The New York herald., 1877-12-18
MAN THE LIFEB0AT.'*
Inspection of the Life Saving Stations
on Block Island.
A MISERABLE ABODE.
Fishermen with a Sinecure from
the Government.
BLOCK ISLAND, r. l.. Dec. Is. 1877


NO. sir there amt nary tree on THIS oiand nor yet
bush bigs yer hand 'cept what's been planted yer
lately round the gyardens.n The speaker lank
but orawny islander. with body atleast SIX feet high,
surmounted by iace brown that OF Hottentot ana
corrugated with exposure that rcsemDled wrinKled
so'e leather scraggy gray beard surrounded the
chin, and from beneath eyebrows made up OF bristes
each OF which maintained It's own position regard
less ol the others, pair oi Keen blue eyes
peered At the HERALD man who had sought
an explanation OF tho utter barrenncss OF Block
Island, so far as trees and shrubs concerned.
Leaning against primitive cart, from which he
was unloading seaweed upon hts stony fields, this
represent ntative Of tho Block Island peopchalf Asher
man, nall iarmer-sought IN the pockets Of his brown
holland clothing and drawing forth ppe which
bore evidence OF having done good service, t IT, ana,
cyeing his interlocutor between the puns, seemed
only too willing TO tell all about The place and It's
people to an interested listener. In truth, it Is
curious spot and has quaint people Set out in the
Atlantic fifteen miles east OF the extreme point OF
Long Island, its shores are beaten for many months
IN The year by storms that prevent boats from gong
TO ro to Newport the accessible port upon tho
mainland, It's 400 residents shut out from the
world upon bank OF clay and sand about nine miles
long and three miles wide. 10 get through the dreary
winter best they may Scattered th territory,
pascnsd ii.ts knos here and there, look
ing little cottages in which the islanders live They do
not 10 be gregarious class and live very much
apart seldom meeting except ut one OF the two
churches, which are the only meeting houses upon
the tsand one being Supported by Free WIN Baptsts
aud the other an "Opsn Communion Baptssx" SER
vices held In each Of these night in tho week,
and they are well attended. IL is mystery how the
worshippers ever mud their way In lhe dark over
the hills aud through the hollows which alternate
the whole surface Of the island, showing plainly
that IL must have once been the bottom Of the
When the snow tails all the holes hled up by the
drts, the torsuous stony roads obhtsrased. and
as the houses are all painted white the general ap
pearanoe OF tho island that Of unbroken field Of
dnzxlng snow. Then the people are shut into their
little houses, Tor Il is perilous 10 venture upon tLe
painless, treacherous whioh hides many pit
falls Fortunately snow never lasss long upon the
island The air is SO damp and comes 10 from she
ocean % impregnated with salt that snow seldom
stands Tor more thaE few hoars. Slelghing Is
sequenuy rare treat and priced accordingly Occa-
sonay dance ~ Of the larger houses varies the
monolony Of life, and, ~ everybody knows everybody
else the AFFAIRS are generally characterised by
soc,abilisy and enjoyment which tally atone Tor any
want oi style.
oUEEx COMMUNITY.
There has been 30 little emigration TO the island
since the IL sold for 81 900 ''an eligible
residence for sxteon families" tnat The people have
largely intsrmarried anu are related TO another
that TO uec the language Of the ancent referred
70 above, "If you'd root tho whole oiland we'd be
one family noigh about I reckon"
Although there Las never been seen shrub even to
grow upon the place since u first seen by Verra.
zanna, in the beginning OF the sixteenth century, yet
II would seom that at some remote period vegetation
must have nourlshed from the fact that in noows
k,oaa of
trunks Of trees, some Of which measure four
ieet in diameter. Until recently the islanders
burned this peat tor iuel, and its dig
giug and preparation = leading business
the community. Now, for some reasvn not
explained tne beds e neglected aud every one burns
COAL which is transported from the mainland In SAIL
ing vessels. Fish and Other aphrodslaca food form
tue chief diet OF the inhabitants A. result their
rapid rate and the district scnool well attended
biologists have advanced the theory that Block
winch has been cut of by the sea breaKing through
THIS would seem " be sustained by the tact mat
the ground Is Of The same general character,
constantly washing away the shores OF Block
Island, that its entire dissolution is only ques-
tion OF time. and not vi very long time either tor In
the sandy portions much as twenty ieet Is carried
away every spring when the ihaw sels in. Opposite
70 Montauk Point, and xhere the lighthouse stands
the shore of The island s clay blum 100 fcet nigh,
and from the cohesive nature oil the soil not
than Two ,eet OF an inroad Is made annually BY tue
waves. The lighthouse stands not moro than
hundred yards from the verge of The Dlufi aud
sequsntly, ifn should not be destroyed, 1t will he
con.ury 10 build q breakwaier Of some kind
10 prevent its being undermined A stone
brcaKwater tho east side Of the island
begun six ago undcr direction oil General
Warren, OF the engineer corps. stationed ~ Newport
Two weeks ago tho appropriation made by Congress
tor the Undertaking was expended aud the WORK
ceased While IT Is not completed IT Is YET sufficiently
lar advanced 10 make . very safe harbor, and the
work Will doubtless prsve-indeed it has already
proved-of great advantage 10 the island.
A DLAPiDATkD STATION.
Upon this singular emp OF iaud the lite saving
vice erected important stations, one ON the
reno west end, wLere vessels rounding Aontauk
Point have frequently been driven ashore, and the
ON tho Cast cnd The station Erst named ny
ali ouds tne more Important OF the Two. Vessels
frequently been driven ashore at that poiut, v he
there has not yet been single when station
east side has Decn Of use Ia actual shpwreck.
IG has, however, been very valuable IN Assisting asl-
ibg sinacKs IN getting into the harDor IN stormy
weather, and has In that way saved thousands
oil dollars worth Of property Tor the resident& lhe
house provided ~ the west station Is mere shanly,
IMAM ediacc intended Tor the uso o human beings
during the coldest months oi the year Tue surimcn
aege that when The wind blows moderate gale from
the west tncy are Obliged to keep lner lamp down in
bucket IN the middle O The floor 10 prevent the wind
ironi blowing II out, 80 freely 40 the herce blasts Of
tna unprotected snore penetrate the sides Of the Uud
Ing WIN red hot nre In the st0ve The mudle oi
the living ro0m--an apartment ABOUT sixteen leet
squarc-watcr freezes IN the bucket = corner The
house Is y s.ory aud haii n,gu shinglcd outside
ON the walls and root Inside II Ike 4
barn, everything oeng o tho toughest aud cheapest
description The joints are 50 opon thai could
stick his nnger INTO tnen. IL is claimed Dy ON
cals OF service thai the Iunds al their disposal
wnen the house was built would suffice Tor the
erection Of better structure IL the loi.
low Out tho INSTRUCTIONS vi the main
constantly In tue house DAY and nigh. when
du,y pauoiiIng the beach, they certainly snoud be
proviaeu Win decent accominoa lions.
W!So .he ms. ect0rs drove that station this
morning, accom- panIcd by Mr.. Ncuoas Ball ASSISTANT