Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-09-07


torian, that it requires a steam engine to
blow them; and they utter booming,
hollow blast, a dismal note as we heart
when we are safe on the land, but sweet
to the anxious captain whose YesseI IS
laboring through the gloom under close
reefed topsails, and uncertain OF her
exact position. One of these horns is
very complicated in its structure, and
screeches in a rough, broken blare,
note far-reaching beyond any smooth,
whistling sound that could be made,
Finally, buoyss which at first were SIM
ply tight casks but now are usually
made of boiler-iron, are anchored on
small reefs, to which are hung bells,
rung constantly by the tossing of their
support; and on other reefs, buoys are
fixed having hollow cap so arranged
that when big wave rushes over, it
shuts in body of air; under great and
sudden pressure, which can only escape
through whistle in the top of the cap, I
uttering long warning wall to tell its
position. Buoys in harbors are also
made to carry lights, some by ordinary
Oil-lanterns, others by having their hel
low interiors filed with greatly COM
pressed gas, which burns in a Strong.
globe of glass, and cannot be blown or
drenched out ve, srT3s7i
But the ordinary duty of the buoy, is
to mark the line of inner channels, and
by their color they tell on which side of
them the pilot must steer, ~ IL .rs7l
Tokeep the boys all anchored. replace
them if lost, or put new ones where
needed; to visit the 1ight-ships, and
carry provisions and letters to their
crews; to see that all the lighthouses are
in shape, and the various parts of the
machinery in good working order, is the
duty of an inspector, who has certain
district of coast under his care and con-
tinually travels UP and down, it in a
steamer called '9tender.' G siv-
Lighthouses and sirens and buoys and
coast surveys are all intended to
prevent shipwreck;1 but, as T. hayef
said, the ocean is still supreme.
So we add to our precautions oar-'
engagements to help those cast away.
Societies to save wrecked persons have
existed in China, it is said, for centuries; I
but in Europe are scarcely over a hundred
years old. and the first life boat was not
made until 1884. Those European hue.
name societies, especially in Great
Britain, placed life-boats and gears in
certain shore towns, and organized crews
who promise to go out to the aid of any
lost ship, and to take good care of the
persons rescued. In America, however,
our coasts are so extensive, and so much
of the dangerous part of them is far
away from any villages, or even farm
houses, that the governmentw was obliged.
to do anything that was to be done.
Thus came about the Life Saving Service,
as it is called; which now has its stations
close together along our whole sea-coast,
and upon the great lakes, covering more
than ten thousand miles in all.
Each of these stations is a snug house
on the beach, tenanted by keeper and
six men, all of whom are chosen for
their skill in swimming, and in handling
a boat in the surf-something every man
who follows the sea cannot do.
During all the season, from October
till May, two men from each station are
necessarily patrolling the beach at night,
| each walking until he meets the patrol
man from the next station. No matter
how foul the weather, these watchrnen
are out until daylight looking for disas-
tiers. The moment they discover a vessel
ashore, or likely to become disabled, they
summon their companions, and hasten to
launch their boat. These boats are of
two kinds. On the lakes and on the
steep Pacific coast is used the very heavy
English ife-boat, fitted with masts and
sails if necessary, and which steam
tug is required to tow to the scene of
the wreck, if it is not close in shore.
But upon our flat, sandy Atlantic beaches
a lighter kind of surf-boat, made of
cedar, can only be handled. This is
built with air-caseB at each end and
under the thWarts, so that it cannot sink.
The station-men dragi it on its low wagon
to the scene of its use, unless horses are
to be had, and when it is launched, they
sit at the six oars, each with his cork
belt buekled around him, and his eye
fixed on the steersman, who stands in
the stern, ready to obey his slightest
motion of command, for rowing through
the angry waves that dash themselves
on storm beaten beach is q matter re-
quiring extraordinary skill and strength.
. Then, when the vessel is reached, comes
another struggle to avoid being struck
and crushed by the plunging ship, oil
the broken spars and rigging pounding
about the hull. But skill and caution
generally enable the crew to rescue
the unfortunate castaways one by one
though frequently several trips must bt
made, in each one of which every surf
man risks his life, and in many a sac
case has lost it. Es@iEao > 28af-,
1t is q common occurrence, however
that the sea will run so high that no boa
. could possibly be launched, Then tn,
, only possibility of rescue for the crew i
! by means of a line which shall. bridg,
, the space between the ship and the lant
before the hull falls to pieces. We reat
, in old tales of wrecks of how some bray
! seaman would tie light line around hi
! waist, and dare the dreadful waves. an,
the more dreadful undertow, to save hi
n comrades. If he got safely upon tn
beach, he drew a hawser on shore an
q made it fast. Now we do not ask this
: but with small cannon made for tn
: purpose, a strong cord attached to tn
o cannon-ball is fired over the ship, eve
3 though it be several hundred yards dis
q tant. Selling this line as it falls acros
q their vessel, the imperilled sailors haul
n them larger line. called. s whip,
: which they lfasten in a taekle-blook i
=. such way that a still heavier line can b
= stretched between the wreck and the lanC
n and made fast. Then by means of sma
o. side-line and pulleys double canvs
e bag, shaped like pair Of knee-breeehe
% is sent back and forth between the shi
= and the shore, bringing man eac
time, until all are saved. Should thel
r be many persons on board, though. an
great haste necessary a small rOvaI-a