Report for Blakistone Island Light Station (Maryland) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 5th |
| Inspector: | Jon Murdoch, Asst. Lighthouse Engineer |
| Location: | S'ly end of Blakistone Island, off the entrance to St. Clement, N'ly side of Potomac River |
| Date of Report: | 10/14/1909 |
| Latitude: | 38° 12' 27" |
| Longitude: | 76° 44' 43" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/27/1850 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2 A. 3 R. 23 p. 32 1. |
| Area Inclosed: | 1/2 acre |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 60' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wooden fence |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No road, distance 30' |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By small boat |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1 1/4 miles to steamboat landing at Goltons. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1 1/4 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 10 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Small boat, 1 mile |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1851 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | September, 1905 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular (in center of brick dwelling) |
| Form of Tower: | Cylindrical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 53' 6" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 44' 6" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Woods |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | By whitewash |
| Tower Connection: | Tower connected with Keepers' dwelling, by brick walls. |
| Object of Navigation: | General purposes |
| Building Materials: | Brick |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 2' |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 9" |
| Diameter at Base: | 8' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 6' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wood |
| Number of Landings: | 5 |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1, 2' 8" wide, 5' 0" high |
| Number of Doors: | 13 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick, 5' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 0" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 9 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 36" x 27 1/2" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron & copper; parapet brick. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper, attached to base of lantern, led over roof to side of dwelling & to ground. |
| Balustrade: | Iron |
| Lantern Doors: | Fitted with hinges to frame of lantern |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood, covered with sheet copper |
| Watchroom Doors: | In floor of lantern, with hinges. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed into frame of lantern. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | L. Sautter, Paris |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white with a fixed red sector |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| 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: | Iron |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| 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: | By ruby glass |
| Red Sectors Description: | Between 221 degrees 30' true (SW 1/8 W, mag) & 267 degrees 20' true (W 1/4 N mag.) |
| Where Color Attached: | To lantern |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Constant level, one-wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Fitted with shelves, for eneral purposes. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil kept on 3rd floor of dwelling, in small pans. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 3 between tower & outer wall used for general purposes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Stevens Bell machine |
| Time to Start: | 1 minute |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Boston, Mass., Geo. M. Stevens Co. |
| Year of Manufacture: | Not known |
| Characteristic: | A single blow every 16 secs. |
| Duplication: | None |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Detached from lighthouse |
| Distance and Direction: | SW 25' |
| Water Supply: | None required |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By boardwalk |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Wooden pyramidal structure, 20' 6" high, 12' square at base & 9' square at top. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 1000 lbs |
| Metal: | Bell metal |
| Diameter: | 38" |
| Height: | 28" |
| Time: | 2 3/4 hours |
| Manufacturer: | Geo. M. Stevens Co. |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Connected to tower, the 2 forming practically 1 structure |
| Coloring: | White |
| Construction Materials: | Brick & wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Kitchen & pumphouse |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick walk between dwelling & summer kitchen & in front of dwelling |
| Area Inclosed: | Post & rail fence |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Well |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | 14' |
| Well Diameter: | 5' |
| Well Lining: | Wood curbing |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 20' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthy |
| Diseases: | Malarial |
| Prevalency: | Spring & fall |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |