The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-13
WATCHERS BY THE SEA.
MEN WHO MUST FREQUENTLY
FACE DEATH.

Reach have long htfn mdttcI vi lnttftSts
few days ago n TIMES reporter finding
Richmond hot accepted an invitation nom
o. friend in Princess Anne county, and
f,rthWith started for the far-famed beach
with view to examining in person several
Of the stations Of the life saving service.
Tho route we took was the c. and o. Rail-
,,sd We were rolled along at a smart
,ore hv that town Of undispnted antiquity,
Williamsburg. 20 Newport News, where we
t,,l the ferry for Norfolk aud caught "A
,,h.f Of the sea. At Norfolk We took the
VIRGINIA Beach Railroad. A few miles
l-,m the wcll-known Virginia Beach Hotel
,'.Yr reporter was met by friend, why by
,nrointmeni had undertaken 20 be his guide
y. the stations and also his instructor In
.r.h matter Of local interest as might at
irsri the readers Of I'HE TIMES.
Info the buggy we got. and soon we were
..r-ing as only venerable country horse
..tn rne along the sandy roads Of Princess
anne.
.no Won see that building over thercY'
-ad my friend, pointing to a brick church.
which was standing near the road on the
Skirt of hit of forest.
YES" said /.
.Wcl that Is the oldest church in this
mart az The country. II was erected long
fore the Revolutionary war; and those old
nr.rk walls have heard the prayers and
,rlisps Of many successive generations
r4c sun was fast sinking IN the west, hut
.. fine distance Go the Dam Neck Life
saving station was not great, strange de-
sire 90 ~ into the old church seized me.
Ms friend readily assented 10 the PROPOSE
TON. ana being high IN authority had me
..nl fortune fO have the church kcys with
"a al fNrtsl feet fIlGk
r.e interior has recently been apprOpr-
.f.lv renovated. And as ! sat IN the pew
., friend played one or more religious airs
I'D. fbe Iftlp organ. This Chimed in melO-
...r~v with the soft whispering Of
-. winds outside rs they passed
enough the solemn forest. My
.slciuation peoplcd the church with an
..rt worshippers with their throbbing
mis- of care and anxiety. Where were
,.t. Long ago they had been laid 10 sleep
..-.. atnet cemetery adjacent, but now not
tombstone showed the existence Of a SIN
t. -r.,r. Time had leVellSd the mounds.
..-,.o faces bad come 10 take the places
.rtb..d. Though the present editce was
..I,fIr erected about i1iO. IL is on the site
ftlf goes even further back.
I..,In- tle chapel we soon passed sign
r..r. marked. To the ocean, miles"
T.. county Of Princess Anne, while Nat
MARSHES. lakes. f&c.. is possessed Of many
....ri.~ and attractions. II is among the
..... rro~rpr9us counties Of Eastern Nir-
..ria. What. with the trucking business.
.r.0N~f,r aud fish business. and thelumber
..Iu-trt. 30 has before il good future. But
.faII it- attractions the ocean is the chiei,
and the stream OF visitors that come year by
ttsrtoNisit 30 are almost sure 10 leave some
.ftheIr wealth % guild the pockets Of the
natives,
lr Princess Anne has not health reaching
ruuntaius. she has al least the honor OF
washing her feet In the waters of the mighty
ocean. We were not therefore, disposed TO
.r.fllI-e her defects when we, in coming
through a skirt If woods. looked out sudden
.,un fhaf great blue eNpanse Of beauty so
..U nI majesty and mysterious p0Wtr-the
Atlantic Ocean.
Driving "A short distance down the hard
...eh. We came 10 q little collection OF
..nl,-luiit houses. and 10 a band Of fisher
.a.U drawing their net ashore. My friend
rnirt.l go the largest building in the col
...f.ou-l neat gothic-irame cottage-and
-.aI That is She Life-saying Station,
Nn.s %"
Dr. was situated on the sandy beach, only
..uuf nay OF hundred yards from the
.,lt.r'~ edge.
r.- frn summer months the regular crew
.- p.-rui--ed. Captain Barc0 the superin-
,.r5,rl of the station. however, remains all
-.. wear. lu the SUMMER. while keeping a
...,rll oversight Of the station, he also car
.....n .i. fishing business, shipping large
......r- il Richmond and Baltimore. lie
....u~ % kindly greeting and told us we
mi-II -reld the night. -
d.. Contain is typical fisherman. He
..- . nrltter.ieatcn face. hut warm
E.r IHe Wild nights Of winter he has to
r.r,.s h- haId business, ANA witnesses
-.m. terrible shipWrtCk~.
