Report for Billingsport Front (New Jersey) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Thos J. Rout Jr. - Supt. |
| Location: | On S'ly bank of Delaware River, NJ about 3/4 mile below Billingsport |
| Date of Report: | 03/18/1910 |
| Latitude: | 39° 50' 51" |
| Longitude: | 75° 15' 11" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 02/25/1880 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 5 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 5 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Sandy |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Tower is surrounded at high water |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Board & wire fence |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Paulsboro, NJ thence by private conveyance to Station or by small boat from river. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Reservation is on public road, distance to RR station at Paulsboro about 1 1/8 mile by road. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 1 1/8 mile by road |
| Distance to Village: | About 1 1/8 mile to Paulsboro, NJ |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Hacks meet trains at Paulsboro |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables at Paulsboro |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | There are 2 lights in the 1 lantern |
| First Built or Established: | 1880 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1908 |
| Condition at This Date: | Excellent |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 40.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 38' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Connected to dwelling by an elevated board walk |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Base of tower consists of 8" x 8" timbers |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 7" |
| Diameter at Base: | Tower is 15' x 20' in plan |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 8' 4" x 13' 4" in plan |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None |
| Size of Glass: | 2'4" x 2' 8" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1; 2' 8" x 5' 10" |
| Number of Doors: | 4; including door from lantern to balcony |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete block 3' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam (very sandy) |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Is susceptable |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is just outside of sea wall, site is in excellent condition. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th order range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | About 7' 3" x 12' 3" in plan |
| Diameter in the Clear: | About 7' 3" x 12' 3" in plan |
| Number of Sides: | 5 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 1 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 2 sides & part of 3rd side glazed with 1 plate ea. |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 5' 1.5" x 3' 8"; 3' 8" x 3' 8"; 4' 4" x 3' 8" (1 each size) |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 1 extra pane of each kind on hand |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 2 sides & part of 3rd unglazed. Light is only visible on range lines |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Shingle roof |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper cable - fastened to spindle with wire rope clips, extends down S side of tower to std. ground connection. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery of wood covered with canvas. Iron pipe railing no balusters. |
| Lantern Doors: | Swinging wooden door, provided with knobs & lock |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Hung on hinges & provided with lock. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 3" x 12' 3" in plan |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 in lower wall of lantern; all have disc covers |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Metal brackets are secured into window jamb spring curtains. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1 closet, 1 window, door leading up to lantern & door opening on the elevated board walk. |
| How is Relief Called: | Station is provided with call bell system which is operated when clock stops |
| Where is Call System Led: | Wires run overhead from tower to dwelling |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | Occulting machinery will run about 7 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | #1 Barbier & Fenestre; #2 Henry Le Paute |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None except names of makers |
| Order of Apparatus: | #1; Range lens 5th order; #2: 5th order lens |
| Inside Diameter: | #1: range lens; #2 14 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white 2 sec eclipse 1 sec |
| Time of Revolution: | Not moveable |
| Flash Interval: | 2 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | 1 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | #1 is range lens; #2 270 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | #1 is range lens; #2 has 3 panels & a reflector |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | #1 - 3; #2 - 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | #1 - 4 circular prisms, outermost 25.5" dia.; #2 4 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | #2 - 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | By brass shade or sleeve lifted & dropped around chimney by clockwork |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | #1 cast iron 34" high; #2 cast iron 43 3/4" high |
| Service Table: | Both of iron fan shaped |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Not revolving |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | Both about 29' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | Occulting machinery will run about 7 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By glass cases |
| Regulated: | By vertical 2 fan governor attached to clock work |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | #1 constant level - 1 wick; #2 Improved standard 5th order lamp - 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | #1 - 1 (3 lamps in all); #2 - 1 (3 lamps in all) |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None except that on spare lamp |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Both occulting cords |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Drop vert. down from clocks to traveling pulley on WR ceiling thence to pulley in top of weight box |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick each lens |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1 3/16" each |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Occulting Light |
| Characteristic: | Fixed white 2 sec - eclipse 1 sec |
| Time Limit: | About a variation of 1/2 second either way |
| Eclipse Type: | Sleeve |
| Size and Amplitude: | #1 - 3 3/4" dia x 7" high 5 3/4" movement; #2 4" dia. x 6" high 5 3/4" movement |
| 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: | 1 closet. It has hinged door but no shelf |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house located about 40' E of dwelling. It has concrete floor & set of shelves for paints |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 7' x 10' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick |
| Oil House Capacity: | 1200 gal |
| Other (Describe): | On 1st floor of dwelling, pantry has shelves & used for storage of food; also 2 closets both have shelves; 1 used for dishes & 1 general storage. 2nd floor 3 closets all have shelves & used for clothes. Storehouse, 14' x 17' 3" about 95' SW of tower. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Fog bell struck by machinery |
| Time to Start: | About 1/2 minute |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Striking machinery made by Gamewell Fire Alarm Tel Co., Boston, Mass |
| Year of Manufacture: | Not known |
| Characteristic: | Double blow every 30 sec |
| Duplication: | None |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | Bell is supported on tower |
| Water Supply: | None required |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By elevated board walk |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Bell is on tower. Tower is frame structure on concrete base. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 2,000 lbs |
| Metal: | Bell metal |
| Diameter: | 47" |
| Height: | 35" |
| Time: | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Manufacturer: | McShane Bell Foundry, Balto. MD, 1908 |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 55' SW of tower |
| Coloring: | Light brown with lighter trimmings |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, stone wall foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house, frame barn, privy & frame storehouse |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Light brown with lighter trimmings - oil house red brick - not painted |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick & gravel walks |
| Area Inclosed: | About 5 acres, board & wire fences |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | All of premises not occupied with bldgs grounds etc. |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Farming lands |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well & roof of dwelling by means of downspouts to cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern is under dwelling, cap about 2800 gal |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Open well, depth 24' |
| Well Diameter: | 3' 6" |
| Well Lining: | Lined with brick |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 25' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Station is nicely located on high bluff & is well kept & cared for. When tower was moved forward to suit new channels, intersection of 2 ranges would not lie in it, so 2 lens' were installed - 1 for each range. |