The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-12
IMAM THE LIFEBOA7."
Inspecting the Life Saving Stations
Along the Coast Line.
COASTlNG DANGER SIGNALS.
Precautions Taken to Prevent Vessels
Being Stranded.
LIFE SAVING STATION No. So,

U
stir the pulse Of the most sluggish when heard even
In song story but when resoundcd amid the thun
der Of the storm and with human lives depending
upon tho efforts OF tho 1t moro thrill
ing significance. Tho order to s'man the lifeboat"
was ordered and obeyed at this station this afternoon
but happily no wrecked vessel doomed up among the
ruthless breakers to lend tragic meaning to the man.
date The order given by the Board Of Inspec-
tors Of the Third district OF tho Life Saving Service
Of the United States, preliminary precaution, on
their arrival here to-day.
The limo OF the United States is than ten
thousand miles long and divided by the Lie Saving
Service INTO eleven DISTRICTS converting the oceans
and the lakea District No includes the coasts Of
Name and New Hampshire; No. 2 the coast OF Massa-
chusetts; No. those of Rhode Island and New York;
No. A that Of New Jersey; No the coasts of Della
ware Maryland and Virginia, from Cape Henlopen to
Cape Charles; No. the coasts OF Virginia and
North Carolina, from Cape Henry TO Cape Hatteras;
No. 7, the coast Of Florida: No. the coasts OF lakes
Erie and Ontario; No. o. the coasts OF lakes Huron
and Superior; No TO- the coast OF Lake Michigan, and
No. H. the Pacific coast In all OF these districts
there $50 life saving stations with regular crows
attached and where houses and apparatus pro-
vided to be used in Of necessity by volunteer
crews, seven lie saving stations are established The
regularly manned stations are occupied each by
keeper and six surimen. Each district has supcrin-
tendent, and in addition to that system OF inspec
ton is maintained through an inspector and two
sistants detailed from the revenue marine by the
Secretary Of the Treasury. The coasts Of Maine,
Massachusetts, ana New Hampshire have been visited
already this year by board, consisting OF Lieutenant
Shoemaker or the revenue marine DR.. Henry w.
Sawtelle OF the hospital SERVICE and Lieuten
ant Thomas D. Walker, of the marine consti-
tute the Board OF Inspectors Of this the Third dis
trct, which comprises TWO stations upon the main
coast OF Rhode Island, two upon Block Island and
thirty-two upon Long Island.
EXTENDING SAVING SERVICE.
Although the station from which this Is written
bears high number 1t the latest erected, having
been built but little more than year. The recent
wreck OF the Huron, with such fearful loss OF life,
and the discussion Of the bill introduced by Mr. Cox
In Congress for the extension OF the lie saving
vice, have provoked SO much discussion and excited
80 vide interest In tha subject thai HERALD
respondent was commissioned to accompany the in
spector and record for the benefit OF the public the
condition of the service and the taken to
rescue voyagers who may be unfortunate as TO be
EAST on THESE dangerous shores Early Thursday
morning the Board lett New London and proceeded
by rail to Kingston, IN this State, whence they
drove a distance OF thirteen miles over dreadful
roads to this point, where they arrived In the
afternoon. The station located q snort distance
rom Point Judith hthouse, upon the beach, Of
the style adopted In almost every Instance in TINS and
adjoining districts Seen from short distance the
buidlng presen Is the appearance OF q Swiss cottage
story aud q hali high with steep pitch roof 1t Is
Constructed In tho possible manner " yellow
pine wood, neatly painted outside and tned with i4ht
furnished wood A slight rail- fence enclosas
house ana considerable portion OF land reserved by
Inc government Like most other stations this Is
occupied BY keeper or captain OF the crew and six
Burfnen In most OF the stations The men not only
leep. but cook and eat their iood In this station,
however, and three oil hers in the district
Ing s done and the hands permitted 10 homo to
Ihoir meals. Three signal flags were at once flying
from the root making the mo. W oil tue code, and
meaning "Aii hands assemble at the station"
The signals were soon responded TO by the appear.
hnce OF the absent men very much out 0i breath and
considerably puzzled 10 account for the CALL the
visits OF me inspectors are never announced and al
ihc board examined tne BUILDING from iounda,on to
roof and made notes oil what they saw. commenting
upon the condition which everything was kept
INTERIOR VIEW OF LIFE SAVING STATION.
