The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-08
HOW LIVES ARE SAVED.
The System of Work Adopted by the
United States Life-Saving Service.

The System of Work Adopted by the
United States Life-SavinS Service.
The method of saving lives from ship
wreck, at present in use at our United
States Life-Saving Stations, may be best
understood by supposing an actual case
and describing the operations of the
surfmen.
If the sea will permit, the people on
the vessels are brought ashore in the
surf-boat." If high sea is running, how
ever, this is rendered impracticable,
and recourse is had to the "Breeches
Buoy" When the discovery OF a
wreck is announced at the station, all
the apparatus is at once carried along
the beach to the point nearest the
wreck. The Lyle gun. a small brass
cannon. which weighs one hundred and
seventeen pounds. is loaded with pow
der. Then into its mouth is slipped a
long steel "prOiectile," to the outer end
of which is attached light but stout
line. called the ''shot line" Then the
gun is aimed and fired. The proiectile,
followed by the long cord. flies out
toward the wreck. passes over it. and
drops into the sea, and the .shot
line" falls on deck. Thus the first
means of communication is established
between the wreck and the shore. The
crew OF the vessel now pull in this
''shot line" until they draw on deck
pulley block, which the men on shore
have ted to it. Through this pulley
block is running an endless line. " that
is. a LONG line which is called endless,
because the two ends have been fasten-
ed together. 1t runs also through an
other pulley block. which has been
kent on shore. The sailors tie Their
pulley block well up on the mast. and
the men on shore fasten theirs TO
sand anchor" which they have firmly
bur ed in the sand.
You have often seen the double string
which children. living across the street
from each other. run between Their
houses aud call telegraph" 1t is a
long, endless line. running through a
pulley. or a staple. at each end, and
when a basket or other article is tied
to one side of the double line, and
the other side is pulled in. the
basket of course moves off across
the street. This is ike what has
now been gged between the vessel and
the shore. So now the men on shore can
tie anything on to the endless line, run
ming through a pulley block at each
end. and starting the circular motion of
the line soon send It ont to the vessel.
What they do tie on is the end of a
great hawser, or heavy rope. and when
this hawser is drawn on deck. it is at
once fastened to the mast a few feet
above the pulley block. Then the other
end of the hawser. which has been
kept on shore, is hauled in as tight, or
''taut." as poss ble and also fastened
few feet above the pulley block. which
has been tied to the sand anchor. Now
the '.breeches buoy is brought out by
the men on shore. Thss is a circle. or
large ring OF leather stuffed. of per-
haps two feet in diameter. Hanging
below it is pair of stiff canvas
knee -breeches. 1t is now hung
from the heavy hawser 80 that it
can slide freely to and fro uponft. Then
it is securely fastened to ons part of the
endless line, the other part OF the line
is hauled steadily in, and away moves
the buoy. slipping along on the hawser
from which it hangs. and drawn by the
small endless Ene to which Is is secured
One person IS dropped in through the
circle. with one leg in each side If the
canvas breeches. The ciYcul&' line.
which has been described. is fastened
also to the buoy. or rather to the pulley
block OF the buoy. and is again put in
motion. and the buoy retracss its course
to the shore The rescued person is
taken out. and again and again the buoy
makes the Journey. until every one on
board is brought safe to land.-HOHth's
ComDGni0n-