Report for Alcatraz Island Light Station (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | H.W. Young, Keeper |
| Location: | |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1907 |
| Latitude: | 37° 49' 29" |
| Longitude: | 122° 25' 21" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | |
| Area Inclosed: | 111' 6" long, 46' wide |
| Character of Soil: | Sand & rock |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 200' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | One |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Military wharf, used by lightstation people |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | About 1/4 mile |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Government steamer |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | To steamboat landing, about 3 miles |
| Distance to Post Office: | Military, on premises |
| Distance to Village: | 2.5 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Government steamer |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Obtain pass from Army officials, 2.5 miles |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1854 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | In fairly good order |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Cylindrical |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 174' 3/4" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 164' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | None |
| Color of Tower: | White & black |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Tower, whitewashed, lantern, paint |
| Tower Connection: | Dwelling is built around tower. |
| Object of Navigation: | For general navigation |
| Building Materials: | Brick, iron |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 16" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 12" |
| Diameter at Base: | 8' inside |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 7' 10" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular, wood |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 9" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1; 23" x 34" |
| Number of Doors: | 4 all thru dwelling |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick, about 3' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sand & rock |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | N fog bell Oct. 23, 1899; S fog bell Oct. 30, 1900. Though lantern is glazed on all sides, light cannot be seen to NW, owing to large brick bldg. (The Citadel, I think it is called) acting as a wall. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 8' 4" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 5' 4.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 2 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | Upper: 2' 7.5" x 2' 3"; Lower: 3' 3/4" x 2' 7.5" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 4 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All sides glazed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron, copper & brass |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | 3' high |
| Lightning Spindle: | None |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Iron |
| Lantern Doors: | 1, iron, on hinges opening out. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Stone & brick |
| Watchroom Doors: | No watchroom |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 10 |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1; home made |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Rollers |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 8 hrs |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Renard, Paris |
| Year Made: | No date |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | White flash every 15 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 sec. |
| Flash Interval: | 15 sec center of flash |
| Duration of Flash: | 2 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 2 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 2 |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 7 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | Whole apparatus revolves around central pin, on steel balls. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | 4 iron rods covered with brass |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| Draft Tube Description: | Tin tube 2 3/4" dia. secured to cross braces, fitted with funnel at lower end. It stands clear of lens, about 6", no damper. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Barbier & Renard, Paris |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | On balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 28' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 8 hrs |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By glass case |
| Regulated: | By opening or closing wings of governor, or by putting on or taking off small leaden weights. (abt 1 lb each) This saves tampering with the delicate governor. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Hains, 1 |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Thru center of tower down drop tube. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Flat plate enclosed in brass box |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 21 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 5/8" |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1, with shelves for spare articles used in tower. |
| Oil House Description: | 10' SW from dwelling, built of brick, plastered, tin roof, iron door, shelves all around bldg, with cement floor. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Carpenter's shop with benches for work, tools hung up in sight, cupboards for paints, & all spare articles, a shed for coal; all in rear of dwelling. |
| Suitability: | Suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Gamewell, No. 3 |
| Time to Start: | Immediately if electric plant is in order; 5 to 8 minutes - started by hand |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co., NY |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | SE bell strikes 5 blows with silent interval of 10 sec btwn each stroke followed by silent interval of 25 sec. NW bell strikes 1 blow every 6 sec. |
| Duplication: | None |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | 2 bells, one on each end of island, for passing vessels. |
| Distance and Direction: | 1 is 1300'; 1 is 450' |
| Water Supply: | None needed |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By walking around road. |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | SE bell house 14' x 12' x 8'. Roof projects over bell 7', fitted with 2 windows & tool closet. NW bell is same, but no roof extension. Towers are 30' high. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | None given |
| Metal: | Composition |
| Diameter: | 4' 4" & 4' 5" |
| Height: | 3' 8" & 3' 11" |
| Time: | 1 runs 3 hours; 1 runs 1 hour 40 minutes. |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Built around tower |
| Coloring: | White, red roof, green blinds. |
| Construction Materials: | Old part is brick & plastered, new part is wood. |
| Number of Rooms: | Keeper 4 rooms, each asst. 1 room w/ 1 spare room & kitchen btwn them. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 3 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 2; Toilet & washroom |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Whitewashed. Trimmings lead color |
| Paths and Walks: | None |
| Area Inclosed: | 111' 6" x 46'. By fence on W side; by dwelling, carpenter shop & coal shed on E side; by dwelling on N & Post Office on S side. |
| Area of Garden: | 16 x 20' |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sand & rock |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From San Francisco, by government steamer |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Plenty |
| Injury Possible: | Not likely, water supplied by military authorities of island. |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | An old cistern has been filled with rock & dirt to prevent sickness from stagnant water. It had not been used for many years. It measures 7 x 10 x 16' |
| Tank Material: | Cistern extends from floor of assts. kitchen. It was washed out, whitewashed & filled in Dec., 1905 by order of CO of post at Keepers request. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | None |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No boathouse or wharf. Government steamer makes several trips a day. We use this steamer when necessary. |
| Distance and Direction: | Downhill about 1/4 mile. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Portion of coal shed fitted as battery room for starting & stopping bells, & keep watch book, journal & letter book so that they can be seen by Keepers at any time. Plastering of upper portion of tower, inside, is kept from falling by painting often. |