The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-26
AMONG THE SURF MEN.
The Life Saving Service from Squan
Inlet TO Sandy Hook.
TAKING THINGS EASY
Less Hardship Experienced Than
at the Inlet Stations.
LIFE SAVING STATION No. H.

LIFE SAVING STATION No. IL
SANDY HOOK, Dec. "a, 1873.
When the last of the numerous inlets that inter-
sect the coast OF New Jersey north OF Cape May is
crossed, the Lite Saving Service less dam
gerous form. The bar rarely more than two
hundred and fifty yards from the shore, and most Of
the work of the stationmen can be done by the
tar. breeches buoy and life Keepers and crews
also have the advantage of thckly populated
neighborhood. railroad, teams and volunteer
assistance. The services of the surfboat
therefore, rarely necessary and the chief element Of
danger consequently removed Then there is the all
important fact that in this part of the Fourth dis
trct the fishermen have some political influence and
may control, at least primaries. The sturdy men
further south the Jersey coast isolated they
for weeks at q time from the mainland cannot look
for assistance in any form beyond what the govern
ment provides for them. The lower beaches fat
and subject TO every violent incurson OF the in
heavy gale.
PATROLS DANGER
The patrols on these beaches constantly
posed to extreme danger. surfman leaves the sts-
ton wild night. lantern in hand. There may
be binding snow storm. He arrives ut the end OF
his beat. four miles from the station Meanwhile tho
tide is rising, the storm is raging and the surf is
playing sad pranks. The patrol his return meets
with deep gullies in the sand between the hills.
through which the tide is running like mill race.
When he attempts to ford them the water reaches his
waist Often he has to drop his lantern and dig his
hands into the sand to himself Occasionally he
is "treed' sand HILL awaiting the falling
of the tide while the cutting into the hill
and washing away tons of sand. He has means Of
communicating with the station. but has to remain
on this bleak point until he venture from it.
When he reaches the station and reports q wreck.
fla ic pnv1ffr fl<>
house. The mortar brcechcs buoy and life car
useless the vessel lies in shoal three miles
from shore. The house is q half mile from the surf,
and that distance the obliged to drag
heavy boat and wagon, weighing over ton, through
SOFT wet sand. Before they reach the surf the
are almost exhausted.
HARD PULL.
Then they have to lift the boat from the wagon and
prepare for long, severe pull through broken
water, combing waves the shoals that require the
most delicate management and varied experience to
surmount. The boat is an ordinary surfboat. in
many instances not good for its mission as the
craft of the fishermen along the coast. Should Of
these "combers' strike her unawares that is. with
out the steersmans guardian being on time,
the crew would the next instant find themselves
struggling in the water with nothing but their cork
jackets to protect them. In heavy sea the jackets
count very little. Suppose the life saving
reach the vessel and take of some of the people on
board. Then comes the most difficult part OF the
task and that is to get ashore safely There is not
soul within miles to assist them, and they
obliged to land the shpwrccked people and to leave
them, sometimes i'll exhausted condition. until
they are ready to return to the government house,
Now here Is real danger here the situation calls f0I
the noblest qualities of the Life Saving Service.
EASIER WORK.
But it is 1ethcr different thing the coast
have lust visited TIE beach is high and abrupt and
the crews are not alone in their work The invests
cation now IN progress q, AsD s Park shows that
Without entering into the merits of this case. which
is for decision in the hands of one United States
examiners. can say that the scar a illustrates the
| difference between the conditions OF the service
north and south of squan Inlet:-Bclow. danger;
| above. comparative security. Below. isolation:
above, family. neighbors and political inhu-
ence. This tells the entire story. The. gov
superior claims Of the stations ON the isolated
beaches around the inlets, spends extra money in
making stations near fashionable watering places as
provided for summer or fall visitors to register
their names and for fashion penny ainers to chron-
icle choice tidbits for society gossip
NEW STATIONS.
The two new houses at Long Branch and Sea Grit
Like Swiss cottages, because the fashionable neigh-
bors objected to the plain ungraceful. unpretendg
rcd structures that comprised the government plan.
times the work of these pampered stations have not
in some proper apparatus to work with.
have already spoken of patched boats and rotten
shot lines.
THE UPPER STATIONS.
Crossing Suuan Inlet the hrst station north is No.
9, Keeper Jackson. Here is magnificent specimen
OF surfboat twentyeght feet the keel and thirty
two on top, fully capable of taking twenty persons
ashore in addition to the crew. When the schooner
Maggie Mcdonnell went ashore last February at.
Wreck Pond. the station, the boat went out in
raging surf $50 yards from shore and behaved splen
didly Strange say the Merrman lite suits this
house not leaky. Keeper Ludlow. of station
No. s. has two good shot lines and the kind Of
boat as his neighbor below. Keeper Newman has
good boat but his oars are oil sprung and unit for
the service.
Keeper vannote of station No. 8, the defendant in
the present investigation at Asbury Park. has light
boat. which is very sharp forward, with nearly
straight keel. The patrol lanterns almost
less they blow out in any gale.
station No. is q now house, the West End
Hotel, Long Branch which is as yet unfinished and.
Keeper Valentine. OF station No. g. Monmouth
Beach, likes his boat. but its wagon is shorcd up.
and. think, unfit to carry the boat in rough
weather Here TOR the first time was found SPAN
ish hemp shot line MT for service. The lamps
very bad at this station.
Keeper West of station No. g. has boat and mortar
apparatus in satisfactory condition.
At station No. Keeper kittclls boat is like bowl
and spins around like top in the water. She
to have been built purposely TO drown her in
heavy
wagon at times for the mortar and its apparatus.
GRuMHIIsG FAvoRIrEs.
In this brief glance at the stations between Sauan
Inlet and Sandy Hook only the actual condition OF
the life saving apparatus has been noted. The houses
were in good order: IA might DO expected when
keeper on trial in this part of the district and
visits from responsible officials were i'm
pending; yet the impression left ON the
and examined the stations OF the around the
inlcts was that the keepers and their north OF
squan have comparatively easy time of 1t. and en-.
Joy an amount Of influence with their qiondam Ash
ing friends that goes great way in politics. Hence
II may be the desperate efforts OF disappointed
didatc to unseat keeper. For the first time since
lett Cape May have heard grumbling and com.
plants about patrols At some OF these upper sta
lions the surtinen growl about the severity Of
the night duties TO which they assigned.
below them. at Barncgat, Little aud Great Egg and
Townsend inlet, do fve times the work and
never prumbc. In addition to the improvements
suggested in my last letter would earnestly recon-
mend TO the governments, for the better working OF
tho service, Ia connect the stations by wire and
telephone Halt the money which has been usclessiy
spent in this service nonscnscal experiments
would pay for this useful means OF communication.
Aword in regard to the personnel of the surfmen Of
this district They are, as general rule.
toned To the surf from childhood with very ex-
cnnIin1a infnllinnni IA and