The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-04-12
THE LIPR.CAR.
How 1t Doe, lie work--A Case In Polst..
The Work the Lifr.Cur has bone.

How Il Does lie work--A Case IN Point.
The Work the Lifrscar has DOns.
A writer gives the following iescrip-
ton of the ife.car and rs operations In
saving life nom . wreck. He ays
When Il 80 happens that ship is
driven ashore on a beach, the surf of
which precludes the Feasibility of
launching the liiesboat, the liie-car is
brought into service. The car is made
Of Light galvanized iron, and is design.
ed, when closed, to be nearly water.
tight, Iii sufficiently large to contain
four grown persons, or eight children,
and is used exclusively in tho American
service. To either end OF this car short
ropes OF equal length ore attached, ter.
initiating in metal rings, the. use OF
which will be made apparent rs we pro-
coed. On tho first signal OF distress
from the stranded vessel, those incharge
OF the iic-sRying station hurry 10 that
point on tho beach nearest tho wreck.
Here it Is evident that to make the car
available they must first establish some
line OF communication with tho crew on
the stranded vessel, and That is accom-
plished rs follows: A small mortar Of
five and one.half inch caliber Is loaded
with tho requisite charge to send
twenty-pound iron ball above and over
tho wreck. This ball has small staple
in 1t, TO which, before 1t is placed in
the mortar, the end of light line is ut
tached, tho line itself being either
spread out on the beach, or so arranged
on n frame as to be readily detached.
AT times rocket is used in place Of
the mortar.
Should the men at the station DO OK.
pert or practical marksmen, the first
discharge Of the mortar send the ball
with the line directly over tho ships
deck. Here it is eagerly secured aud
"hauled in" and thus a heavy hawser,
and light but strong line, are finally
stretched from tho shore to the ship.
all is now in readiness for the Hfe.car.
The rings, 10 which wa have alluded to
above, are slipped over the shorc.line OF
the hAwscr, while the end OF the lighter
line that accompanies it is attached TO
the outer end Of the car. A second
light line is fastened 10 the rear end,
aud paid out as the crew OF the vessel
drag the car toward them through the
surf. Thus We have q regular means Of
communication established between the
vessel aud the shore. SO soon rs the
car reaches the ships deck 1t is opened
and loaded with its precious freight, the
lid isthen closed, the signal given, and the
car begins its shoreward journey, drawn
by the coast-men on shore, and steadied
by those who remain on the ship.
A hazardous journey, the reader
doubtless surmiSes, and yet, in view OF
the end attained, We doubt whether the
happy occupants OF the life-car would
have exchanged their narrow couch for
the richest state.roOm on the proudest
vessel that floats the sea. Thus much
for the life.car and the method by which
its services are rendered. A word now
as to the actual value of these services,
and this we will confine to brief story
OF the wreck Of the Ayrshire, rs given at
tho time by faithful chronicler Of the
event. II was the middle of January,
aud during severe snow storm. The
ship Ayrshire, with about two hundred
passengers, had been driven upon the
shore near Long Brunch, New Jersey, by
the storm, and lay there stranded, the
sea beating over her, and surf so heavy
rolling in rs made it impossible for any
boat to reach her. 1t happened that a
life-saving station was near, and the life
cor WIS soon at tho beach. SO accurate
was the first fire, that tho liue fell di-
rectlJ across the wreck. 1t was caught
by the crew, and the hawser aud lifeline
hauled aboard. Soon the car followed,
and in comparatively short timo every
one Of tho two hundred passengers, in.
GLIDING mol, women, children, and
babes, wero brought safely through the
rigging surf, and landed ut the station,
Tho car that performed this service was
at once retired with honors.
From o recent authority, we learn
that since the first establishment Of the
service the records of the Treasury de.
partment up TO 1872 show that five thou.
sand six hundred and four lives have
been saved in twenty-five years, IN aver.
age Of two hundred ind twenty.four per
year. This yearly average is about half
thatof Great Britain, acomparison which
is wholly favorable, when tho extent Of
her commerce is considered and com.
pared with our own.