Report for Humboldt Bay Fog Signal (California) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | Howard Cox |
| Location: | Humboldt Bay, CA |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1909 |
| Latitude: | 40° 45' 39" |
| Longitude: | 124° 13' 13" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Reservation. Frac. Sec 6, T4N, R1W Humboldt mer., Dec 27, 1859; Lots 3&4, T5N, R1W Humboldt Mer. |
| Date of Reservation: | 08/31/1871 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Varies on account of action of seas |
| Area Inclosed: | About 1/2 acre (around dwelling) |
| Character of Soil: | Sand |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 300' & may increase by deposit of sand. |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | No general inclosure to reservation, but a small area around Keeper's dwellings is inclosed with 4' picket fence on E side with a 6' board fence on N, W & S. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Small wharf, 17' x 32' is located about 600' from signal & is now about 180' from mean low water line on W shore of bay. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Planked tramway on piles about 600' from signal. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By launch or boat from Eureka USLHE dock 1/2 mile N of signal, then by walking over dry sand. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 2mi to Bucksport RR station on NW RR, Eureka wharf 4 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 5 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 5 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Launch hire or ferry boat Eureka to Samoa & walk to signal on beach, 4 miles. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Launch hire about 4 miles. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | |
| Number of Separate Lights: | |
| 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: |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gasoline engines, 1 Bury & 1 Dow, belt driven air compressors vertical air receivers. |
| Time to Start: | 4 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | 2 minutes |
| Manufacturer: | Engines - Western Gas Eng. Co., Los Angeles, CA., compressors - Bury Compressor & Geo. E. Dow Pumpin |
| Year of Manufacture: | 1908- 1909 |
| Characteristic: | 3 sec blast every 17 sec. |
| Duplication: | Engines, air valves, sirens, compressors of same size but diff. make, timing device. |
| Timing Device: | Crosby duplicate cylinders 3" x 6" & clocks |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | 30 to 38 lbs - best at 35 lbs. |
| Height Above Water: | About 35' |
| Compass Direction: | NW |
| Location: | Se point of N Spit, about 1/2 mile E'ly from Bar at entrance to Humboldt Bay. |
| Distance and Direction: | Abt .5 mi SE 1/8 E of Humboldt unused lighthouse |
| Water Supply: | Open well sunk in sand 8' deep 6' sq. inner casing of 3' cement pipe |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Plank walk about 100' from signal |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Rectangular frame bldg 30' x 46' painted white, with lead color trimmings, roof painted red. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Siren Signal |
| Siren: | Cylindrical |
| Siren Diameter: | 6" |
| Siren Built Date: | 1908 |
| Siren Manufacturer: | Lighthouse Depot |
| Siren Ports: | 20, 3/32" x 2 3/4" |
| Siren Revolutions: | |
| Siren Governor: | Friction weights |
| Siren Condition: | Good |
| Compressed Air |
| Compressed Air Machinery: | 10" x 10" belt driven |
| Kind: | Gasoline |
| Manufacturer: | Western Gas Eng. Co. |
| Date Made: | 1908-1909 |
| Nominal Size: | 7" x 14" |
| Horsepower: | 18 |
| Compressor: | 1 Bury; 1 Dow |
| Compressor Manufacturer: | Geo. E. Dow Pumping Eng. Co; Bury Mfg. Co., |
| Compressor Bed and Gear: | Belt driven by 8" double leather belt from 24" friction pulley on engine to 48" pulley on comb. |
| Trumpet Signal |
| Trumpet: | |
| Trumpet Length: | 5' 6" |
| Trumpet Diameter: | 6" & 24" |
| Trumpet Material: | Copper |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | About 150' NE of fog signal |
| Coloring: | Natural wood, shingles, brown trimmings, red roof |
| Construction Materials: | Wood shingled all over |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 1 to each dwelling |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Natural wood shingles, brown trimmings, red roof |
| Paths and Walks: | Concrete walks from front gate around bldgs |
| Area Inclosed: | 80' x 150' each dwelling, front & dividing fence, pickets 4' high, side & rear close boarded 6' high. |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 500 small eucalyptus trees were planted June, 1909 |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Loose shifting sand with occasional small patches of sparse vegetation, & large quantities of drift wood buried in sand & strewn over surface. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Open well sunk in sand |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | 6000 gal wooden tower 50' from signal |
| Tank Material: | Redwood staves |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Square curbing of 3" redwood planking about 8' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 6' square |
| Well Lining: | 4 sec of cement pipe 3' dia x 2' long sunk in center |
| Pump or Bucket: | Worthington duplex pump |
| What Power Used: | Compressed air |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 100' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Sanitary conditions excellent slight annoyance from shifting sand during high winds |
| Diseases: | None known |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | A small wharf 17' x 32' was built several years ago at which time it projected into Bay & had depth of water on front sufficient for medium sized vessels but action of sea has filled sand in front until it is now 110' from high water mark & 180' from low |
| Distance and Direction: | About 1/2 mile SSE from Humboldt Bay unused lighthouse. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Wharf connected to signal by planked tramway, about 600' long which is now practically useless as all supplies, material, machinery etc., must be landed at large wharf at upper end of reservation & hauled about 1/2 mi thru road to signal. |