Report for Pigeon Point (California) - 1907

General
District: 12th
Inspector: Principal Keeper
Location: San Mateo County
Date of Report: 12/02/1907
Latitude: N 37° 10' 49"
Longitude: 122° 23' 39"
Premises
Site: Purchase
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed: 05/20/1870
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 10.5 acres
Area Inclosed: 10.5 acres
Character of Soil: Fast ground
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: 50'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: N side of station has 1" x 6" x 9' open board fence; E side a 1" x 3" x 4' picket fence. 9 acre lot 1" x 6" x 5' board fence on all 4.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: None
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None
Means to Reach Light Station: By RR to San Mateo, thence by public or private conveyance.
Distance to Nearest Road: 200' to nearest public road.
Distance to Post Office: 7 miles to Piscadero
Distance to Village: 7 miles to Piscadero
Facilities for Public Conveyance: Good. Can be reached by stage from San Mateo.
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Good county road direct to station.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1871
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Cylindrical
Form of Tower: Conical
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 110'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 148'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Gentle rolling hills sloping towards sea coast.
Color of Tower: White
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Whitewashed
Tower Connection: Detached
Object of Navigation: Seacoast
Building Materials: Brick & cement
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 5'
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 18"
Diameter at Base: 14' 3"
Diameter at Parapet: 12'
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Iron spiral stairway & steps
Number of Landings: 5
Size of Glass: Parapet 8 3/4 x 15". Tower 10 x 12", 4' 6" x 13'; middle & lower 3' 5" x 13'
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 7 at parapet 4' 4 3/4" x 12" upper.
Number of Doors: 5
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Rocky
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Rocky & gravel
Soil Susceptibility: By grass
Miscellaneous Remarks:
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 1st order
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 12' 3"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 16
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 9' 10"
Number of Plates in Height: 3
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 1/4"
Size of Plates: Upper 45" x 28"; middle 39" x 28"; lower 30 3/4" x 28"
Number of Storm Panes: 3
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Metal
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Red copper folded & soldered.
Ventilator / Cowl: Center of roof made of cast iron, 2' 4" dia.
Lightning Spindle: None
Description of Lightning Rod: None
Balustrade: Made of 2.5 x .5" flat iron with 1" taper rods for uprights shaped in a circle.
Lantern Doors: None
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron
Watchroom Doors: Double doors
Parapet Diameter: 12'
Ventilators
Location / Number: Lower part of lantern
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: 1 iron ladder
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Spring roller shades


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: Floor, cast iron; walls lined with brick plastered & painted white; 1 service table made of wood.
How is Relief Called: Telephone made by Chicago Telephone Supply Co., Elkhart, IN
Where is Call System Led: From tower to fog signal & Keeper's quarters
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus: 5 hours
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Henry LePaute
Year Made: No date
Marks and Number: No marks
Order of Apparatus: 1st
Inside Diameter: 72"
Light Characteristic: Flashing white every 10 sec.
Time of Revolution: 4 minutes
Flash Interval: 10 sec
Duration of Flash: 4 sec
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 24
Number of Flash Panels: 24
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 1
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 17
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 8
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: Metal, height 3' 5", diameter at base & top 30"
Service Table: Made of wood folding up against the wall.
Draft Tube Description: 5" brass tube fitted with set screws
Revolving Machinery: Clockwork
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls: Chariot
Chariot Description: 2 sets of 10 wheels 5 7/8" dia., all fitted to a ring.
Length of Drop Tube: 13'
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time: 5 hours
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection: By square metal box, & 4 glass doors.
Regulated: By taking off & putting on weight.
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Funks float, 5 wicks
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: 4
Candle Power:


