The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-11-20
LIFE-SAVING SERVICE.
The international Code" of Signal.
ing by Day and by Night.
Row the Life-Boat is Manned---
lending a Line to the Wreck
bringing the LIre-Car
into Service.

All that science and skill can accomplish "a
demonstrated in these governmental depart
ments, and Of these there are none more in
teresting than the exhibit made by the
United States hfe-saving service. 1t appeals
strongly to every thinking person. 1t shows
the great care and skill which pervades the
system ~inaugurated and sustained by the
government Every appliance to save life,
to rescue the imperiled at sea, seems to have
been adopted.
SIGNAL FLAGS
In the daytime communication is carried
on between vessels and stations by means of
flags. The symbols of the international code
consist of eighteen flags, grouped as follows:
One burgee, four pennants and thirteen
square flags. Every nation represented in
this code provides its vessels with q set of
these flags and their Interpretation, and the
simple hosting of the different combinations
according to the schedule laid out, is unmis-
taxable English to any life-saving station on
the American coast, no matter what the
nationality of the vessel may be. These flags
represent eighteen letters of the English
alphabet, and no two are alike in color.
The different colored flags represent letters,
the letters represent sentences, and conversa-
ton is carried on between stations and YES
sells by simply hosting the combinations of
flags according to the signal key.
At night, if any signaling has to be done,
white, green and red rockets are sent up
the different combinations of colors express
ing certain wants and giving affirmative or
negative answers. For instance, a ship want
ing "a pilot would make her wishes known by
sending up three rockets in quick succession
white, red, white; red, white, red-I am in
distress; green, white, green-yes; white,
red, white-no. On the more
DANGFROUs CoASTs
there are sometimes two or three stations sit
uated five miles apart. AT night a lookout is
left in the station, and the rest of the crew
patrol the beach, meeting the crew of the Sec
ond station half way, exchanging checks and
then making their way back to their respec-
tive starting points. If a patrolman secs an
accident or a vessel in distress, signals are
fired calling the attention of the rest of the
men to that point. The life-boats are then
put on surf wagons, drawn by horses.
and carried down to the sea. These
boats are self-bailng and self
righttng; that is, If one of them up
sets, it Immediately rights itself, and balls
out any water shipped as fast as it comes in.
A boat of this description is manned by
twelve oarsmen and one steersman, and will
carry in safety thirty additional people. Be
hind the surf wagons follows the hand-cart
drawn by the crew, containing Lisle guns,
whip lines, shot lines, taking boxes and other
necessary articles, For examples sake we
will say that a ship has been driven on the
rocks some three-quarters of a mile or a mile
from the shore, and is gradually being bat
tered to pieces. If lives are to be saved there
is no time for play. The life-savers, first of
all, want to reach the ship with a rope so
that it may have direct connection with the
shore, and this is
H WAY THEY DO IT.
If there are no trees in convenient distance.
to which a heavy rope can be attached, a trench
three and one-half feet deep is dug in the
sand, and in this the sand-anchor, composed
Of two heavy wood c~ross-pieces, is buried.
The rope, after being securely fastened to
this anchor, is then run over a crotch from
fifteen to eighteen feet high Attention is
now given to the taking box, which consists
of a smaller rope wound around forty. eight
pegs. By lifting up the board on which
these pegs are mounted the rope slides off in
a coil on the sand, and in being fired from
the mortar can not possible get tangled or
twisted in its rapid flight to and over the
vessel. The shot is an iron piece, resembling
very closely in shape and in length a car
coupling pin. A small opening in its end ad-
mits a screw, and to this screw through a
ring is fastened the small line to be fired,
which, in its turn, is made fast to the larger
lOpt ptlDASl ltbllOltu. lit II II Ilgn
loaded with from two and a half to four
ounces Of powder, according to the distance
Of the vessel from shore, the shot is placed In
position,
AFIzz N A BANG,
and away goes the small line along with its
iron predecessor over the ships deck, where
willing hands seize it and eventually pull in
the strong, heavy rope from the shore. At
tached to this latter are tally-boards, giving
the following instructions in many different
languages; Make the tail of the block fast
to the lower mast well up. If masts are
gone then to the best place you can find.
Cast off rocket line, see that the rope in the
block runs free, and show signal to the Shore
A second shot from the mortar carries an
other line, and this enables the brooches buoy
block to be drawn from shore to ship, and
vice versa, over the main rope. This rome.
after being made fast to the ships masts.
is hauled taut on shore. by three sets of
blocks, to the rear Of the tall crotch over
which it runs.
There is a slant from the ship in. and the
crotch, as may now beseen, is used to give the
rope a sufficient altitude over the angry sea
waves.
THE B~REECHEs BUOY BLOCK,
that is hauled backward and forward with
passengers, consists Of a large round cork
ring covered with canvas, to the under side
of which is firmly attached a pair of knee
brooches. A passenger lowers half OF his body
through the cork opening-the knee breeches
prevent his being washed out, the cork buoy
keeps half the body above water, and he is
pulled safely 10 shore with no damage beyond
a thorough drenching.
TIL LIFE CAR.
If It be found necessary to carry shoreward
at one time more than a single passenger, tho
life car is brought into service. Its bottom
is shaped like that of n lap-streak boat,
ard that portion Of it showing out Of
water is oval, with a small aperture on
top and in the centre. 1t accommodates
Eve or six people, and after they are safely
slowed inside, the opening is securely closed
and battened down. The main rope on which
breeches-buoy, Is taken from its high crotch
and lowered TO the surface Of the water. In
rough weather, while being drawn into shore
by means Of n windlass, it rolls over and
over and Is alternately under and above the
water. To prevent the bruising up Of the eX-
cursionists within, the inside Is thoroughly
fitted out with the softest Of padding, and
very minute diamond-shaped holes in tho top
OF the car furnish all the air needed, diluted
with a very Insignificant and hardly notice
able quantity Of salt water. This car is made
out OF heavy galvanized iron, riveted, aud
weighs roo pounds,
A. l.. Murrin's.