The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-30
NAN THE LIFEBOAT."
Drill Of the Station Men
Along the Coast.
TOLLS AND SPORTS,
Stories Of Shipwreck, Bravery
and Suffering.
wEsr HAMPTON, l. l.. Dec. "a, 1871

trct have now reached this place. having left Mon
tauk Point tue morning OF tho l7th inst. ana
ced since directly along the beach from station TO
station examining tho crews AMI drilling thom in the
use OF the mortar lie car and brooches buoy. Flag
stats bavc recently boon erected al tho stations
for signaling purposes and these afforded splendid OPP
portuuty for practice standing tor the OF dis.
abed vessels. Great skill been shown by The
In nrng mortar amt rigging the apparatus 10 every
instance except that OF the station Ut Atantcve, Of
which +. H. Ryasr rs keeper. In that the men
seemed not 70 have been drilled their duties at all,
and succeeded In getting their lines mudded to-
gether, and only managed TO straightcn them
out when instructed by tho Inspectors .
Mr. Ryder admitted that he had not gone through the
drill this with his mep, had launched
his boat only once, although tho regulations posted
conspicuously in every station require the keeper
20 exercise hts mon ana launch his boan tho surf at
least once week or oitener II necessary When he
got hts boat into the water in presence OF the In
spcctors he succeeded IN shipping two or three seas
that almost swampod her, although tho weather was
calm and but very little surf forming upon the beach
Al tho next station TO Ryder's-that NJ QIoguc, No
14-Kceper Mahlon Philips, although he seemed 10
understand the mortar practice toleraby well, made
poor snow in his boat, and lett the Impression upon
the IN nds Of the spectators that IN stormy sea he
would not be able to handle the craft at all. HIS
perience in charge OF boats has been very limited.
FULL GROWN suRPMEx
With these exceptions the crews acquitted them
selves admirably IN every respect. They are com
posed Tor the most part OF staiwart fishermen who
have spent their lives In and about Tho surf and may
be trusted in any emergency BY far the larger num-
Der OF tho survicc here close upon six feet
high Many exceed this aud Suriman Laban Rayncr,
East Moriches station. reIoces In SIX
inches OF stalwart manhood. In most tho men
nnv mul0 vpn hnva hasu In tha tar
years. and those physically incapable wooded
out in former inspections. Dr. Sawtee has this year
found occasion TO reject but low that In
deed, tho Keepers have been definitely taught
that their men, to retain their positions, must be
competent In every respect that they scarcely think
OF employing others. knowing that they be
jectcd by tho government officers whcu examined
In almost every instance In practising with the
tar whore the iagstais have used TO represent
tho mass Of vessels the shot fred skilfuliy that
tho actually thrown upon the top OF the staff,
under direction OF the Keeper the rugged ali
the apparatus without word from inspectors Al
many stations unhappiy they have learned accuracy
through actual experience In rescuing persons from
lost vessels Several OF the crews have been drilled by
the inspectors upon wrecks witch lie adjacent to tho
! stations The whole beach, from Montauk west TO
Rockaway, Is dotted with those ghasty mcneniocs OF
disaster and nearly every has lott It's tradition
the memories oil the hsherucn. The ocean plays hide
and seek with the skeletons OF onco goodiy vessels
and sometimes alter heavy Storm VIII expose TO view
tiinbcrs which md been invisible IN the sands Tor
years
| es. rev~ why SOME LIVES ARR LOST.
