Report for Old Gay Rock (Rhode Island) - 1887
| General |
| District: | 3rd |
| Inspector: | Lt. John Millis, Engr, 3rd Dist. |
| Location: | Wickford Harbor, RI |
| Date of Report: | 02/03/1887 |
| Latitude: | 41° 34' 14" |
| Longitude: | 71° 20' 22" |
| Premises |
| Site: | |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Circle 100' dia. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | High water line on pier |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Small boat |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1/4 mile to Wickford RR depot & Steamboat wharf |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1/4 mile |
| Distance to Village: | 1/4 mile |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | 1/4 mile to Wickford steamboat wharf or RR depot then small boat. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1882 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 42' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 52' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Land |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted |
| Tower Connection: | Connected |
| Object of Navigation: | Guide up W passage & Wickford harbor |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | Foundation consists of rip-rap placed around Old Gay Rock, 60' dia. up to low water line, upon which is placed an iron shell 50' dia., 12' high filled with Portland cement concrete. |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 8" - 2" x 6" studding |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 8" - 2" x 6" studding |
| Diameter at Base: | 12' x 12' outside |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 12' x 12' outside |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 15" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3 round 2' dia. & 5 12-lts 10" x 15" |
| Number of Doors: | 3 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Iron pier on rip rap foundation. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Cellar for tower made in concrete, brick lining of which rises 3' above top of concrete making foundation for dwelling house to which tower is attached. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 3 3/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 27 3/8" x 36 3/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Zinc sheathing |
| Lightning Spindle: | |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | 8 - 6x6" posts w/ 2" sq. balusters fastened to wooden deck w/ angle irons. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 iron & 1 wood |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door thru deck |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet wall |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | With screws |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With 2 service closets |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 7 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 6 |
| 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: | Chimney |
| 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: | White |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Hains lamp |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | With shelves & used for keeping outfit for light. |
| Oil House Description: | In basement or pier |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | 36 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | In basement of pier & watchroom of tower |
| Suitability: | Well suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Stevens fog bell & apparatus operated by clockwork. |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | Stroke every 20 sec. |
| Duplication: | |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | On tower, guide to Wickford Harbor. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Water Supply: | |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Tower attached to dwelling |
| Coloring: | |
| Construction Materials: | Wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 8 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 1 |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | Iron railing around pier. |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | |
| Purity Precaution: | Filterer |
| Tank Capacity: | In cellar, 2500 gal |
| Tank Material: | Brick lined plastered with cement mortar. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Good |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Land from boat on ladder leading to top of pier. No wharf. Boat davits. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Good condition. About 300 tons of rip rap wanted on NW & S sides to protect foundation properly. |