1871-1900 Yaquina Head Lighthouse Letter books

building a light house at this station. The ??? received the contractors will be instructed to ??? with the work at once. Cape Hancock. Considerable repairs are need at this station, including iron tops to chimneys; repairs of fire places; plank wall from dwelling to road leading to boat landing; painting tower and Keeper’s dwelling, and whitewashing outbuilding, and fences. This work will be attended to at the earliest practicable day. Foulweather Bluff-Point No Point. No survey, or work of any description, was don’t at either of these points during the month, in accordance with the instructions of the Board. Columbia River – Oregon. An appropriation approved June 23rd, 1874, was made for the erection of day beacons on this river. Cape Flattery. An appropriation of $1500 is available for building a custom and for repairs at this station. Lanitis??? (Blunts) Island. An appropriation of $1500 is available for building as cistern and for repairs at this station. Estimates have been submitted.

1871.

is received.

The two contracts with B. Simpson and Joseph Bien for work on Yaquina Bay Light House are herewith returned approved and also the contract with C. F. Brown for building Keeper's dwelling at Cape Disappointment, Washington Territory, of which there is but one copy in this office.

Nov. 13.

From Naval Secretary Rear Adml. T. A. Jenkins To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers.

Sir:

The request made to the Commissioner of Customs of which you were informed on the 9th inst. that $774.86 be sent to Col. Duane to pay for the Fog Signal at Cape Flattery has been recalled, and he has been requested instead to send a like sum from the appropriation for expenses of Fog Signals for 1872 for that purpose.

Nov. 14.

From Naval Secretary Rear Adml. T. A. Jenkins. To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers.

Sir:

I beg to present to your acquaintance Mr. Chas Nordhoff, for a long time Editor in Chief of one of our principal New York daily papers, who visits the Pacific Coast for literary purposes. He is commended to your courtesies as he has expressed much interest in the workings of the Light House Establishment on your coast.

1872 may be stated as "on or about". The form in regard to Cape Flattery will be forwarded at once giving the characteristic times of sound and interval.

July 12 From Engineer Secretary Major G.H. Elliot To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers Sir: Please inform this office whether the lens and lantern have been received for Cape Foulweather Light House.

July 23 From Engineer Secretary Major G.H. Elliot To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers Sir: Your letter of the 8th instant transmitting estimates for July 1872 is received. With a view of saving the General Appropriation for Repairs which always runs short at the end of the fiscal year, you will habitually (unless otherwise directed or unless there is some especial reason to the contrary, of which you will inform the Board) pay your office and other incidental expenses, from your Special Appropriations.

July 24 From Engineer Secretary Major G.H. Elliot To Major H.M. Robert Corps Engineers Sir: A Coast Survey chart of Columbia River No.1 has been this day sent you for

On Side: Cape Foulweather L.H. lens lantern, &c-rel-receipt of Office & incidental expenses to be paid from Special Appropriations Chart of Columbia River Sgub.

1873 Jan. 3

From Engineer Secretary Major G. H. Elliot. To Major H. M. Robert, Corps Engineers.

Sir: The Board has been infromed that on the 30th of September last, cisterns were built by you at New Dungenness Light House (the Keeper being in great need of water as previously reported by you) and that no pipes or other arrangements were made connecting them with the roof surfaces by means of which they were expected to be filled and that two months afterward, that is on the 30th of November last, the connections had not yet been made.

The Board desires that you will at once cause the connections to be ade, and that you will forthwith discharge the foreman of the party who left the work in this condition.

Jan. 3.

From Engineer Secretary Major G. H. Elliot. To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers.

Sir: On the 5th of November last, you informed this Office that the lantern for Cape Foulweather had not been received, and the Engineer of the 12th District was directed to make search for it in San Francisco. the Board has heard nothing from you on the subject since, and you will at once report to this Office by letter whether you have or have not received it.

Jan. 4.

From Engineer Secretary Major G. H. Elliot. To Major H. M. Robert Corps Engineers.

Sir: In reply to your letter of the 16th December relating to the fog signal at Cape Flattery, I have to say that after your workmen left the Station

1873.

states that there was still no damper in the smoke pipe; that there was required an umbrella and jacket to protect the machines from the weather; and that the smoke-pipe was still to the seaward of the whistle.

It thus appears that one of the most important aids to navigation on the Pacific Coast, was left in an unfinished state when a Notice to Mariners had been published that it would be in operation at a specified time; that the smoke-pipe had not been placed on the land side as the slightest consideration would have suggested; and that by the use of salt water without special provision for it, the signal would have been ruined and stopped in a little while, and in a position so remote that it might have required weeks to repair it, to the great danger of life and property.

The Board desires that you at once discharge from the Light House service the foreman who was in charge of the construction of the signal at Cape Flattery; that you make requisition on the Inspector of the 12th and 13th Light House Districts for the services of the lampist and authorized by the general order of July 6th, 1872; and that you will without delay put the station in thorough order.

Jan. 6.

From Engineer secretary Major G. H. Elliot. To Majro H. M. Robert. Corps Engineers.

Sir: Your Notice to Mariners of Cape Foulweather Light House, Oregon, dated the 16th December last, is received, and I have to inform you that it contains a serious error in the position of the Light House which if it had not been discovered in this Office