II the statements oil tho surimen arc to be relied
upon tue captains OF vessels 10 blame in almost
every case where lossf Ec occurs IA getting ashore
Old SHIPPERS who have deep water Tor almost
halt u century, would laugh Ut the widest
storm while anoat, seem become Inucrvcd ana
lose all their sc possession the moment their kees
scrape upon the sand aud tho demoralzed sailors arc
/ Iunumcrnul0
| instances have occurred wherein lives were lost
through the crews atlcmplin ny III their
own boRts. which AS mater Of course were cap
sized IN the SURF About year ago. NJ one OF the
| tons ON this coast a vessel came ashore upon an
outer bar. The crew Of SIX men, attempting to land
IN their bouts before the life crew could get on
To thcm, were all drowned In the SURF One man
| alone had enough to remain BOARD ana ne
saved. The vessel was later driven by the storm
over The oar anu lar up the beach, SO that even II
been perfectly safe II they had stuck TO her How
utterly seaiuting men may lose their heads wnen
when a vessel discovered aground, with the cap
tam and crow ashod IN the rigging and frozen stun u
death. Tho sea had hardly swept over the vessel 8
rail-. and In the cabin. winch perfectly dry, coal
IRE WINS found burLin2.
COOL HAND
An old down East slipper, VINO WAS so unfortunate
10 get ashore last winter, had more level mead
The Instant the Keel grated upon the sandtar hc
quietly cut his yawib,at aart 10 prevent his OF
colorcd men from throwing their iivos away
IL an attempt 10 get ashore Although there
was heavy se,, tho old man was not
afraid II was midnight when he grounded, and soon
aterward tho ltcooa. crew came on and asked him
whether ne wanted =, be carried ashore Not until
The sun comes show where am" rcpned the
old fellow, and thcsc he remained until morning,
when the liieooat came of and rescued him aud his
terrified sable crew. Most OF the cargo was saved,
but the vessel went TO pieces OF course there are
emergencies in which IL would be lmuossiblc 10 70.
vessel Tor any length OF time after striking
with safety. Last winter schooner cainc ashore
near the lighthouse on Montauk Point. As the beach
Is shallow and the humorous in that vicinity
she grounded considerable distance OH shore.
Her crew we're ctsar-headed enough 10 know their
.rae. .nnIAp. lty~s ha
dcrcd upon the icy beach under me influence OF u
northeast storm whach prevailed and SO they 70.
clear breach over her. Al Montauk Point there Is no
LIE saving crew, but simply OF the old houses
furnished with apparatus and cared Tor by the light
keeper. Tho nearest station Is that OF Samuel 4.
stratton mo. o. ABOUT four miles west
| GALLANT RESCUE.
Tho patrol irom this station sighted the vessel In
Distress und giving The alarm, the keeper ana crow
were soon on the beach. Several futile efforts con
vnced them that no shot would reach the vesscisne
Was far out-nnd II was reserved TO At
tempt 10 get to her WITH boat although 1t seemed
thai nothing could live III such IL was
thought that the ordinary CEDAR boat would
aud the crew accordingly got out from the shed at tho
point the metallic iicboat with which every station
is supplied, and although II Is TOO heavy to DO
launched under ordinary circumstances Wy less than
doubi crew, they got il into Tho water A slopIng
bank Of leo had been formed from tho waters edge
the very door OF the 0oa,housc, and down this IN
cIincd plano the seven mon iauncncd u and reached
the schooner. The men upon tho latter thought
themselves lost, and could scarce believe their eyes
whom they saw the red boat fash out lrom the foam
surge oil that deserted coast ana come under Their
quarter "Do you want to 90 ashorcP shouted strat-
Ton through has trumpet. Did theyy Not man
waned reply but hurried below 10 collect his little
vaiuablcs. They were safely landed. That night the
threw the vessel on her beam ends and the next
morning when tho storm ceased aud boat went oil
to her u was found that solid mass oil leo loot
thick had all her and she fast going
10 pisces A lew hours delay the rescue and tho
nrsless crew would have met horrible tate.
STATION MoSTAuk
There Is need OF July -mauncd station nj tho exc
IRENE or the island, aud General Superintendent
Kimbali, with Captain Merryman, last summer So
lscted q site Tor house litte north Of the light,
ana on what Is known as "rho False Point IL was
discovered aerward the entire lands OF Aontauk
are involved partit9n suit NJ law, and the gov
eminent could not secure title to the site. For mat
reason tho station has yet been erected, but
tho SUIT concluded measures Will be TAX
10 build aud equip IT,
Although the lilo saving stations have now been
manned tor years comparatively little Is known