Progress on the Lighthouse at Chantry Island
A. G. ROBINSON, REPORT UPON THE WORKS OF THE PIERS AND LIGHT HOUSES, LAKE HURON.
Saugeen
October 17, 1856
Sir,
I beg leave to send in the estimates of work done by Mr. Brown upon the different light houses on Lake Huron.
I have returned the light houses at Christian Island, Nottawasaga, Isle of Coves as finished as they are so near completion when I visited them that any thing to be done to them is trifling and the draw back of ten per cent will amply secure the department.
The pier at Chantry Island will be finished in less than a week and is fully returned with the exception of the snubbing post and some extra iron work to be put on and which is on its way from Detroit.
The light house at Chantry Island is forty feet above the base course and there is nearly sufficient material for finishing it on the spot. Two schooners are employed in hauling from the quarry at Inverhuron the remainder.
At Inverhuron the piers with the exception of one are above the water but only partially filled with stone, and I did not think it wise to return any more upon this work till the work was more forward and therefore in aquatic state (?) of safety.
Mr. Brown has informed me that it is the intention of the department to abandon the original project of putting out the breakwater and erect piers connected with the shore.
I do not see any practical difficulty in building the breakwater if proper precaution had been taken to have upon the spot a sufficient quantity of stone to fill each crib as placed and not as was done leave them half filled with stone for ten or eleven days.
I was always afraid that great difficulty would be experienced in putting down the first one, but it was quickly framed at Inverhuron and towed down and placed with care. If same plan had been adopted there is but little doubt all would have gone well, with any thing like proper care particularly when the 1st pier which still remains uninjured was there to make fast to.
Mr. Brown speaks of opening a quarry at Badgely Island or some convenient spot and working all winter at it. If this course is pursued, a large quantity of material might be got ready for spring operations and ??? ??? taken for delivering material at the different points during fine weather at the opening of the main gates (?).
Nothing has been done towards building the Point Clark light house and all idea of commencing this season to build at Griffiths Island has been given up.
It is a great pity that both Point Clark and Griffiths Island light house had not done this year, as the work next year would have been more ??? and therefore more under the immediate control and management of the contractor. The force at present at Chantry Island is as follows:
1 foreman
5 stone cutters
5 masons
7 labourers
2 ???
3 ??? ???
at Inverhuron:
1 foreman
5 framers
7 men at scows
On the 10th of last month a force (?) of men was sent to Owen Sound to quarry there, but exact number I am unable to state.
Sir
I have the
honor to be
your obedient
servant
A.G. Robinson
Thos. A. Begly, Esq.
Sec. B. of Works
Toronto
A.G. ROBINSON REPORTS PROGRESS OF WORK AT SOME OF THE LIGHT HOUSES, LAKE HURON
Owen Sound
October 19th, 1856
Sir,
In answer to Mr. Shanly’s letter of the 11th Aust. I beg leave to inform you that the light houses at the Christian Island, Nottawasaga, and Cove Island are ready to secure the lights, but the iron flooring for the lantern story has not yet been placed, as I thought putting it in might interfere with the machinery attached to working of the light.
The dwelling houses both at Nottawasaga and Isle of Coves are I may say finished and could be used as store houses for the lanterns, but at Christian Island I am unable to say whether it is sufficiently advanced, but will make the necessary inquiries to morrow.
I will be in Toronto on Wednesday where arrangements can be made for taking the lanterns to the different light houses.
Sir
I have the
honor to be
&c.
A. G. Robinson
Thos. A. Begly, Esq.
Sec. Depart. P. Wks.
No. 2
Board of Works
Per M. C. Jones
Toronto, Jan. 1, 1856
*** (letterhead)
To HENRY ROSWELL, Dr.
BOOKSELLER, STATIONER AND PRINTER
8 WELLINGON BUILDINGS, KING STREET, TORONTO
Book-Binding, Copper-Plate Engraving and Printing, Book and Job Printing, &c.
***
1855
May 19 Piece Tracing Cloth 60/. Cake Cobalt 3/9. Lake 2/. Sepia 2/6. 3 8 3
Prussian Blue 1/3. ˝ dz. Camel hair pencils 1/3. " 2 6
Indian Ink 2/6. 21st Vermillion 1/3. " 3 9
Inkstand /6. Indian rubber 1/. Bt. Sienna 1/3. " 2 9
Oxfall 1/6. 22nd ˝ g double Elephant 12/6. " 14 "
23 Angle /9. 25th 1 dz. pens /1. Cake red 1/3. Neutral tint 1/3. " 3 9
˝ cake raw Sienna /t. 1B pencils 1/3. " 1 10 ˝
30 ˝ g ruled foolscap 2/. 1g do. 1/6. Ink /t. " 4 1 ˝
5 1 "
I certify that the above account is correct.
A. G. Robinson
C. Eng.
No. 1
Board of Works
Per A. G. Robinson, Eng.
Toronto, Jan. 1, 1856
***
To HENRY ROSWELL, Dr.
BOOKSELLER, STATIONER AND PRINTER
8 WELLINGON BUILDINGS, KING STREET, TORONTO
Book-Binding, Copper-Plate Engraving and Printing, Book and Job Printing, &c.
***
1855
April 9 Bill Case " 11 3
May 17 1g foolscap 1/6. 25 Official Env. 1/3. " 2 9
19 2 Charts: Lake Huron on Linen 1 " "
Map Western District " " 10 "
June 4 ˝ g Blotting 1/3. 5th 2g dbl. Elephant 40/. 2 1 3
5 2 g Royal Cartridge 6/. ˝ ream ruled foolscap 20/. 1 6 "
3 doz. pencils 11/3. 8 Metallic Mem. Books 30/. 2 1 3
50 foolscap Envelopes 2/. 2 dz. penholders 2/. Penknife 3/9. " 7 9
penknife 1/6. piece Tracing cloth 50/. 2 11 6
25 Official Envelopes " 1 9
Metallic Inkstand 6/3. Ink 1/3. 3 pencils 3/9. " 11 3
50 Butt (?) Envelopes 1/3. 3 ps. lip glue /3. " 1 6
3 boxes pens 2/6. 2 gs foolscap 3/. 1g Blotting 1/6. " 7 "
Blank Book " 7 6
4 gs. Cass. d. (?) 10/. 5 gs. do. do. 10/ 1 " "
12 Mounting 3 plans " 7 6
22 ˝ cake Carmine 3/9. 1 Prussian Blue 1/3. " 5 "
1 Neutral tint 1/3. 6 Sable pencils 2/6. Wafers (?) stamp 1/10t. " 5 7 ˝
16 3 10 ˝
I certify that the above account is correct.
A.G. Robinson
C. Eng.
No. 3
Toronto, Feb. 16, 1856
Mr. A. G. Robinson, for Board of Works
***
Bought of J. G. JOSEPH
IMPORTER AND MANUFACTURER OF
Watches, Jewelry, and Silver and Electro-plate Ware,
56 KING ST. EAST, TORONTO.
***
1855
May 21 Day ??? - 5 0
5 scales 7/6 1 17 6
T. Square - 15 0
Straight Edge 1 10 0
4 7 6
I certify that the above account is correct.
A.G. Robinson
C. Eng.