Report for Point Sur Light Station (California) - 1907
| General |
| District: | 12th |
| Inspector: | Charles Sperry |
| Location: | Near the NW'ly end of Moro Rock, Point Sur seacoast of California. Light station is on top of & includes the whole of Moro Rock. |
| Date of Report: | 08/17/1907 |
| Latitude: | 36° 18' 17" |
| Longitude: | 121° 54' 07" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Public Land according to best information |
| Date of Reservation: | 10/07/1866 |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 35 acres (estimated) |
| Area Inclosed: | None enclosed except for a garden |
| Character of Soil: | Rock abt 400' high w/ sandy soil & some vegetation |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 325' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | No inclosures except a garden |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Beach is used for a landing |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Road cut in side of rock on a grade down to beach. 1/2 mile to where material is landed. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | Stage or private conveyance from Monterey & lighthouse tender or other boat. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 3 miles to county road. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 10 miles to Sur Post Office. |
| Distance to Village: | 35 miles to Monterey |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Stage from Monterey as far as the beginning, at the county road, of right-of-way to light station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Private conveyance from Monterey, 35 miles, or by boat. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | Est. 1889; 1st lighted July 17, 1889 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Rectangular |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 50' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 270' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Rock close by & grass covered hills in distance. |
| Color of Tower: | Gray stone |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Natural color of stone |
| Tower Connection: | Not connected with any dwelling, but is attached to SE side of fog-signal bldg. |
| Object of Navigation: | Seacoast, for general navigating purposes. |
| Building Materials: | Sandstone |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 2.5' |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 18" |
| Diameter at Base: | 17' square outside & 12' round inside. |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 17' square outside & 12' round inside. |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Spiral, iron stairway & steps |
| Number of Landings: | 1 intermediate & 1 at watchroom floor |
| Size of Glass: | 7 3/4" x 8" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2; 1' 8" wide & 4' 8" high |
| Number of Doors: | 1 outside & 1 to oil room at base of tower, 1 to parapet gallery & 2 inside vestibule to watchroom. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Rock at surface |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Rocks covered with little sandy soil, some grass & other vegetation. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Some kinds of grass & perhaps shrubbery. Winds are too strong for trees. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 1st |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 12' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 16 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical iron posts & horizontal bronze bars |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 9' 9" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | 3 |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | 3 |
| Thickness of Plates: | Varies from 1/4" to 3/8" |
| Size of Plates: | Length of lower plates: 2' 6 7/8"; middle 3' 3 3/16"; upper 3' 8 3/4"; All are 2' 4 1/16" wide |
| Number of Storm Panes: | 3; 1 of each size. |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | All sides are glazed |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron frame with bronze sash bars & stops for glass. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Pyramidal, 16 sides, iron truss frame, covered with copper 3/32" thick. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | 2' 3" dia. & made of 66 oz copper. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | None |
| Balustrade: | Parapet gallery, 20' sq. w/ balustrade 3' 8" high; lantern gallery, 16' dia. w/ hand rail 3' high. |
| Lantern Doors: | None. Lantern gallery reached by an iron ladder from parapet gallery |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron with floor lights having prismatic glasses. |
| Watchroom Doors: | None |
| Parapet Diameter: | Circular, 11' 10" dia. inside & 15' dia. outside. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 7, in lower part of lantern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Bronze handles on lantern posts & bars above glass |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Hooks not used. Curtains are hung on Hartshorn's shade rollers. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Entered from spiral stairway or from parapet door. Lens & lantern are reached by iron stairway. |
| How is Relief Called: | Electric bells & speaking tube |
| Where is Call System Led: | Bell wires lead to Keeper's dwellings; speaking tube to signal room. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 5.5 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Barbier & Fenestre, Paris |
| Year Made: | 1887 |
| Marks and Number: | BF / 84 (on door of pedestal) |
| Order of Apparatus: | 1st |
| Inside Diameter: | 6' |
| Light Characteristic: | Flashing alternately red & white |
| Time of Revolution: | 4 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 15 sec (btwn begin of 1 flash to begin of next) |
| Duration of Flash: | 5 sec. |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | |
| Number of Panels: | 16 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 16 |
| Arc of Each: | 22.5 |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 17 for white & 19 for red |
| 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: | Cylindrical cast iron with 4 doors, 3 of which have glass in them for viewing the revolving mechanism. |
| Service Table: | Cast iron with flat track 2' dia for vert. wheels upon which lens revolves & center col. supporting floor & lamp in lens. Col. is 11" dia & forms lower bearing for horizontal friction wheels. |
| Draft Tube Description: | Cast iron tube, 8 5/8" outside dia. 11" long & having a flange on upper end bolted on top of spider frame of lantern, forms upper bearing for friction wheels on top of lens. From upper end, 5" sheet iron draft tube ext. up thru lens shelter & 7" below cro |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock mechanism operated by weight |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Chariot |
| Chariot Description: | Chariot ring with studs for 10 vertical wheels, 5 3/4" dia. & 10 horizontal wheels 3.5" dia. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 26' to ground floor. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 5.5 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Within pedestal |