The mani hoor lis devoted TO the storage OF the life.
boat anu apparatus, with tho exception OF a small
room when might be called The domiclo oil the
men. From tho walls OF tlis apartment hang several
handles to which coston lights attached violin
anu a banjo at recreation IN leisure
hours; hall pairs Of long rubber boots ranged
against wall toll OF long patrols upon the stormy
beach. A small locker against the wall contains u
score oil books presented by some well meaning
person, but the books are evidently little handled,
as they are mostly Of The call TO the unconvertedn
told by ciergymen whose ignorance OF the subject
makes The suiImen laugh Inc upper story consists
OF several we'll lighted small Two OF which
occupied as dormtories and IN the attics are cots,
which can be arranged TO accommodate those who
INSPECTING
Lieutenants Shoemaker ana wcIker call the keeper
row in one OF tho upper rooms and makes a brief
but rigid examination oil tner physique. These are
young men, ranging rom twen.y-'wo 70 .wen,y,sevea
shore. where they have boaed and hshed Tor d living
the surf almost IRON infancy, and are hardy and
fearless set. lew OF them little disg listed at
OF body questioning the soundncss OF their
brawny well developed frames, whie others are
much excited by the unaccustomed ceremony that
10 regain their normal composure. Alter satisfying
himself that the men are all physically able TO per-
form the work required OF them The doctor, whose
memory Tor faces IS marvellous, remarks Lnat the
crew is the same as last year, with one exception
"Wcll have you all practised the method oil restor
ing partially drowned bodies which taught you last
Year," he inquiries. All respond in the Affirmative at
once but little questioning reveals the fucts That
wne the general outlines are remembered the de-
tails have Deen forgotten.
now RESTORE SUSPENDED ANIMATION.
brief and simple little lecture upon the necessity
for trying To restore animation 10 persons who might
be rescued, even when the laws seem fixed IN DEATH
and reorganization Of the plan OF restoration re-
frcshcs the memory Of the men, The method " one
introduced by Dr. sawtee 70 me notice Oh zoe ser
pilcated system formerly ia use In order
That every man in The crew shall DO familiar
with IL the doctor calls TO to lie upon the Ho0r
ana has another mani ulate HIM as II he had been
Cast up hail drowned by the sea- Meanwhile the
others look Acting under the doctor directions
the who Ia to ''rcvve tho patent, iooseps tho
clothing around tho chest oil the latter hits MN sew
erai smart saps start the circulation him
ftce downward with the arms stretched out Ia line
with the body. coat rs then folded like pillow ana
paced under tho patients stomach TO raise the
bouy above the level Of the mouth iet the water
dow out TINS process is assisted by pressure upon
The back for "a moment The patient ~ then turned
face uphe lace vi thus Indicates that enjoys
The process-and tho operator kneeling down places
one nanl over either lung, pressing them like sponges
Rnd then suddenly wundraws his hands. vi
course vacuum Is created by this ana the
air rushing III 10 I'LL IL produces artificial breathing,
when nas tendency 10 start the circulation, ana
thereby become genuine Amer TINS has been prac-
Used until the operator has acquired the knack OF
making the supposed patient breathe nj natural
rate hu obliged TO repeat 10 tho doctor wnat tho
other steps are. small medicine chest having out
few specifies so that there may be mistakes
fusion provided for every station One OF these is
now brought into The room, and the man who
illustrating the process proceeds to describe the
steps after tho patient mas begun TO breathe. The
medicine chest contains lew small bottles VINE
aud brandy, bottle OF snuff Tor application to tho
nostrils during the process of ARTIFICIAL breathing,
smelling salts, flannel Tor rubbing oils for the
pains which follow returning animation, mus
tard plaslers ready prepared to relieve aim