Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-01-05
SAVING MANY LIVES.
Career or the Old Lightkeeper Who Has
lived Over ThiTty-One Years on an
slnnd in Long Island sound.

Career Of the Old Lightkceper Who Ha
lived Over Thirty-One Years on al
slnnd in Long Island sound.
Captain Oliver n. Brooks, who fol
thirty-one years has kept burning tht
light on Faulkner's Island, in Long
Island Sound, has resigned and left
the scene of his faithful labors. The
New Haven Palladium, which gives
an interesting sketch Of the captains
life on the little island, says that he has
assisted over 100 vessels which have
been wrecked or grounded on the
treachcrous reef. About seven years
sincethe freight propeller f. w. Wood
ward was stranded on the reef during
terrible winters storm. The, crew
were taken off by Captain Brooks and
remained several days on the island.
Suddenly the vessel hoated and dFifted
to another position; the crew went of
and were unable to save hers A
gale setting in, tie men were
unable to return, and weret in
Immediate danger Of perishing. Cap
tain Brooks then collected all The
cordage on the island, and at one time
had determined to take down the BIDS
and use the bed cords. Splicing a long
line from the different sized cordage,
he and his nephew, who very fortn.
ately was on the island, dragged th.r
boat on the ice as far from the shire
as possible. Brooks played ont he
line and allowed the boat to drift DOM
upon the fated vessel. while the le-
phew directed the frail craft. Foru-
nately the boat l0ated within thee
feet of the steamers bow. and ~
means of this life line the seven ga
men on board were rescued, some of
them more dead than alive, owingto
the severe cold. The rescued men e.
mained fourteen days on the islad,
and when Captain Brooks landed tbm
at Guilford he was obliged to reTmin
on the main land six days, owineto
the severe weather. On several oca-
slons Of storm the islanders have len
cut off from the shore for four wexs.
In 1889 Captain Brooks rescued we
persons from a stranded schooner. he T
crew took to the rigging, and the vfe
Of the schooner's captain was lased
to the masthead just before the ns-
cue the mate, in climbing into the rg-
ging, with the captains babe, droped
it into the sea. ~ 7
In some years thirty yess e
many vessels would float wiz ~
turning tide. Eighty total Sks
have occurred at the island dring
Captain Brooks long term of serea.
Not many years since Captain Bro&s
went out in the night at great persoAl
peril and rescued the crew of the dd
eastern schooner Ferguson. For bis
bravery and humanity he has received
many tokens Of reward.
-Four steamers of the lighthouse de-
partment stop at the island at STATED
intervals, viz, the Mistletoe, which
carries engineers suppl $ the Fem,
with oil, coal, etc. the Putnam, of the
inspectors department, and the Cactus
which carries general supplies and
provisions, and is used as
buoy setter. The Fern calls One
year, but the other steam,
ers more frequently. Captain Brown,
of the lighthouse board, offered Captain
Brooks a furlough Of one year and the
promise of good position on shore if
he would remain in the Service, but
the veteran light-master declined. The
captains family consists of his wife
and two daughters daughters true
and brave, who have shared their
father'speril in the rescue of many a
poor castaway seaman. Mary once
accompanied her father out in the
boat and assisted in the rescue of sew
eral shipwrecked sailors. The rescuers
rowed out in the face of binding
snowstorm and carried blankets to tht
almost frozen men. This daughter is
an expert at the oar. and has severa
times assisted her father in seasons o.
peril, sometimes putting on male at
tire for convenience.