Report for Baltimore Light Station (Maryland) - 1908
| General |
| District: | 5th |
| Inspector: | Major W.E. Craighill, Lighthouse Engineer |
| Location: | Southerly entrance to Craighill Channel, MD |
| Date of Report: | 10/03/1908 |
| Latitude: | 39° 03' 36" |
| Longitude: | 76° 23' 52" |
| Premises |
| Site: | In Chesapeake Bay to W of S entrance to Craighill Channel |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Site, submarine |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Stands in 24' of water at high tide |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | 2 ladders on tower |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | None |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By private boat from Baltimore. In good weather, from W shore in small boat. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Gibsons Island road, 2.5 nautical miles. Road on Broad Neck, 3 nautical miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 3 nautical miles to Skidmore. |
| Distance to Village: | 10 nautical miles to Annapolis |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | None except by boat |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 10/1/1908 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | New |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Octagonal |
| Form of Tower: | Foundation from water to veranda, cylindrical; above veranda, octagonal. |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 143' 6" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 55' 7" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Water |
| Color of Tower: | Lantern, black; mansard roof, slate; house, light brick; cylinder, brown |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted, except brickwork |
| Tower Connection: | Keeper's dwelling rests on foundation cylinder, with lantern on top of dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Aid for entering & leaving S end of Craighill Channel |
| Building Materials: | Wooden caisson supporting iron cylinder filled with concrete & large stone, on top of which is a brick dwelling with wooden roof covered with tin & surmounted by lantern of wood & iron. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Wooden caisson filled with concrete, 48' square. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | Lantern parapet walls 5.5" thick |
| Diameter at Base: | 48' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | Lantern parapet, octagonal, 6' 4 3/4" inside. |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular, wooden |
| Number of Landings: | 5 |
| Size of Glass: | Cellar, 12.5" in dia. x 1/4" thick; 1st & 2nd stories, 12" x 15"; 3rd story, 9 15/16" x 19 1/4" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 8 in cellar, brass, 15 5/8 in dia.; 10 in 1st & 2nd stories, 2' 5" x 2' 9"; 4 in 3rd story, 2' x 1' 10" |
| Number of Doors: | 25 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Sand & gravel, 82' below high-water mark |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Soft mud at bottom of Bay. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 3' 6" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | 3/8" x 34 1/8" x 36 9/16" outside, & 3/8" x 32 1/8" x 36 7/8" inside |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 6 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood, iron, tin & copper |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron rafters, covered with 8 copper plates 1/32" thick, & lined with 8 zinc plates 1/32" thick. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper 1/16" thick |
| Lightning Spindle: | With platinum point, is placed on top of copper ventilator ball. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Lightning conductor ribbon, 1/8" x 1.5" copper, fastened to iron sill of lantern with brass tap bolt, carried down side of lantern, over lantern gallery deck & down side of mansard roof & side of house to undeside of pinnacle on water-closet. |
| Balustrade: | A gallery inclosed by an iron railing surrounds the lantern |
| Lantern Doors: | 1, hung with hinges & fitted with lock. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Yellow pine, 7/8" thick. |
| Watchroom Doors: | A door, 2'4" x 6' 8", with upper panels glazed, leads into stairway to lantern. |
| Parapet Diameter: | Watchroom, octagonal, 23' 6" in dia. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 3 ventialtors, 5" in dia. with regulating disks are placed in sides of parapet. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None needed |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | 8. Screwed into the angles. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Has work bench, 3' high, 2' 6" wide & 5' long, with top 2" thick & 2 drawers 8" deep |
| How is Relief Called: | Electric bell attached to lens to notify keeper when lens stops revolving |
| Where is Call System Led: | Down through center to kitchen. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Benard |
| Year Made: | 1896 |
| Marks and Number: | U.S.L.H.E. 404 |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 500 mm |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 10 secs |
| Time of Revolution: | Once each minute |
| Flash Interval: | 10 secs |
| Duration of Flash: | 5 secs |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 6 |
| Arc of Each: | 60 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 6 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Cast iron base, standards wrought iron covered with brass tubing. |
| Service Table: | Or work bench, 1 in 3rd story or watchroom |
| Draft Tube Description: | Not any |
| Revolving Machinery: | Operated by clockwork |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 38' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case |
| Regulated: | Skew-gear driven governor fans. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 4th order improved, 1 wick. (3 lamps at station: 2 in service, 1 spare lamp.) |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Revolves on semicircular grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 20 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 1/2 " |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 4 closets with shelves & hooks for clothes, & 1 large double closet with shelves |
| Oil House Description: | Oil room is built in cellar; it has walls of brick & concrete, a cement floor, & is fitted with an iron door. Cement on I beams forms the ceiling. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | In cellar: storeroom fitted w/ shelves for provisions, & room for wood & coal. On 1st floor: storeroom fitted w/ dresser, w/ drawers & shelves for provisions; also 2 closets fitted w/ shelves & hooks for clothes. On 2nd floor: gen. storeroom |
| Suitability: | Dry. Suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gamewell apparatus striking a bell |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Gamewell Fire-Alarm Telegraph Company. |
| Year of Manufacture: | 1907 |
| Characteristic: | During thick or foggy weather, the bell will be struck a double blow every 15 sec. |
| Duplication: | None |
| 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: | Bell sits on brackets on E or channel side of tower, 44' above high-water mark. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 1200 lbs |
| Metal: | 78 parts copper, 22 tin (bell metal) |
| Diameter: | 3' 4" |
| Height: | 2' 6" |
| Time: | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Manufacturer: | Gamewell Fire-Alarm Telegraph Company. |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | In the tower |
| Coloring: | Foundation, brown; 1st & 2nd stories, light gray brick with brown trim; shutters green; mansard roof, slate color. |
| Construction Materials: | Concrete, iron, brick & wood. |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 in cellar, 3 rooms, hall & passageway 1st floor |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 2 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Water closet overhangs cylinder on SW side. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Brown |
| Paths and Walks: | Veranda around house |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From rainfall on roof |
| Quality: | |
| Quantity: | |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable; the 2 cisterns are well above high-water mark |
| Purity Precaution: | Cut-offs have been placed in the downspouts, & manhole frames in cellar have been raised above cellar floor & covers fit snugly. |
| Tank Capacity: | 3,500 gals. under cellar floor |
| Tank Material: | Concrete, plastered inside with cement |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Fairly good |
| Diseases: | Malarial, to an inconsiderable extent. |
| Prevalency: | Not noticeably |
| Local Causes: | Very few on land near by |
| Recommended Improvements: |