1871-1900 Yaquina Head Lighthouse Letter books

United States Engineer Office Portland, Oregon, Dec. 17, 1887.

The Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Washington, D.C.

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report as to the present status of Yaquina Harbor, and as to whether the harbor improvements have been completed, and warranted the establishment of a light there. Yaquina Bay affords ample harbor accommodation; but at present vessels of deep draught cannot enter, as there is only about 12 feet depth of water over the bar, in the deepest channel, at low-water. The average range of tide is about 7 feet. There is little or nothing in the way of local resources to build up a commerce of any extent; but as an outlet to an important railroad, the harbor is rapidly growing in importance. Its future growth will depend much upon the improvement of the entrance to the harbor, and also upon the extension of the railroad to a connection with a trans continental line. At present, almost the only vessels entering and leaving the port are the passenger steamers running from Yaquina City to San Francisco. A jetty nearly 3,000 feet long has been constructed by the government, on the south side of the entrance. The results thus

January 18th 8

Lt. U. Sebree, USN Inspector 13th L.H. District Portland, Oregon

Sir:

The copy given below of a memorandum furnished the Board by the Hydrographic Office, Navy Department, is sent you for your information, and the proper action in the premises, namely:

"Capt. W. Kelly Jr. fed Au. sh. "Willamette Valley, reports the following on buoys at Yaquina City - the whistling buoy drifted N.E. 1/4 N. No. 1 black buoy, gone

Journal of Light-house Station at Cape Foulweather Oregon 1894

January

21: Fresh and moderate breeze S. to S.W. with light rain during 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. General duties for day. Keeper putting dressing on garden.

22: Moderate breeze South to S. W. and light North wind with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind to moderate breeze N.W., fair weather. Sea smooth. Keepers putting 200 Gallons of mineral oil in Oil room. Steamer Del Norte sailed from Yaquina for San Francisco. Keeper putting a pane of glass in 2nd ass't's window.

23: Light wind N.W. to moderate and fresh breeze East to S.East and South these 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Last part of 24 hours rain. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. 1st ass't went to Newport today.

24: Moderate breeze to light wind S.W. to W. N.West with frequent rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds, damp. Sea moderately smooth. Keeper went to Newport. 1st ass't went fishing. 2nd ass't putting dressing on garden.

25 Light wind to fresh breeze S.W. to S. these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours fair weather. Last part rain. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper went fishing.

26: Light variable winds these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours damp weather. Last part of 24 hours clear, fine weather. Sea quite smooth. General duties for day. Had two visitors. Keeper and 1st ass't went fishing today.

27: Light East to S.East wind first part of 24 hours with fair weather. Last part of 24 hours light South wind, rain. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper boiling out burner & went fishing 1st ass't went to Newport.

28: Light S.East wind these 24 hours with light rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours thick, damp fog. Keepers went fishing. Sea smooth.

29: Fresh to moderate breeze S. to S.W. first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light S.West wind with rain most of 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. Steamer Schooner Del Norte arrived at Yaquina this morning from San Francisco.

30: Moderate to fresh breeze N.W. these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours light rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Sea quite rough. General duties for the day. Keeper went over to Newport after supplies for Keeper's and to get the mail. 1st and 2nd ass'ts went over to Mr. Brigg's to dig a grave and help bury Mr. Brigg's Daughter she having died of Consumption.

31: Light East to North & N.West wind these 24 hours with clear, fine and cool. Sea smooth. Steamer Del Norte sailed from Yaquina City for San Francisco. Keeper & 1st ass't went fishing. 2nd ass't working in garden. 2nd ass't cleaning his quarters. Keeper repairing a leak in roof leading to tower through [falway?]. February 1: Light wind to moderate breeze North these 24 hours with clear, fine and cool weather. Sea smooth. General duties for day. Keepers went fishing. 1st ass't went to Newport.

2: Light wind to fresh breeze East first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind East with clear, fine but cool weather. Sea quite rough. 1st ass't filling up a hole in the ground back of his dwelling. Keepers went fishing today. Had two visitors today.

3: Light E. to S.East wind and moderate breeze South these 24 hours with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea very rough. General duties for day. 2nd ass't went to Newport. 1st ass't turfing the hole that he filled up back of his Dwelling today. Keeper went fishing.

4: Gale to fresh breeze S. east to South these 24 hours with rain most of 24 ours. Sea rough. General duties for day. The barometer hand 29.50 to 29.62

5: Moderate to fresh breeze South to N. West with frequent rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds, fair weather. Sea very rough. General duties for day. Keeper went to Newport.

