Report for Opposite Upper End of Elba Island Beacon (South Carolina) - 1885

General
District: 6th
Inspector: B.B. Smith, Asst. Engineer
Location: On SC bank of Savannah River, opposite W end of Elba Island, GA
Date of Report: 11/23/1885
Latitude: 32° 05' 56"
Longitude: 80° 59' 47"
Premises
Site:
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 1/4 acre
Area Inclosed:
Character of Soil: Mud
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 100'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Boat landing
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: Plank walk 120' long.
Means to Reach Light Station: By RR or steamboat to Savannah, GA, thence by hired boat.
Distance to Nearest Road: 5 miles to Savannah, GA
Distance to Post Office:
Distance to Village:
Facilities for Public Conveyance:
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Triangular skeleton iron structure
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1884
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: Never
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Triangular
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 41'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 43'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Sky
Color of Tower: Brown
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: No dwelling
Object of Navigation: Leading light to guide across Savannah River.
Building Materials: Iron
General Description: Beacon is triangular iron structure of 3 series. Each series consists of 3 posts with corresponding struts & tension rods. Lowest posts rest on disks supported by & bolted to foundation. Disks are 13' 6" apart from center to center.
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base: 13' 6" from center to center of disks.
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Iron ladder
Number of Landings: None
Size of Glass: None
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: None
Number of Doors: None
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Foundation consists of 3 piles 20' long upon which are fastened cap timbers so that their top surfaces are 6" below standing water. 3 brick piers rise from top of caps. Anchor plates are below caps & anchor bolts pass thru piers to disks.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Mud
Soil Susceptibility: Not shifting & does not require protection. Overflowed by storm tides & sometimes very high springs.
Miscellaneous Remarks: Site not susceptible of cultivation without dikes to keep out salt water.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 8" Fresnel lens Signal lights
Shape of Lantern: Circular
Diameter to Glass: 8"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides:
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed:
Number of Plates in Height:
Number of Plates Each Side:
Thickness of Plates:
Size of Plates:
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Glass & tin
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: None
Ventilator / Cowl: None
Lightning Spindle: None
Description of Lightning Rod: None
Balustrade:
Lantern Doors:
Floor of Lantern:
Watchroom Doors:
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: Flues on 2 sides of lantern.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement:
Curtain Hooks / Hanger:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 8" Fresnel Lens Signal Light
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic:
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels:
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum:
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum:
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:
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description:
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 color of lamp
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: 1 wick
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1 spare lantern with lamp
Number of Spare Burners: None except one in spare lantern.
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description: Lantern house at base of tower into which lantern is lowered during the day with compartment for 1 5-gal boxed cane & closet for cleaning implements.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 4' x 6'
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity: 1 5-gal boxed can.
Other (Describe):
Suitability:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Some danger from malarial fevers
Diseases: Malarial fevers
Prevalency: In Summer & Autumn
Local Causes: All around
Recommended Improvements: No
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: No boat house. Landing is on bank of Savannah River & connected with beacon by plank walk 2' above ground.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: All in good condition.