Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-30

to Indianapolis to Attend the Funeral
Of Vice President Hendricks-Report
of. s. kimball Of the Life Saving Ser
vice-Cemmissioner Coleman's Report.
WASHINGTON, Nov %.
The President this afternoon determined
not to make the trip to Indianapolis. To the
representative of the associated press he said
''ln the first moment of the shock of Hen
dricks yielded to my inclination and de-
clsred my intention to be present at the
funeral. OF course in reaching that conclu-
sion did not put out of view a peremptorv
press Of public business on what deemed suf.
ficisnt consideration of my duty to the people.
The public business l thought could dispose
OF by additional application and more hours
of work, and considered it my duty to the
people to answer their tender sentiment of
respect and affection to the dead Vice Presi-
dent, which does them great honor. am
satisfied now that was at fault in consider.
ing the question; that l did not take as COM
prehensive view of the duty that
owe to the public as l should; that is,
l did not look at every phase
of it, and am afraid my strong personal de-
sire somewhat clouded my Judgment lam
now reminded by some of the best and most
patriotic and thoughtful of our citizens that
the solemn duties of my office are a. the Ma
tional capitol, and that in the present peculiar
and delicate situation ought not to take even
the chance of accident incident to travel to
crafty sentiment so general and so charac-
teristic as that involved in this subject. l
have been profoundly impressed by these con-
siderations, but most of all influenced by their
strong and unanimous presentation by de-
voted friends of the late vice president, living
in his state and city, and their endorsement
by the noble and patriotic woman who, in the
infinite sorrow of her widow hood, reflects the
spirit and character of her honored husband
in her solicitude for the public good. am
now certain that neither my desire nor senti-
ment referred to, nor difficulty that attends
in this case and change of design, nor
any stubborn idea of heroism will Justify me
in subjecting the country to any greater
chance of disaster than attends my perform
ance of strict duty here, and that ought not
to inflict upon my countrymen even unrest
and anxiety attending departure, absence
and return, in the attendance upon the
funeral ceremonies.
The annual report of S. j. Kimball, general
superintendent of the life saving service
shows that at the close of the last fiscal year
the establishment embraced 203 stations.
The number of disasters to vessels during the
J ar was 256, having on board 2206 person,
OF whom 2l96 were saved. The number of
shipwrecked persons who received succor at
stations was 56S. The estimated value of
vessels involved in these disasters was
$3.50 $50, and of their cargoes 81 l,OS4, ,405.
Of the total amount S3,352, ,760 was
saved and Sl,25l, ,695 was lost. The
number of vessels totally lost was Sc.
In addition to the foregoing there were dur
ing the year 1l5 casualties to smaller craft
on which were 233 persons. 232 of whom
were saved. The property involved in these
instances is estimated at S2S, 1926, of which
S26,S23 was saved. Thirty seven persons
we're rescued who had fallen from wharves,
piers, ETC., and whom would have perished
without the help of the life saving crews.
The total loss of life within the scope of the
service is the smallest ever reached since the
general extension, except in the year 1880
when but nine were lost. Since that time,
however, the field of operation has been
greatly enlarged by the addition of "a sta
tions. The assistance rendered in saving
vessels and cargoes during the year was
larger than any previous year except the last
preceding, 366 vessels having been worked
off when stranded, repaired when damaged
piloted out of dangerous places and similarly
assisted by station crews, besides 204 in
stances where vessels running into danger of
stranding in the night were warned off by
the signals of the patrol. The following
table gives the summary of the statistics of
the service from the introduction of the pres
ent system in 1871 to the close of the fiscal
year. The loss of life as stated below in
cludes 1873 lost at the wrecks of the "Huron'
and metropolis" which really is not chargea-
BILE to the service:
Number of disasters, 291S
Property involved, S5l, ,763, ,694
Property saved, $780, 1929
Property lost, $l5, ,4S5, ,765
Persons involved, 1858
Persons saved, 1926
Persons lost, 457
Persons succored at stations. 1929
Deductng from the number of lives given
above, loss at wrecks of "Huron' and ''Met-
ropolis" there is presented a remarkable ex-
hibit of only 274 were lost within the scope
of the service during the IA years embraced
in the table.
Commissioner Coleman in his annual re-
port to the President, says The year which
opened in gloom, threatening the destruction
of winter crops by severity of temperature, is
closing with bright prospects of an abundance
produced, at a cost which is not burden to
the producers and to be sold at a price which
is not a barrier to the poor consumer. For
many years it has become more and more
apparent that there is great need of more in
innate relations between several agricultural
and experiment stations, and more practi-
cal cooperation between these institution
and the department of agriculture. These
colleges were endowed by Congress. They
are now separately carrying on experiments
without any central head through which to
report and compare results with each other.
He submits that the department should have
full authority and ample means to avail itself
of the peculiar advantages offered by these
endowed institutions in order to test the
adaptability of new and rare seeds to various
sections of the country. He describes the
serious effect upon our foreign trade in live
stock, resulting from the existence of conta-
gious diseases among cattle sheep and swine,
and says that the restrictions upon our own
interstate commerce from the same cause
reduction in the value of cattle in affected
states has been enormous. Of the work OF
the division of chemistry. he says that the
investigation of the influence of climate and
soil, in the composition of cereals, has pro-
gressed far enough to scientifically determine
what parts produce the best cereals.
The annual report of Mr.. Dodge, statlstician
of the department for the present year, con-
tains q review of the course of agricultural
during Is years, which shows an increase in
corn of so per cent, in wheat l0S per cent, in
l. n -