1898-99 Keeper Logs

JOURNAL of Light-house Station at Yaquina Head Oregon

1899

April 1: Light West wind to moderate and fresh breeze South these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours rain showers. Last part of 24 hours rain. Sea moderately smooth. 1st Asst went ocean fishing. Keeper went trout fishing. 2nd Asst went to Newport after supplies. Barometer 29.81.

2: Fresh breeze South these 24 hours first part of 24 hours rain. Last part of 24 clearing weather. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. 1st Asst went fishing. Barometer 29.70 to 29.93.

3: Fresh to moderate breeze South with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds fair & warm weather. Sea smooth. 1st Asst went fishing. Keeper planting garden. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Barometer 29.88 to 30.12 today.

4: Light East to North wind first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate to fresh breeze North with clear fine weather during 24 hours. Sea quite rough. Mr. E.A. Withers arrived at the station at 10:30 A.M. to do some repairs. 1st Asst polishing oil carriers reflectors etc. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Barometer 30.24 to 30.12. Keeper went to Newport to post & get mail and supplies.

5: Moderate to fresh breeze N. to East with clear fine weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind to moderate breeze South rain . Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper went to newport after Mr. Withers tool chest and get mail & supplies. 1st Asst went fishing. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Barometer 30.10 to 29.98. U.S. Light-House Tender Columbine arrived off the bar from the South at 6 P.M. and entered yaquina.

6: Light variable winds to moderate and fresh breeze North these 24 hours with clear fine weather. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Mr. Withers putting up stageing to shingle roof of wood shed. 1st Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Mr. J. G. Kelley and Mr. C. W. Leick arrived at the station at 9:30 A.M. to see what is needed for repairs and left the station at 3:45 P.M. Keeper showed Mr. J.G. Kelley what there is to do at the station in the shape of repairs. 2nd Asst cleaning lenns lamp & cover.

7: Fresh & moderate breeze & light wind North wind with clear fine weather these 24 hours. General duties for the day. 1st Asst showing one visitor in the tower. Teamster??? hauling shingles lumber chain pipe & other supplies. Laborer digging ditch to lay sink drain. Barometer 29.98.

8: Light North to S. East wind these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours fair weather. Last part of 24 hours thick dry fog. Sea moderately smooth. Barometer 29.94 to 29.88. 1st Asst went over on the road then side of the South beach to put in a culvert. 2nd Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Keeper takeing cover off of coal-oil cases to empty them. Mr. Withers working on repairs at the station.

9: Light S. wind to moderate breeze N. W. with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light West wind weather. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Barometer 29.70 to 29.90. Keeper went to Newport after mail & supplies. 2nd Asst went over on South beach hunting agates. U.S.S. Columbine came out of Yaquina and passed station at 11:00 A.M. going North.

10: Fresh breeze S. to S.W. these 24 hours with hard rain. Sea moderately smooth. General duties for the day. Barometer 29.80. 2nd Asst went to Newport on important business and cutting water and other agates today.

11: Fresh breeze South with hard rain these 24 hours. Sea quite rough. Keeper working in the shop today. 2nd Asst cutting water agates. The weather is to strong for Mr. Withers to work. Barometer 29.70. 1st Asst went to Newport after mail.

12: Fresh breeze South to N. West with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind W.N.W. light rain showers & fair weather. Sea quite rough. 1st and 2nd Assts putting 200 gallons of mineral oil in office. Barometer 29.70 to 30.10 today. Keeper went to Newport after supplies & mail. Mr. Withers shingling wood shed & working on barn.

13: Light West to S. E. wind first part of 24 hours cloudy weather. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds fair and warmweather. Keeper & 1st Asst putting old shingles in celler. Mr. Withers shingling wood shed & laying drain for sinks. Barometer 30.12 today.

JOURNAL of Light-house Station at Yaquina Head Oregon

1899

April 14: Light variable winds first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind to moderate breeze North fair weather during 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. Keeper working on annual requisition for supplies for the years 1899 & 1900. 1st Asst cleaning shingles up in the yard and sweeping sidewalks. 2nd Asst went to Newport on business. Keeper and 1st Asst assisting Mr. Withers put up stage to shingle wood shed. Mr. Withers shingling wood shed & putting sink drains in. Barometer 30.10 today.

