Report for Southampton Shoal Light Station (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | Samuel D. Hounsell, Keeper |
| Location: | Southampton Shoal, San Francisco Bay |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1907 |
| Latitude: | 37° 52' 49" |
| Longitude: | 122° 24' 02" |
| Premises |
| Site: | S'ly end of Southampton Shoal, San Francisco Bay, CA |
| 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: | No wharf, landing is made by means of swinging ladders |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | None |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By water |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 3 miles |
| Distance to Post Office: | 4 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 4 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None. Keepers get mail & provisions from Pt. Richmond with boat belonging to station. (Whitehall boat). |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By boat |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower from center of bldg supported on piles |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | December 28, 1905 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 52' from tower platform (or basement floor) |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 52.5' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Foothills in distance |
| Color of Tower: | White, lead colored trimmings, brown roof, lantern, black. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Tower projects from center of Keeper's dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Bay |
| Building Materials: | Wood |
| General Description: | 2 story & basement frame structure surmounted by black cylindrical lantern on platform on 11 foundation cylinders. Cistern on 2nd story platform E'ly of dwelling. |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 6" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Winding stairs from basement to tower landing. |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 16 panes: 6 panes 10" x 15"; 2 panes 17" x 22" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 6 windows altogether in tower below lantern. |
| Number of Doors: | 5 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Steel cylinder filled with concrete |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 5th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.42" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | Circular |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 37 1/4" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 6 full panes & 1 large pane for door, 2 vertical |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Half panes for either side & 14 horiz. 1/2 panes. |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" curved glass |
| Size of Plates: | Standard sizes for new 5th order lantern |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 7 spare panes: 1 large square for door, 2 small squares & 4 triangular |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Composed of 8 castings, iron with conical roof & ventilator ball, interior of roof lined with zinc. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Conical |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Round iron casting lower part of ball fitted with 1 5/8" openings & covered with brass wire cloth. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Platinum point soldered to spindle |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | 6' gallery surrounded by galvanized iron railing; floor of gallery sheet copper & covered with gratings of oak |
| Lantern Doors: | Full length door, upper half large square pane secured by 2 steel rods thrown in opposite directions by steel pinion. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Pine flooring |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door through floor |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 9/16" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 brass air registers in parapet plates consisting of valve, valve seat, stem, nut & perforated plate & ventilator ball on roof. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Spring curtains with 12 brass hangers. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With standing desk fitted with 2 drawers & closets for stationery. Chimney closet placed in corner of landing adjacent to ladder of lantern. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | No name |
| Year Made: | No date |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | Lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 360 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 3 |
| 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: | Wooden |
| Service Table: | Service table in watchroom |
| 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: | Fixed white |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funck tubular |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | One |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 for chimneys. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil room in basement, cement floor, & fitted with shelves for case oil. Door & window casing with galvanized iron. Window sash made of galvanized iron provided with wire glass |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Closet in each room of dwellings. Kitchens fitted with flour bins, pot closets & china closet; basement fitted with storeroom for coal & also paint room. |
| Suitability: | Damp at certain times of year, in winter & foggy weather. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gamewell bell machine No. 2 for striking apparatus. |
| Time to Start: | 1 minute |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Globe Bell & Brass Foundry, San Francisco, CA |
| Year of Manufacture: | 1905 |
| Characteristic: | Double blow every 5 & 15 seconds. |
| Duplication: | 1 side spring, 1 winding crank, 1 gear wheel. |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Bell attached to dwelling & underneath bedrooms. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Water Supply: | |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 3,500 lbs |
| Metal: | Bronze |
| Diameter: | 5' 3" |
| Height: | 4' 6" |
| Time: | 40 minutes. |
| Manufacturer: | Globe Bell & Brass Foundry, San Francisco, CA |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Surrounds lower portion of tower. |
| Coloring: | White, lead colored trimmings, brown roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood, supported on concrete & steel |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 Keeper & 1 assistant |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | None |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, with lead color trimmings & brown roof. |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Water |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Rain water |
| Quality: | Poor |
| Quantity: | Not sufficient to last over 8 months |
| Injury Possible: | |
| Purity Precaution: | Clean out tanks annually, cement sides & bottom & place iron bolts in water to purify it. |
| Tank Capacity: | 12,000 gals, placed to E'd of dwelling on 2nd platform. |
| Tank Material: | Redwood staves & bottom; hoops of galv. iron, flat set up with nuts. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Water obatined from cistern as described |
| Well Diameter: | 15' |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pumped from main tank to flush tanks overhead |
| What Power Used: | Gravity |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | General health at station is fair. |
| Diseases: | Rheumatism & catarrh |
| Prevalency: | Prevail during winter & spring months. |
| Local Causes: | Caused by dampness & continual wetting in boating to & from shore. |
| Recommended Improvements: | A power boat supplied to station would cut out the necessity of getting wet & would enable keepers to reach destination in a half hour, whereas at present it is often the case that we are 4 hours & sometimes more in reaching shore, or station. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boat landing is situated 3 miles ENE from station, a float moored in 10' of water at high water at Point Richmond. Landing at station is by swinging ladder suspended from lower platform. |
| Distance and Direction: | ENE 3 miles. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Foundation cylinders thrown out of line to E'd by tremblors of 4/18/1906. There has also been some erosion from around cylinders. Abt 3,000 yds of rock have been dumped around & btwn cylinders underneath lighthouse & cylinders have been securely braced. |