Report for Bellevue Range Rear (Delaware) - 1910
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | A.E. Arledge, Supt. & John H. Neal, lampist |
| Location: | Just N of the jetty on the notherly side of the mouth of the Christiana River and the entrance to Wilmington about 1 1/5 miles 215 degrees 29' true (SW 3/16 SW) in rear of the front light of the range |
| Date of Report: | 02/18/1910 |
| Latitude: | 39° 43' 13" N |
| Longitude: | 75° 31' 08" W |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 09/05/1834 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 4.85 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | 4.85 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Tower stands in water at high tide |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Fences and banks of the Delaware and Christiana River |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | There is a boat landing on the inner end of the je |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Board walk from landing to town about 820' |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By railroad to Wilmington, Del. Thence by private conveyance to light station. Station can also be reached by lighthouse tenders. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 1/8 mile over a marsh to public road; thence 2 miles to railroad station |
| Distance to Post Office: | 2 1/2 miles to Wilmington Del. |
| Distance to Village: | 2 miles to Wilmington Del. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By livery conveyance from Wilmington |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | March 1909 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | January 1910 |
| Condition at This Date: | Excellent |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 105 feet |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 100 feet |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees and sky |
| Color of Tower: | Black |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Range; for general navigating purposes |
| Building Materials: | Cast and wrought iron |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Skeleton Tower |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | Skeleton Tower |
| Diameter at Base: | 28 feet |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9 feet |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Cast spiral stairway in cylinder, wooden approach |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3, sash 21" x 39" |
| Number of Doors: | 4 including door in lantern |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | On 9 concrete piers each on 4 - 50' piles with grillage |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Mud - flat |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Soil about the dwelling is susceptible |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower stands on mud flat about 1.5 ' above mean low water, and in about 4.5' of water at high tide. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.42" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 7' 1 9/16" |
| Number of Sides: | Round |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 11.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Lantern is round |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | See standard design of round lantern |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast and wrought iron and brass |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Conical cast iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Round cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass spindle on ball with platinum top |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | The cast iron tower serves as a conductor and has connection with the mud beneath the foundation grillage through the anchor bolts and plates. |
| Balustrade: | Wrought iron in posts and railing, cast iron on gallery or deck. |
| Lantern Doors: | Full height lantern door with upper section glazed; door hung on brass hinges and has catch. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | No door, hatch opening |
| Parapet Diameter: | 7' 1 9/16" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 brass ventilators in lower wall of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None required |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Roller curtains w/ hangers taped to lantern lining |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With a small cupboard, a hinged door opening onto the deck, and a stairway leading up to the lantern. Watchroom is lined with wooden ceiling and has a wooden grillage on floor, and is provided with a coal heating stove. |
| How is Relief Called: | A call bell system connected to the clockwork. This is to be supplanted within the next month by a telephone system to dwelling. |
| Where is Call System Led: | From the clock down the center column of the tower, thence along the elevated board walks into the keepers dwelling |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 7 hr. 30 min. |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier, Benard & Turenne |
| Year Made: | 1908 |
| Marks and Number: | L.H.E. # 431 6338 stamped on lens frame |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 2.5 ", duration of flash .5" |
| Time of Revolution: | 20 seconds |
| Flash Interval: | 2.5 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | .5 seconds |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Lens revolves |
| Number of Panels: | 8 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 8 |
| Arc of Each: | 45 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: | Lens revolves by means of clockwork |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Standard 4 column pedestal with clock shelf |
| Service Table: | None, except the top of a small cupboard |
| Draft Tube Description: | No tube |
| Revolving Machinery: | Std. 4th order clock |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 45 ' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 7 hr. 30 min. |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By a glass case |
| Regulated: | Fan regulator in clock |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector. Dark sector from 274 degrees true (WxN mag) to 184 degrees (SxW mag) white throughout the remaining arc of 90 degrees. |
| Where Color Attached: | Lantern glass is painted. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | One oil vapor and 1 mantle |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 regular 4th order single wick lamps |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 oil vapor burners |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Cord from clockdrum leads straight down the central column of the tower, being held in center of column by guide pulley, thence around weight sheave and up to eye bolt near top of drum. |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | V grooves |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | False |
| Number of Balls: | 19 |
| Diameter of Balls: | .5" |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | About 1.3" |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: | Only 1 mantle |
| Occulting Light |
| Characteristic: | Light is flashing |
| Time Limit: | |
| Eclipse Type: | |
| Size and Amplitude: | |
| Axis Rotation: | |
| Axis Relation: | |
| Screen Revolution: | |
| Screen Number: | |
| Screen Time: | |
| Screen Form: | |
| Screen Mounting: | |
| Screen Order: | |
| Screen Date: | |
| Valve Maker: | |
| Valve Pattern: | |
| Reliability: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 in lantern with double doors and shelf; used for storing reserved 4th order oil lamp and mantles for oil vapor lamps. Closet in watchroom with double door and shelf used for general storage of cleaning materials and supplies. |
| Oil House Description: | Brick oil house 950' from tower on shore near dwelling, has cement floor and hinged door. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 7' x 10' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick |
| Oil House Capacity: | 1200 gallons |
| Other (Describe): | In Keeper's dwelling, there is a closet in each of the 2 2nd story bedrooms fitted with hooks & shelves, used for clothing. A pantry off the kitchen is used for the storing of food. In Asst. Keepers dwelling, 3 bedrooms each have a closet for clothing |
| Suitability: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | About 980' NW of tower |
| Coloring: | White with lead colored trimming, green shutters, slate roof |
| Construction Materials: | Brick with slate roof |
| Number of Rooms: | 6 besides halls, pantry, and 2 low attic rooms |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame barn, brick oil house & privy. Frame tank house, poultry house and small store house. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house & privy, red brick |
| Paths and Walks: | A board walk extends from the dwelling to the tower; a board walk from dwelling to oil house. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 4 86/100 acres. By fences and banks |
| Area of Garden: | About 2 acres |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 10 willow trees on grounds |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 3 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | About 3 acres |
| Character of Surroundings: | Low meadow, soil is loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Assistant Keepers Dwellings |
| Location: | About 1000' NW of tower |
| Coloring: | Cement color, with metal brown roof |
| Construction Materials: | Concrete in body of building; wooden framing and floors. Interior finish wood and wall board; tin roof. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 rooms besides pantry and basement |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Outhouses: | Privy |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White |
| Paths and Walks: | None |
| Area Inclosed: | 4.85 acres, by fence and banks |
| Area of Garden: | About 2 acres, to be divided bet. Keeper and asst. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 10 willow trees on grounds |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 3 acres |
| Area Cultivated: | About 3 acres. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Low meadow, soil is loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From roof of dwelling, by downspouts to tanks. |
| Quality: | Fair |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable to injury |
| Purity Precaution: | Down spouts have been provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Keepers cistern, about 1900 gal, tank in tank house, 1200 gal. Asst. Keeper iron tank 1000 gal, cypress tank, 1750 gal. |
| Tank Material: | Cistern - brick, 1 tank iron, 2 tanks cypress |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | The station is located near the marshes and the reservation has been filled up by material pumped in from river.Yet there seems to be no very noticeable effect as might be expected in such a location. |
| Recommended Improvements: | Reservation is provided with a fair system of drainage. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | The landing is about 820' NW of the tower and about 130' SE of the Keeper's Dwelling |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The tower was erected in 1908-09. The illuminant is incandescent oil vapor. Being the 2nd light of this kind installed in this district. The general condition of the premises is good. New dwelling for Asst. Keeper erected in 1909. |