Report for Round Island in St. Marys River (Michigan) - 1909

General
District: 11th
Inspector: Ralph R. Tinkham
Location: On E'ly shore of Round Island, MI., lower part of St. Mary's River.
Date of Report: 08/23/1909
Latitude: 46° 06' 33.03"
Longitude: 84° 01' 10.81"
Premises
Site: Purchase. Part of Fr. Sec. 23, T43N, R3E, Mich.mer
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 05/20/1892
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 1 acre
Area Inclosed: None, except small chicken yard.
Character of Soil: Limestone rock, boulders & gravel
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 15'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None
Wharf or Landing on Premises: Boat landing in front of boathouse
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat only
Distance to Nearest Road: Nearest steamboat landing is Detour Village, 11 miles. No railway station.
Distance to Post Office: Raber, 2 3/4 miles
Distance to Village: Raber, 2 3/4 miles
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: By launch from Detour Village or by tender.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1892
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square
Form of Tower: Square prism
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 39.5'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 40'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Wooded
Color of Tower: Yellow with black lantern
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Painted
Tower Connection: Attached to center front of dwelling
Object of Navigation: Coast light & range light
Building Materials: Wood frame construction. Lower part sided, upper part shingled. Brick foundation walls.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 6"
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 6"
Diameter at Base: 8'
Diameter at Parapet: 7' outside, 6' inside
Kind of Stairway and Steps: 1 flight straight wood stairs from 2nd floor of dwelling.
Number of Landings: 1 at top
Size of Glass: 10" x 20"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2 - 4 light, sash 23.5" x 25"
Number of Doors: 1 outer door
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Of red brick
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Limestone rock, boulders & gravel.
Soil Susceptibility: If sodded. The ground directly in front of tower is sodded. Reservation, except for bldgs, wooded.
Miscellaneous Remarks: There is a jog in tower walls at 2nd floor level from 8' dia. below 7' diam. above. 1st floor of tower forms entrance hall to dwelling.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 6th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 3'
Diameter in the Clear: 4' 7"
Number of Sides: 6
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 35' 4"
Number of Plates in Height: One
Number of Plates Each Side: One
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 30 3/4" x 36"
Number of Storm Panes: None
Unglazed Side of Lantern: 1 plate 60 degrees
What Bearings: SW x W 3/8 W & NW x W 3/8 W
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron verticals, cast iron cornice supporting upper part of lantern on tower walls which form lower part of lantern.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Pyramidal cast iron, zinc lined.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Wrought iron
Description of Lightning Rod: 1/8" x 1.5" copper band from lantern into 6" wrought iron pipe set in the ground to water level.
Balustrade: Gallery wood covered with tin, 22" wide, 11' square. Double pipe rail & stanchions, pipe fittings.
Lantern Doors: 1 single fold wood door with steel hinges in parapet. Also a screen door inside this door held with buttons.
Floor of Lantern: Wood flooring on joists & varnished.
Watchroom Doors: Wood trap door 21" x 31" fitted with iron hinges to leather handle leads to landing below by wood step ladder.
Parapet Diameter: 5' 8". Top of wood tower forms parapet.
Ventilators
Location / Number: 3 in parapet, brass valves inside & cast iron hoods outside, also 1 ventilator in parapet of wood box with wood slide damper & wire screen protection.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Brass hooks screwed to soffit.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: Lens lantern
Inside Diameter: 11 7/8"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white with fixed red sectors
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: Fixed white arc 180 degrees, Red sectors to W'd of both sides of fixed white part, each sector 45 degrees. 4th panel - 90 degrees - is brass door.
Number of Panels: 3
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: Central belt, 3 el. above & 3 below.
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: Cast iron flanged bracket springs from cast iron cornice, front side of lantern, & supports lens lantern near center of lantern.
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: Red sectors formed by 2 ruby glass plates 4.5" x 9", resting in grooves outside the lens.
Red Sectors Description: Fixed red sector to W'd of 1 degree (N 1/8 E) & another to W'd of 181 degrees (S 1/8 W)
Where Color Attached: To illuminating apparatus
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description:
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: 1
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None
Oil House Description: 100' NW of dwelling. No shelving.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 5' 7"
Oil House Construction Material: Wood frame with vertical boards battened. Metal slate roof. Painted white - red roof.
Oil House Capacity: 50 5-gal cans.
Other (Describe): Pantry & lamp room 1st floor of dwelling. 2 closets 2nd floor of dwelling.
Suitability: Dry & suitable.
Dwelling
Location: Attached to tower on the W side thereof.
Coloring: Yellow with white trim, red roof. Kitchen addition painted white.
Construction Materials: Wood frame construction on brick foundation, wood shingle roof.
Number of Rooms: 3 rooms, hall, pantry & lamp room on 1st floor; 2 rooms & 2 closets on 2nd floor.
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & family.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 12' x 12' woodshed, sided, metal slate roof; 5'x6' privy of battened boards & metal slate roof; Barn, shed, & hennery all attached, of rough boards with tar paper roofs.
Outhouse Coloring: Woodshed & privy: yellow, red roof; Others weathered.
Paths and Walks: 175' concrete walk in place. 118' to be put in 1909. Total 293'
Area Inclosed: None, except small chicken yard inclosed by high picket fence.
Area of Garden: No garden
Area Timber or Shrubbery: All of reservation except immediate site of bldgs.
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Limestone stone, gravel & boulders.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From river by bucket
Quality: Good
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution:
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Excellent
Diseases: None
Prevalency: No
Local Causes: No
Recommended Improvements: Natural drainage.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Boathouse, 12' x 28' built of vertical boards, battened, painted white, & with red wood shingle roof. Iron roller boatways & iron winch. Double boat landing, 1 crib of squared timbers 16' x 32' filled with stone & plank decked, 1 crib of plank 16' x 20'.
Distance and Direction: 130' N of dwelling & tower.
Miscellaneous Remarks: S'ly red sector covers & it's E'ly edge guides clear of, shoals to S'd & W'd of Round Island. E'ly edge of N'ly red sector with Winter Point Range line marks turning pt. into Mud Lake. Low sea wall is built across front of house & tower 12' there from.