Clock Cord Description
Revolving Cord: Wire rope
Size of Clock Cord:
Length of Clock Cord:
How Led: Down center of tower to 1st landing.
Diameter and Length of Clock Drum:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None
Oil House Description: Oil room to right of entrance to tower. Storeroom to left, both 15' 8" x 9' 6". 4 windows 2' x 5' 7". Bldg made of brick attached to E side of tower, outside measures 27' 4" x 18' 3"
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 2 lockers in oil room 9' 6" long, 14" wide, 3' high fitted with doors. 1 locker in storeroom to right - 4x4' fitted with shelves & door used for chimneys.
Suitability: Dry & suitable
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: 10 & 12" steam whistle, N apparatus. Ratchet gear: double worm gear. 3/4 Gardners governor - N # 201096, 600 rpm; S # 177835, 300 rpm made in Irving, Il.
Time to Start: With cold boiler - 45 min; bank fire, 15 min.
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: No name or date
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic: 4 sec blast, 7 sec silent, 4 sec blast, 45 sec silent.
Duplication: Boilers, steam drums, engines, whistles, whistle valves & safety valves.
Timing Device: 2 - 4sec cams fitted on cam wheel
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: Whistle - 60 lbs
Height Above Water: 55'
Compass Direction:
Location: Head land. Rocky point
Distance and Direction: 100' W
Water Supply: Rain water & spring water
Reached from Lighthouse: By pipeline
Description of Fog Signal Building: 1 story wooden frame bldg 32' 6" x 34' 6", 2 tool rooms 12x12', joined on outside N & S; 2 folding doors 10' 10" x 5' 9" open E & W. 12 windows.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Steam Signal
Steam Boiler: 1 boiler pump 2.5 No. 21223, Geo. F. Blake, Maker, Boston & NY
Kind: Horizontal
Tube: Flue tube
Dimensions: 12'
Length: 42"
Diameter:
Tube Description: 41 tubes - 12'
Steam Tube Diameter: 3"
Steam Furnace Kind: Brick
Furnace Length: 4'
Furnace Width: 4'
Furnace Height: S furnace - 18"; N furnace - 24"
Steam Heat Surface: 430 sq. ft.
Steam Grate Surface: 16 sq. ft.
Number of Grate Bars: 16
Kind of Grate Bars: 4', wood burning bars
Steam Fuel: Wood
Steam Safety Valve: 2.5" locomotive pop valve
Steam Maximum Pressure: 175 lbs
Steam Working Pressure: 60 lbs
Steam Diameter of Smokestack: 21.5"
Smokestack Height: 38'
Drum Dimension: N 48" long; S 55" long
Steam Drum Diameter: N 28"; S 30"
Steam Covering: None
Steam Boiler Condition: S boiler good, N boiler fair condition
Steam Boiler Built: S 1905; N 1887
Where Built: S - Erie, PA; N - San Francisco, CA
Manufacturer: S - Pa Boiler Works; N - Moynihan & Aiken
Steam Heater: False
Kind:
Size:
Heater Time Affect:
Steam Engine Kind: Horizontal
Steam Engine Revolutions: N 102 rpm; S 63 rpm
Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: N - 4"; S - 4"
Steam Engine Piston Stroke: N - 9"; S - 6"
Steam Engine Pipe Size: 3/4"
Steam Engine When Built: No name or date
Steam Engine Where Built:
Manufacturer:


Whistle Signal
Whistle Diameter: N - 12"; S - 10"
Whistle Height: N - 30"; S - 27"
Whistle Orifice: N - 2 11/16"; S - 3"
Whistle Tone:
Whistle Chime:
Dwelling
Location: 100' N from tower
Coloring: White with lead color trimmings
Construction Materials: Wood
Number of Rooms: 20
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 4
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: 3 - barn & storeroom, small bldg used as wash-house & 1 as blacksmith shop.
Outhouse Coloring: White with lead color trimmings
Paths and Walks: Plank walk 40 x 70' N side of Keeper's dweeling.
Area Inclosed: Station 1.5 acre; S side enclosed with 4' pickets; N side 9' open board fence. 9 acre lot 1000' E of station enclosed with fine board horizontal fence, 8' btwn each post.
Area of Garden: 60' x 20'
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Fast grounds
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: Rain water saved on cement shed in 9 acre lot. Also a spring in 9 acre lot.
Quality: Rain water good, spring water bad
Quantity: Not ample
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution: No other than frequent cleaning of tanks
Tank Capacity: 2, 30,000 gal each & 2 - 9000 gal at station & 1 10,000 gal at 9 acre lot
Tank Material: 3 tanks of wood; 2 cisterns of brick & cement; 1 built under engine room floor, 1 in basement under keeper's dwelling.
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: 12'
Well Diameter: 6'
Well Lining: Lined with brick & cement
Pump or Bucket: Pump
What Power Used: Windmill - Pacific Steel & Hardware Co., San Fran.
Distance from Dwelling: 1800'; Spring water raised 75' to supply tank by 12' star windmill.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthy
Diseases: None
Prevalency: None
Local Causes: None
Recommended Improvements: No
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: No wharf
Distance and Direction:
Miscellaneous Remarks: 2 circular cracks in masonry done by earthquake, 1 abt 30' & other abt 75' above base. Oil room too small to hold yearly supply. Water supply not sufficient at all seasons due to not having storage room on station. Storage tank on 9 acre lot used for bath