The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-23
Inspection of the Stations on Long
Islands Shore.
THE BOATS CREWS.
Some Description of the Improvements
in Appliances.

seventy the beach CONSISTS OF narrow OF
sand thrown up by the waves. and lying between the
and numerous inland bays, vessels get
ting ashore arc remote from the mainland and navo
TO depend exclusively for succor upon The crews OF
The lite saving stations. From Shnnecock to Mon
tauk Point at the extrome end OF the island.
the coast limo consists Of series of sandy bluffs,
rixty feet high and separated by frequent In
Lots Along tho entire ITO miles tho beach
Is shelving and tho land is OF very shit
lug character, frequently forming new bars
and at some points forming reaches running quarter
OF mile out to sea- exposed at low tide, but covered
by loot or two Of water in storm tides To these
dangerous features there are added quicksands at
many points AS this lies directly In the track
oil ocean steamers coming from Europe-and in fact
OF vessels omng from all quarters--and ut certain
seasons hidden IN dense iogs which render its low
outline invisible its dangerous character is apparent.
Besides all these dangers there is strong current
setting east west which follows northeast storms
aud, running Jour TO six miles hour frequently
brings vessels upon the sands The necessity for
efficient lilo saving crews upon such coast be
apparent to all
LIFE SAVING SERVICE HERE
Recognizing the perilous character Of this shore,
tho government, early as lS4s-50--when II arst
made an appropriation for the purpose OF saving ship
wrecked persons-ercctcd several shantios upon the
Long Island and stored them with boats up
paratus 10 be used by volunteer cases or
emergency From time timc additional houses
erected. and in 1871, when tho service
larry organized under the Treasury Department. there
were twenty upon the south Shore Since that limo
twelve new stations have been established, and all
have been manned by crews who remain on constant
duty from tho middle Of November until the
18th OF April, pairollng the beach along It's
entire extont throughout the hours OF dark
ness and In iogsy weather, and keeping
bright lookout at all other times. These stations
are scattered along the coast about four miles apart
The buildings are, n rule, shantics similar to
the one described the end OF Block Island but
in better repair Three houses just dnished--one at
Southampton, ono at Bridgchampton and another at
Eaton's Neck-are exccpuons this rule. As the
lives OF hundreds OF persons liable TO DO thrown at
any hour into the Keeping oany OF these crews
Is clear that they should DO composed OF the most
experienced and efficient surimcn TO be found
along tho coast 1t Is alleged by many residents of
the villages in the vicinity OF the that
selected have been IN most casos chosen for their
political qualifications rather than for any ability to
breast the surf which thunders along coast
even in the mdcst weather Numerous letters are
written anonymously to the officials making dis
paraging statements tho keepers stations
and their crews; but most the
upon investigation, prove to be uaiounded That pol
tics had much To do the matter and still inte rfcres
with tho efficiency OF the service cannot be doubted
by auy VINO has investigated the matter. The
struggles that occur for The appointment OF keeper
at $500 year or suriman ut $40 "a month Tor half
OF year be understood by those who have
not lived in obscure owus where the local politicians
have no other patronage TO dispense, post
mastership OF hundred letters year. Although
the organized the Secretary OF tho
Treasury with the Chief OF Revenue Marine in charge
tha law yt.ipdf nrf In ~
perintendenI for eacn district These gentlemen were
nominated by politicians secured their appoint
ment aud thus held them under personal Obligations
Holding his position IN this way, each supernts
Of course influenced by tho politicians who con-
troed his position, and did their bidding in every
instance.
LUBBERLy
As result the crews a great oxtent mado
up Of farmers ana men oil no experience in tho
management Of surf boats IL Is said that two years
ago there was not a democrat in any OF the crows
along the entire shore Some time since, however,
tho olclais in char 20 OF the appointed rev.
marine officer inspector in each district TO
examine tue condition OF the crews aud Their fitness
Tor tho duties required. without having power TO
make appon tments these Ollie ais TO make sug-
gestIons and reports 10 the department, and the
suit has been the partial reorgan OF the SER
vice. Seven Keepers we're removed during the past
year from the Long Isand coast Tor inelhcicncy and
II is possible that others may soon follow The crews
general tning now coltain tho best element
OF tho hshng population, but there are
some glarIng exceptions, Which will be referred 10
further on. To ent.s him 10 position 10 Ile-
saving crew 1t is enough that should have
been fisherman Tor many years. Tor there many
sh alter season through the surf and yet
know little about tho management o. a boat as tney
have Simply pull an oar. To direct the launching
or ldndlng al a boat through the surf requires judy
meat decIdng wnen to ..give way" and the dcx-
terry that comes only oil Long PRACTICE 10 Keep
ltle craft III position Fishing along The ocean coast
Is carried on n small boats, handled by I'VE m, n
constituting what IS called gang, under the command
Of captain, who steers the boat ana directs opera
tions, The others merely rowing or backing AZ his
order II Is evident that the keepers OF the Stations
VINO are in charge should be seeccd from among the
captains OF crews, and lnis has been done IN almost
every Instance, although the pay offered Is small
offer little temptation 10 the better class vi
INSPECTING CREWS
Much has also Dreu done Tor the Improvement of
the service by Board OF Inspectors, appont every
year TO inspect tbs crews, examine each individual
and report to the officials in charge Licutenants
Charles 4. Shoemaker aud Tnomas ID. Walker, with
DR. Henry W. Sawtclie, constitute the Board for the
present year. anu they nave now reached this point
tner present circuit, and are travelling westward.
They carefully examine each crew on this coast,
already described BY their operations in Rhode lsand
anu thoroughly drii them Ia the use oil tue apparatus
Tho proficiency displayed by tho crews thus far
visited TINS lar beyond that cvinced by
those previously visited and tncy seem 10 BIO able
and reliable class OF men, Their drill With the NOR.
tar was In most instances perfect and they displayed
great familiarity with tho rigging oil the Itecar
breeches-Duoy tackle
REsusclrArIxG nALr DROWNED PEOPLE,
The intelligence OF these surmen IS lar above what
might be expecicd, and Dr. Sawtclic found them all
pretty well vcrscd IN his system tor resuscitatng the
apparently drowned, which he taught them last year
Not n lew OF them bavo saved lives by this mothoi,
anu they are continually applied 10 by fishermen
along the beach Tor instruction IN the ART. Suriman
John H. Howell AZ the Southampton station restored
10 lie Two persons IN that way during last summer
when he duty at the station. one OF these
was young lady who tell rom boat near the sta
non ana the young man of eighteen years
who hnd been under water Tor nve minutes
when he pulled out by the brave surf
tri. t.in nV4nn
found him ouislrecnod at tho bottom IN nine
feet OF water WAen he brought Tho lad TO the SHORE
Mr. Howell set TO work as he mas been Taught TO re-
store consciousness by producing artificial breathing.
After draugnts 0. air had oeen forced lnto the
short time completely recovered general knewl-
cdgo OF This important art being last disseminated
the dcnzcns OF tue sea shore, ana the chances
TOR lie OF who sumblcs overheard are correspond
ingy Increased.
SURF BOATS.
Perhaps tnere Is nothing winch exclies SO much dis-
xusslon among the crews anu fishermen gcncrally as