Thirty-five foot channel lightship Station (1908-1919)

Thirty-five foot channel lightship Station History 1908-1919

Location & historical notes: Virginia, on the lower Chesapeake Bay, 10.9 miles and 331 degrees from the Cape Henry Lighthouse.

Lightships assigned: 1908-1918: LV-45

YEAR BUILT: 1887

BUILT AT: Linwood, Pennsylvania

BUILDER: Houston & Woodbridge

APPROPRIATION: $60,000

(Approp. 1885 & 1886"for completing lt-ship (iron) with fog signal")

CONTRACT PRICE: $58,500

SISTER VESSELS: LV 46

DESIGN: Composite- steel frame, iron hull sheathed with yellow pine; fastened with iron rivets and screw bolts; 2 masts, daymark on main; stack ahead of main; 2 aux. boilers and steam pump.

LENGTH: 124'6" (loa); BEAM: 27'6"; DRAFT: 12'; PROPULSION: Sail-schooner rig; fore and main carried on spencer masts

TONNAGE: 401 displ

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 lanterns, each having 8 oil lamps w/reflectors

FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam whistle; hand operated bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 45

1887: Sep received from contractor; hull leaking; hauled at Wilmington DE and hull stripped, outer hull caulked and

resheathed; deck recaulked

1890: Deck recaulked on station by shipyard crew

1891: Boilers retubed on station by engineers of the vessel

1891: Aug 29-Oct 22, hauled for repairs to hull, boilers, and standing rig

1895: Jan 17-Oct 18, compressed air fog signal installed using 12' Crosby chime whistle, 2 Hornsby-Ackroyd 3 1/2 HP oil

engines, and air compressor

1906: Sep 15, submarine bell signal installed for test; operational May 29, 1907

1908:Fog whistle changed to 8"

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 45

1888-1908: Winter Quarter Shoal (VA)

1908-1918: Thirty Five Foot Channel (VA)

(Thirty Five Foot station marked by a buoy Jul 1918 when LV 45 partially destroyed by fire; station discontinued 1919, replaced by lighted buoy)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 45

1888: Mar 18, placed on Winter Quarter Shoal (VA)

1889: Apr 7, parted chain, picked up 38 miles off Hatteras by British steamer

1891: Aug 29-Oct 22, relieved by C&GS schooner DRIFT while being repaired

1894: Apr 20, steam fog signal discontinued due to boiler failure bell used until withdrawn for repair Jan 1895. ("relieved by

LV 9" from 2nd District)

1896: Dec 15, parted chain & driven to sea; picked up Dec 30 by British steamer BIRDOSWALD and towed to Hampton

Roads; returned to station Jan 8. 1897

1899: Nov 50Dec 14, relieved for repair by LV 16

1901: Nov 17-Dec 16, relieved for repair by LV 11

1903: Jan 28, in collision with schooner

1903: Apr 29-Jun 15, relieved for repair by LV 71, repaired at Philadelphia

1903: Jan 28, in collision with schooner

1906: Sep 15, submarine bell signal. installed for test; placed in regular operation May 29, 1907

1908: Jan 4, damaged in gale; brought in for survey. (Relieved by LV 91)

More notes: LV 45

1908: Mar, surveyed and considered unsuitable for further use on exposed stations; reassigned to Thirty Five Foot Channel

(VA)

1918: Mar 3, while being- repaired in shipyard, another ship caught fire and drifted against LV 45 starting a fire aboard;

damage estimated at $28,875 plus loss of mess stores- and crew's personal effects; considered uneconomical to

repair vessel; station marked by buoy

1918: Oct 26, surveyed, condemned and laid up

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1918; AGE: 31

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: 1918 Oct 26, surveyed and condemned 1920 Apr 27, sold

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 45

1888-1893: James H Mason, Asst Keeper

1893-1898: James H Mason, Mate

1898-1913: James H Mason, Master

1898-1913: Harry H Vaughn, Mate

1913: Anelius Anderson, Mate

1913-1914: Robert H Bertram, Master

1913-1915: A T Loss, Mate

1914-1917: John B Johnson, Master

1915-1916: Gus Montague, Mate

1916: C E 0'Neal, Mate

1917-1918: Robert A Dixon, Mate

1917-1918: Arthur K Hudson, Master

1918-1919: station was marked by a buoy during World War I

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