1871-1900 Yaquina Head Lighthouse Letter books

Office of Light-House Engineer, Thirteenth District, Portland, Oregon, Aug 21, 1872

Chairman Light House Board, Washington, D.C. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a communication from Chas L. Brown, contractor for Light Keepers’ Dwelling at Cape Foulweather Lt. Station, Og’n, and to recommend that the extension of time asked for, sixty days (60), be granted, as I think the delays have been caused by difficulties connected with transportation, and that due diligence has been used by the contractor. Notwithstanding all my efforts to secure transportation of materials for the L.H. Tower at Cape Foulweather, fully half the season has been lost by unavoidable delays from lack of materials at the Cape.

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Henry M. Robert Maj. Of Eng’rs & L.H. Eng’r Thirteenth District

Office of the Light House Engineer Thirteenth District

Portland, Oregon, Jan 15, 1873

Prof Joseph Henry: Chairman Light House Board Washington, D. C.

Sir: The following telegram has been this day sent you: Sixteen lantern deck-plates, and sixteen cases Lantern Apparatus received at Foulweather. Following at missing: eight lantern posts, sixteen floor lights, sixteen rafters, and sixteen tie-rods. Gene Michler telegraphs "not in San Francisco."

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Henry M. Robert Maj. of Eng'rs & L. H. Eng'r, Thirteenth District

Office of the Light House Engineer Thirteenth District Portland, Oregon Feb 27 1873

Chairman Light House Board, Washington, D.C.

Sir:

I have the honor to make the following Report of Operations for the month of December, 1872.

Cape Foulweather Lt. Station, Ogn. Put in new landing and 2 flights of stairs. Completed outer brick wall. Continued landing from Newport & grading. Completed inside white-wash. Commenced taking down scaffolding.

Probable Operations for January. Commence putting up Lantern. Continue grading and cleaning up grounds. Haul materials from Newport.

Cape Hancock Lt Station, W.T. Sent men & materials to L.H. Station. Commenced hauling materials to L.H. site. Laid brick foundation. Partly enclosed oil house.

Probable Operations for January. Complete Oil-House, except painting & plumbing -

The position of the tower, by the United States Coast Survey Pilot, is: Latitude 44 degrees 36 minutes 35 seconds north, Longitude 124 degrees 04 minutes west from Greenwich.

The following are the magnetic bearings and distances from the light to the most prominent objects in the vicinity, which are likely to catch the eyes or attract the attention of the mariner:

Cape Perpetua, South 20 degrees east, distant 26 miles. Celilike Head, South 17 1/2 degrees east, distant 8 miles.

In approaching Yaquina entrance, mariners should observe the following directions, viz: Yaquina Point (or Cape Foulweather) bearing north 34 degrees west, limits the visibility of the light in that direction.

The angle of visibility over the water is 238 degrees. The magnetic bearings, within which the light will be visible from a vessel, are from N.N.W. by southerly to S. by E.

A dangerous reef lies off the mouth of the harbor. Vessels passing should not have less than 12 fathoms water.

By order of the Light-House Board:

Treasury Department Office Light House Board Washington, D.C. September 1871

W.B. Shubrick, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy Chairman

Notice to Mariners No. 34, of 1873

United States of America - Pacific Coast - Oregon

Fixed White Light at Cape Foulweather, (Yaquina Head)

Notice is hereby given that, on and after the evening of August 20, 1873, a fixed white light will be shown from the tower recently erected on Cape Foulweather, (Yaquina Head,) Oregon.

The focal plane is at a height of 81 feet above the ground and 150 feet above sea level. In clear weather, the eye being 15 feet above sea level, the light should be seen at a distance of 18 1/2 nautical miles.

The illuminating apparatus is a lens of the 1st order, fixed, illuminating 240 degrees of the horizon.

The tower is of brick, painted white, and the lantern is painted black.

The keeper's dwelling, a two story frame building east of the tower, is painted white.

The approximate position of the light-house is as follows:

Latitude 44 degrees 43' 30" North Longitude 124 degrees 5' West

From the light-house, Cape Disappointment (Hancock) light-house bears N. by W. 3/4 W. 94 nautical miles; Yaquina (Harbor) light-house bears S.E. by S. 1/4 S. 3 1/4 nautical miles; Cape Perpetua bears S. by E. 3/4 E. 24 nautical miles; Cape Arago (Gregory) light-house bears S. by E. 84 nautical miles.

By order of the Light-House Board:

Joseph Henry, Chairman

Treasury Department Office Light-House board, Washington, D.C., July 25, 1873