Report for Niagara River Range Front Beacon (New York) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk and Norris Works, Supt |
| Location: | On Bird Island Pier, btwn Niagara River & Black Rock Harbor & Channel, about 700' SW'ly from Buffalo Waterworks Chimney, E'ly bank of Niagara River, near its head. |
| Date of Report: | 01/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 54' 21" |
| Longitude: | 78° 54' 12" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Reservatrion granted to US by NY, letters patent, July 25, 1905, for Black Rock Harbor & Channel. |
| Date of Reservation: | 07/27/1905 |
| Date of Deed: | 04/12/1854 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 20' x 16' = 320 sq. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | Site covered by foundation |
| Character of Soil: | Bird Island Pier, of stone, surrounded by water. |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Foundation Pier, iron ladder on same. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | From foot of Ferry St., Buffalo, NY: by walking to Bird Island Pier 3520'. From Buffalo City Waterworks at foot Mass. St. 500' by small boat. Walk across NYCRR Bridge at foot Vermont St., thence 1430' by small boat. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Old Erie Canal tow path, 350' distant, across Black Rock Harbor & Channel. Niagara St. Electric street car line 1500' distant in air line. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2 1/5 mi to Buffalo, NY PO. |
| Distance to Village: | In Buffalo, 2 mi to City Hall, air line. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1885 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | New tower built in 1900. New foundation built & tower moved to present site Nov. - Dec. 1907 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 58' 8" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 57' 6" above mean level |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Red brick bldgs of water works. |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Lead & oil paints |
| Tower Connection: | No dwelling supplied for station. |
| Object of Navigation: | Range for entering Niagara River from Lake Erie. |
| Building Materials: | Wooden frame, shingled, lower part corrugated iron. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 12" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 8" |
| Diameter at Base: | 12' 10" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 8' 2" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden spiral |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 20" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4 windows, each has 1 sash 22 3/16" x 24" - 2 lts & 1 sash 22 3/16" x 23" - 2 lts. |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete resting on rubble stone pier at 3' MHL |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Stone pier & water |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Present foundation was built in Nov. & Dec., 1907 on Bird Island Pier & tower was moved from old location (on same range line) & placed thereon, Dec. 17, 1907 |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 11 3/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One in each of 3 sides |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | All 30" x36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 240 degrees - 30' |
| What Bearings: | 88 degrees 45' (E 1/8 N) to 329 degrees 15' (NNW 3/4 W); Bearing range line N 29 degrees E |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood, copper roof with zinc lining. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | High dome shape, properly a prolate spheroid. Wooden framing, copper covering, zinc lining. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass or copper, platinum point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Wood, copper covered, surrounded by iron pipe rail. |
| Lantern Doors: | Wooden, paneled, door swinging in, & similar storm door swinging out. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Maple |
| Watchroom Doors: | |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 9 3/4" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 openings thru parapet wall, each closed by revolving disc. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass, screwed into wooden corner posts of lantern. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Room below lantern has small closet for supplies. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Lens made in France. Mounting at 3rd LH Depot |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | Not marked |
| Order of Apparatus: | 90 degree lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 90 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | 1 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| 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: | Of wood, circular in plan, 4' 3" high, top 18" dia. |
| Service Table: | Of wood, over stairs, 3' 1.5" high, 2 shelves underneath. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| 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: | Ruby chimney |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Lens lantern base with 5th order burner, 1 circular wick, 1 1/4" dia. - 3 gal. 5 day tank on top of lantern. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 circular wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1 1/4" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 large closet under stairs on 1st floor, used for oil, paint, & cleaning supplies. 1 small closet in story below lantern, fitted with shelves & used for wicks, chimneys, lamps, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | No oil house at site of tower. Oil house, circular iron, located at old site of Black Rock Light, btwn foot of Albany St. & Fort St., on lot known as No. 8, 75' x 75', on other (E) side of Niagara Ship Canal, 2200' 4/10" distant. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | Fitted with shelving for 5-gal cases. |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: | Suited |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Beacon stands on Bird Island Pier, a narrow wall btwn Black Rock Harbor & Niagara River. May be reached by walking along wall 2/3 mil from Ferry St. or by small boat across Erie Canal & Black Rock Harbor, from Buffalo City Water Works, 500' |
| Distance and Direction: | Walk across NYCRR bridge at foot Vermont St., thence 1430' by small boat. No boat house is provided. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Foundation new in 1907 - Tower in good repair. |