Report for Oak Orchard (New York) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 10th |
| Inspector: | Chas. Bartlett, Chief Clerk and Norris Works, Supt |
| Location: | On W Pier, 27' from its outer end, entrance to Oak Orchard Harbor, S'ly shore of Lake Ontario. |
| Date of Report: | 01/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | 43° 22' 29" |
| Longitude: | 78° 11' 40" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Beacon on US Pier. Dwelling on purchased property on W side Oak Orchard Creek. Consideration $500.00 |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 09/07/1870 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Dwelling site 1/2 acre. |
| Area Inclosed: | At dwelling, 1/2 acre. |
| Character of Soil: | Clay loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Tower on pier |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Dwelling site by picket fence |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None at dwelling. Tower is on pier. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Beacon on W Pier. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | From Dwelling: walk along beach 1800' to inner end of pier, thence out W Pier on elevated walk 963', a total of 2763'. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | By public road, 3 miles to Carlton, on RW & O RR, 11 miles to Albion on NYCRR Falls Branch. |
| Distance to Post Office: | Point Breeze, Orleans Co., 1/2 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 3 miles to Carlton. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | By RW & O RR to Carlton, thence 3 miles by road. By NYCRR, Niagara Falls, Br. to Albion, thence 11 miles by road. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Frame tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1871 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Concrete piers under beacon in 1900. |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair, requires repairing. |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 32' 3" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 29' 9" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded hills |
| Color of Tower: | Brown below, white above, black lantern. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Lake coast & harbor light |
| Building Materials: | Wood, iron lantern |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 10" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 8" |
| Diameter at Base: | 11' 9" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 8' 2" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden ship ladder |
| Number of Landings: | One |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 18" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1 window over door 34" x 20" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Concrete piers, under corners of tower, resting in stone filled timber cribs, of W Pier. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Square |
| Diameter to Glass: | 6' 11.5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4 - 3 plates on each side. |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | All 36.5" x 26 3/4" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 1 side = 90 degrees |
| What Bearings: | 318 degrees 15' (NW 5/16 N) to 48 degrees 15' (NE 5/16 E) |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Parapet of wood, lantern proper of cast iron & brass. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron in 4 sections, lined with zinc. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Pinnacle of globe, iron with platinum point. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 5/8" copper wire rope, fastened to neck of globe, thence led down S side of tower into water. |
| Balustrade: | Square gallery of wood, covered with zinc. Balustrade of iron, 12 stanchions, with hand & foot rails. |
| Lantern Doors: | Double wooden parapet door, outside 1 covered with zinc, fitted with iron hinges & bolts. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood, covered with copper. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door, covered with copper |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3 wooden ventilators in parapet wall, with wooden slides, protected on outside with wire gauze. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks, screwed into lantern posts. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1st floor fitted with locker & closet with hooks, work table & oil bench - 2nd floor fitted with bunk & 2 lockers. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier, Benard & Turenne, Paris |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 360 degree lens lantern, w/ 5 day tank attachment |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 13/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 360 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| 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: | 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: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 5th order, with 5 day tank attachment |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 round wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1 1/4" outside attachment |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Closet & cupboard, fitted with hooks & shelves. |
| Oil House Description: | Red square iron oil house, near shore end of pier, 7' 6 7/8" square. Erected Nov. 13, 1903. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | |
| Suitability: | Dry, suited. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 2 story frame dwelling, on W bank of Oak Orchard Creek, 1/2 mile from beacon. |
| Coloring: | White |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, on stone foundation. |
| Number of Rooms: | 9 rooms, besides office, kitchen, woodshed & cellar. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Privy & barn |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White |
| Paths and Walks: | Cement - 4' wide to front door 100 lin. ft.; 3' wide to side door 96 lin ft.; 2.5' wide kitchen to well, 70 lin. ft.; 2' wide, kitchen to privy 100 lin. ft. - Total = 366 lin. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | 1/2 acre, by picket fence, whitewashed. |
| Area of Garden: | 1/6 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | All |
| Area Cultivated: | 1/6 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Clay loam, a marsh near. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well & cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | 30 bbls, in cellar, under kitchen. |
| Tank Material: | Stone, plastered. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Dug well, 18' to rock. In Nov. 1897 hole drilled in rock 20' 6", making total depth from ground surface 38' 6" |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | Lined at top |
| Pump or Bucket: | Rumsey No. 4 pump, placed Dec. 1897 |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 25' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | No |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No landing at dwelling, lot does not extend to Oak Orchard Creek. There is a private landing 600' from dwelling on bank of creek. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Wooden elevated walk on W Pier, 963' long. |