Report for Cherry Island Range Rear Light Station (Delaware) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer and others |
| Location: | Located on the westerly side of the Delaware River about 11/16 mile in rear of the front station |
| Date of Report: | 12/22/1907 |
| Latitude: | 39° 45' 43" |
| Longitude: | 75° 29' 24" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 07/03/1879 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 1/4 mile |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wire fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No wharf |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By railroad to Bellevue, Del. & thence walk to station, or by private conveyance from Wilmington to station, or by electric road from Wilmington to a point about 1/2 mile from station and walk remaining distance |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 1/3 mile over right of way to public road. About 5/8 mile by road to Bellevue railroad station. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 2 miles to Bellevue Post Office |
| Distance to Village: | About 3 3/8 miles to Wilmington |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None, except electric road from Wlmington, passing about 1/2 mile of station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in Wilmington |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1880 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 47 1/2" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 120' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees and sky |
| Color of Tower: | White, with lead colored trimmings, green shutters and black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel and range, for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Frame |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 12" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 7" |
| Diameter at Base: | 11' 1.5" x 11' 1.5" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 11' 1.5" x 11' 1.5" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None besides floors |
| Size of Glass: | 12 panes 9" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4 windows (2 sash) lower 2' 7 3/4" x 2' 4 1/4"; upper 2' 7 3/4" x 2' 3" |
| Number of Doors: | 22 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stone wall foundation probably about 4' 6" deep |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The site of the lighthouse is high, being about 85' above mean low water. In the rear the ground is approx. level. On the other three sides it slopes away from the lighthouse. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th order, range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Square |
| Diameter to Glass: | 8' 2 3/4" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4 |
| Type of Bars: | None |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' 73/8" (in front only) |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Glass in front only |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 3' 8" x 1/4" x 3' 8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | One |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 3 sides unglazed, the glazed side faces down range |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wood, covered with tin |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Galvanized iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Upper end of the conductor is wired to the galv. iron lantern pinnacle & rises about 2'2" above ball |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Conductor is a 5/8" spiral rib galv. iron rod which extends down the right rear hip of lantern, down rear wall of lantern, over lantern balcony floor, down the rear of lantern tower to std ground connection |
| Balustrade: | Wood; deck is covered with tin, protected by a grillage |
| Lantern Doors: | Swinging wooden door hung on iron hinges & fastened with a thumb latch & 2 iron bolts |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Narrow stairs lead from the watchroom to the lantern. At foot of stairs is a swinging door, hung on iron hinges & fastened with an iron thumb latch |
| Parapet Diameter: | 8' 2" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | No hooks, the curtain is hung on a roller |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | It has a cupboard about 16" x 5' 0" x 2' 8.5" high. No other fittings |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None except district numbers |
| Order of Apparatus: | 22" parabolic reflector |
| Inside Diameter: | No lens |
| 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: | No pedestal. The lamp & reflector are supported by a wooden cupboard in center of lantern. Its top about 2' 3" x 3' 5" & 3' 9" above floor |
| Service Table: | None, except top of cupboard |
| Draft Tube Description: | No lens, no tube |
| 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: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sectors |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | The lamp is a headlight lamp with a 1-wick 4th order constant level burner |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 (2 in all) |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | There is a cupboard in the watchroom & another in the lantern, fitted with shelves & used for lamp supplies etc. |
| Oil House Description: | There is a brick oil house, 8' x 12' in plan, located about 23' N of the lighthouse. Across the left end it has a set of shelves for paint, etc. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | There is a pantry on the 1st floor & 4 closets on the 2nd floor fitted with hooks & shelves & used for clothes. The basement is used for storage purposes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Coloring: | White with lead colored trimmings, green shutters & black lantern |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, with stone wall foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 besides halls, pantry & watchroom |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house & privy, frame barn |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house & privy of red brick, unpainted. Barn is white-washed |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick walks connect both entrances of lighthouse with oil house & privy |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2 acres by wire fences |
| Area of Garden: | About 7/8 acre. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | There are 10 fine maples, 1 walnut, 1 horse chestnut, 8 cherries & 7 apple trees |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 7/8 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Farming lands - soil clay loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well & from roof of lighthouse, by means of downspout to cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cut-offs. |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern is under lighthouse, capacity about 1500 gals |
| Tank Material: | Cistern is of brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Open well, 41' deep (it had 4.5' of water in it 9/4/1906) |
| Well Diameter: | 3' 0" |
| Well Lining: | Brick lining |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | Well is under kitchen of the lighthouse |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None prevalent |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The general character and condition of the premises etc. are good. |