15: Light N. to S. East wind with heigh dry fog first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind to moderate & fresh breeze South rain. Sea quite rough. 2nd Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Barometer 30.05 to 29.85 today. Keeper working on annual requisition for supplies. Mr. E. A. Withers shingling wood shed roof & laying sink drains.

16: Fresh variable inds with frequent rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light West wind fair weather. Sea rough. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst went up on North breach. Keeper went to Newport. Barometer 29.80 to 30.10.

17: Light wind North to S. East fair weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate to fresh breeze South rain. Sea quite rough. 2nd Asst planting garden cutting water agates and picking up old shingles and putting the down in his celler. 1st Asst went fishing. Keeper & Assts cleaning lamp and burner today. Barometer 30.10 to 29.60. Mr. E.A. Withers shingles roof of wood shed putting cupboard catches & crawer pulls in dwelling and laying sink drain.

18: Fresh breeze S. to S.W. and West with frequent rain showers these 24 hours. Sea rough. Keeper working on annual supply light for the years 1899 and 1900. 1st and 2nd Asst went to Newport after supplies. 1st Asst mixing roofing paint to paint roof of wood shed. Barometer 29.55 to 29.98. Mr. Withers completed shingling wood shed and laying sink drains for Keepers swelling.

19: Light S. East wind damp first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds fair weather. Sea rough. 1st and 2nd Assts cleaning up the back yard. 1st Asst went ocean fishing, Keeper went trout fishing. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Barometer 30.20. Mr. E. A. Withers completed shingling wood shed roof also working on other small repairs.

20: Light S.E. to South wind with fair and warmer weather these 24 hours. Sea moderately smooth. Keeper and Assts painted wood shed roof today. keeper working on requisition for annual supplies. 2nd Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Barometer 30.14. Mr. E. A. Withers working on small repairs at the station. 1st Asst went fishing .

21: Moderate breeze to light wind N.W. with damp weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light rain showers. Sea quite rough. General duties for day. Keeper & 1st Asst went to Newport after supplies. Barometer 30.20 today.

22: Fresh and moderate breeze to light North wind with grequent rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate to fresh breeze North fair weather. Sea quite rough. 1st Asst cleaning out spring on the hill. Keeper makeing out annual requisition for supplies. 2nd Asst wen to Newport after mail & supplies. Mr. Withers working on sink in Keeper Dwelling.

23: Fresh breeze North with fair and cool weather these 24 hours. Sea moderately smooth. General duties for the day. Barometer 29.65. 2nd Asst and Mr. E.A. Winters went up on North beach trout fishing. Steamer Weeott arrived at Yaquina today.

24: Fresh breeze East to moderate and fresh breeze S.E. to S these 24 hours with frequent rain showers. Sea moderately smooth. 2nd Asst breaking up coal oil cases and putting them in his celler to burn them up. Keeper completed makeing out requisition for annual supplies. Baromter 29.55 to 29.66. Mr. Withers working on sink in 2nd Asst quarters.

25: Light wind to moderate & fresh breeze S. with frequent light rain showers these 24 hours. Sea quite rough. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Keeper went to Newport to post requisitions for supplies. Barometer 29.85 today. [Cont'd on next page]

JOURNAL of Light-house Station at Yaquina Head Oregon

1899

April 25: [Cont'd from previous page] Mr. E.A. Withers putting slop hoppers in Keepers and Assts dwelling and other repairs.

26: Fresh breeze South to S. West these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours rain. Last part of 24 hours rain showers. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst cutting agates. Keeper cleaning out the barn and sawing wood for furnace. Mr. E.A. Withers completed slop hoppers and other small repairs at the station.

27: Fresh breeze W.N.W. to North with frequent rain & hail squalls during 24 hours. Sea rough. General duties for the day. Keeper went to Newport to take Mr. E.A. Withers tool chest. Barometer 29.78 to 29.98. 2nd Asst cutting agates.

