American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-28
IIFE-SAVING.
The Exhibit at the Centennial-How the
Work Is Done-Its Value.

| Ihe tIxhibft at the ntenntaI-IhOw the
| Work Is Done-Its Value.
| PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 9.-Just south
of the Government Building, near the
lake, is beautiful model of the life
saving stations along our coasts and
lakes. Many persons have no idea of
these 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 is an exact model
| in size and construction, is built in
Gothic style, and contains all the ap-
119 ife-saving stations on the coast
from Maine to Florida, thirty on the
lakes, eight on the Pacific coast, and
LOO men are employed. The entire
service is in charge of S. 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 a
year, and has to make 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 vessel, or a wreck, signals
are made to other stations by using
star-rockets and burning a red Coston
hand-light. When they receive an an
swer they get out their boats and i'm
plements and start for the wreck.
There is neat little model showing a
wrecked ship at sea, and how it is
reached by the surfman. On the shore
they place a mortar or gun, with "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 see out. As
they are only 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.
1t 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 can throw a 2O-pound shot
with line fourth of mile. A life
basket, made mainly of cork, carries
one man at time, drawn to the ship
by the ropes. A large surf boat, mount
ed ON 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 one 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 a
man except his face and eyes. Last
March, on the New Jersey beach, the
lives of three men were saved by man
in one of these suits. He must look
very much like member of those bands
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 call
the parlor, is a medicine chest, which
is kept at every station. The crew are
all instructed by the surgeon what to
use in resuscitating the drowning
water-buckets, signallights, every
thing-ready and in order. The next
room is called the mess-room," in
which is the cook-stove and cooking
utensils. In the second story are the
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 keepers
room. There are five rooms in all, with
closets in each.
The Lieutenant said that the coasts
of New Jersey, Long Island and North
Carolina are the most dangerous.
saw the medals that are "given in tes-
timony of heroic deeds in saving life
from the perils of the sea-" One is.
gold, the other silver. The intrinsic
value of the gold medal is 1928. A
keeper gets only 5000 year, is sepa-
rated from his family, and is response
BILE for every thing over which he has
charge, which is about $4,000 worth
of property, including buildings and
apparatus.
Doesn't it seem strange that Congress
hasn't appropriated something more
useful than gold medal to poor, but
brave, heroic surfman, who has all but
lost his life in his struggles with the
winds and waves to save othersP The
value of the medal in money might be
of great service to him. Statistics
prove that they have saved in this way
5, 16S lives in the last four years. When
soldier enters the army he expects to
destroy life. If he dies his family are
pensioned. If surfman dies while in
the act of saving life, his family re-
ceives nothing, not even the worth of
the medal. Consistency, thou art a
jewell" especially when appropriated
by Congress.-Cor. Chicago Tribune.
A MAN in Montana, a short time ago,
squatted on another persons land and
built small frame shanty. When re-