1871-1900 Yaquina Head Lighthouse Letter books

(All communications should be addressed to "THE LIGHT-HOUSE BOARD") M.M.B. 3 Enclosures.

Treasury Department, Office of the Light-House Board, Washington, D.C., 22 March, '95.

Marjor J. C. Post, U.S.A., Engineer 13th L. H. District, Portland, Oreg.

Sir:

Enclosed is sent you a copy of a letter from Hon. Binger Hermann, M. C., dated 19 March, '95 together with a copy of its enclosure, a petition of citizens of Yaquina Bay, Oregon, asking for the establishment of a stake light on Ford's Point (Coquille Point,) for the purpose of defining the channel between McLane's Point and the end of the Bulk Head at Yaquina; and a tracing of Yaquina Bay.

The Board requests you to confer with the Inspector of the District, and with him make a joint report and recommendation as to the necessity for and advisability of establishing the light in question.

Respectfully, George F.F. Wilde Commander, U.S.N., Naval Secretary.

Treasury Department, ESH Office of the Light-House Board, 1 inclosure. Washington, August 20, 1895.

Major James C. Post, U.S.A., Engineer 13th Lighthouse District, Portland, Oregon.

Sir: Inclosed is transmitted, for your information, a copy of Notice to Mariners No. 126 of 1895, Giving notice that, on or about August 24, 1895, a fixed white tubular-lantern light will be established on the north jetty at the entrance to Yaquina Bay, Oregon, and that the height of the Middle Ground beacon light will be increased to 32 1/2 feet above the water. Respectfully, John ??? Captain, Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., Engineer Secretary.

2

Distance to the nearest public road, railroad station, or steamboat landing, and to which. The distance to the nearest public road, at Newport in Yaquina Bay, is five miles.

Tower or other means used for supporting the lantern and apparatus. Tower

Number of separate lights. One

When first built or established. 1870

When last thoroughly rebuilt, repaired, or renovated. Slight repairs made in 1880

Condition at this date. Good

Shape of tower in plan. Circular

Height of tower from base to focal plane of lantern. Eighty one (81) feet

Height of focal plane of lantern above the mean sea or lake level. one hundred and fifty one (151) feet

Back ground of the light-house, upon which it is projected, as seen from the sea or lake. Dark

Color of tower. White

Color of tower, how produced. Painted

Tower—connected with keepers’ dwelling, and how, or detached. Detached

Object: sea-coast, lake-coast, bay, harbor, channel, or range; for general or local navigating purposes. Sea Coast

Materials of which the tower is built. Brick

General description, embracing— Thickness of walls at base. Three (3) feet Thickness of walls at parapet. Twenty (20) feet Diameter of tower at base. Twenty eight (28) feet Diameter of tower at parapet. Sixteen (16) feet

11 Area in timber or shrubbery. None Area susceptible of profitable cultivation. About one acre. Area cultivated or prepared for cultivation. About one acre. Character of adjacent surrounding country—soil sandy, clay, marsh, swamp, wood, fast ground, or shifting sands. The soil is a dark clayey loam, covered with grass. No shrubbery or trees. Distance to the nearest post office. Five miles Distance to the nearest village or town. Five miles to Newport on Yaquina Bay Facilities for reaching the light-station by public conveyance. None Facilities for reaching the light-station by private conveyance from the nearest village, town, railroad station, or steamboat landing, and the distance. The light station can be reached from the town of Newport on Yaquina Bay. Distance five miles. Water For Drinking and Domestic Uses Generally. How procured. From the roof of keeper’s dwelling. Quality. Good Quantity ample of not for the station at all seasons of the year. Ample Liable or not to be injured by the inroads of storm tides and seas. Not liable to injury by storm tides and seas. If rain water in tanks or cisterns, what precautions have been taken to insure its purity. The water is stored in brick underground cisterns. They are usually cleaned out once a year. Capacity of tanks or cisterns, and where placed. One cistern, capacity 11,000 gallons, placed near the rear of keeper’s dwelling. Tanks or cisterns—of what materials made. One under-ground cistern built of brick and cement.

13 Would draining or other artificial means employed on the light-house premises be likely to improve the sanitary condition of the light-station? It would not. Landing, Wharf, Boat-House, And Road To The Light-House. Describe. There is no landing near the light-house, except on the beach in smooth weather. Supplies are usually landed on the beach two miles from the light-house. No wharf or boat-houses. The road from the light-house to the town of Newport on Yaquina Bay is a passably good wagon road, but teams can only haul small loads over it. In passing over the road from the light-house, the first two miles is hilly with hard ground; the next 1 ½ miles is on the sea beach, very good except three hours of high water, the next 1 ½ miles into Newport is sandy and hilly.