The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-10-26

The Exhibit AZ h Csntsnnial-Hsw ths
Work D. Done-Ias valve.

work is Dene-Its value.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 9.-Just south
Of the Government Building, near the
lake, Is q beautiful model Of the life
saving stations along our coasts and
lakos. Many persons have no idea Of
those stations, or Of the great number
Of lives and amount Of property saved
by them, until the courteous Lieuten.
ant in charge has bestowed such infor.
NATION. The house b an exact model
In size and construction, Ia built in
Gothic style, and contains all the sp-
paratus used in the service. There are
119 life -saving stations on the coast
from Maine to Florida, thirty on the
lakes, eight on the Pacific coast, and
l,100 men are employed. The entire
service Is in charge Of 8. G. Kimball,
Chief Of the Revenue Marine Bureau.
The coast is divided into several dis
tricts, over which there Is a General In
spector, who makes recommendations
as he sees fit. The Superintendent Wis.,
its the stations In his district twice Q
year, and has TO make q correct state.
ment to the Inspector. The keepers
must keep every thing In good order in
and about the station. Surfmen are
kept patrolling the beach every night in
the winter, and in stormy weather give
their whole attention to vessels that
need assistance. Whenever they dis
cover such a vessel, or a wreck, signals
are made to other stations by using
star-rockets and burning q rec, Coston
hand-light. When they receixS an an.
swer they get out their boats and i'm
plements and start for the wreck.
There is a neat little model showing a
wrecked ship at sea, and how 1t is
reached by the surfman. On the shore
they place a mortar or gun, with a "a
pound ball and line attached, which is
thrown out over the ship. A life-car is
sent out by means of a hawser or large
rope; it is kept above the surf, and is
so covered that men can not soc out. As
they are only a few minutes reaching
the wreck, they are allowed very small
space for ventilation. This car carries
five men.
There is the first ball that was ever
fired to save life in the United States.
It was thrown with line attached over
the ship AYRSHIRE wrecked on Squan
Beach, New Jersey, January, 1850. saw
ing POI lives. There is German how
itzer that a throw a 20-pound shot
with line q fourth of a mile. A life
basket, made mainly Of cork, carries
one man ut a time, drawn to the ship
by the ropes. Alarge surf. boat, mount
ed on a great four-wheeled carriage, is
ready for wreckers with cork jackets
for the surfmen. They are queer look
ing jackets. A young man Of the pc.
riod wouldn't care to walk down Chest.
nut Street with one attached to him in
midday. When a boat is capsized a
man is lucky to have inc handy then he
is sure to take care of No. 1. Each sta.
ton is provided with six Merriman life
saving suits, which entirely envelopes q
man except his face and eyes. Last
March, on the New Jersey beach, the
lives Of three men were saved by a mar
in one of these suits. He must loob
very much like a member Of those band:
of intimidators at the South, only We
know he comes to bring hope and life
while the latter brings fear and death
In the ~boat-room, or room which up
on any other occasion we would cal.
the parlor, is a medicine chest, which
is kept at every station. The crew are
all instructed by the surgeon what t.
use in resuscitating the drowning
water-buckets, signal-lights, ever,
thing-ready and in order. The mex
room is called the "mess-room," il
which is the cook-stove and cooking
utensils. In the second story are thu
sleeping-quarters for the crew and ship
wrecked persons. 1t contains eigh
cots and four cane-seat rocking-chairs
The middle room is for stores and pro
visions. The third is the keeper
} room. There are five rooms in all, wit
closets in each.
The Lieutenant said that the coast
Of New Jersey, Long Island and Mort
Carolina are the most dangerous.
; saw the medals that are "given in ties
t timony Of heroic deeds in saving lii
+, from the perils of the sea-" One
gold, the other silver. The intrinsi
Q value of the gold medal is 1928. .
keeper gets only 5000 a year, is sepa
. rated from his family, and is respons
BILE for every thing over which he ha
= charge, which is about $4,000 wort
y of property, including buildings an
o apparatus.
/. Doesn't it seem strange that Congress
!. hasn't appropriated something NOR
useful than a gold medal to a poor, bu
brave, heroic surfman, who has all br
lost his life in his struggles with tn
winds and waves to save othersp Th
value of the medal in money might b
Of great service to him. Statistic
y. prove that they have saved in this wa
3,l6S lives in the last four years. Whe
. a soldier enters the army he expects t
: destroy life. II he dies his family ar
n pensioned. II q surfman dies while i
the act of saving life, his family re
h ceives nothing, not even the worth c
d the medal. Consistency, thou art
jewell" especially when appropriate
= by Compensation. Chicago Tribune.
How Was This Toad freed?