The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-30
AID THE SHIPWRECKED.
Threatened Discontinuance of
Neah Bay Station.
LIFE SERVICE INADEQUATE.
LIFE SERVICE
A Foolish Claim That There Is Moth
ing for the Crew to Do.
Port Townsend Urging Decisive Action
for the Fnrsherance OF Commerce--A
List Of the Vessels Wrecked on Cape
Fattery.

PoRr townsend. Aug. % There is great dam
ger that niggardly, parsimonious policy on
the Dart OF the general government may be ex-
ercised to endanger the lives of msny citizens
and the commerce of Puget sound unless united
effort is made by the commercial bodies OF the
Prcifc coast aud the congressional delegates OF
the western slope to forestall the contemplate
action OF an officer OF the treasury department
Early last May notice was brought TO the
CnamDer OF Commerce OF Port Townsend that
the ife-saving station at Neah bay was woefuily
inefficient. and that in case Of disaster af the
mouth OF the Straits of Fuca practically no as
sistance could be rendered from the shore In
reply 70 requests for better station at Neah
bay. S L Kimball, superintendent of the hfe-
saving service, has written q letter 10 the
Chamber OF Commerce here, in which he claims
the station is not needed at ali, and threatens
recommend its discontinuance. he says that
the statistics gathered by congress under the
act OF June, 1874. relating 10 this subject show
that there have been only two casualties 10 yes-
sells in the vicinity OF Mean bay. neither
attended with loss OF life and the damage
amounting 10 only 50 coo in all
superintendent Kimhail gives the history of
the establish ment Of the Neah bay station and
says the selary Of the keeper has been raised
from 500 TO $700 per snnum, with an allowance
of $50 per month each for the crew, and yet they
have only been called On twice for sety.ce since
tendent closes the letter with the statement that
unless good reasons are shown for the eontinu-
ance of the service he viii recommend the dis
continuance of the station altogether.
Seafaring men and the citizens generally OF
Port Townsend are Indignant at tie proposal to
GO away with the Neah bay station, and the
Chamber OF Commerce is now preparing strong
letter that win show the absolute necessity Of
retaining 1t. This letter will charge that the
present station is inefficient. and will ask for
better equipment II VIII say:
We fully agree with you that If the station
is to be conducted in the present inefficient
manner, 1t might as well be abandoned. II is
useless now. Instead OF abandoning the station
it should be placed in the mos. effective con.
dition. II it was advisable in 1877 TO establish
life station al Neah Bay, the interests OF corr
merce and of humanity demand now that the
station be of the frst-ciass. In 1877 the CON-
merce OF Puget sound amounted to little; but
last year 1,22S vessels under register. and 5ss
under license entered the straits.
THE neighborhood OF Cape Flattery is often
the center of wild storms and is often overhung
with thick fog. 1t is fortunate for the
good name OF the government that
wrecks are few there for the
keeper of the station has no appliances for ren-
dering aid. On November 4. 1875, just prior to
the establishment of the station. the ship Or
pheus. from San Francisco and the passenger
Cape Flsttery. and all but two persons on the
steamer were lost. This calamity, which caused
gloom to so many hearts and which might have
been lessened By proper life station Is still re-
membered with horror. The bark Lizzie Mar
shall was wrecked in sight of
Neah bay station, but the lfebaat was
lost through through the stupidity OF
the keeper, and he has had no nfe-boat since.
On November 20. 1857. the British ship Daehess
of Argyle was wrecked in plain sight of Eeah
bay heights. On January so. 1859, the bark
Austria was totally wrecked On Flattery rocks
The same month the Bolivian bark Irene was
abandoned OF Cape Flattery. La January, 1890,
the steamer West Shore was wrecked of De-
struction Island. On February 27, 1890, the
British bark Lord Gordon was wrecked near De-
siruction island. and besides these many other
vessels have been lost of Vancouver island"
The Port Townsend Chamber Of Commerce
will ask the cooperation of the Seattle. Ia
coma. Portland and Saa Francisco chambers in
having the Neah bay station put in an efficient
condition