Report for Portage River Front Range (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Front Range on W'ly bank of Portage River near its mouth. Rear range about 730' in rear.
Date of Report: 07/25/1910
Latitude: 46° 59' 03"
Longitude: 88° 26' 05"
Premises
Site: Purchases, parts of lots 8 & 9, Sec. 13, T53N, R33W, Mich. Merd.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 05/25/1867
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 1.44 acres
Area Inclosed: None.
Character of Soil: Swampy.
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: A timber revetment with platform on top connects the tanges & is used as a landing.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None.
Means to Reach Light Station: Steamer from Houghton to White City. Small boat from White City to range.
Distance to Nearest Road: 7 miles to RR Station at Chassell, Mich.
Distance to Post Office: 7 miles
Distance to Village: 7 miles
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Steamer from Houghton to White City. Small boat from White City to range.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1 front, 1 rear
First Built or Established: 1868
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1900
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Both square in plan.
Form of Tower: Square pyramidal
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 23' 6"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 21'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Wooded.
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint.
Tower Connection: Detached.
Object of Navigation: Range for entering Portage River from Keweenaw Bay.
Building Materials: Wood frame.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 6"
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 6"
Diameter at Base: 7' 6"
Diameter at Parapet: 7' 6"
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden stairs
Number of Landings: Lantern floor only.
Size of Glass: No windows in tower.
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 1 sash 2' 11" x 1' 11.75", rear window 14" x 19"
Number of Doors: A wooden door leads into tower.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Front tower on crib surrounded by rip-rap.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: All swampy.
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern:
Shape of Lantern: Octagonal
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 8
Type of Bars:
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2' 11"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates:
Size of Plates: 2' 11" x 1' 11.75"
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Wood
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 8 sided with zinc lining inside.
Ventilator / Cowl:
Lightning Spindle:
Description of Lightning Rod: 2" 1/8" copper lighting conductor is attached to lighting conductor spindle & runs down coutisde of building into river.
Balustrade: NOne.
Lantern Doors:
Floor of Lantern: Floor is wooden & is not covered.
Watchroom Doors:
Parapet Diameter:
Ventilators
Location / Number: 2 ventilators in wall of front range lantern.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement:
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to upper window casing.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: None.
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: 6th
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic: Fixed white.
Time of Revolution: Not movable.
Flash Interval: No flashes.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 5, 2 panels in front lens act as reflectors and are composed of 6 prisms.
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 7
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: Pedestal is of wood & is braced to wall of lantern by a 2" wooden strip.
Service Table: None.
Draft Tube Description: None.
Revolving Machinery: Not revolving.
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 Hains lamps in both towers.
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: None.
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1 3/16"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None.
Oil House Description: Brick oil house about 100' from dwelling & between the ranges.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' 2" x 5' 6"
Oil House Construction Material: Brick
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 2 closets in dwelling. Small cellar under dwelling but is not serviceable.
Suitability: Cellar is damp & unsuitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: No fog signal.
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:
Duplication:
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:
Dwelling
Location: Rear tower rises from front of dwelling.
Coloring: White
Construction Materials: Frame building.
Number of Rooms: 5 rooms
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: Keeper & faimly.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: White woodshed on rear of dwelling. Boat house, white, coal house, red, Privy, white & oil-house, red.
Outhouse Coloring:
Paths and Walks: Board walk 2.5' wide on top of revetment leads down between the ranges.
Area Inclosed: None.
Area of Garden: None.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None.
Cultivation Area Available: None.
Area Cultivated:
Character of Surroundings: All swampy.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From well for drinking; From lake for household purposes.
Quality: Fair.
Quantity: Ample.
Injury Possible: No.
Purity Precaution: No cistern.
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Driven well 45' deep.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump.
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: NW corner of dwelling.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good.
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: The boat house is built up on platform same level as dwelling. The revetment is used as a landing also the platform around the house.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Towers & buildings are in good condition. Cellar under dwelling is not servicable because it leaks so badly that is full of water most of the time. Water from well is good for drinking but not suitable for cooking as it turns yellow when heated & spoils.