Report for Molokai Light Station (Hawaii) - 1927
| General |
| District: | 14th |
| Inspector: | R. R. Tinkham, Superintendent |
| Location: | North point of Makanalua peninsula on north coast of Molokai Island, T.H. |
| Date of Report: | 11/11/1927 |
| Latitude: | 21° 12' 45" |
| Longitude: | 156° 58' 25" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Public land. |
| Date of Reservation: | 10/29/1906 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 21.6 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | All inclosed with 5 wire red wood post fence. Dwelling premises enclosed by stone wall. |
| Character of Soil: | |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 2000 feet. |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By rad from Kalaupapa Leper Settlement |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | |
| Distance to Post Office: | Post office at Kalaupapa, 2.5 miles. |
| Distance to Village: | |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Octagonal tower, 132 feet tall |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | September 1909. |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Repaired June 1913. Repainted 1927. |
| 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: | 213 feet. |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | High mountainous. steep cliffs. |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached. |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast landfall light; general navigation. |
| Building Materials: | Reenforced concrete. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Reenforced concrete with pipe railing. |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | 1; 13" x 21-5/8", 4; 6-3/8" x 10-11/16" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 9; 1' 4.5" x 4' 1/2" |
| Number of Doors: | 1; 2.25" x 3' 1.25" x 7' 8-1/8" with art sash upper panel. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Air lock - 2 steel doors below service room floor. W.C. on first landing below service room, waste to cesspool east of tower. Flag pole 50' west of tower. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st order |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12' 6-1/8" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | See drawing |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 8-7/8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2.5 diagonal squarese |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 10 around circumference |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | Miscl. odd sizes- see standard drweings for details. |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | Glazed 360 degrees |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron sills, cornice & sash bars cast bronze. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron, conical, with wrot iron hand rail. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron. |
| Lightning Spindle: | 1/8" x 1.5" copper strip. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Lead up tower to lantern sill, bronze platinum pointed pinnacle on top of verntilator ball. |
| Balustrade: | Lantern gallery reencforced concrete with pipe hand railing. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 with 2 panels of glass - let in flush with lantern sash, hung with 2 hinges & lock with 2 rods. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Steel checkered plates supported on 6" steel I beams. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Open steel ladder steps leading from watchroom to lantern floor. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In watchroom wall: 8 16" circular wrot iron louvers in concrete & others in lantern sills: 9- 6" circular- all screened. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1 iron |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | None Curtains mounted on spring rollers, 28.5" long. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Lens clock, I.O.V. tank & pump, tables, time clock, call bell & call buttons, tool board with tools. |
| How is Relief Called: | Electrick bell wires. |
| Where is Call System Led: | Thru 3/8" pipe conduit down inside of tower to base, out & to each dwelling, partly covered except over rock. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 2 hours & 45 minutes |
| Intensity in Candles: | 520,000 cp |
| Name of Maker: | Chance Bros & Co., Ltd., England |
| Year Made: | 1907 |
| Marks and Number: | U. S. L. H. E. 2.11. |
| Order of Apparatus: | 2nd order |
| Inside Diameter: | 1400mm |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | 20 seconds. |
| Flash Interval: | 0.3 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | 9.7 seconds. |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 26 ( 13 to each plash panel) |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 2 |
| Arc of Each: | 180 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 7 in each bulls eye. |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 18 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 7 |
| 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: | Conical, hollow of cast iron supporting jack ring, float & lens table. |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | No draft tube. (I.O.V. lamp) |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Mercury float |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 13-3/8" x 13-3/8" x 45' 6" rectangllar. |
| Clock Weight: | 166-2/3 lbs, 12; 33-1/3 blb weights on hand |
| Length of Winding Time: | 2 hours & 45 minutes |
| Drive During Rewind: | Yes. |
| Machinery Protection: | Not protected. Clock is a large open frame model, protection not required. |
| Regulated: | By a Slight's governor, tension of which is regulated by a thumb screw & changing weights. |
| Lens Protection: | Yes. by inverted cone. |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | "B" type 55mm IOV |
| Type of Illuminant: | Oil |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 complete "B" type IOV lamps with fillings. |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 spare with O lamp complete. |
| Candle Power: | 1500 |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | 6/19 galv. flex. steel wire. |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 3/16" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | 155 feet |
| How Led: | From clock drum down vertical into weight shaft to weight sheave & return to eye in under side of weight shaft cap plate. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: | 6" dia. 7-7/8" long |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 mantel |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | |
| Diameter of Mantel: | 55mm |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Mercury Float |
| Inside Diameter of Trough: | 4' 0.75" |
| Inside Depth of Trough: | 10" |
| Outside Diameter of Float: | 5' 3.5" |
| Depth of Float: | 10.5" |
| Weight of Mercury in Pounds: | Appx. 250 lbs. |
| How Often is Mercury Renewed: | Filtered every 6 months. |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Wood storage cupboard 4' 6" W x 5' 6" H x 18" deep, 2 doors, in service room 1st landing below watchroom (lower part of lantern) |
| Oil House Description: | Approx 300 feet northerly from tower; plain 1 room concrete structure. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' x 8' x 7" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Reenforced concrete. |
| Oil House Capacity: | Used for domestic oil in drums, alcohol in cans, paint etc., on shelves. |
| Other (Describe): | 1 store & shop building, 16" x 22', 2 rooms, about 100' east of Keeper's dwelling, wood frame construction. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable for requirements. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | No fog signal. |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | |
| Duplication: | |
| 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: | |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Westerly from tower approx. 130, 150 & 160 yards distant. |
| Coloring: | 2 are painted light gray, lead trim & red roofs - 1 is natural stone (dark blue) with gray asbestos shingle roof. |
| Construction Materials: | 2 of frame construction; 1 of rubble stone with wood frame addition (1927) |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 & bath & pantry. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 3 |
| Heating Plant: | None. |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 in each dwelling |
| Furnished Quarters: | All 3 keepers. |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Garage 160 yds in front; laundry in rear of middle dwelling; hen house in SW coorner of reservation. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Light gray, red roofs. |
| Paths and Walks: | Paths only from dwellings to tower & out buildings. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | Small area inclosed by stone walls for kitchen gardens. |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Rocky with small patches of soil. |
| Stove, Maker: | Perfection Blue flame |
| Stove, Size: | 3 burner oil |
| Sink, Maker: | Standard enameled cast iron. |
| Sink, Size: | 18" x 37" x 6" |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: | 1 table lamp, 2 hand lamps, 2 lanterns |
| Water |
| How Procured: | By 1.25" pipe line about 2 miles long from 4" territorial main to Kalaupapa. |
| Quality: | Good. Source is in mountains back of the peninaula |
| Quantity: | Ample. |
| Injury Possible: | Exposed to salt air corrosion only. Inspected once each month. |
| Purity Precaution: | No cisterns. No rain water supply. |
| Tank Capacity: | 12,000 gal. tank, 100 ft. SW from tower. |
| Tank Material: | Reenforced concrete. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Good, but except for the light station reservation, surrounding section is used exclusively as a leper settlement. |
| Diseases: | Leprosy |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No. |
| Recommended Improvements: | Not necessary. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boat landing at Kalaupapa Territorial Leper Settlement about 2.5 miles SW from station with a good dirt road to same. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 2.5 miles SW |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Owing to the location of this station in the viciniity of the Leper Settlement with the consequent restrictions, the station life is isolated. Ordinary medical attention for keepers & families with ordinary dispensary privileges, is provided by the reside |