Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-12-08
READY TO LAUNCH.

tricity Is ten thousand times quicker than
thought. Indeed, most of the calamities
which unnaturally deprive men of their
lives and which are common TO human
ity come without warning. Men suffer
least when in tho act of dying. But to
tho victim of shipwreck providence
deals out with no unsparing hand the
awful agony of suspense. Tho sea is
slow to claim its dead; it toys with its
victims like O cat with q mouse. In o
storm at sea the heavy hand Of nature is
felt In all its sublimity and awfulness.
The inlSy atmosphere of the night, the
hugh waves raising their sublime cfests
to the black curtain above, the flying
pcud, and way to leeward dark and
almost indistingIlishable limo Of land,
this is q scenc which would strike terror
to the stoutest heart; when to IL is added
the shril sound of the wind as it rushes
through tho rigging, q sound weird, m-
earthly, which no pen can describe, tho
picture IL doubly intensified. Tho yes-
sci, borne down on the shore by the fury
of the wind and the terrible power of the
sea, strikes at last. Then comes the
period Of suspense. The imagination,
wrought to intensity by the previous ter
rors, opens new field of horror to its
helpless victim. II is in scenes like this
that human courage rises TO sublimity,
From every spot but ono points tho grim
finger of death. But from that one spot
g}immers light. 1t is the star of hope
to the shipwrecked sailor, and it Is
guided by tho hand of the watchful
patrolman of the life saving station.
1t Is impossible In brief article to give
moro than o very general idea of the
United States Life Saving service. 1t il
today one OF the most perfect institutions
OF its kind in existence, The first sys-
tematic movement for the aid of ship
wrecked mariners took place in England
in IVA, when the Royal Humane society
was established. IN this country tho
1irst life saving station was built at CO.
hasset, Mass, in 1907, but previous 10
this, in 1856, the Massachusetts Humane
society had done much to save life on
the New England coast. 1t was not,
however, until 1882 that any well direct.
ed efforts were made for the protection
Of life and property at sea. Tho work Of
the coast survey was begun in O small
way. Congress made appropriations
from year to year and the service gradu-
received an impetus which has car
ried it on to it's present state
of perfection. Sumner !. Kimball sue
ceeded to the head of the revenue marino
bureau Of the treasury department. In
the face of the greatest discouragements
Mr.. Kimball labored faithfully. During
the first year of his Stewardship every
person imperiled by shipwreck On tho
New Jersey coast was saved.
s%s
In 1873 commission consisting Of Mr.,
Kimball, Capt. Faunce and Capt. ]. III.
derryman, of the revenue marine, sur
veyed, by order of congress, the ocean
and lake coasts. Tho report Of this COM
mission was adopted by congress, and in
1874 bill was passed and became n law.
By the provisions Of this bill the field was
considerably extended and the present
pystem began to assume definite shape.
The work steadily continued until
!. 1877. Tut in 1878 the service which
had grona TO such magnificent proper
tions was handicapped by lack Of money.
The child had grown too large for its old
clothes, and its parents failed TO supply
u with new. Just at this time the wreck
Of the steamers Huron and Metropolis,
ono following close upon the other,
woke the nation to the import
ance Of life saving, and the re-
~. OF these two disasters, however
< much they may be deplored on account
Of the great loss Of life, was the hest
thing which could have happened to the
eersice. Under the championship of
,. 3. Cox and Charles Is. Roberts a hin
T vas passed through both houses az com
greEs and the life saving service took ita
proper rank us separate institution
Nj. kimball was chosen as general su.
Z perintendent, and the service was estab-
1lshed on firm foothold. The system
= now divided into twelve districts. The
+ number of stations Is 228, la on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Al on the lakes
and 2 on the Pacific coast. Each district
r provided with local superintendent.
Al officer of the revenue marine is the
','f1Aef inspector, and TO each district is
Il 4lso assigned an assistant inspector. In
Seses oi extraordinary heroism medals
Me saving station is two stories high
~ has i've rooms. The upper floor
'*9onaains two sleeping rooms and a store
: fp0ln, and the lower floor consists Of a
boet and mess room, the latter bejng the
rnaller. The life saving appliances are
i few In number. There are two kinds of
! boe&s in use. the self righting life boat
EDDd the surf boat. The self Fighting
n1ne ts very heavy, and this, COUPLED
- ~ great size. prevents lis use 10 any
oFent exscnf on the Atlantic coast It is