Report for New Castle Rear Light Station (Delaware) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer & Others |
| Location: | On the westerly side of Delaware River about 2 miles below New Castle & .5 miles in the rear of the front station |
| Date of Report: | 12/18/1907 |
| Latitude: | 39° 38' 34" |
| Longitude: | 75° 35' 58" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 09/26/1875 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 2 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | 2 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Heavy clay loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About .5 miles |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Wire fence |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No wharf |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to New Castle, Del. & thence by electric cars to right of way, thence walk to station, a distance of about 800 feet. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Distance to public road is about 800' over right of way. Distance to RR station (New Castle) about 1 3/4 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 2miles by road to New Castle, Del. |
| Distance to Village: | About 2miles by road to New Castle, Del. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Electric railway from New Castle passes within 800' of station |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Horses can be hired in New Castle |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern is on frame dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1876 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | About 57.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | About 87' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Trees & sky |
| Color of Tower: | White, with green shutters & lead colored trimmings, except in front which is all white |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Lantern tower is on dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Channel & range, for general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Frame |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | About 13" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | About 7.5 " |
| Diameter at Base: | Square 11' x 11' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 11' x 11' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden |
| Number of Landings: | None, beside watchroom floor |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 6 - 2' 8.5" x 4' 6"; 2 twin windows on 2nd floor, 24" x 4' 6" |
| Number of Doors: | 24 including lantern balcony door |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Foundation walls are rubble stone & brick. stone extends to a level about 8" below surface of ground form a depth about 4.5'. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Heavy clay loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th order, range |
| Shape of Lantern: | Square |
| Diameter to Glass: | Inside dim. to lining, 7' 0.5" x 7' 0.5" (Lantern plane on front sits out 5.5" beyond lining. |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 4 |
| Type of Bars: | None |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 3' 7.5" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | Glass in front only |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 3' 8 1/8" x 3' 8 1/8" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None (one winter lantern pane on hand) |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 3 sides are unglazed |
| What Bearings: | Glazed side faces down range |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Tin |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Galvanized iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Pinnacle of lantern; copper, with conical platinum tipped point |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 1/2" iron rod runs down rear side of lantern & lantern tower, rear slope of roof & rear side of lighthouse, in angle of right side, to a std ground connection. Top of iron rod is attached to pinnacle of lantern with several feet of braided copper wire. |
| Balustrade: | Wood, except upper rail, which is iron pipe. |
| Lantern Doors: | Door to balcony is a frame wooden door, hung on brass hinges & fitted with a brass pull & bolt. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Framed wood door at foot of stairs leading from watchroom to lantern. It is fitted with a common iron thumb latch & a common iron rim lock |
| Parapet Diameter: | Lantern is 9' 0.5" x 7' 0.5" inside of lining |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | There is a ventilator (about 3 1/4") in the lower part of each of the four walls of the lantern, excepting the rear, in which balcony door is located |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | No hooks, curtain is on a roller |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | 1 cupboard, fitted with shelves, 20" x 30", opening into the watchroom stairway near the foot |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | "Barbier and Fenestre, Const n a' Paris" |
| Order of Apparatus: | Range lens |
| Inside Diameter: | Outside diameter of outside ring of prisms, 2' 1 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Range lens |
| Number of Panels: | 4 sectors, Reflector is about 14" in diameter |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 3 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 4 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| 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; diameter of base about 16"; of flat part of top 12.5"; height 3' 8 1/4" |
| Service Table: | None except a narrow wooden shelf in right rear corner of lantern |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| 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: | No color |
| Red Sectors Description: | No red sector |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Std. 4th order constant level lamp, single wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One |
| Number of Spare Burners: | None |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | There is a small closet, fitted with shelves, in watchroom stairway. |
| Oil House Description: | A brick oil house, 8' x 12', is situated about 27' NW of lighthouse. It has a concrete floor & 5 shelves, 7/8" x 9 3/4", in the left end. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 3 on 1st floor, fitted with shelves & used for clothes, etc. 3 on 2nd floor, besides watchroom cupboard, fitted with hooks & shelves & used for clothes. There is a room in attic & a cellar used for storage purposes. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable, except that cellar is sometimes wet. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Coloring: | White with green shutters, & lead colored trimmings, except front, which is all white. |
| Construction Materials: | Frame on a stone & brick wall foundation & a shingle roof |
| Number of Rooms: | 6, besides hall, attic & summer kitchen. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Brick oil house, frame privy, frame barn |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house is red brick, unpainted. Barn & privy are white with lead colored trimmings.q |
| Paths and Walks: | A brick wall extends from the lighthouse to the oil house & privy & another from the front entrance of lighthouse to gravel drive which extends from lighthouse to barn & to entrance of the grounds. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 2 acres are enclosed by wire fences |
| Area of Garden: | About 1 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | 27 small Norway spruce, 2 large oaks, 6 poplars, 3 willows, 1 small maple & abt 30 California privet |
| Cultivation Area Available: | All unoccupied portions of premises |
| Area Cultivated: | About 1 acre. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Farming lands; soil, heavy clay loam |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From well & roof of lighthouse through downspouts to cistern. |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cutoffs |
| Tank Capacity: | Under lighthouse; cap. about 3700 gals. |
| Tank Material: | Brick & probably stone |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Open well, about 15.5' deep. Depth of water in Feb., 1904 was 4'6" |
| Well Diameter: | 3' |
| Well Lining: | Brick lined |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 7' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The general character & condition of the premises etc., are good. |