A~ihe night came ON the captain ana tue
-.l.rpeu came in. and We were soon sill
f,r, around the table ENJOYING the homeiy,
...t substantial fare 81 the strong ana
.,.rr-e.arted scamcn around us. There
.,4-ro variety in the sex Of the station
..f.w men. Occasionally the Captain
..- .- family Wlth him, but not often.
-,.-tai the year he lives away IRON ms
tl.r .unllr $50 sat in The room where
OBJ. ..t- ari E.e-eaNing apparatus are
h..I r.-a pleasant and lnNisofatlns
Nu..W .- blowing it"m the ocean ne
....- u... breaking ceR-elessly on the
t.... OH. time and place seemed arprc-
.I.t. f.f.e theme. 50 proposed ipai the
-.rt-gtIl u, something OF The llie'sa'lhs
.N.r.~ -aid the Captain. in his blunt
and -.Ia .afnrWari manner. III Is a nara
-..'... can tell YOU that. have been IN
fr.N mlu, wears, and would FOR many
rI-.u- like 90 get Gus, but what Time nave
in lu0k Tor places or learn lie" pus'-
..,e have stations all along the coast;
ftr instance. There is one at Cape Henry.
$50. 4 if Is called. Then there Is no,
..r ire Virginia Beach Hotel, ana neai
tI.. station. and frW miles south oil thl-'
ESQ. o. aad -0 an the WAY down the coast
station every few miles"
SWELL Captain. ) suppose y0S nave seen
.tn. heavy storms since yOu nays been
I.f-t' said /. 81.
-U.s.ipr than ever ! wish 70 see again.
..Ibe ni.ht the German ship Elizabeth
..rp. ashore WAS am awful night. Ii hap
..lt.d ODD. winter night. three or four years
-,ra. "a f.v miles south Of this station. III
,s.. r0f urupcrly on our beat. The station
I,9.-s- uls much nearer. but. OF course, we
fl--.u-l tn help with our men and appa-
rsfu.. IAs STA WAS rolling at ieariul
rate. and We were expecting u9RDie'
When the vessel was reported 10 Us as DeihS
U..r oa lne breakers, we hurried GOV H.
us- terrible day. 10 ~as intensely
M 4rd .leetiug. never saw y saucer
.f That vessel. with its crew, MOI very
.r.vav. and il vas almost Impossible 20
.....a 10 ou account OF the raging sea. "
CIfaD So could. The captain Of ibe sia-
n.u below called Cor volunteers 10 man her
Ef..lo,.. Ho wanted % do all he could ~
save the shipwrecked men. They were
h.gh Old in the 'essefs rigging, ana waves
were rolling over iae Elizabeth. Several OF
8ul men volunteered.
nI0msLe long story short, she Elizabeth
went 90 pieces. All on board paFisned.
The if--h0at WAS capsized, and i've o. ouf
iurn were i0si. When those men were
brought ashore and laid out, IL was a heart
rnang sight and strong and weather.
b.lt.n -eatnen wept Ike children at the
-lshi. TWenty-seyen men persisted ON the
glztbrth-all ON board. To the SURVIVORS
nrupt boat crew II the liie-saYing service.
bio Emperor Of Germany sent handsome
-.ad watch 10 each, aud also a compliment
I4rr letter.
40 tbe widows and orphans Of the de-
ceaser men, The public, through rev. III
liam ". savage and others made liberal con-
fributiOIs."
"Nhat other had wrecks have you ex-
u,rlcnced, Captain" said I.
-Yuu saw" said he, ''soms broken tim
a.r.. spars. &c. rs you came dowa IN