Report for Milwaukee Pierhead Front Range (Wisconsin) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Francis J. Otter, Draftsman
Location: On outer end of N Pier at entrance to Milwaukee River, WI., & Harbor of Milwaukee, WI., W'ly side of Lake Michigan.
Date of Report: 04/30/1910
Latitude: 43° 01' 36" N
Longitude: 87° 53' 40" W
Premises
Site: Tower is on concrete pier & dwelling is located on crib structure at side of & midway btwn outer & inner end of N pier. Tower is on end of Pier.
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: Water site, crib structure is 90' x 103'
Area Inclosed: Entire crib
Character of Soil: Timber crib
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: Tower is on concrete pier
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: Dwelling site inclosures; N, W & S sides by picket fence. E side by sea wall of 12" x 12" timber construction.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: On N pier of entrance channel to Milwaukee Harbor.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: City streets to pier; over wooden bridge 8' x 20' from pier to crib of dwelling, about 700' to tower from dwelling.
Means to Reach Light Station: On foot or by carriage.
Distance to Nearest Road: City street at inner end of Pier, 1100' W from dwelling; N Western RR Depot, 1 1/4 mile; steamboat landing 1.5 miles.
Distance to Post Office: 1.5 miles; mail delivered to dwelling by carrier.
Distance to Village: In City of Milwaukee, WI.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Good, 1 1/4 miles from RR Depot & 1.5 miles from Steamboat Landing.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Steel tower.
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1872
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1906
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Circular
Form of Tower: Cylindrical
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 42' 7"; Height of tower from base to focal plane - 36' 4"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 44' 4"
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Bldg in City of Milwaukee
Color of Tower: Light grey
Color of Tower/ How Produced: By lead & oil paint
Tower Connection: Detached, can be reached from dwelling by means of tunnel in concrete superstructure of pier.
Object of Navigation: Harbor & Range Light.
Building Materials: Steel framing & covering.
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 3/8" steel plates
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 3/16" steel plates
Diameter at Base: 12' 6" square
Diameter at Parapet: 10' 6" square
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Cast iron, spiral
Number of Landings: 1 of concrete on a level with concrete pier deck.
Size of Glass: 14.5" dia.
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 5 bullseye windows, 15 3/4" dia. metal sash
Number of Doors: 1 door at level of pier, & 1 at tunnel entrance.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: On concrete pier
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Concrete pier.
Soil Susceptibility: Tower on concrete pier; Dwelling on crib.
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Cylindrical
Diameter to Glass: 7' 7 3/16"
Diameter in the Clear: 7' 1 9/16"
Number of Sides: Circular
Type of Bars: Helical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 36"
Number of Plates in Height: See drawings of 4th, 5th & 6th order lantern.
Number of Plates Each Side: 23 in all including panel of door.
Thickness of Plates: 3/8"
Size of Plates: See drawings for lantern for apparatus of the 4th, 5th & 6th order.
Number of Storm Panes: Lantern is not so fitted.
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron, glass, sheet iron lining of parapet, zinc lining for ceiling of dome.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Cast iron, lined with zinc.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Copper with platinum tip, regulation type.
Description of Lightning Rod: Copper band leading from base of tower to water inside of tower, forms connection with spindle thru metal of tower.
Balustrade: Balustrade, built up steel rails, posts cast iron; outside gallery deck cast iron.
Lantern Doors: Cast iron door, upper half glazed 1/4" plate glass, fitted with 3 bronze hinges & double bolts.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron
Watchroom Doors: Trap door, 2' x 2' 4"
Parapet Diameter: 7' 1/16"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 4 bronze adjustable ventilators, fastened to parapet walls on the inside.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None needed.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Curtains are hung on patent adjustable automatic rollers.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: Cleaning table, small cupboard for spare lamps, cleaning materials, etc.
How is Relief Called: None.
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: L. Sautter, Paris
Year Made:
Marks and Number: None
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter: 1' 7 11/16"
Light Characteristic: Fresnel, fixed red, 270 degrees.
Time of Revolution: Fixed
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4; 3 light panels & 1 reflector panel, Reflector copper, silvered.
Number of Flash Panels: None
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 3
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: Cast iron, 1 piece, 3' 5.5" high.
Service Table: None
Draft Tube Description: None
Revolving Machinery: None
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: Fixed red, produced by red chimney
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached: Chimney attached to lamp.
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: New 4th order (May 1897)
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: None
Number of Spare Burners: Burners are attached to & form part of lamp.
