The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31
~ BAY STATION.
reatening Letter Of Superin-
tendent Kimball.
.<ry FROM PORT TOWNSEND,
u Commerce Asks Aid Of
~.-xxwesf Cities to Secure Contin-
-..oe cf Lifs-Saying Service.

=. rovxsrsp. Aug. 3o.-The threat
b 1;.confinuance OF the life-saving sta
8 Neah bay has been met by the
..fmous disspprovaI OF Port Townsend
Aensu. and active steps are being taken
!. - such q calamity. Following is the
4 - 81 the correspondence between
-,.I superintendent KimbslI. of the
s..---ir, service. and the Chamber of
}Ic.~nuce 1t this place:
TREASURY DEPARTNESr,
i .-vn STATES LIFE SAVING SERVICE.
WtsHIsaT0S, d. c.. Aug. II, 1880. }
-. ! bartlett. ESQ, President Chamber
rs-nerce Port Townsend. Wash.-Sir:
1870 repIy to your letter of May z,
i srelceinr report of the Chamber Of Com
~ n port Tcwnse nd, wash. relating to the
~ ~ lifeboat station. / have now 70
muuicofe the following:
Fs.-seuent c. II. Mcclellan. assistant inspector
~ ssvinx stations, and Mr.. Fl. Won Bayer,
- easineer Of this Office, who visited and
1riued the locality about two years ago,
1eed that the only site for iife-saving sta
= he vicinity OF Eeah Bay better than
1m which the present station stands. or in
fsan Ct for the purpose Is on the SOUTH
"A of Waadan island. Mr.. Won Bayer
.Srr11ed IN estimate OF the cost OF putting
- here In an efficient condition, which
- 4 sum not less than 10000. after de-
~ couyut2fions of all the necessary pafts
5Sesssuction, exclusive Of apparatus and APP
- This sum IL more than four times
sseysxe cost OF station, and nearly double
& he most expensive one yet established.
mnual running expenses of the station,
eonipped aud manned, would be between
- "a 1900
1Eress, By net Of June 20, 1874, authorized
eolkctsOn of statistics of marine disasters
: fhe coast Of the United States, and since
tine they hare been carefully gathered and
7Huhed in convenient tables Tor reference in
snnual report OF the life-saving service.
= ssalistics show that during this period
= hsve been but two casualties 70 vessels in
veinity Of Neah bay. the point ct which the
ct Of congress authorized the establish
s d the present station. Neither Of these
1auended with less OF life, aud the amount
- o. damage to property was comparatively
~ reaching in one instance only $500 and
<ioolhef 81, 500
~ made In 1874 by CONN mission appointed
= authority of an act requiring the secre-
~ she treasury TO ascertain and report to
Hse which the Interests of commerce and
rmiy required the establishment OF life
~ stations In the absence of the statistics
- referred to. the commission had to rely
= he results OF inquiries, its observation of
n0neral appearance of the coast, and the
mntafions of mariners. ship-ownerss and
496sfers. underwriters, and others likely to
hiorned as 10 the frequency and causes of
5aleck In various localities, the number Of
nd amount of property imperiied. etc.
beommi@ion recommended three classes
ntonE First. complete stations: second.
1oaf stations; third. houses of refuge. A
1plete station was one TO be supplied with
~ Kind OF liie-saving appliance and eff
~ manned By keeper and crew of seven
t&ht men; q liie-boat station was to be sup
with life boat, to be manned upon oc-
rs Of disaster by volunteers from the vicin-
II the station, who were to be paid for each
nGor of service; house Of refuge was to be
~ place of shelter and s1ccor for the
4vsecked in desolate regions. where the main
~ was that of perishing by hanger and
xafter the shore was gained
alA6t time the salary of the keeper Of q sta
4ttlfher class was limited by law to $500