6: Moderate, fresh and strong breeze to gale these 24 hours with rain. Sea quite rough. General duties for day. The barometer down to 29.66

7: Fresh breeze S. West to West with frequent rain & hail squalls. Sea rough. General duties for day. 1st ass't went to Newport after the mail.

8: Light wind S.W. to S. East first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours fresh to strong & gale West with rain, hail, and snow squalls during 24 hours. Sea very rough. General duties for day. Steam Del Norte arrived off Yaquina bar, she is laying off, to[o] rough to enter. The barometer is 29.60 today.

9: Light variable winds these 24 hours with snow. Sea very rough. General duties for day. Yaquina bar to[o] rough for Steamer Del Norte to enter.

10: Light East wind these 24 hours with fair and cold weather during 24 hours. Sea moderately smooth. [continued on next page]

Journal of Light-house Station at Cape Foulweather Oregon 1894

[in the top of the far right "Month" column there appears an unintelligible signature (presumably B. Blish) and beneath it, what looks like "Ass't Inspt, 5 April 1894

April

2 [continued from preceding page] fair weather. Sea a little rough. Keeper putting a shelf in windows in Parlor for Keepers Quarters to put flower pots on. Keepers changing lamp and cleaning Oil buckets, Oil measures and Etc., The barometer went up to 30.30 today.

3: Light S. East wind first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate & fresh breeze N.W. with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. Keeper & 2nd ass't went to Newport after supplies 1st ass't spading, planting garden & went fishing today.

4: Light variable winds first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light N.West wind with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea very smooth. Keeper & 1st spading & working in garden. Also went fishing. The barometer stands 29.90 today. 2nd ass't Isaac L. Smith went to Yaquina City on important business. Left the station at 5.30 A.M., returned to the station at 9.45 P.M.

5: Light S. East wind first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea smooth. Keeper spading and planting garden. 1st ass't went fishing today. The barometer stands 29,90 and going down. U.S. Steamer Manzanita laying off the bar this morning and crossed into Newport at 9.45 A.M. to do the annual buoy work. Lieut. B. Blish arrived at the station at 3.30 P.M. made inspection and left at 4.30 for Newport.

6: Moderate fresh and strong breeze S.E. to S.S.W. & West these 24 hours with rain. Sea quite rough. General duties for the day. Keeper swing wood in cellar. The barometer down to 29.70 today but going up at 4. P.M.

7: Light variable winds first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light N. West wind with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. 1st ass't throwing rails out of the road & spading garden. 2nd ass't spading garden & went to Newport. Keeper went to Newport after Library and 5 Gallons of Turpentine that the Ass't Inspector left April 5th for this station. U.S. Steamer Manzanita passed by the cape at 2. P.M. going north. 1st ass't hoisted the flag on her approaching [the] station. Had two visitors today.

8: Light wind N.W. to moderate breeze East to South these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours fair weather. Last part of 24 hours rain showers. Sea smooth. Keeper went up on north beach trout fishing. 1st ass't went ocean fishing. 2nd ass't spading garden.

9: Calm and light south to variable winds these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours little damp. Last part of 24 hours fair & warm. Sea very smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper & 1st ass't went fishing. 2nd ass't spading garden today.

10: Light wind to moderate breeze South first part of 24 hours with rain. Last part of 24 hours moderate breeze N.W., little damp. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. 1st ass't went fishing. 2nd ass't spading garden and setting out cabbage plants.

11: Light wind to moderate breeze N.West these 24 hours; first part of 24 hours light rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Sea quite smooth. Keeper grubbing up a piece of ground for a flower garden near the beach for Mrs. M.J. Plummer. 1st ass't Edward Rice went fishing and to Newport after supplies. 2nd ass't planting potatoes in his garden.

12: Light N.W. to S. East wind first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light N. West wind with fair weather during 24 hours. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper & 2nd ass't went to Newport after supplies.

13: Light wind to moderate breeze South first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours fresh breeze to light gale South to S. West with rain during 24 hours. Sea moderately smooth. General duties for the day. The barometer down to 29.80.

14: Moderate and fresh breeze W. to N.West first part of 24 hours with frequent rain showers. Last part of 24 hours moderate breeze to light N. West wind, fair weather. Sea a little rough. Keeper & 2nd ass't planting garden. Keeper & 1st ass't went fishing. 1st ass't also went to Newport after the mail.

15: Light wind to moderate breeze N.W. these 24 hours, first part of 24 hours light rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair and cool weather. Sea smooth. General duties for day. Keeper went to Newport to engage rooms at Grotell?? and teams for L.H. Engineer - Supt of Construction to come to the station & go to Alsea April 24th.