Report for Old Reedy Island Light Station (Delaware) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | H. Bamber, Assistant Engineer & others |
| Location: | Located on the S end of Reedy Island, W side of the main channel of Delaware River |
| Date of Report: | 12/13/1907 |
| Latitude: | 39° 30' 03" |
| Longitude: | 75° 34' 09" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Grants by State of Delaware |
| Date of Reservation: | 12/08/1876 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | Total area of 3 grants about 35 acres; present area of lower island, is about 1 1/4 acres. |
| Area Inclosed: | None by fences; area inside bank is about 4/10 acre |
| Character of Soil: | Salt reed marsh outside of bank, sandy loam inside |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 70' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None except bank on levee |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | There is a wharf about 20' x 31' |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No road. A boardwalk extends from the rear entrance of the lighthouse to the wharf (about 80') |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By RR to Delaware City, thence by small boat to station; or by private conveyance or stage from Delaware City to Port Penn, Del & thence by small boat to station. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 5/8 mile by boat to road. About 6 miles by boat to Delaware City RR station, or by boat to Port Penn & road to Delaware City. |
| Distance to Post Office: | About 1 1/4 miles to Port Penn, Del. |
| Distance to Village: | About 1 1/4 miles to Port Penn, Del. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | There are livery stables in Delaware City. Boats can usually be hired at Port Penn |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Lantern tower is on frame dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1839 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1879 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 37.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 32' 0" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Distant trees & buildings |
| Color of Tower: | White, with lead colored trimmings, green shutters, black lantern. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | On dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | For general navigating purposes, marking the S end of Reedy Island. |
| Building Materials: | Wood, on a brick pile foundation |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Brick walls between foundation pieces about 8" thick |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | About 7" |
| Diameter at Base: | About 12' x 12' (Inside 11' x 10' 11 1/4") |
| Diameter at Parapet: | About 12' 2" x 12' 2" (Inside 11' x 11') |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden ladder, treads 8.5' wide |
| Number of Landings: | None, besides floors |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 - sashes about 1 7/8" x 2' 4 3/4" x 2' 7.5" |
| Number of Doors: | 4 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick piers on piles, depth not known. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy loam inside of banks, reed marsh outside |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Grass & shrubbery can be grown on lawn |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Reedy Island is wearing above the station & there is now about 2' of water between its lower & upper ends. Other grant dates: 1/17/1839; 1/20/1843. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 6' 7". Lens is about 1 1/4" W of center of lantern |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 9 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | About 3' |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | About 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 2' 4 1/8" x 3' |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None (one extra panel on hand) |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Metal & wood. Lower wall or parapet is wood. Sill, posts & steps are iron. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper (has about 100 1/4" holes) |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass pinnacle of lantern (needs a platinum point) |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | Copper cable 1/2" in dia. attached to right side of cast iron sill of lanten, passing its separated strands through small holes drilled into deck. From this sill it runs down right side of tower to ridge of lighthouse roof, thence down to std ground conn |
| Balustrade: | Deck & railing are of wood. Deck is covered with tin, protected with a grillage |
| Lantern Doors: | Door to balcony is of wood, hung on brass hinges & fitted with a brass lock & a brass hook |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood, covered with oil cloth. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door hung on iron hinges & fitted with an iron lifting ring. |
| Parapet Diameter: | About 6' 8.5" (has 9 sides) |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Five 2 3/4" ventilators in parapet of lantern, fitted with flat inside tin covers |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed into top of lantern posts |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Room underneath lantern is fitted with 2 closets & a small cupboard. It has a front & a rear 6-pane swinging window. Glass 9" x 12" |
| How is Relief Called: | |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | L. Saulter & Co. |
| Year Made: | Not known |
| Marks and Number: | "L Saulter & Co. Constructeur a' Paris" |
| Order of Apparatus: | 5th |
| Inside Diameter: | 14.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white, with a fixed red sector between N & N by E, 7/8 E, white light somewhat obscured between SE by E & SW by S |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 270 degrees |
| Number of Panels: | 4, one is fitted with a silver plated copper reflector, about 9" x 11" |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 (3 prisms missing & 4 badly broken) |
| 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; height 3' 8 1/4"; diameter top (flat) about 14"; base about 16" |
| Service Table: | Cast iron. Outer end has 2 wrought iron legs. Inner end is attached to pedestal. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | None |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Ruby glass |
| Red Sectors Description: | N & N by E 7/8 E |
| Where Color Attached: | Ruby glass stands in a brass groove attached to inside sill of lantern. Its top is held in place by a single slotted top bolt. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Standard 5th order single wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | One (3 in all) |
| Number of Spare Burners: | |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 2 closets in watchroom. 1 fitted with shelves & used for lamp supplies. The other is fitted with hooks & used for clothes. |
| Oil House Description: | A galvanized iron oil house, 10' x 10' is located on about 26' W of lighthouse. It has a concrete floor & a set of 5 shelves, 7/8" x 9 3/4" on right side. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 2 on 1st floor; fitted with shelves & hooks & used for clothes. Basement of lighthouse is also used for storage purposes & there is a coal bin in the boat house |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Bell struck by machinery every 15 seconds. |
| Time to Start: | Keeper states 1 minute |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | Geo. M. Stevens Co. 15 Chardon St. Boston, Mass |
| Year of Manufacture: | Not known |
| Characteristic: | Single blow, 15 sec silent interval |
| Duplication: | None |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | Signal is about 40' S of lighthouse |
| Water Supply: | None required |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By means of an elevated boardwalk |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Frame, stone foundation, about 8' 3" x 8' 3" in plan. A gallows frame for weights is on the outside of building. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | Not known |
| Metal: | Probably bell |
| Diameter: | 2' 8" |
| Height: | 24" |
| Time: | 4 hours |
| Manufacturer: | "cast by J Bernhard, No. 78 N 6th St. Philada, 1854" |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Lantern is on dwelling |
| Coloring: | White, with lead colored trimmings, green shutters & black lantern |
| Construction Materials: | Frame, on brick pier foundation |
| Number of Rooms: | 3 on 1st floor, 2 low attic rooms & pantry & halls |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | One |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Frame fog signal house, boat house, privy & poultry house & corrugated iron oil house |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, with lead colored trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Elevated boardwalks connect lighthouse with out buildings. There is a brick walk extending from the front to the rear of the lighthouse. |
| Area Inclosed: | About 4/10 acre inclosed by bank |
| Area of Garden: | About 1/7 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 1/6 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | About 1/8 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Salt reed marsh |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From roof of lighthouse by downspouts to tank & cistern. |
| Quality: | Good, when properly cared for |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | Downspouts have been provided with cut-offs |
| Tank Capacity: | Under lighthouse, tank 1000 gals, cistern, 1400 gals. |
| Tank Material: | Cedar tank & brick cistern (walls of latter 1 brick thick) |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Healthful |
| Diseases: | |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | |
| Recommended Improvements: |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Wharf, about 20'x31' with about 9' of water on its front. A boardwalk, 80' long extends to rear entrance of lighthouse. Boat house is overhanging frame structure, 20'x28' on a pile & iron column foundation. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boat house about 57' W of lighthouse & connected there by an elevated boardwalk. It is furnished with landing stairs for small boats, a hoisting winch, workbench, tool cabinet & shelving, & contains a coal bin, it serves as boat house, shop & storehouse |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | The general character & condition of the premises, etc., are good. (The wharf once abandoned is only in fair condition) A few of the upper prisms of the lens are missing. |