28: Moderate breeze to light North wind with rain & hail showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light North wind fair weather. Sea quite rough. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Barometer 30.16 today.

29: Light North to West wind light rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate to fresh breeze South rain. Sea moderately smooth. Keeper went trout fishing up on North beach. 1st Asst went fishing and to Newport. Barometer 29.88 today.

30: Fresh breeze South to N. West and West these 24 hours with frequent rain & hail squalls. Sea quite rough. General duties for the day. 1st Asst went fishing. Barometer 29.65 to 29.87. Keeper went to Newport to mail monthly reports.

JOURNAL of Light-house Station at Yaquina Head Oregon

1899

May 1: Moderate breeze and light West wind first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light wind moderate & fresh breeze W. N.West with frequent hail & rain squalls during 24 hours. Sea suite rough. Keeper working in shop. 1st Asst went fishing. Barometer 30.05 & 2nd Asst washing.

2: Light N.West wind to moderate & fresh breeze South these 24 hours damp weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours cloudy & cool. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. 1st Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. Barometer 30.10 today.

3: Light variable winds these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours damp. Last part of 24 hours fair and warmer weather. Sea smooth. Keeper went to Newport to post mail & get supplies. 2nd Asst went over on South beach to meet his wife. Barometer 30.10 to 29.97.

4: Moderate breeze S. to light S.West wind with light rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds & walm cloudy & fair weather. Sea smooth. Keeper working in garden. 1st Asst diffing sod away from the building to keep from rotting the building. 2nd Asst went over on South beach after rock Oysters. Barometer down to 29.84.

5: Light S. to moderate breeze W. N.West these 24 hours first part of 24 hours rain showers. Last part of 24 hours cloudy & fair weather. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst getting off the beach. Barometer 29.94 today. 2nd Asst planting garden.

6: Light wind to moderate and fresh breeze N.West these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours little damp. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Sea smooth. 2nd Asst went to Newport after supplies & mail. Keeper & 1st Asst mixing white paint. Barometer 30.10.

7: Light N.West wind these 24 hours with heigh dry fog and fair weather. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper went trout fishing on the South beach. 1st Asst went to Newport. 2nd Asst went over in the woods about one mile from station. Barometer 30.15.

8: Light North to South wind light rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate & fresh breeze S. to S.W. rain. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper writeing in office and cleaning paintbrushes. Barometer 30.05 today. 1st Asst went to Newport.

9: Moderate to fresh breeze N.W. to North these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours light rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair and clear fine weather. Sea smooth. 2nd Asst cutting agates. 1st Asst taking covers off of coal oil casses & working in garden. Barometer 30.20 today. Keeper working in office.

10: Light N. to E. & S.East wind fair weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate & fresh breeze South hard rain. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. 1st Asst went fishing. Keeper went over on the South beach after razor clams. Keeper also went to Newport after a cow. Barometer 30.05 to 29.98 today.

11: Fresh and moderate breeze to light North wind with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds & calm light rain showers & fair weather. Sea smooth. Keeper writeing in office. Barometer 30.24 today. Keeper and Assts painted the barn and shop & chicken house. 2nd Asst went to Newport after supplies & mail.

12: Light variable winds & calm light rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 moderate to fresh breeze North fair weather. Sea moderately smooth. Keeper and Assts painted water tank. 1st Asst dwelling water closet oil house and put up stage to paint double dwelling. 1st Asst went to Newport after mail. Barometer 30.10.

13: Fresh & moderate breeze to light North wind dry fast part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate to fresh breeze N.West rain showers & fair weather. Sea smooth. Keeper & Asst painting on keepers dwelling. Barometer 30.06 today.

14: Light wind to moderate and fresh breeze North these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Sea moderate smooth. General duties for the day. 2nd Asst went 2 1/2 miles from the station for recreation. Barometer 30.04. Had 6 visitors. Keeper went trout fishing 3 miles from station.

15: Fresh breeze to light N.Wind with heigh dry fog first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light S.East wind cloudy and [Cont'd on next page]

JOURNAL of Light-house Station at Yaquina Head Oregon

1899

May 15: [Cont'd from previous page] fair weather. Sea smooth. Barometer 30.10. Keeper and Assts painting on keepers dwelling and putting up stage. 2nd Asst went one mile from the station after butter.

