Report for New Castle Front Light Station (Delaware) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer & others |
| Location: | Near the shore of the Delaware side of the Delaware River, about 2 miles below New Castle |
| Date of Report: | 12/15/1907 |
| Latitude: | 39° 38' 33' |
| Longitude: | 75° 35' 44" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 07/28/1875 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Aboute 4.36 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2.9 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Heavy clay loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 200' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wire fence & sea wall |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | No wharf at landing except sand beach at front of station. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | A gravel walk extends from the dwelling & tower to the beach a distance of about 200'. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to New Castle, Del. & thence by private conveyance to light station, or by electric cars to right of way, thence walk to station a distance of about 1500'. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | To public road about 1500 feet over right of way; to RR station (New Castle) about 2 miles by road. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 2 1/4 miles by road to New Castle. |
| Distance to Village: | About 2 1/4 miles by road to New Castle. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | The electric cars running from Delaware City to New Castle pass within 1500 feet of the station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in New Castle. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Frame tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1876 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1886 |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 38'. Fancy iron finial rises about 3' higher |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 27' 0" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range for general navigation purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Wood, on a rubble stone wall foundation |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | About 17" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | About 7" |
| Diameter at Base: | 10' x 10' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 10' x 10' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden stairway from 2nd floor to 3rd floor. 1st floor is entered from ground & 2nd floor from elevated boardwalk connecting with balcony of dwelling |
| Number of Landings: | None except the tower floors |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | There is one 6-pane single sash window (2' 10.5" x 2' 5.5") on 1st floor & two 12 pane double sash window (2' 10.5" x 4' 7") on 2nd floor. |
| Number of Doors: | 2 single & 2 double doors. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Rubble stone wall foundation probably 5.5' deep (floor of cellar in basement is about 3' 6" below surface of ground). |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Clay loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Site slopes gently toward the window & its front is protected by a dry stone seawall |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th, range |
| Shape of Lantern: | 2nd floor of tower serves as lantern. It is square with a 3-pane bay window in front. |
| Diameter to Glass: | About 3' 1.5" from center of pedestal to glass |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4, with a 3-pane bay window on front side. |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical. Bars are wood 2 1/4" thick. |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 3' 11" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | About 2'6" x 3' 11.5" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | No glazing except the 3 panes of bay window. |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Tin |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | None |
| Lightning Spindle: | Probably iron with platinum tipped point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Conductor is of 1/2" round iron & leads down the rear side of the tower to a std ground connector. |
| Balustrade: | Wood |
| Lantern Doors: | Entrance to the lantern is from an elevated boardwalk through a small vestibule having 2 pairs of double doors, fitted with top & bottom bolts & mortice hooks |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | No watchroom |
| Parapet Diameter: | Dist. from lining of parapet to ctr of lens abt 7' |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 6 ventialtors in lower wall of lantern 2 covered with tin discs & 4 with inside brass registers |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Curtains are hung on 6 nails |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | There is no watchroom. The lantern is fitted with 6 shelves. |
| How is Relief Called: | None (Lens has an electric alarm, with 2 gongs in dwelling). |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 6 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | None found |
| Order of Apparatus: | Range lens |
| Inside Diameter: | 1' 11 1/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white 2 secs, eclipse 1 secs. |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | 2 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | 1 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | Lens has center of 3 elements, surrounded by 6 rings of prisms, in 4 quadrants & a silver plated copper reflector in the rear. |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | A cylindrical shade is lifted & dropped by clockwork. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Cast iron, 12" diameter at base |
| Service Table: | Rolled iron. It is attached to pedestal & has 2 wrought iron legs. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None (There is a pyramidal hood over the lens frame from apex of which a 2.5" tin pipe leads up through the 3rd floor & roof of the tower. |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | Weights fall about 28', passing through a tube extending from floor to ceiling of lantern. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 6 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By brass frame glass case |
| Regulated: | Block regulated by vertical 2-winged governor (wings are about 3" x 3.5") |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Standard 5th order constant level with single wick, 1" in diameter |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Iron |
| Size of Clock Cord: | About 5/32" in diameter |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Leads from drum of clock to lantern floor & thence to a point above the weight box in ceiling of room above lantern. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | There are no closets. (1st & 3rd floor are used for general storage purposes) |
| Oil House Description: | Frame oil house 6' 10" x 6' 10" is located about 30' N of dwelling. It has a wooden floor. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 2 on 1st floor. 1 in sitting room fitted with shelves & used for dishes etc., 1 in kitchen fitted with shelves & hooks & used for clothes. 4 closets on 2nd floor, fitted with shelves & hooks used for clothes. Attic & cistern room used for general storage |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 30' to the E of tower |
| Coloring: | Light brown with trimmings of lighter brown |
| Construction Materials: | Brick & wood |
| Number of Rooms: | 7, besides cistern room & summer kitchen |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame barn, frame oil house, frame privy & frame pump shed |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Light brown, with trimmings of lighter brown |
| Paths and Walks: | Brick pavement under balcony of dwelling & brick walks extend from it to the well, oil house & privy. An elevated boardwalk connects balcony of dwelling with lantern floor of tower.Gravel drive connects road entrance with barn. Walk front to rear. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2.9 acres inclosed by wire fences & sea wall |
| Area of Garden: | About 3/5 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 44 norway spruces, privet fences, 2 arbor vitaes & 9 cherry trees, poplars & California privets |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 3/5 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Surrounding country is farming land. Soil is clay loam. To the northward is a low meadow, now overflowed by high tides |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From a well & from roof of dwelling by downspouts to cistern |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Under dwelling, capacity about 2000 gals. |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Open well, 16' deep. 9' of water in it |
| Well Diameter: | 4' |
| Well Lining: | Lined with brick laid dry |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 57' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | General character & condition of the premises etc. are good. |