Report for Fort Washington (Maryland) - 1867

General
District: 5th
Inspector: J.M. Berrien, Inspector 5th District
Location: Near Washington, D.C.
Date of Report: 09/11/1867
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 board fence.
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: From an iron post on the wharf.
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:
Color of Tower/ How Produced:
Tower Connection:
Object of Navigation:
Building Materials:
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps:
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass:
Number of Windows and Size of Sash:
Number of Doors:
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: There is no government time piece at this station.
Ventilators
Location / Number:
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: There are no ladders.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:
Year Made:
Marks and Number:
Order of Apparatus: 6th
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 6th order with a common house lamp.
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: There was 1 spare lamp of the kind used here & it was in tolerable good condition.
Number of Spare Burners: There was no spare burner excepting the one w/ the spare lamp.
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): Utensils, wicks, chimneys and cleaning materials kept in a corner of the oil room. There were no Paints, oils, spirits of turpentine, paint-brushes on hand.
Suitability:
Condition
Lantern: Lens was in bad order & Keeper's attention was called to the fact.
Illuminating Apparatus: Lamp, which was a common house lamp wanted cleaning. Keeper's attention was called to the fact.
Service Lamp: Oil was clear; it had not been filtered.
Oil: It was in bad order, like the lamp.
Service Lamp Burner:
Service Lamp Burner Level:
Plate Glass:
Lens Cover: There was none.
Lantern Curtains: None
Carillon or Alarm Bell:
Rod Lamp: None
Dwelling: Dwelling was clean & whitewashed. Railing around the porch was giving way & should be repaired.
Stairway and Landing:
Inside of Tower:
Glazing of Dwelling: Glazing was in good condition.
Improvements Needed: Dwelling should have a conductor.
Outhouses: They are in good condition.
Boathouse: There are none.
Grounds: They are in very good condition. Grounds appear to receive the requisite care & attention.


Equipment Care
Does Keeper Understand the Use and Care of
Lens:
Lantern and Trap Doors:
Watch or Trimming Room:
Lucernes or Matches:
Heater: He has no heater
Ventilation:
Dome: There is no conductor to the dwelling.


Oil Room
Oil Room Condition: Oil room is very damp; is in bad condition, ventilation by a window & the door.
Oil Carriers: In rather bad condition & in no order of arrangement.
Number of 100 Gallon Oil Butts:
Number of 50 Gallon Oil Butts: 1
Number of Small Butts for Waste Oil:
Number of Dripping Buckets: 2 dripping cups
Number of Oil Tanks: 1, holding 50 gallons
Oil Butts Made According to Regulation: It is made according to the directions of the Lighthouse Board.
Oil Butt Covers: Gutters were filled; air cocks closed. Keeper understands use of covers & cocks.
Drip Bucket Placement: There was a dripping cup instead.
Oil Butt Platform: Oil butt was placed upon a box & was above the floor of the oil room.
Empty Oil Butts: There was no empty oil butt.


Tool Chests and Presses
Cleaning Materials Put Away: Yes; these are kept in the dwelling.
Paints Separate: There were none of the above mentioned articles on hand.
Tool Chest: There is none
Tool Condition:
Tools Free from Rust:
Closets Clean: Storeroom containing oil was not clean & did not appear to have been aired.
Service Box In Good Order: There is no service box.
Trimming Scissors Clean: There was no tray. The scissors were in bad condition.
Brushes and Floor Clothes:
Lantern Condition: Very bad.


Keeper and Assistants
Keeper Appearance: Keeper was very well dressed.
Keeper Interested in Duties: Yes
Keeper Capacity for Duties: He does not appear to want capacity.
Keeper Understanding of Regulations: Keeper seems to wish to do all that is required of him but had no book of Instructions & does not appear to want any.
Keeper Complaints:
Keeper Family: Keeper has a family which occupy the dwelling with him.
Keeper Name: Joseph Cameron
Keeper Age: Aged
Keeper Present or Absent: He was present.
Number of Assistants: None allowed.
Assistants Attend to Duty:
Assistants Capability:
Assistants Complaints:
Assistants Family:
Assistant Keeper Names:
Did Principal and Assistant Keepers Accompany the Inspector?: After searching a long time for the Keeper, he was found in the Fort, which is near & which it appeared, he had some employment. He wore a uniform coat. Keeper accompanied during the inspection.


Account and Regulations Books
Account Books
Daily Expenditures Posted: They are not noted daily.
Quarterly Returns on Hand: Yes
Receipt and Expenditure Accounts Kept: They are kept in such a way that only the Keeper himself can understand them.
Shipwreck and Vessels Passed Book: They are not kept
Regulations, Instructions, and Directions
Rules and Regulations Copies:
Instructions and Directions Copies:
Placard Directions Copies:
Notice to Visitors Copies:
Summary of Duties:
Index of Instructions:
Guide for Mixed Paints:
Directions for Purifying Water:
Placards Easily Visible: There were no placards.
Books Easily Accessible: There is no book of Instructions here.
Blank Books and Forms: Set of blanks for quarterly returns.