner of dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | River light for marking entrance to Canadian channel, Detroit River. |
| Building Materials: | Cut stone to 5' above ground, remainder brick. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 2' 6" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 17" |
| Diameter at Base: | 10' 6" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 3" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular winding iron steps, no rail. |
| Number of Landings: | 2: 5/8 at 1st floor, 1/2 at 2nd floor |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 20" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1, 4 lts., sash 23.5" x 26", semi-circle top. |
| Number of Doors: | 1 outside of wood, 1 into passage to cleaning room of plate. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete on grillage - 8' 11" below surface |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | White sand covered w/ surface loam & sod, underlined w/ sand & gravel. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Sodded & planted. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | This station is situated in public park of Belle Isle, a main park drive crossing the rear of site. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 6' 6" |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 10.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 26 3/4" x 35 7/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Parapet cast iron lined with wood, verticals cast iron. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | 10 cast iron plates, zinc lining, zinc cone lens protector. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper with platinum point. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 3/4" copper wire rope fastened to lantern deck, led down E side of tower, over end of house into ground. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery square 12' on a side, in 4 castings. Balustrade 30" high of 2 rails & diag. of 2" x 1/2" wrought iron, w.i. posts, cast iron ball tops. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 single door of 1/2" steel plate with brass bolt & hinges. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast in 4 sections of iron - as part of the deck plates. |
| Watchroom Doors: | A plate iron trap door in floor of the lantern. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 6" wood lining. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet - 5 ventilators, brass register valves inside, iron hoods outside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed to astrigals of lantern. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre, Paris |
| Year Made: | 1880 |
| Marks and Number: | B.F. 63 |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 4 panels fixed lens each 90 degrees. To turn apparatus for cleaning, it is mounted on cross & ring, supported on "4-2" rollers bearing on top of pedestal. |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Lens belt, 2 elements above & 2 below. |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 6 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 4 |
| 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: | Old pattern cast iron |
| Service Table: | Cast iron attached to pedestal. |
| Draft Tube Description: | |
| 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: | By using ruby chimney on lamp. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | Illuminating apparatus |
| Form of Colored Glass: | Lamp chimney. |
| Lamp Description: | Funck Heap 4th order, 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 used, 1 spare - total 3 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 burner to each lamp. |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | Abt. 50' W'ly from dwelling, circular in plan |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 6' dia. |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Steel plate, brick linings conical steel roof with ventilators. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 45 5-gal. cans = 225 gals. |
| Other (Describe): | 2 on hall leading from tower, 2nd floor. 2 bedroom closets, 2nd floor. 1 living room closet, 1st floor. |
| Suitability: | Suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Attached to tower. |
| Coloring: | Red walls, green roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Stone foundation to 5' above grade (cut stone), remainder of walls brick. Roof: metal slates. |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 rooms, 1 pantry, 5 closets, & cellar under entire bldg. Kitchen in basement. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & family |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Boat house, oil house, & US Fishery bldg. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house red, boat house yellow with red roof - wood structure; fishery bldg wood frame structure yellow w/ red roof. |
| Paths and Walks: | 2.5' cement walk entirely around dwelling, to oil house & boat house, & cement platform in front of boat house. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | No garden |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Fast ground, wooded. Surrounding country is laid out & maintained as a public park. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Carried in pails from Detroit River. |
| Quality: | Good, except in Spring during ice flow. |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No, except rendered muddy by ice & seas. |
| Purity Precaution: | None - cistern water used for laundry purposes only. |
| Tank Capacity: | In cellar, 7' x 8' x 5' o.s. - 1575 gals. |
| Tank Material: | Brick, arched top with manhole. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | No well. |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | Natural drainage sufficient. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boat landing of wood on horses, about 30' long & 3' leading from boat house. Water too shallow at landing to be used except small light draught boats, & cannot then be reached at low water in the spring. Boat house wood, wood shingle roof, 12' x 30'. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boat house used to store 2 row boats & a duck boat, tools, etc. Outside inclosure about 75' SW'ly from dwelling to boathouse. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | A 3" tile drain leads from house thru the sea water about 3' below surface of ground & above general water level into a wood box sump. Built on beach against the wall, & piled around with stone. Leads in a S'ly direction from tower. |