Report for Ontonagon Pierhead Light-Station (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Ontonagon Pierhead Light-Station, about 45 feet from the outer end of the West pier of Ontonagon River. Mich. S'ly shore of Lake Superior.
Date of Report: 08/13/1910
Latitude: 46° 52' 49"
Longitude: 89° 19' 50"
Premises
Site: Submarine Site
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site:
Area Inclosed:
Character of Soil:
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence:
Wharf or Landing on Premises:
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station:
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: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1875
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1900
Condition at This Date: Excellent
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square
Form of Tower: Pyramidal
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 32' 10"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 31'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint.
Tower Connection: Stands on end of west pier about 1/2 mile from keeper's dwelling.
Object of Navigation: Guide to entrance to Ontonagon River.
Building Materials: Sturctural steel.
General Description: The tower is 12' square in plan at the base & 10' 8" sq. at lantern deck. The 4 tower posts are heavy 6" x 6" angles & bolted at base to 2 10" channels placed back to back.
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps: An iron ladder leads from service room to lantern
Number of Landings: None.
Size of Glass: 10" x 10"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2 windows of 2 sashes each 2' 0" x 2' 1"
Number of Doors: 1 wooden door leads from elevated platform to tower.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Anchored to crib by heavy anchor bolts.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: This light is maintained by the keeper of the Ontonagon Main light.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 7' 1/2"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 8
Type of Bars: Vertical bars.
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2' 11.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 1/4"
Size of Plates: 3'0" x 2' 8"
Number of Storm Panes: None
Unglazed Side of Lantern: 2 panels unglazed of 45 degrees each. There is 1 glazed panel between the 2 unglazed panels & directly in range of the pier.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Lower part cast iron; upper part wrought iron; lower part is lined inside with steel plates.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 8 sided pyramidal dome; cast iron outside, inside lined with sheet zinc. No lens protector.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron.
Lightning Spindle: Copper with platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: No lighting conductor.
Balustrade: 2 rils of 1 1/2" pipe; vertical stanchions of same material; floor is of cast iron & square in plan.
Lantern Doors: 1 double fold iron door leads from lantern door to outside gallery.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron 3/4" thick iron trap door leads down to iron ladder.
Watchroom Doors: No watch room.
Parapet Diameter: Parapet 6' 6.75"
Ventilators
Location / Number: Ventilator in parapet.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to soffit.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: No watchroom.
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Unknown
Year Made: Unknown
Marks and Number: No marks.
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter: 1' 7-13/16"
Light Characteristic: Fixed red.
Time of Revolution: Not movable.
Flash Interval: No flashes.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4 panels 2 of which are brass reflectors.
Number of Flash Panels: None
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 7
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 5
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: 4th order 4 column brass pedestal.
Service Table: Broad shelf has been built in 1 end which is used a a service table.
Draft Tube Description: None.
Revolving Machinery: Not revolving.
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: Colored light produced by red chimney on lamp.
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Funck Heap
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps:
Number of Spare Burners:
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1.5"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: Service room contains a cupboard in 1 corner which is equipped with shelves & is used to keep spare lamp & cleaning rags.
Oil House Description: About 35' in rear of dwelling.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' 2" x 5' 6" x 9' high
Oil House Construction Material: Brick
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 5 closets in dwelling. Basement under dwelling part of which is used as a store room.
Suitability: Dry & suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Lottrrops Hand 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: The tower is approached from the dwelling by 750' of board walk to pier. thence along pier about 600' to elevated walk, thence about 1200' along elevated walk on pier to beacon.
Coloring: Buff.
Construction Materials: Brick.
Number of Rooms: 9 rooms
Number of Dwellings: 1 dwelling
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers:
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Privy of red brick, wood shed & oil house
Outhouse Coloring: Privy & oil house red brick, wood shed painted white.
Paths and Walks: At present, board walks. The walks around the dwelling are in very bad shape but are to be replaced this season of 1910 by concrete walks.
Area Inclosed: Not inclosed
Area of Garden: 1/10 acre.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: About 1/10 acre for garden.
Character of Surroundings: Sandy & shifting sands mostly - SW corner of reservation is swampy.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: By pump from driven well. The keeper claims that the pipe which carries the water from the well to the dwelling is not low enough in to ground and freezes in the winter. He has to hire water carried in barrels to dwelling during the winter months.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Not ample in winter.
Injury Possible: No.
Purity Precaution: No cistern.
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Driven well.
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump in dwelling
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Well is about 500' from dwelling & is carried through iron pipe.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthfulness excellent.
Diseases: No.
Prevalency: No.
Local Causes: None.
Recommended Improvements: None.