Report for Alcatraz Island Light Station (California) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 18th |
| Inspector: | Milo Hoadley, Supt. |
| Location: | |
| Date of Report: | 07/03/1910 |
| Latitude: | 37° 49' 29" |
| Longitude: | 122° 25' 21" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2725 sq. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | 2725 sq. ft. |
| Character of Soil: | Sand & rock |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 200' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Covered by bldgs, tower & area |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Military wharf, used by lightstation people |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Winding road, in good condition, heavy grades in places, about 1/4 mile |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Government steamers & water craft |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | To steamboat landing in San Francisco, about 3 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | Military, about 50' |
| Distance to Village: | 2.5 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Government steamers & water craft |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By obtaining pass from Army officials either in San Francisco or on the Island. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Reinforced concrete tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1854 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1909, new bldgs throughout. Work of reconstructing station, incl. new tower & new keepers quarters, completed 6/30/1910. |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square at base, octagonal balance of distance. |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 90' 2 1/4" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 214' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | None, except on N side by new military prison. |
| Color of Tower: | Grey |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Natural color of concrete |
| Tower Connection: | Connected, abuting 2 sides of base of tower |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor & range lights |
| Building Materials: | Concrete, reinforced by steel rods |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 2' 5" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 10" |
| Diameter at Base: | 13' 9" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 10' 8" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Iron |
| Number of Landings: | 4 |
| Size of Glass: | Varied, see plan |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 11 varied |
| Number of Doors: | 2 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Reinforced concrete 5' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Rock |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | N fog bell Oct. 23, 1899; S fog bell Oct. 30, 1900 |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.42" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 7' 1/16" |
| Number of Sides: | Circular |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 11.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2 & 1 alternate |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | Varied, see std. 4th order lantern |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All sides glazed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron & brass |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron, platinum point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Iron |
| Lantern Doors: | 1, iron, on hinges opening out. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Open hatch |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 1 9/16" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Spring rollers, inside. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 10 hrs |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Renard, Paris |
| Year Made: | No date |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | White flash every 15 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 sec. |
| Flash Interval: | 15 sec center of flash |
| Duration of Flash: | 3/4 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 2 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 2 |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 7 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | Whole apparatus revolves around central pin, on steel balls. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | 4 iron rods covered with brass, stock 4th order pedestal plate 55 Price List std articles |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| Draft Tube Description: | |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clockwork driven by weight |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | On balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 25' 2" |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 10 hrs |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By glass case |
| Regulated: | By opening or closing wings of governor, or by putting on or taking off small leaden weights. (abt 1 lb each) This saves tampering with the delicate governor. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Hains, 1 |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Metal cord |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Thru center of tower & down drop tube |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Flat plate enclosed in brass box |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 21 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 5/8" |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1.5" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | In area btwn bldgs. Bowser system |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' 6" x 9' 2" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Concrete |
| Oil House Capacity: | 112 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | Lamp closet in hallway of bldg with shelves for extra lamps & fixtures |
| Suitability: | Dry, suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gamewell No. 3 |
| Time to Start: | At once |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co., NY |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | SE bell strikes 5 blows with silent interval of 10 sec btwn each stroke followed by silent interval of 25 sec. NW bell strikes 1 blow every 6 sec. |
| Duplication: | |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | 2 bells, one on each end of island, navigation of waters of Bay of San Francisco |
| Distance and Direction: | 312 degrees 35' & 132 degrees 35' about |
| Water Supply: | None needed |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By roadway |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | SE bell house 14' x 12' x 8'. Roof projects over bell 7', fitted with 2 windows & tool closet. NW bell is same, but no roof extension. Weight towers are 30' high. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | None given |
| Metal: | Composition |
| Diameter: | 4' 4" & 4' 5" |
| Height: | 3' 8" & 3' 11" |
| Time: | South runs 3 hours; North runs 1 hour 40 minutes. |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Abuting on 2 sides of tower. |
| Coloring: | Natural plaster with seal brown trimming, red tile roof |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, covered with cement plaster |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 rooms & bath each |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 single, 1 double |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 3 total |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | None |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | Area enclosing angle formed by dwellings. |
| Area Inclosed: | 2725 sq. ft. Bldgs occupy entire site. |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sand & rock |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From tanks on Military Prison, which are filled from supply obtained in San Francisco by govt. steamers & pumped to tanks. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | Direct from supply pipes |
| 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: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Gevernment landing on Island, where steamers can & do land several times per day. |
| Distance and Direction: | Down hill about 1/4 mile. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Fog bells can be stopped & started by electrical device, switchboard of which is situated in hallway common to both dwellings. Strokes of bells can also be indicated on said board. Wires for system are strung on redwood poles placed outside of roadway. |