Report for Bluff Shoal Light Station (North Carolina) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 5th |
| Inspector: | John Murdoch, Asst. Light-House Engineer |
| Location: | Bluff shoal, NC, near the middle of Bluff shoal, W'ly part of Pamlico Sound, 7 9/16 miles NNW'ly from Ocracoke light-house, 5 3/8 miles NE'ly from Northwest Point Royal Shoal Unused light-house, & 11 3/4 miles NNE 1/4 E. Mag., from Brant Is. Shoal Lightho |
| Date of Report: | 11/21/1909 |
| Latitude: | |
| Longitude: |
| Premises |
| Site: | Submarine. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| 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: | By railroad to Beaufort. By mail boat to Ocracoke. By small boat from Ocracoke. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 8 miles to steamboat landing, Ocracoke. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 8 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 8 miles to Ocracoke. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Small boat, 8 miles. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Dwelling. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1904 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | February, 1909 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good. |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square building. |
| Form of Tower: | No tower. |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 35 feet |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Woods. |
| Color of Tower: | White: substructure brown. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint. |
| Tower Connection: | No tower. |
| Object of Navigation: | General Purposes. |
| Building Materials: | |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wood. |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 8" x 12"; |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 7 @ 4' 6 3/8" x 2' 4.5" 1st floor.; 4 @ 4' 6" x 19.5" gable. |
| Number of Doors: | 23 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Iron screwpiles, 16 ft. in ground. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7 feet |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 1 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 1 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | Inside 37" x 32 5/16"; outside 36.75" x 34.25" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Copper, iron & wood. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper, led over roof to side of house & to water. |
| Balustrade: | Wood. |
| Lantern Doors: | Fitted with hinges fastened to frame of lantern. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood. |
| Watchroom Doors: | None. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In lower secton of lantern. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None. |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed into frame of lantern. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | None. |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4.5 hours. |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Made at the general Light-House Depot. |
| Year Made: | Unknown |
| Marks and Number: | None. |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19" |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing red. |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 seconds. |
| Flash Interval: | 10 seconds. |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 6 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 3 |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 9 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 4 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 4 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Brass |
| Service Table: | None. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock work. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls. |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 16 feet. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4.5 hours. |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By a glass case. |
| Regulated: | Skew-geared governor. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | By red chimneys. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | Chimney. |
| Lamp Description: | Improved, 1 wick. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | None. |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Straight down through cloumn across to locker & first floor. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Flat surface |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 17 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 3/8" |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | A second floor closet, fitted with oilstand covered with zinc. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Storeroom on second floor, for general purposes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gamewell bell machine. |
| Time to Start: | 2 minutes. |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co., Boston, Mass. |
| Year of Manufacture: | Not known. |
| Characteristic: | A single blow every 15 seconds. |
| Duplication: | None. |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Water Supply: | |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 1200 lbs. |
| Metal: | Bell Metal |
| Diameter: | 36" |
| Height: | 26" |
| Time: | 30 minutes |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | No tower. |
| Coloring: | White |
| Construction Materials: | Wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & 1 assistant. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| 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: | From roof. |
| Quality: | Good. |
| Quantity: | Ample. |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable. |
| Purity Precaution: | Tanks cleaned twice each year. |
| Tank Capacity: | 4 tanks, 200 gallons each on 1st floor. |
| Tank Material: | Iron. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Generally healthy. |
| Diseases: | Malarial. |
| Prevalency: | Spring & fall. |
| Local Causes: | No. |
| Recommended Improvements: | No. |
