Report for Thomas Point (Maryland) - 1867

General
District: 5th
Inspector: J.M. Berrien, Inspector 5th District.
Location: Chesapeake Bay, W side
Date of Report: 09/14/1867
Latitude:
Longitude:
Premises
Site:
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: Enclosed by a rail fence, which is a very poor one.
Wharf or Landing on Premises:
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station:
Distance to Nearest Road:
Distance to Post Office:
Distance to Village:
Facilities for Public Conveyance:
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Detached tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established:
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date:
Shape of Tower in Plan:
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball:
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water:
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Whitewashed.
Tower Connection:
Object of Navigation:
Building Materials:
General Description: Built of granite, apparently "random laid". Looked well outside. Dome leaks.
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Stone, whitewashed but not very clean.
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass: Some are broken & should be replaced.
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: Wood, & they req. repairs.
Number of Doors:
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Ventilators
Location / Number:
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: There was 1 ladder for outside use.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: None


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted:
How is Relief Called: No bell for calling relief.
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter:
Light Characteristic: Fixed white
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels:
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:
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:
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 Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Lens of the 4th order - Franklin lamp.
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1 - not in very good condition.
Number of Spare Burners: 2, in tolerably good condition.
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use:
Oil House Description:
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): There is a closet provided for the preservation of utensils, wicks, chimneys and cleaning materials. Paints, oils, spirits of turpentine, paint-brushes, etc. are kept in a corner of the oil room.
Suitability:
Dwelling
Location:
Coloring:
Construction Materials:
Number of Rooms:
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers:
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: Small "patch" of vegetables - nothing more.
Character of Surroundings:
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps: There is a regulation clock in good condition kept in the sitting room.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse:
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: There is a very poor boat here. It is not for use. Keeper asks for a substantial skiff. It is respectfully recommended to furnish this station with a substantial skiff as the approach to house, by water, is over a shallow flat. Boat here is very old.
Condition
Lantern: Not in very good condition.
Illuminating Apparatus: Lens was clean in all its parts
Service Lamp: In good condition. Glass chimney free from soot & smoke.
Oil: Examined & found to be clean & free from all objectionable matter.
Service Lamp Burner: Free from gummy or burnt oil, clean & wick well trimmed.
Service Lamp Burner Level: Burner was found to be somewhat out of level.
Plate Glass: Clean & free from scratches & stains but the keeper states that they leak badly in storms.
Lens Cover: It was on, was tolerably clean & made of white sheeting. It is hung up in the lantern room when not in use.
Lantern Curtains: None
Carillon or Alarm Bell: None
Rod Lamp: None
Dwelling: Dwelling requires repairs, especially as relates to walls & ceilings.
Stairway and Landing: Whitewashed but not very clean.
Inside of Tower: Whitewashed, not very clean.
Glazing of Dwelling: In bad condition
Improvements Needed: A general repair is needed.
Outhouses: They require repairs.
Boathouse: None
Grounds: Not very good. They have the appearance of neglect.


Equipment Care
Does Keeper Understand the Use and Care of
Lens: It is not allowed to touch the lens improperly.
Lantern and Trap Doors: The trap door fits tightly; the lantern door does not.
Watch or Trimming Room: There were none of these articles to be seen in the rooms mentioned.
Lucernes or Matches: There were none of these articles to be seen in improper places.
Heater: Keeper understands use of the heater.
Ventilation: Keeper understands use of ventilators & how to air bldg; but from fact of tower windows being down & fast it's found that he does not pay proper attention to this part of his duties.
Dome: They were painted according to instructions. Lightning conductor was in good order & reached the ground.


Oil Room
Oil Room Condition: Not in good condition; ventilation good.
Oil Carriers: Not in very good condition.
Number of 100 Gallon Oil Butts: 1
Number of 50 Gallon Oil Butts: 1
Number of Small Butts for Waste Oil: None
Number of Dripping Buckets: 2
Number of Oil Tanks: 2 holding 150 gallons
Oil Butts Made According to Regulation: They are so made
Oil Butt Covers: Gutters were not properly filled. Air cocks were closed.
Drip Bucket Placement: Yed
Oil Butt Platform: They are placed on a raised platform.
Empty Oil Butts: There was no empty oil butt.


Tool Chests and Presses
Cleaning Materials Put Away: They are so put up & packed.
Paints Separate: They are kept separate.
Tool Chest: None - the station is only provided with a hammer & wrench.
Tool Condition:
Tools Free from Rust:
Closets Clean: Do not appear to have received proper attention.
Service Box In Good Order: They are not kept in very good order.
Trimming Scissors Clean: Not very clean.
Brushes and Floor Clothes: They were in tolerably good order & in their places.
Lantern Condition: General condition is not good, although there has never been any complaint of the Light.


Keeper and Assistants
Keeper Appearance: He was sick in bed at the time of my interview with him.
Keeper Interested in Duties: He shows some interest.
Keeper Capacity for Duties: He was too much indisposed to enable me to determine.
Keeper Understanding of Regulations: He was too sick for me to determine.
Keeper Complaints:
Keeper Family: Keeper's family occupy dwelling with him.
Keeper Name: William D. Jones
Keeper Age: Young
Keeper Present or Absent:
Number of Assistants: No assistant is allowed.
Assistants Attend to Duty:
Assistants Capability:
Assistants Complaints:
Assistants Family:
Assistant Keeper Names:
Did Principal and Assistant Keepers Accompany the Inspector?: Keeper was sick & unable to attend during the inspection. He had been sick for several weeks & offered that as an excuse for the bad condition in which some things were found to be; promising to improve matters as soon as he was restored to health.


Account and Regulations Books
Account Books
Daily Expenditures Posted: Yes
Quarterly Returns on Hand: Yes
Receipt and Expenditure Accounts Kept: Yes
Shipwreck and Vessels Passed Book: They are not well kept.
Regulations, Instructions, and Directions
Rules and Regulations Copies: 1
Instructions and Directions Copies: None
Placard Directions Copies: None
Notice to Visitors Copies: None
Summary of Duties: None
Index of Instructions: None
Guide for Mixed Paints: None
Directions for Purifying Water: None
Placards Easily Visible: None
Books Easily Accessible: Yes
Blank Books and Forms: 1 set blanks for quarterly returns.