Report for Ludlam Beach Light Station (New Jersey) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer |
| Location: | On Ludlam Beach, Sea Isle City, seacoast of NJ |
| Date of Report: | 11/20/1907 |
| Latitude: | 39° 09' 42" |
| Longitude: | 74° 41' 05" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 03/08/1885 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 9,680 sq. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | No enclosure except sea wall, which rises 4 or more feet above the beach |
| Character of Soil: | Gravel covers sand fill inside of sea wall. |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 15' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None, except sea wall |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | RR to Sea Isle City, NJ |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Station is at intersection of Atlantic Street & Marine Place. Distance to RR station about 7/8 mile by streets. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 1 mile |
| Distance to Village: | Station is in Sea Isle City, NJ |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Busses meet trains in summer. Street cars run about 2 1/2 months in summer. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | None |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern tower on frame dwelling forming a lighthouse. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1885 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Lantern tower is square |
| Form of Tower: | Lantern tower is prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 35' 6" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 36' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Distant trees |
| Color of Tower: | Drab, with lead colored trimmings & green shutters. Lantern black. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern tower is on dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Sea coast for general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Frame structure |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 13" (brick at ground line) |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 7" (frame) |
| Diameter at Base: | Lantern tower square, 9' 6" x 9' 6" (outside) |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Lantern tower square, 9' 6" x 9' 6" (outside) |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None |
| Size of Glass: | 15" x 2' 8" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1 window, lower sash 2' 10.5" x 3'; upper sash 2' 10.5" x 2' 11" |
| Number of Doors: | 21 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick, 6' 3" foundation is on sand. (Mud was found below sand when sea wall was constructed) |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Lot covered with gravel, surrounding soil sand. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Sand is not fertile |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Lighthouse stands on crest of beach, at upper end of Sea Isle City. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | From floor to glass, cylindrical; above this polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 2" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| 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: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 4 plates of glass are 2' 3 1/4" x 3' 3/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 6 plates 216 degrees of arc |
| What Bearings: | N 1/4 E & SW 9/16 S (Dark sector inc'd by 4" strip of wood set against post |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Parapet wall, wood; sills, roof, posts, etc. cast iron; stop screws bronze |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Iron pinnacle of lantern provided with platinum tipped point. Each of 2 chimneys prov. with 3/4" iron pipe, rising about 3' above top & carrying 7-prong point, ctr 1 is tipped with platinum. Eye bolt in sill & pt. on chimneys conn'd with 1/2" copper cable |
| Balustrade: | Wood |
| Lantern Doors: | Wooden door, hung on hinges & fitted with hook & eye. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Hinged wooden trap door in lantern floor provided with small lifting ring. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 8" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 ventilators in lower wall of lantern covered with brass registers. Diameter about 5" |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Plain brass hook screwed into top of each lantern post. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Cupboard with shelves & ladder leading to lantern |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 5 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre Cie A Paris; |
| Year Made: | Lens: not marked; clock:1877 |
| Marks and Number: | "Barbier & Fenestre Cie A Paris"; On clock "Etats Unis 5 me order a' eclipse de 15 seconds Henry LePaute, Sugenarian Constructeurs Paris, 1877 HL/308" |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 15 seconds |
| Time of Revolution: | 1.5 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 15 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | About 2 seconds |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | No fixed part |
| Number of Panels: | 6 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 6 |
| Arc of Each: | 60 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 6 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 4 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | Whole lens revolves |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Square cast iron clock case, surmounted by round lens seat. Base is 21 3/4" x 21 3/4" x 3' 2" high. |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Weight actuated clock, having a pinion on vertical shaft, engaging with large cog wheel on base of lens. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Pivot 1 1/8" diam, bearing surface, abt 3/16" diam |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | About 21' |
| Clock Weight: | Clock by Henry LePaute |
| Length of Winding Time: | 5 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Cast iron frame glass panel case serving as pedestal of lens. |
| Regulated: | By 4-wing vertical governor. 2 lower wings abt 4.5" x 6" in size & 2 upper wings abt 2.5" x 4.5". |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Standard 4th order |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 (3 in all) |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Vert. down from drum of clock through lantern floor, thence to left to top of weight tube loc. near ctr of left side of lantern tower |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 cupboard in watchroom provided with shelves, used for lamp supplies, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house, 8' x 12' in plan, situated about 18' W of lighthouse. It has a wooden floor & swinging door. No shelves. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 1 closet in kitchen fitted with shelves & hooks & used for clothes; a pantry in kitchen, Under stairway is closet fitted with shelves & used for gen. purposes. There's a closet in each of 2nd floor bedrooms, fitted with a shelf & hooks & used for clothes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern is on dwelling, forming a lighthouse |
| Coloring: | Drab, with lead colored trimmings, green shutters & black lantern |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, brick foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house & privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Natural red brick |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick walks extend from city boardwalk around lighthouse & privy |
| Area Inclosed: | No inclosures, except seawall |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sandy ocean beach & salt marsh |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From city water works, through pipe connections & from roof of lighthouse through downspouts to cistern. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts are provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern located under lighthouse; cap 3440 gals |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| 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: | No prevalent diseases (Keeper) |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No wharf |
| Distance and Direction: | No wharf |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The general character & condition of premises, etc. are good. |