16: Fresh breeze South with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light rain showers & west wind. Sea moderately smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper and 2nd Asst went to Newport after supplies. 1st Asst and 2nd Asst putting 200 gallons of oil in oil-butts. Barometer 29.80.

17: Light West wind light rain showers these 24 hours. Sea quite smooth. Barometer 29.90 to 30.00. Keeper and Assts painting on keepers dwelling and painted covering on oil house and offices and takeing stage down from dwelling.

18: Light variable winds with frequent rain showers these 24 hours. Sea moderately smooth. Barometer 30.10 today. Keeper and Assts cleaning white paint work in lantern & watch-room. 1st Asst went to Newport after mail & supplies. 2nd went over to big-creek hunting for snipes.

19: Light West wind these 24 hours with frequent rain showers. Sea quite smooth. Barometer 30.10 today. Keeper and Assts painting in lantern and watch-room white. Keeper mixing whitewash to whitewash outside tower.

20: Light variable winds and calm these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours frequent rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair weather. Sea quite smooth. Keepers cleaning paint off the lantern glass of tower cleaning lenns whitewashing watch-room and cleaning walls inside of tower prepairing to whitewash same. 2nd Asst went to Newport for recreation. Left station at 3 P.M. Barometer 30.10.

21: Light variable winds and calm these 24 hours with fair and warm weather. Sea very smooth. General duties for the day. Keeper went trout fishing over to big and little creek. 1st Asst painting service table. Barometer 29.88. 2nd Asst returned to station at 4 P.M..

22: Light variable winds and calm these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours fair weather. Last part of 24 hours rain showers. Sea smooth. Keeper & Assts painting lantern floor stair cases & landing black & whitewashing insided of tower and cleaning stairs and landings to paint black. Keeper & 1st Asst working in garden. Barometer 29.83.

23: Light variable winds and calm these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours frequent rain showers. Last part of 24 hours fair and warm weather. Sea smooth. Keeper painting stairs and landings black. Painted dome parapet and drum black outside and putting up stage to paint bracketts and painted tool chest. Barometer29.80 to 29.95 today.

24: Light North to S.W. and South these 24 hours with frequent rain showers. Sea smooth. General duties for the day. 1st Asst went fishing. Barometer 29.88.

25: Light S. to S.West wind with frequent rain showers first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours light variable winds and calm fair weather. Sea smooth. Barometer 29.80 to 29.92. Keeper and Assts painted stairs and landings inside of tower.

26: Light variable winds to moderate & fresh breeze S.W. to South these 24 hours with frequent rain showers. Sa smooth. Barometer 29.96 today. Keeper & 1st cleaning office and painting floor and other wood work. 1st Asst also whitewashing on light board fence. 2nd Asst went to Newport on important business. 2nd Asst also painting in his part of dwelling today.

27: Fresh breeze South to N.W. with rain first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours moderate breeze to light N. wind fair weather. Sea quite rough. Barometer 29.90 to 30.04. Keeper & 2nd Asst painting base of tower. 1st Asst whitewashing fence. 2nd Asst painting in his quarters and working in garden.

28: Light N. to S.East wind fair weather first part of 24 hours. Last part of 24 hours fair weather light rain showers & fresh breeze South. Sea quite smooth. General duties for the day. Barometer 29.82. 2nd Asst went to Newport today.

29: Fresh breeze South to light variable winds these 24 hours. First part of 24 hours rain. Last part of 24 hours light rain showers. Sea smooth. Barometer 29.80 to 30.00. Keeper painted steps around dwelling & celler door on keeper side and 1st and 2nd Asst whitewashing fence.

30: Fresh breeze to gale South rain these 24 hours. Sea quite rough. Barometer 29.70. 1st Asst cleaning whitewashing & painting in his quarters today.

31: Fresh breeze S. to E. & S.E. with rain these 24 hours. Sea smooth. Keeper went to Newport. Barometer 29.32. 1st Asst painting on his quarters. 2nd Asst working in wagon house???