The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-16
HEROES OF THE SURF.
UNCLE SANS LIFE SAVERS BRAV
ING DEATH AND DANGER.

q
Paid-The Life Saving Drill and the
Reality-The Cart and It's Burden,
the Metallic Life Oar and the
Brooches Buoy-The Surf Boat Still
the Main Relisnce-How a Rescue is
Effected-The Army OF Life Savers
on Our Coasts.
Copyright 1897
NEW YORK, Sept. l4-"Bear away,
men: bear away Now then. jump herm
cried Capt. VIM. H. Rsinhart, chief OF the
Government Life Saving Station between
Rockaway and the new aud aristocratic set
Element Of Arverne, on the Long Island
coast.
It was the life saving drill, and six
brawny seanen respond with a will Out
of the little station sped the cart, " impelled
by strong hands. Across the heavy sand it
went over to where the surf was roaring,
and then the work began IN earnest
UOut with that No. liner called the
captain whose sturdy form AMI long flowing
beard, once yellow, but now Hinged with
gray made him u conspicuous figure even
among his own hardy fellows. ''Now, Uhe
gun. In with the shot and ram her well
home. and see whether she won't carry the
line full 500 yards"
The sand anchor was taken out and the
shot line attached; then it was fastened to
the loop in the long shot, and the latter,
with a cartridge, was rammed home into
the little brass gun which was placed in
position for supposed vessel distance OF
Il Quarter of a mile away. There was quite
heavy surf running and the wind was
blowing fresh from the west at a velocity
of eighteen miles an hour. 1t was a good,
stiff. off-shore breeze, and it seemed to beat
back the shallow waves and pick them up
bodily and toss them high upon the bosom
of the ocean.
a No. line, a hawser, pick, two
shovels, a "whip liue" and a wood n
''crotchn or tripod, minus log, were taken
out OF the cart and placed on tho sand
Booml went the Lyle gun, and, amid smoke
aud noise, one could see the long, slender
bar Of metal hurtling through the air al
most in q STRAIGHT line from the mouth of
the piece. 1t fell into the sea, consdera-
BILE distance beyond the breakers, and was
picked u ana made taut by the surf boat.
"Now then, jump her againm cried
Reinh9rt; and the hawser' was quickly at
tachei and all the paraphernalia of the
station brought into use. Tho crotch"
was elevated and the line kept well out of
the swirl Of the surf. Then the breecheS
b9uy was rugged up to the tackle
and Topped on to the hawSer, along which
it ran smoothly out as far as the boat and
back again. Every movement vas per-
formed with the utmost skill and celebrity,
the heavy rollers meanwhile washing up to
the feet of the crew.
Drill hour among Uncle Sans coast
guardsmen is always interesting, but it
is the merest child's play to the reality,
when amid the fierce gales that ravage
the Atlantic coasts, the crews are sum
moned to the rescue Of the sailors or
passengers of some imperriled vessel. Day
and nlg1J the shore IS patroled, the beat on
elther side Of station usually extending
from three to five miles. At the first signal
of danger, the men at the life station are
alert and stand by ready to act tho moment
an opportunity offers. A ship is seen drift
ing 10 leeward, with the certainty Of going
ashore Il less the wind providentially
chages. All chances are against her. Then
is the time for the life-savers 80 prove their
mettle. Every moment gained may mean
the saving of a human life; so the Cart
Is run out almost TO the edge of the surf
and the brass Lyle gun is placed in position
Tor shot as soon as the doomed vessel shall
drift within range
This cart IS unique affair, and its load
is one to make a landsman open his eyes
1t is long, strongly built wagon, with
four wheels, those in front being much
part Is gOod-sizsd square box in which are
the lines, the cartridges and other imple-
ments. On 1t also are the gun, rammer, a
pick-ax, two shovels, brooches buoy, II
heavy sand anchor, and a wooden ''crotch'
to keep the ropes out of the surf Four
men grasp the ropes in front and, looping
them over their shoulders, give q "heave-
ho!" while two others push from behind
and off she goes. Horses could not drag the
heavy load through the sand as these hard g
sea-dogs can their strongly built frames bent
Forward as they push on through the sand
and their sou'westers shading their rugged
faces from the wind and rain They pun
the cart along the beach until favorable
point IS reached from which to open COM
munication with the distressed vessel.
Now the Lyle gun is sighted and
prlmed. The projectile is bar Of metal
about lOinches long and weighing nineteen
pounds. At one end is a ring to which the
shot line IS attached, and this end projects
from the mouth of the little cannon A
nag IS waved to attract the attention of
those on board the ship, and communication
ls opened oy means OF the International
Code Of Marine Signals An answering
flag runs up on the vessel, showing tlat the
signal has been understood and then the
life saving crew send the message:
stand by for the shot line "
A moment later there is a puff of smoke
and loud report tells those on board that
the llneis coming. All hands eagerly watch
Tor 1t, and the moment it strikes across the
snip, 1t is caught and made fast.
No. line is the thinnest used at the life
saving stations. 1t is coiled in a peculiar
manner, beiag wrapped loosely upon some
thirty wooden pegs on a framework.
When 1t is to be used, the pegs ara drawn
out and the coiled rope stands on end upon
the sand. When the gun is fred the line
glldes off the coil noiselessly and apparently
without the slightesl friction. Long ex-
perlence has proved that the ordinary.
roundabout coil is untrust8 Gritty and often
entaugles.
Now the line is aboard the ship and fas-
tened, aud the station men set ABOUT send
ing out the whip" line. or guide to the
naWSer with which the real work is to be
zone The surf is rolling i'll great SETTLING
breakers and the vessel is every nome It
getting into shoaIer water. She NAV
safeen, or even go to pieces; and as lives
are In peril no time must be lost. The sand
aucnor is made fast little distance back
from the cart. and the whip line is reeved
through a pulley which is fastened to the
dAchor This leaves it free to run from the
COL The hawser is attached firmly. the
snip Is again signaled and the great heavy
Iops begins to move cut slowly through the
"hlte, heavy surf. At last it reaches the
vessel and is firmly secured
Next comes the adjustment of the
pIeeches buoy for when the surf is so
heavy the BUOY is the ONLY nracticahIa