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1 wick
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1.5"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: No closets in tower
Oil House Description: Circular metal house, located at rear of dwelling, shelves of metal
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' dia.
Oil House Construction Material: Metal casing, brick lined, concrete foundation.
Oil House Capacity: 72 5-gal cans.
Other (Describe): 1 small room in dwelling basement, used for coal & all other supplies except oil.
Suitability: Dry & suited to purpose for which it is used.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: 10" whistle, operated by steam boilers, controlled by Crosby automatic.
Time to Start: 30 min.
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: Oswego, NY, Kingsford Foundry & Machine Co.
Year of Manufacture: 1896
Characteristic: 3 sec blast & 17 sec silent interval & repeat.
Duplication: Boiler, automatics & all necessary parts to operate same.
Timing Device: Crosby automatic
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: Whistle - 80 #
Height Above Water: 33' with deflector in rear of same;
Compass Direction: E'ly
Location: Marks entrance to Milwaukee River & Harbor, WI.
Distance and Direction: About 400' E'ly
Water Supply: Taken from Lake Michigan thru well in pier under FS bldg.
Reached from Lighthouse: By deck of concrete pier or thru tunnel in concrete pier.
Description of Fog Signal Building: Frame bldg, 3" x 4" studs, sheeted inside & outside with 1" x 6" drop in sheathing covered with corrugated iron.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Steam Signal
Steam Boiler: Square open bottom, Marine; with 3/8" outer & 5/16" inner shells, semi-circular head, with inverted head (dome) to furnace.
Kind: Kingsford "Compact"
Tube: Flue Tube
Dimensions: Height 7' 10"
Length: 6' 7"
Diameter: Width 4' 10"
Tube Description: 102 - 4' 10" long.
Steam Tube Diameter: 2.5"
Steam Furnace Kind: Part of boiler, inverted crown.
Furnace Length: 5'
Furnace Width: 4' 3"
Furnace Height: 1' 10" avg. height.
Steam Heat Surface: 393.95 sq. ft.
Steam Grate Surface: 21.25 sq. ft.
Number of Grate Bars: 18; 17 double & 1 single
Kind of Grate Bars: Cast iron, spade end.
Steam Fuel: Bituminous coal
Steam Safety Valve: 2.5" ball weight & lever
Steam Maximum Pressure: 120 #
Steam Working Pressure: 80 #
Steam Diameter of Smokestack: 24"
Smokestack Height: 35' 6"
Drum Dimension: 5' long
Steam Drum Diameter: 30" dia.
Steam Covering: None
Steam Boiler Condition: Fair
Steam Boiler Built: 1896
Where Built: Oswego, NY
Manufacturer: Kingsford Foundry & Machine Co.
Steam Heater: False
Kind:
Size:
Heater Time Affect:
Steam Engine Kind:
Steam Engine Revolutions:
Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter:
Steam Engine Piston Stroke:
Steam Engine Pipe Size:
Steam Engine When Built:
Steam Engine Where Built:
Manufacturer:


Whistle Signal
Whistle Diameter: 10"
Whistle Height: 19"
Whistle Orifice: 2.5"
Whistle Tone: Single
Whistle Chime:
Dwelling
Location: About 700' W of front range tower.
Coloring: Buff walls, red roof, green trim.
Construction Materials: Brick, stone & wood, of ordinary construction, tin shingle roofs.
Number of Rooms: 6 rooms in Keeper's quarters & 4 in asst's.
Number of Dwellings: 1
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & 2 assts.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Circular oil house & 2 frame outhouses.
Outhouse Coloring: Buff
Paths and Walks: None
Area Inclosed: 90' x 103' crib, inclosed with wooden picket fence on 3 sides & 12" timber sea wall on other side.
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Water
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Fog-signal, direct from lake; Dwelling, from a driven well 70' deep, 6" casing
Quality: Good
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: Not liable
Purity Precaution:
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Drive well for dwelling, 70' deep
Well Diameter: 6" dia.
Well Lining: Lined with 6" casing pipe
Pump or Bucket: Fog signal by steam pump; Dwelling by hand pump.
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Dwelling well in basement. Fog Signal, thru a hole in bottom of pier.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Very healthy station
Diseases: None especially prevalent
Prevalency: No
Local Causes: No
Recommended Improvements: No
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: Boats can land alongside of inner side of N pier, from which a bridge leads to crib of dwelling, small boats can land alongside of crib & be hoisted out by davits on W side.
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: Life-saving station at inner end of S pier. Weather Bureau service, Flagstaff: US Post Office bldg: Electric lights & steel tower: near Life-saving station bldg, electric lights.