U.S. Coast Guard Lightships
& Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service
VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 70
A print image scanned from the U.S.
Lighthouse Service's List of Lights and Fog Signals
on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States [;] Corrected to
June 30, 1906, Plate IV.
(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1906).
Click on thumbnail image for a 300 dpi version.
YEAR BUILT: 1898
BUILT AT: Portland (OR)
BUILDER: Wolff & Zwicker Iron Works
APPROPRIATION: $80,000
(Approp. for lightship for San Francisco harbor)
CONTRACT PRICE: $73,000
SISTER VESSELS: None, but plans & specifications same as for LV 68 and 69
DESIGN: Steam screw - composite hull (steel frame & topsides, wood bottom) 2 masts with lantern galleries; stack amidships
LENGTH: 122'10 (loa); BEAM: 28'6"; DRAFT: 13'9" (depth); TONNAGE: 590 displ, 450 gross
PROPULSION: Steam - single one cylinder surface condensing engine, 22" bore x 20" stroke, 350 IHP; one Scotch main boiler 11'3" dia x 12'2" long; 4 bladed propeller 8' dia; max speed 8 1/2 knots; also rigged for sail
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of three 100cp electric lens lanterns permanently mounted in galleries at each masthead
FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam chime whistle; hand operated 1000-lb bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES &
IMPROVEMENTS:
-Steel stem, keel, frame, bilge & sheer strakes reinforced with
diagonal steel bracing keel to sheer; wood planked from keel to main deck
level; steel plated from main deck level to weather deck-
-1898: Apr, fog whistle raised to smokestack level to improve audible range-
-1899: Aug, wireless telegraph equipment installed for 17 day experimental
use-
-1900: Oil lamps were installed and used 1900-1904 due to problems with
boilers and generating equipment-
-1904: Oil lamps removed and replaced by single electric lens lantern at
each mast head-
-1910: Equipped with submarine bell signal-
-1918/19: Equipped with radio-
-1922: Equipped with radio-beacon-
-1929: Fog signal replaced with air diaphone
STATION ASSIGNMENTS:
1898-1930: San Francisco (CA)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1898: Contract called for delivery 1897 but extended to 1898; Mar 11,
delivered to Yerba Buena Depot; shipped officers & crew; made sea trials
Mar 21; supplied and coaled Apr 3-
1898: Apr 7, convoyed by tender MADRONE and placed on San Francisco - 3 1/4
mi outside the bar in 109 ft on range marked by Alcatraz - Fort Point
lighthouses; showed 2 occulting white lights-
1898: Apr, fog signal found inaudible more than 1/2 mi to windward; coal was
changed and whistle raised to smokestack level-
1899: May 14, lost chain shackle and broke adrift; steamed to Yerba Buena
for replacement anchor and chain; on station May 16; arrangements made to
have gas schooner IDA A. transport crew, mail & supplies every 2 weeks;
Aug experiments conducted for 17 days with wireless telegraph equipment -
"not entirely successful"-log indicates 6 carrier pigeons were
sent ashore with messages during test period; Sep 20-Oct 8, withdrawn for
major overhaul, station marked first by black can buoy, later by tender
MADRONE; consumed 541 tons coal during year-
1900: May 5-11, oil lamps substituted for electric due to boiler problems;
Jun 18-26, fog whistle inoperative, hand bell used for 86 hours-
1904: Nov 26, fog signal characteristic changed to 2 sec blast, 28 sec
silent-
1905: Apr 2-24, withdrawn for repairs, station marked by lighted buoy; 5,258
vessels reported passing the station during the year-
1906: Apr 18, while under repair in shipyard, vessel was moved for safety to
Yerba Buena Depot during earthquake and fire; generator and parts of
electric plant ashore in shop were destroyed; since no replacements
available, vessel returned to station Jun 2 showing 2 fixed white oil lights
until generator replaced later in year
1907: Jan 2-Feb 11, withdrawn for repair, station marked by Relief LV 76-
Remained assigned to San Francisco Station until 1930
More notes: LV 70
1900: Jul 25-29, electric lights & fog signal inoperative due to
boiler trouble, oil lamps substituted; Nov 5-Dec 10, withdrawn for repair,
station marked by lighted buoy-
1901: Mar 4, oil lanterns "permanently substituted" for electric,
being suspended below the galleries, now shows 2 fixed white lights at
reduced range" This done because of "expense and labor for
maintenance" of electricity; Apr 3ã May 2, withdrawn for repair; Sep
15, Master reported large number of land birds, including owls, cranes and
hummingbirds roosting aboard, apparently became lost in dense smoke from
northern forest fires-
1902: parted chain and off station Feb 25-28, Mar 27-Apr 1; Apr 1-30,
withdrawn for repair-
1903: Feb 3, in collision with schooner NOVELTY; 239 tons coal used during
year-
1904: Reverted to electric operation "now showing 2 fixed white with
eclipses"
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1930; AGE: 32
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION:
Sold May 21, 1930; became cannery tender TONDELAYO; wrecked in Clarance Passage Alaska, 1941
OFFICERS: LV 70
1897-1904: Julius Huebner, Mate
1898-1900: Abner I Lowell, Master
1905: Henry C Pierotti, Mate
1906-1914: George A Murk, Mate
1914-1916: Harry C Grimm, Mate
1916-1917: John B Sorenson, Mate
1917-1918: August Nilson, Mate
1918: Owen F Fisher, Mate
1918-1920: Peter E Henriksen, Mate
1920-1927: Rudolph Smith, Mate
1928-?: Erich R C Hesse, Mate
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