Report for Delaware Breakwater Rear Light Station (Delaware) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer and others |
| Location: | Located on the Sw shore of Delaware Bay about 2 miles NW from Lewes, Delaware. |
| Date of Report: | 12/06/1907 |
| Latitude: | 38° 47' 23" |
| Longitude: | 75° 10' 10" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Grant from State of Delaware |
| Date of Reservation: | 12/17/1880 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 10 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 8.5 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam & marsh |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | On bay shore is about 2000'. On Lewes Creek, about 1000' & on Great Marsh Creek about 350' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Board & wire fences |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | No wharf |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No wharf |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By railroad to Lewes, Del. & thence by private conveyance to Light Station |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Station is located on a public road. Distance to railroad station in Lewes about 2 1/8 miles by road. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 2 1/8 miles by road to Lewes |
| Distance to Village: | About 2 1/8 miles by road to Lewes |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in Lewes. The distance from business center of Lewes is about 2 1/8 miles |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern supported by a skeleton iron tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1881 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | The skeleton is hexagonal, the shell for stairway, circular. |
| Form of Tower: | Skeleton, pyramidal; shell for stairs, cylindrical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 101.5 ' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 100.5' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | Brown |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Range light, for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Wrought iron lined with wood |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | About 4 3/4" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | About 4 3/4" |
| Diameter at Base: | Skeleton frame about 41'; shell 8' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Skeleton frame 9'; shell 8' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Cast iron spiral stairs |
| Number of Landings: | 4 besides watchroom floor |
| Size of Glass: | Entrance windows, 12 3/4" x 24 1/4"; stairway windows, 11" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 7; 2 entrance 15" x 4'7"; 4 stairway & 1 watchroom, 2'2.5" x 4'5 3/4" |
| Number of Doors: | 2 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Foundation piers are of whihte masonry, with dressed stone caps. Drawings on file show the stonework 8' in hgt & resting on 12" of wooden grillage. Tops of piers about 1.5' above ground. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy loam & salt marsh |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Loam is |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The station buildings stand on a low island of hard ground, surrounded by salt marsh |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | Wood lining, 8' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | Lantern is round |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 3' 8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2 panes of glass, with a bar or post between them, |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | & 3rd pane with upper panel of balcony door. |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 2 panes, 3' 3 1/8" x 3' 8 5/8". Door panel glass is 2' 1 5/8" x 3' 1 3/4" high |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None (2 extra lantern panes are on hand) |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | About 243 degrees |
| What Bearings: | WNW & SE 1/2 E, & S by E & SSW |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Metal & wood. Lining is wooden T & G strips |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Wrought iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Is pinnacle of lantern & wrought iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | There is no condutor, except the continuous metal work of the structure, whose anchor bolts extend down to wet earth. |
| Balustrade: | Railing is of wrought iron; deck of cast iron. There are no balusters |
| Lantern Doors: | Door to balcony is of wood & is fitted with a brass rim lock, iron hinges & a lantern ventilator |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door, hung on iron hinges & fitted with a small iron lifting ring. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 8' |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 7 ventilators in lower wall of lantern & 1 in balcony door. 4 have brass covers & 4 brass registers |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | 4 brass hooks attach. to wood lining above glass. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Watchroom is semicircular, having a dia. of 7'5". It has a small cupboard, fitted with shelves, between center column & lantern stairs. |
| 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 could be found |
| Order of Apparatus: | 3rd |
| Inside Diameter: | 3' 3.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white from WSW 3/4 W to WNW & from SE 1/4 S to S by E 3/8 E; dark throughout remaining sectors |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 5, one of which is dark |
| Number of Flash Panels: | Panel of vertical elements, outside of the lens proper. Its frame is 19 3/4" wide & 2' 2 7/8" high & its center is on the old range line, about 13 ddegrees 22' to the N of the present range line |
| Arc of Each: | Vert. panel covers arc of about 43 degrees. |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 13 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 11 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 0 |
| 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: | There is no pedestal. Floor of lens is about 13 1/4" above floor of lantern space between is inclosed with vert. wooden lining |
| Service Table: | Small wooden bench, about 12" x 24"; also a small open cupboard |
| Draft Tube Description: | 3.5" sheet iron tube, supported by a 4-armed brass socket, attached to upper ring of the lens frame. "Connecting" tube is attached to the lower part of the brass socket. & damper tube to lower end of "connecting" tube. |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | No drop tube, except the center column of the spiral stairway, which has an opening just above the 1st floor & another in watchroom. |
| 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: | 2nd order, three wicks, 1 outside diameter of outside wick, about 2 3/4" |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | Two (3 in all) |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | About 2 3/4" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None, except a small cupboard in the watchroom, fitted with shelves & used for lamp chimneys, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house, 8' x 12' situated about 25' W of dwelling. It has a concrete floor & a set of 5 shelves, 7/8" x 9 3/4" in the left end, for paints, etc. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | There are 2 closets, fitted with shelves, & a pantry on the 1st floor dwelling, which has basement used for storage purposes. 2 closets on 2nd floor fitted with shelves & hooks & used for clothes. Storehouse 5' x 12', 24' W of dwelling used for storage. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Dwelling is about 15' SE of tower |
| Coloring: | White with lead colored trimmings, & green shutters |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, stone foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 besides pantry |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house, frame barn, frame storehouse, frame privy & frame tank house |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house - red brick & red roof; frame buildings - white with lead colored trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Of brick, leading from dwelling to tower, oil house & privy |
| Area Inclosed: | About 8.5 acres by board & wire fences. |
| Area of Garden: | About 3/10 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | About 3/10 acre |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 1 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | About 3/10 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Salt marsh |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From dwelling roof by downspouts to tank & cistern; water for stock is obtained from a driven well |
| Quality: | Good when properly cared for |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts are provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Tank - about 1375 gals; cistern about 1925 gals |
| Tank Material: | Cistern of brick on concrete foundation; tank is cedar |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Driven well, depth not known, probably 15' |
| Well Diameter: | 1 1/4" |
| Well Lining: | Driven well |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 8' from rear of dwelling |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The general character & condition of the premises etc. are good. |