Report for Alcatraz Island Light Station (California) - 1915
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | D.W. Day |
| Location: | On SE part of Alcatraz Id., in San Francisco Bay. |
| Date of Report: | 05/24/1915 |
| Latitude: | 37° 49' 36" |
| Longitude: | 122° 25' 17" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military Reservation |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2725 sq. ft. |
| Area Inclosed: | 2725 sq. ft. |
| Character of Soil: | Sand & rock |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 200' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Military wharf, used by lightstation people |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Government steamers & water craft - About 3 miles to San Francisco. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | |
| Distance to Post Office: | |
| Distance to Village: | |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Reinforced concrete tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1854 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1909, new bldgs throughout |
| 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: | 214' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | None, except on N side by new military prison. |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Connected, abutting 2 sides of base of tower |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor & range lights |
| Building Materials: | Concrete, reinforced by steel rods |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | |
| Diameter at Base: | |
| Diameter at Parapet: | |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Iron |
| Number of Landings: | |
| Size of Glass: | Varied, see plan |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 11 varied |
| Number of Doors: | 2 - 2' x 8' |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | N fog bell Oct. 23, 1899; S fog bell Oct. 13, 1900; Tower built on solid rock. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Cylindrical |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 7.42" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | Helical |
| Thickness of Bars: | 7/8" |
| Height Glazed: | 2' 11.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 2 & 1 alternately |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | Varied, see std. 4th order lantern |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All sides glazed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron & brass |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron, platinum point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | Iron |
| Lantern Doors: | 1, iron, on hinges opening out. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Open hatch |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Spring rollers |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | |
| How is Relief Called: | Electric bells |
| Where is Call System Led: | To sleeping quarters from hallway. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | 80,000 |
| Name of Maker: | No name |
| Year Made: | No date |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 20" |
| Light Characteristic: | |
| Time of Revolution: | 30 sec |
| Flash Interval: | 4.5 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | 0.5 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 6 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 6 |
| Arc of Each: | 60 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 1 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 4 flash |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 4 flash |
| 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: | 4 stanchions supporting clockwork & lens |
| Service Table: | |
| Draft Tube Description: | None used |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Balls |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 20' - 8" dia. |
| Clock Weight: | 80 lbs |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | No |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case |
| Regulated: | Adjusting fans - increasing or decreasing weights. |
| Lens Protection: | Linen |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Form 5 D.C. Luminous arc lamp |
| Type of Illuminant: | Electricity |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | None, 1 wick for emergency |
| Number of Spare Burners: | Extra electrodes kept on hand |
| Candle Power: | 8,500 cp |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire cord |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 1/8" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | 75' |
| How Led: | Directly from drum to weight shaft. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: | 4" x 4" |
| Chariot Balls |
| Balls Description: | Flat surface |
| Cage to Separate Balls: | True |
| Number of Balls: | 21 |
| Diameter of Balls: | 3/8" |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | In area btwn bldgs. Not used |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 8' 6" x 9' 2" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Concrete |
| Oil House Capacity: | 112 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | Lamp closet in hallway of bldg with shelves for supplies. |
| Suitability: | Dry, suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Sirens, electrically operated |
| Time to Start: | At once |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | N - 5 sec blast, 15 sec silent; S - 4 sec blast, 4 sec silent, 4 sec blast, 8 sec silent |
| Duplication: | Extra sirens at N end of island |
| Timing Device: | Electric sign flasher |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | About 25' |
| Compass Direction: | 312 degrees 35' & 132 degrees 35' |
| Location: | On each end of island - used for navigation of waters of San Francisco Bay. |
| Distance and Direction: | 312 degrees 35' & 132 degrees 35' |
| Water Supply: | Not needed |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By roadway |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Small frame bldgs - 4' x 7' |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Abutting on 2 sides of tower |
| Coloring: | White with seal brown trimming, red tile roof |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, covered with cement plaster |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 rooms & bath each |
| Number of Dwellings: | 3 |
| Heating Plant: | None |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 in each |
| Furnished Quarters: | All |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | None |
| Outhouses: | None |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | Cemented area formed by dwellings. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sand & rock |
| Stove, Maker: | Wedgewood (3) |
| Stove, Size: | 68-20 A (3) |
| Sink, Maker: | Crane Co. (3) |
| Sink, Size: | 20 x 36 (3) |
| Pump, Maker: | None |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: | 3 tubular table lamps; 3 hand lamps; electric current in quarters for lighting. |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From tanks on Military Prison, which are filled from supply obtained in San Francisco by govt. steamers & pumped to tanks. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Direct from supply pipes |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Gevernment landing on Island, where steamers can & do land several times per day. |
| Distance and Direction: | About 1/4 mile E. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Timing device controlling sirens is in lower part of tower, & signals are started from that point. Dwellings supplied with electric light. |