Report for Point Conception Light Station (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | H. A. Weeks, Keeper |
| Location: | Near pitch of Point Conception, seacoast of CA, entrance to Santa Barbara Channel |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1907 |
| Latitude: | N 34° 26' 49" |
| Longitude: | W 120° 28' 18" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 04/20/1881 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 30 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | 30 acres inclosed by fence. |
| Character of Soil: | Sandy |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 170' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None, there is a landing where lighthouse tender sometimes land supplies by surf boat on beach. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | About 1.5 miles E of station part of which is through sand. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By Southern Pacific RR to within 1 mile from station or by team over mountain roads which are sometimes impassable. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | To railway station, 1 mile, Concepcion. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1 mile to Concepcion. |
| Distance to Village: | 24 miles to Lompoc |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | None |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1855 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1881 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Round |
| Form of Tower: | Cylindrical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 39' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 122' 10" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Hills |
| Color of Tower: | White, lead color trimmings. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast of California, general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Brick & granite |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 4' at base |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 20" |
| Diameter at Base: | 19.5' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | About 14.5' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Iron |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 10.5" x 12.5" & 10.5" x 24.5" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 3; 2' 4" x 4' 8" |
| Number of Doors: | 4 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Brick, 3' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sandy |
| Soil Susceptibility: | No |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower rises from rear of bldg. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 9' 5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 8" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | Lower plate: 2' 4" x 2' 7"; middle 2' 4" x 3' 3.5"; Top 2' 4" x 3' 9" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 3 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All galzed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Steel & copper |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Copper |
| Lightning Spindle: | No |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | No |
| Balustrade: | Iron platform, stanchions & railing. |
| Lantern Doors: | Iron, fitted with outside hinges & double iron bars for fastening when closed. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wood, fitted with brass hinges. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 9' 5" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Wooden ladder |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Spring rollers. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Wainscoted; linoleum floor; contains apparatus & clockwork; has steps leading to platform around plate glass; is fitted with clock, service table, locker & closet for wrenches, jack, screws, etc. |
| How is Relief Called: | Intercommunicating telephones |
| Where is Call System Led: | To 3 dwellings, tower & fog signal |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute |
| Year Made: | 1854 |
| Marks and Number: | Henry LePaute A Paris |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 6' |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 30 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | Every 8 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 30 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | 30 sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 16 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 16 |
| Arc of Each: | 32 degrees, 30' |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 14 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 17 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 6 |
| 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: | Iron |
| Service Table: | Wood with locker underneath for tools, etc. |
| Draft Tube Description: | Brass pipe 5" dia. Pipe leads from crown piece to ventilator ball. Sheet iron damper tube connects with connecting tube which connects same with crown piece. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Run by clockwork |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Chariot wheels |
| Chariot Description: | Revolves on steel bed plate, 8 chariot wheels 5 7/8" dia. 16 friction wheels 3.5" dia. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 8' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By iron frame with 4 glass doors |
| Regulated: | By weights |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funck's Float lamp. 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: | From drum thru watchroom floor down side of platform & stairs into a tube placed in floor. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 2 closets, 1 on landing for spare plate glass, other in watchroom for wrenches, etc. |
| Oil House Description: | Concrete oil house is located NW of tower btwn chute & dwelling; has solid iron roof; fitted with iron door, 1 window & shelves for storing oil. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | 2 storerooms at entrance to tower, 1 on each side of hall. 1 was formerly oil room & contains 1 closet; other is an office containing closets & shelving with glass doors, for spare chimneys, lamp burners, etc. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suited. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Steam boilers & steam whistles |
| Time to Start: | 45 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | R. Richey |
| Year of Manufacture: | Finished, February 20, 1902 |
| Characteristic: | 8 sec blast every 52 sec. |
| Duplication: | Boilers, engines, pumps, whistles & oil system |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Whistle: 60 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | W side of entrance to Santa Barbara Channel; also a dmngerous wreck about 300 yds from shore. |
| Distance and Direction: | 172' W of lighthouse |
| Water Supply: | Spring |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By walk |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Frame bldg painted white with lead color trimmings with coal house & tool room. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | 30 hp |
| Kind: | Horizontal |
| Tube: | Flue tube |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 12' |
| Diameter: | 42" |
| Tube Description: | 41 tubes 12' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 2" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Brick |
| Furnace Length: | 4' |
| Furnace Width: | 4' |
| Furnace Height: | |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 430 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 16 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 20 |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Double |
| Steam Fuel: | Crude oil |
| Steam Safety Valve: | 2.5" lever & ball |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | 70 lbs at present |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 60 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | Brick stack, 20" inside |
| Smokestack Height: | 40' |
| Drum Dimension: | Length 4' 6" |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 2' 6" |
| Steam Covering: | None |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Both boilers need replacing |
| Steam Boiler Built: | 1890 & 1892 |
| Where Built: | San Francisco, CA |
| Manufacturer: | Moynihan & Co. |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | Horizontal slide valve |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | 4" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | 8" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | 1" |
| Steam Engine When Built: | No date |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | No name of place |
| Manufacturer: | No name |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 12" |
| Whistle Height: | 2' 8" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 2.5" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 1 near tower in NW direction; 1 double dwelling & 1 1/2 story on bluff N of tower. |
| Coloring: | White, lead color trimmings |
| Construction Materials: | 2 of wood, 1 of brick |
| Number of Rooms: | 4 nearest tower, 12 in duplex, 5 brick dwelling. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 2 single, 1 double |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 2 in double, 1 each in single |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Coal house & shed & blacksmith shop down hill; storehouse, paint shop, barn & workshop on hill |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White, lead color trimmings |
| Paths and Walks: | Concrete walk to oil house; around tower; & part way around fog signal. Plank, loose brick & stone walks around dwellings. |
| Area Inclosed: | Dwelling near tower enclosed by tight board fence on NW side & end & picket fence on S side. |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sandy, at times drifting. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From spring by windmill |
| Quality: | Good in summer, earthy taste during rainy season |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | 1 cistern on hill, 5,000 gal; 1 at signal, 60,000 gal; 2 tanks on hill 10,000 gal each |
| Tank Material: | Wooden tanks; cisterns of brick with concrete linings |
| 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: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |