Report for Yerba Buena Island (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | Herbert Luff |
| Location: | On SE extremity of Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco Bay |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1907 |
| Latitude: | N 37° 48' 21" |
| Longitude: | W 122° 21' 45" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military Reservation |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | 05/29/1872 |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 30 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 30 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Light layer of sand & loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 70' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Whole station |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | We use the buoy wharf for landing |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Road is narrow & very steep. Very slippery in damp or wet weather, about 400' N of tower. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 2 miles steamboat landing |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 2 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Navy tug Vigilant from San Francisco. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By boat |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1875 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1906 |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Octagon |
| Form of Tower: | Straight octagon |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 26' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 95' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Dwelling in rear of tower on hillside, painted white with lead colored trimmings |
| Color of Tower: | White with lead colored trimmings, lantern black |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor, for general navigating |
| Building Materials: | Wood with iron lantern |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 6" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 6" |
| Diameter at Base: | 11' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 11' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden steps |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 36 3/4" x 34" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 8 windows, sash 33 1/2" x 36" |
| Number of Doors: | 3, lantern, trap & main door |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick, 2' deep |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 5th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 36" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 36 3/4" x 34" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 1 - 35" x 32" |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 45 degrees |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron, lined with wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper, painted black |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Dia. 16", 9 ventholes, pinnacle red 24" high (on spindle) |
| Lightning Spindle: | None |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Wood, balustrade in poor condition |
| Lantern Doors: | Iron door 2' 8" high, 2' 4" wide, 3/4" thick lined with 4" paneling |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door fitted with butt hinges. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 10' octagon |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Wall |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed in sash |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 3 windows, 1 closet attached to wall & is fitted with shelves, door on N side. |
| How is Relief Called: | Telephones |
| Where is Call System Led: | From signal to Keeper's & assistants quarters. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Haines |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | L. Sautter et Cie A Paris |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | 14.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 3 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 7 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 5 |
| 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: | Iron, bolted to floor |
| Service Table: | Wood attached to wall |
| Draft Tube Description: | Leader pipe 1.5" diameter, no damper connection |
| 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: | 1 |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Attached to side of wall, used for spare lamp & chimneys |
| Oil House Description: | Concrete oil house 14' W of tower, iron roof & 3 rows of open shelving all around. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Storeroom at back & N side of dwelling, used for stores & paints, fitted with 2 shelves on 1 side, 24' long, 4' 10" wide. 6' 6" high, built on side of outhouse. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suited |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 10" steam whistles |
| Time to Start: | 45 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | No name |
| Year of Manufacture: | No name |
| Characteristic: | 4 sec blast followed by 16 sec silent interval |
| Duplication: | Boiler, Engines |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Whistle 50 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | 74' |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | 20' in front & below S |
| Water Supply: | Received from City of Oakland |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Down wooden steps |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | 29' x 30' |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 100 lbs |
| Metal: | Bell metal |
| Diameter: | 19 1/4" |
| Height: | 14" |
| Time: | 2 hrs. |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | |
| Kind: | Horizontal |
| Tube: | Flue tube |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 12' |
| Diameter: | 42" |
| Tube Description: | 41 tubes each 12' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 3" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Flat |
| Furnace Length: | 4' |
| Furnace Width: | 4' |
| Furnace Height: | 2' |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 430 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 16 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 17 |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Straight |
| Steam Fuel: | Coal |
| Steam Safety Valve: | Weight |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | 100 lbs |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 50 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | Brick. bottom 2' 3" top 1' 6" |
| Smokestack Height: | 34' |
| Drum Dimension: | Length 4' |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 2' 6" |
| Steam Covering: | Mineral wool |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Good |
| Steam Boiler Built: | 1, 1896; 1 earlier |
| Where Built: | San Francisco |
| Manufacturer: | T.J. Moynihan; Joshua Hendy |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | 1 horizontal, 1 upright |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | 90 rpm |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | 5" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | 9" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | 1" & 3/4" |
| Steam Engine When Built: | No date |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | No name |
| Manufacturer: | No name |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 10" |
| Whistle Height: | 15" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 2.5" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Above & behind 250' N on hillside |
| Coloring: | White, lead color trimmings |
| Construction Materials: | Rustic, upper story shingled, brick piers foundation & brick chimneys. |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 up & 4 down |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 2 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 2; 1 for general storeroom for keeper's & 1 for cowshed or barn |
| Outhouse Coloring: | 1 painted & 1 whitewashed |
| Paths and Walks: | Cement walks around dwelling & tower. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2 acres inclosed with board fence |
| Area of Garden: | 1 half acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | 1 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | Half acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Fast ground |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From Oakland then pumped from Buoy Wharf to cistern on top of hill |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable to be injured by inroads of storm tides & seas. |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | 100,000 gal tank on top of hill about 400' high, NW direction |
| Tank Material: | Concrete cistern |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Very good |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Platform in front of fog signal with a steam winch & derrick can unload boats lying at anchor in good weather. Wharf at Buoy Station can be used at all times except a SE wind, but trail leading to light station is very steep & slippery in wet weather. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 400' N |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | I would recommend track leading over cliff with hand winch on top similar to 1 at Fort Point Light station. Windows & casings of FS bldg need renovating, as do the flooring downstairs in 3 rooms & hall - present ones are old & single flooring. |
| Hoisting Engines |
| Hoisting Engine Kind: | Brotherhood |
| Engine RPMs: | 65 |
| Engine Diameter: | 5" |
| Engine Stroke: | 5" |
| Engine Boiler: | We use signal boiler |
| Engine Maker and Date: | |
| Serial Number: | |
| Cylinders and Size: | |
| Horsepower: | |
| Fuel: | |
| Hoist Starter: | |
| Hoist Miscellaneous: |