Report for Calumet Pierhead Light Station (Illinois) - 1909

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Francis J. Otter, Draftsman
Location: On outer end of N pier, entrance to mouth of Calumet River & S. Chicago Harbor, Ill, & about 11 miles SE'ly from Chicago Breakwater, S'ly end of Lake Michigan.
Date of Report: 07/31/1909
Latitude: N 41° 44' 10"
Longitude: W 87° 31' 40"
Premises
Site: Condemnation proceedings for site Jury awarded $4,000 to property owners & deed conveyed to U.S.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 02/12/1873
Date of Permission: 02/12/1873
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: N 60 degrees E 92.5'; S 30 degrees E 300'; S 60 degrees W 100'; N 30 degrees W 300'
Area Inclosed: 100' x 130'
Character of Soil: Clay
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: On outer end of N pier, E'ly N of Calumet River.
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Keeper's dwelling inclosed by tight board fence, 4' 6" high.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: N pier
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: Harbor Ave. runs across rear of lot of Light Keeper's dwelling.
Means to Reach Light Station: By boat from Keeper's dwelling to Pier; Elevated walk along pier to tower; Keeper's dwelling about 3/4 mile distant from tower; Keeper's dwelling is in City of S. Chicago, Ill.
Distance to Nearest Road: 3/4 mile to City Street; about 1 mile to Illinois Central Suburban trains.
Distance to Post Office: Mail delivered at dwelling.
Distance to Village: In city of South Chicago, Ill.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: Good to reach light-keeper's residence.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Generally by small boat from U.S.L.S.S. to inner end of N pier.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Iron tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1873
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1897
Condition at This Date: Fair condition
Shape of Tower in Plan: Circular
Form of Tower: Cylindrical
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 37' 3"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 37'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: N pier; Entrance to mouth of Calumet River; S. Chicago, Ill; & bldgs of Ill Steel Co.
Color of Tower: Grey
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: On N pier, elevated walk on pier to shore; detached
Object of Navigation: Harbor & Channel light
Building Materials: Cast iron & concrete
General Description: Tower cast iron, concrete backing, lined with wood ceiling.
Wall Thickness at Base: 12" - 1/2" cast iron shell, concrete backing
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 6" - 1/2" cast iron shell, concrete backing
Diameter at Base: 16' octagonal base on concrete foundation.
Diameter at Parapet: 11'
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Cast iron stairway 1st floor to watchroom & from watchroom to lantern.
Number of Landings: 1 landing at upper door
Size of Glass: Circular 14.5" dia
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 6 windows; 15.5" dia
Number of Doors: 3; Entrance door; trap door in floor & 1 in parapet wall, double door;
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Concrete to water line
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: On pier
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 5th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 6' 5 3/4"
Diameter in the Clear: 6' 6.5"
Number of Sides: 9
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: 3/8"
Size of Plates: All 33.5" x 36"
Number of Storm Panes: Not so fitted
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron, steel; lining of roof zinc.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Cast iron, inside lining zinc.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Regulation
Description of Lightning Rod:
Balustrade: Iron newel & railings; Gallery, cast iron.
Lantern Doors: Trap door in floor, fitted in rebate; Double doors in parapet wall, swings out onto gallery
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron deck
Watchroom Doors: Trap door in floor, fitted into rebate & hinged.
Parapet Diameter: 6' 5 3/4"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 4 regulation ventilators in parapet wall.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None required
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: 1 set regulation brass hooks, secured to astragals.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: Lamp closet & glass box, also striking apparatus for bell.
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Henry LePaute, Paris
Year Made: No mark
Marks and Number: Name only on apparatus
Order of Apparatus: 6th
Inside Diameter: 12"
Light Characteristic: Fixed red
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: Fixed red
Number of Panels: 2.5
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 2
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, 3' 5 1/4" high
Service Table: Sheet iron on wrought iron frame.
Draft Tube Description: None required.
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: By lens lamp & ruby chimney
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached: Chimney of lens lamp
Form of Colored Glass: Chimney
Lamp Description: 6th order
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: Burner attached to & forms part of lamp
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 1 fitted with 3 shelves
Oil House Description: Near Keeper's dwelling, no shelves
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' 3" x 7' 1.5"
Oil House Construction Material: Brick, concrete, steel, wood & sheet metal
Oil House Capacity: 288 5-gal cans
Other (Describe): Closet in watchroom of tower, 3 shelves for lamps & cleaning material
Suitability: Dry & suited to purpose for which it is designed.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Fog bell struck by automatic machinery every 20 seconds. Established July 20th, 1906.
Time to Start: Automatic
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: Geo. M. Stevens Co., Boston, Mass, Patented July 6, 1897
Year of Manufacture: 1906
Characteristic: 1 stroke every 20 sec.
Duplication:
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:
Distance and Direction:
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:
Description of Fog Signal Building: Fog bell & apparatus are installed in lighthouse.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Bell Signal
Weight: 1,800 lbs
Metal: Bell metal
Diameter: 3'
Height: 3'
Time: 2 hrs, 20 min.
Manufacturer: Geo. M. Stevens Co., Boston, Mass
Weights for Operation:
Dwelling
Location: About 3/4 mile from light tower, in rear of Life Saving Station, near inner end of N pier, elev. walk on pier leading to tower.
Coloring: Brick 1st story; 2nd story shingle, stained green.
Construction Materials: 1st story brick, 2nd story ext. walls, wood frame covered with wood shingles, other construction same as customary for such bldgs.
Number of Rooms: Keeper - 7 & bath; each asst - 4 & bath with all modern imp.
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper, 2 assts.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 1 coal shed, frame 12' x 33'; 1 oil house, brick, 9' x 9'; Boathouse (outside of inclosure to premises) frame 12' x 20'
Outhouse Coloring: Red
Paths and Walks: Concrete walks around dwelling & to shed & oil house.
Area Inclosed: 100' x 130', by tight board fence. 4' 6" high.
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None, premises filled in with clay & seeded.
Character of Surroundings: Sandy & clay, low swampy, except where filled in.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: City water used in dwellings.
Quality: Good
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible:
Purity Precaution: None - City Water Works supply water for domestic purposes.
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Water in dwellings, all modern improvements.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Not very good
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes:
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Piers; Boathouse near pier; Elevated walk from near shoreline along N pier to tower is about 1425' in length.
Distance and Direction: Boathouse about 125' from Light-keeper's dwelling & dwelling is about 3/4 mile from tower.
Miscellaneous Remarks: Width between piers 300'; N pier extends into Lake in a NE by E 3/8 E direction. Life-Saving Station near inner end of N pier, & located on lighthouse reservation.