| Regulated: | Vert. ball governor lifting a wheel the rim of which comes in contact with an adjustable brake whenever speed becomes too great. Setting brake higher increases speed of rev. mech. & lowering brake decreases speed. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | By flat sheets of colored glass |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | To illuminating apparatus - to lens frame outside of lens |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | 1st order, plunger lamp & burner with 5 wicks |
| Type of Illuminant: | Mineral oil |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 3 |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | Wire rope |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | With weight, hangs directly from winding drum & down drop tube in center of tower. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | No closets are built in tower. 1 moveable cabinet on intermediate landing & desk in watchroom are used for supplies. |
| Oil House Description: | Oil room attached to SE side of tower & fitted with shelves & cupboard; it is entered by doorway from base of tower. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | There is no closet built in lighthouse & no storerooms except the oil room. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Steam whistle operated by timing mechanism driven by steam engine. |
| Time to Start: | 42 minutes |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | 5 sec blast every 35 sec. |
| Duplication: | All parts, including boilers. |
| Timing Device: | Cam inside rim of worm wheel, making blast at each rev., time determined by speed of regulated eng. |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | 50 to 55 lbs |
| Height Above Water: | 255' |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | At NW'ly side of lighthouse |
| Water Supply: | From tank & cistern into which water is pumped. |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Signal house is attached to lighthouse |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | 1 story rectangular, gray stone bldg with gable roof shingled & painted brown. |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Steam Signal |
| Steam Boiler: | Stationary, horizontal, externally fired |
| Kind: | Return tubular |
| Tube: | Flue tube |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 12' |
| Diameter: | 42" |
| Tube Description: | 41 tubes 12' long |
| Steam Tube Diameter: | 3" |
| Steam Furnace Kind: | Brick |
| Furnace Length: | 4' |
| Furnace Width: | 4' |
| Furnace Height: | 2' |
| Steam Heat Surface: | 450 sq. ft. |
| Steam Grate Surface: | 16 sq. ft. |
| Number of Grate Bars: | 18 |
| Kind of Grate Bars: | Ordinary fixed |
| Steam Fuel: | Oak wood |
| Steam Safety Valve: | Lever & weight |
| Steam Maximum Pressure: | Over 80 lbs working. |
| Steam Working Pressure: | 55 lbs |
| Steam Diameter of Smokestack: | 20" pipe from boilers to side of signal house & then 24" tile to sq. stone stack on hill back of lighthouse. |
| Smokestack Height: | 60' (short stone stack on rock SE of lighthouse) |
| Drum Dimension: | Length 4' |
| Steam Drum Diameter: | 27" |
| Steam Covering: | Plastic magnesia-asbestos |
| Steam Boiler Condition: | Tight, but thin over furnace. |
| Steam Boiler Built: | 1888 |
| Where Built: | San Francisco, CA |
| Manufacturer: | Moynihan & Aitken |
| Steam Heater: | False |
| Kind: | |
| Size: | |
| Heater Time Affect: | |
| Steam Engine Kind: | Vertical |
| Steam Engine Revolutions: | 90 rpm |
| Steam Engine Cyl. Diameter: | 4" |
| Steam Engine Piston Stroke: | 9" |
| Steam Engine Pipe Size: | 3/4" |
| Steam Engine When Built: | No date |
| Steam Engine Where Built: | No name |
| Manufacturer: | No name |
| Whistle Signal |
| Whistle Diameter: | 12" |
| Whistle Height: | 18" |
| Whistle Orifice: | 3 3/4" |
| Whistle Tone: | Single |
| Whistle Chime: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | On top of rock about 1000' SE'ly from lighthouse |
| Coloring: | Gray stone with brown trimmings & roof. |
| Construction Materials: | 1st story sandstone, 2nd wood, hip roof shingled. |
| Number of Rooms: | 5 rooms & bath, no cellar |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Barn, toolhouse, & workshop, washhouse, greenhouse. storehouse, hen house & closet. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | White with brown roof - barn has lead colored trim |
| Paths and Walks: | Path between dwellings & lighthouse |
| Area Inclosed: | 1/15 acre, by picket fence |
| Area of Garden: | 1/15 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | 1/15 acre |
| Area Cultivated: | 1/15 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | About 1/2 mile of sand & clay flats btwn rock & upland. Surrounding country very hilly, having sandy & sand-clay soil & land is used mostly for grazing. Redwood & oak timber along Little Sur river about 5 miles inland. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Assistant Keepers Dwellings |
| Location: | On top of rock about 1000' SE'ly from lighthouse |
| Coloring: | Gray stone with brown trimmings & roof. |
| Construction Materials: | 2 1/2 stories, sandstone, gable roofs shingled. |
| Number of Rooms: | 1st & 2nd assts. 6 & cellar; 3rd asst. 5 & cellar |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 3 assts |
| Outhouses: | |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Area of Garden: | |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | By pumping from well in flat. |
| Quality: | Good; has slight mineral taste & creamy appearance |
| Quantity: | Sufficient |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable to be injured |
| Purity Precaution: | No provision has been made for filtering water; it is carried by wrought iron pipes from roof of assts' dwelling to covered wooden tank. |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern near dwellings 100,000 gal.; Tank near dwellings 18,000 gal; Tank at Fog Signal house, 10,000 gal. |
| Tank Material: | Cisterns - brick; tanks - wood |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Plank lined, 6' deep |
| Well Diameter: | Rectangular, 7' wide & 20' long. |
| Well Lining: | Lined with plank 2" thick |
| Pump or Bucket: | Steam pump; water pumped to height of 400'. |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | About 1000' in direct line & 1/2 mile around by road. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Reported to be good. |
| Diseases: | Colds & sore throat |
| Prevalency: | Winter season |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | Modern sanitary improvements in asst. keeper's dwelling would improve sanitary condition. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | No wharf or boathouse. Supplies from lighthouse tender & sometimes other materials are landed on beach at SE'ly end of rock. Road cut in & around side of rock on grade up to lighthouse & dwelling. |
| Distance and Direction: | 1/2 mile by road to beach. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Ext. repairs & imp. at Point Sur are contemplated for next fiscal year. (Now in progress, Sept., 1907) They include: install sanitary plumbing; concrete retaining wall, new pumping plant, imp. water supply sys; road work; new oil house, & gen repairs. |