Report for Point Reyes Light Station (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | James Anderson, Keeper |
| Location: | Coast of CA about 30 mi N of San Francisco near Drakes Bay |
| Date of Report: | 07/02/1907 |
| Latitude: | 37° 59' 39" |
| Longitude: | 123° 01' 24" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 03/20/1856 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 100 acre |
| Area Inclosed: | All |
| Character of Soil: | Sand & barren rock |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 150' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | No wharf, an open landing at Drake's Bay |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Sandy & hilly, much drift sand, about 4 miles |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By team from Pt. Reyes |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | Nearest public road, 17 mi; nearest RR station, Pt. Reyes, 27 mi.; Nearest steamboat landing, Sausilito, 60 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 12 miles |
| Distance to Village: | Inverness, 21 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | By stage to within 12 miles from station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By team from Pt. Reyes RR station, 27 miles distant. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | 1 iron tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 flashing white light |
| First Built or Established: | 1870 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | New lining under dome, 1903. |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Polygonal |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 34' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 294' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | High-bluff about 300' above tower, brown or green in color as seen from Pacific O. |
| Color of Tower: | White, lantern black, |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Distance from tower to Keeper's dwellings, 1000' connected by 450 steps. |
| Object of Navigation: | For general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Cast & wrought iron |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 1/2" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 1/4" |
| Diameter at Base: | 19' 8" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 12' 2" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Cast iron |
| Number of Landings: | 2 |
| Size of Glass: | 25 x 29.5 x 3/16 |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 - 25 x 29.5 |
| Number of Doors: | 2; 2' 3/4" x 6' 10" & 24 3/4" x 5' 6" |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Sandstone |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sand & rocks |
| Soil Susceptibility: | No |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Additional deed, July 28, 1869. Site of tower is top of high bluff of sandstone formation & was badly cracked in earthquake of April 18, 1906. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12' 2" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 10' 1" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | 3/16" |
| Size of Plates: | Upper 27 3/4" x 3' 9"; middle 27 3/4" x 3' 3"; Lower 27 3/4" x 30.5" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 3 |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Glass & iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Roof or dome is made of iron & copper |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | 20" dia made of brass with 20 small holes in lower rim & spire on top 20" long. |
| Lightning Spindle: | None |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None furnished at this station |
| Balustrade: | Made of iron 1/4" thick & 2' wide. |
| Lantern Doors: | No doors fitted to lantern |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | 1 door leading to watchroom, 24.5" w x 5.6" h of 1/4" iron, with outside brass hinges & inside lock. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 12' 2" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | Fitted to lower part of lantern, sliding brass plates 8 in number |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | 1 iron ladder 11' long |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | With spring rollers |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Wood linings all around walls & wooden floor. 4 small lockers 18" at bottom & 6" on top; 1 small stand for hand lamp & lens chimneys, 1 table & 2 chairs all made of wood. |
| How is Relief Called: | Station fitted with telephones. |
| Where is Call System Led: | To fog signal & all keeper's quarters. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | 1867 |
| Marks and Number: | No marks |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 6' |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing white every 5 sec. |
| Time of Revolution: | 1 every 2 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 5 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | 1/ sec |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Can be seen from due N to E by S on Pacific Ocean about 260 degrees. |
| Number of Panels: | 72 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 16 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 18 |
| 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: | Iron frame 4' dia |
| Service Table: | Iron platform 6' dia surrounded by small brass rack |
| Draft Tube Description: | 6" dia, 3' 6" long tapers at lower end to 4" made of copper held in place by 4 screws. Damper tube is 4" dia 30" long. |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clockwork |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | On set of 10 chariot wheels |
| Chariot Description: | 10 wheels 6" |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 21' 8" |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By round iron frame with 3 glass doors. |
| Regulated: | By changing weights from heavy to lighter, also by changing angle of inside regulator fans. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | None |
| Red Sectors Description: | None |
| Where Color Attached: | No color glass in lens or lantern |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 1st order 5 wick lamp |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Steel cable |
| Size of Clock Cord: | 3/8" |
| Length of Clock Cord: | 45' |
| How Led: | Thru 3 pulleys, 2 on watchroom floor & 1 under platform. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | Divided off from coal-house & S corner is only 14' from tower.Should be replaced by modern oil house. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 16x 19' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Redwood. |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | Lower part of tower used for storeroom at this station. |
| Suitability: | With exception of oil room, everything dry & well-suited to purpose & are in good order. |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | 2 12" steam whistles; 2 horizontal steam engines of about 8 hp each fitted with Gardners governors. |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | 5 sec blast every 70 sec. |
| Duplication: | |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | Whistle blown at 65 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | Whistle to water, 110' |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | Aid to navigation on coast of CA |
| Distance and Direction: | 150' |
| Water Supply: | Rain water |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | By 260 steps |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Wood, painted white, lead colored trimmings & brown roof. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | 2 boilers |
| Kind: | Horizontal |
| Tube: | Tubes |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 12' |
| Diameter: | 3' 6" |
| Tube Description: | 41 tubes 21' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 3" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Fire brick |
| Furnace Length: | 4' |
| Furnace Width: | 3' 6" |
| Furnace Height: | 16" |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 430 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 14 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 20 in each furnace |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Cast iron |
| Steam Fuel: | Soft coal & crude oil |
| Steam Safety Valve: | W boiler - pop safety valve; E boiler - cross |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | W - 100 lbs; E - 150 lbs |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 65 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | 22" |
| Smokestack Height: | 4' |
| Drum Dimension: | Height 6" |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 3", length 40" |
| Steam Covering: | Asbestos |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Good |
| Steam Boiler Built: | W - 1883; E - 1903 |
| Where Built: | W - San Francisco; E - Eureka, CA |
| Manufacturer: | W - Dondons Boiler Works; E - Eureka Boiler Works |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | 2 horizontal steam engines |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | 80 |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | 6" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | 6" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | 4" dia & 20' long |
| Steam Engine When Built: | Not known |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | Not known |
| Manufacturer: | Not known |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 12" |
| Whistle Height: | 16" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 2.5" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | 1050' E from tower |
| Coloring: | White with lead colored trimmings, green shutters & brown roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Wood. 30' 6" x 48' 6". |
| Number of Rooms: | 8 in double; 4 in each cottage |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & 3 assistants |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | 6; 2 storerooms, 1 coal house, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, barn |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White with brown roof. |
| Paths and Walks: | 1 road thru reservation planked for 200' btwn dwellings. |
| Area Inclosed: | End of peninsula cut off by fence |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Shifting sand & rocks |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | By storing rain water |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Depends on rainfall |
| Injury Possible: | Yes, by storms |
| Purity Precaution: | None - water is always good. |
| Tank Capacity: | 1 cistern, 200' W of dwelling, 75,000 gal; 4 btwn dwellings, 10,000 gal each; 3 tanks, 25,000, 35,000 & 42,000 gal each. |
| Tank Material: | Cisterns, brick & cement, tanks - redwood. |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | No wells, cisterns |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | From 10 - 15' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Very healthful |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | Healthy all the time |
| Local Causes: | None |
| Recommended Improvements: | No drainage or other means necessary |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No landing. There is an old storehouse at Drakes, 15 x 30' whitewashed with brown roof. |
| Distance and Direction: | 4.5 miles |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |