Report for Reedy Island Range Front (Delaware) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Ray L. Hankinson, Supt. |
| Location: | On edge of marsh on W bank of Delaware River btwn mouth of Appoquinimink Blackbird Rivers, 3 1/3 miles S by W 1/8 W from Old Reedy Id. Lighthouse, 2 3/8 mi S by E of Liston Range front light & on S prolongation of axis of 38' dredged channel |
| Date of Report: | 01/12/1910 |
| Latitude: | 39° 26' 43" |
| Longitude: | 75° 34' 36" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 12/06/1901 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 32 13/100 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | Salt marsh |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Surface of marsh is slightly below mean high water |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Small boats land on the beach |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No road |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Middletown Del., thence by hired conveyance to Rock landing; thence by private boat to station. By tender or other boat from river. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 1 3/4 mi across fields to public road; distance by boat to Rock landing 7/8 mile |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 7 mi to Odessa to Taylor Bridge |
| Distance to Village: | About 7 mi to Odessa to Taylor Bridge |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Livery from Middletown Del., distance about 9.5 miles or from Odessa, distance about 7 mi. or launch from Odessa |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1904 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1909 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | No tower |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | About 31' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Distant trees |
| Color of Tower: | Lighthouse is white, lead colored trimmings, brown roof. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | By paint on lighthouse |
| Tower Connection: | No tower, lantern room is on dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Range light for general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Lighthouse & lantern is a frame structure |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Of lighthouse, about 7" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | No parapet |
| Diameter at Base: | No tower |
| Diameter at Parapet: | No parapet |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | In lighthouse to lantern room; wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None but 2nd floor. |
| Size of Glass: | No tower |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | No tower |
| Number of Doors: | In lighthouse, 25 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Cast iron columns on wooden piles. Piles penetrate about 84' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Marsh |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Reeds & marsh grass only |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Site is very low & marshy & could be improved somewhat |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | Not a std. order; it is a portion of 3rd floor 7' x 7' in plan |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | From rear wall to glass 7' 2.5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4 |
| Type of Bars: | Neither |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 2' 5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One; glass in front only |
| Thickness of Plates: | Double thick 1/8" |
| Size of Plates: | One plate or pane 2' 6" x 2' 6" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | One extra pane on hand |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 3 sides unglazed |
| What Bearings: | Glazed side faces range |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood, plastered on inside |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wood, covered with tin painted brown |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | A 10" star ventilator is used with a register in lantern ceiling which regulates draft. |
| Lightning Spindle: | None |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | None |
| Lantern Doors: | Full height wooden swing door provided with a Yale & Towne lock, opens from hall on 3rd floor to lantern |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | No watchroom |
| Parapet Diameter: | No parapet exc. wooden & plaster walls of lantern |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 1 ventilator near base of lantern room |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | No curtains or hooks |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | No watchroom |
| How is Relief Called: | Automatic electric attachment on clock for calling keeper when clock stops |
| Where is Call System Led: | To electric bell in keeper's bedroom on 2nd floor |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | About 4 & one half hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | USLHE 428 |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th order |
| Inside Diameter: | 500 m.m. |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white 2 secs eclipse 1 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 12 secs |
| Flash Interval: | No flash |
| Duration of Flash: | No flash |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| 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: | Standard 4th order |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | 4th order standard clock work |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | On balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | About 20' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | About 4 & one half hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Clockworks protected by glass case |
| Regulated: | By fan governor |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | White light |
| Red Sectors Description: | None |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Oil vapor, 4th order |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 spare 4th order oil lamps. Dupllicate parts for oil vapor apparatus |
| Number of Spare Burners: | No burner other than mentioned above |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Down through floor of lantern room; thence over traveling pulley to weight box. |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | V grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 20 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 1/2" |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | One mantel |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | 34 m.m. |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Occulting Light |
| Characteristic: | 2 seconds light, on second eclipse |
| Time Limit: | From about 1 revolution in 8 sec. to about 1 revolution in 30 sec. |
| Eclipse Type: | By screen |
| Size and Amplitude: | |
| Axis Rotation: | Vertical |
| Axis Relation: | Coincident |
| Screen Revolution: | As part of illuminating apparatus |
| Screen Number: | 4 |
| Screen Time: | 12 sec. |
| Screen Form: | Conforms to lens |
| Screen Mounting: | Attached to lens |
| Screen Order: | 4th order |
| Screen Date: | Probably 1909 |
| Valve Maker: | |
| Valve Pattern: | |
| Reliability: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 closet in lantern room used for lamp supplies etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Frame covered by galvanized iron, about 38' from lighthouse. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' x 12' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Frame & galvanized iron |
| Oil House Capacity: | About 90 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | 4 on 1st floor & 4 on 2nd floor used for storage of various articles of clothing & provisions. Attic available for use as storeroom |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable for purposes used. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Dwelling & lantern room under 1 roof. |
| Coloring: | White, with lead colored trimmings, green blinds & brown roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Frame on pile foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 8 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame boathouse & privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White with lead colored trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Elevated boardwalk |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Marsh |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From a well |
| Quality: | Fair |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | No tanks or cistern |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Drilled well depth 226' |
| Well Diameter: | 2" |
| Well Lining: | Upper 198' is lined with 2" black iron casing` |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump in kitchen |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | Well located about 4' from veranda of lighthouse. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Not healthful - very marshy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boathouse is frame structure on a pile foundation 20' x 28' in plan. It is reached by small boat through ditch only at time of high water. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boathouse is about 70' S of lighthouse & connected thereto by elevated boardwalk |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Illuminating apparatus is new & appears not to be giving general satisfaction. |