Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-12

A
| OF the service and sketchei the course Of the
legislation that was enacted to produce the re-
suits for which the genial Congressman from
| New York laborcd SO long and so hard He
| told o. the terrible disasters to the Huron and
the Metropolis, which marked the crisis in the
history Of the service, and then he went on to
describe the struggles of Mr.. Cox with an ad-
verse majority of an opposite political faith in
ice upon sbusiness-li,se and effective basis. He
sketched that memorable scene in the house on
June 4. 1873. when, standing almost alone in
behalf Of a bill designed TO benefit the service
and TO establish it permanently upon its pres
ent footing. Mr.. Cox made one of the greatest
| speeches of his life and argued so effectively
| and eloduently that every trace of opposition
was wiped away and the bill was passed without
q dissenting voice.
Mr.. KIMBAILs ADDRESS
Mr.. Kimball concluded as follows: II should
be guilty Of an injustice which his magnani-
nous spirit would condemn if omitted to
state that at various periods he had the active
| support and cooperation Of such powerful al
| hes a. Conger, Dawes. Frye Hale kenna, Nc
Pherson. Pendleton, Covert, Grape, Dunnell.
Lynch. Roberts. Yeates and others The lofty
| devotion to the interests of humanity which
inspired him in this grandest work Of his life
| met warm response In the hearts of these en-
| inent men, and they brought to him cordial
| and unstinted support whenever he needed it.
/ with what satisfaction must they contemplate
the marvellous change that has been wrought
| upon the coast under the magic touch Of Or
| ganization.
''When Mr.. Cox took the first Of the progress
| s1ve steps have recounted there had stood for
twenty years upon the New Jersey and Long
| Island coasts a few rough buildings scattered
\ at long intervals apart, designed each to afford
protection from the weather to a surf boat
| such as the fishermen used in their vocation.
| and some primitive apparatus TO be used by
| the unframed hands OF any who might volun-
Il
permitted to fall into dilapidation and decay.
and the apparatus had become impaired by
| neglect theft and the depredatlons of vermin.
| The buildings were in the nominal charge Of
Keepers who generally lived long distances
| away, sometimes as far as ten or twelve miles.
The selection of these officials was usually made
/ upon political considerations, their compensa-
tlon OF 500 per annum being the reward
/ OF some petty party service. Their principal
| function was the custody of the kew to the
| buildingfand this guardianship they maintained
| with such scrupulous fidelity that the door had
generally to be forced if occasion 70 enter arose.
This was the life-saving service of tina. period.
Brave rescues were effected indeed, by the
| brave beachmen, but too often. alas. the coun-
| try was shocked by the reports of enormous
| losses OF life. which might have been prevented
| by proper appliances expertly handled, and
| Tar too often the pitiful story was told of yes
| sells stranded IN the night and when discovered
| IN the morning the people on board had been
swallowed up by the sea or had frozen TO death
| in the rigging
The MODERN SERVICE.
Time forbids that in contrast should at
| tempt TO describe the details of the present
system or even to family outline it. but may
mention some of Its prominent features. Its
| stations. commodious, thoroughly equipped
| With the most approved appliances and man
ned with trained and daring crews. chosen ex-
clus1veiy for then qualifications from the
| -rtp III E.l--
nearly every dangerous point upon our sea-
board and upo1. the shores of our great inland
lakes Upon long stretches of sandy beach
| they form a Gordon OF posts, which nightly
send out their ygiiant patrolmen. in all vicissi-
thdes Of weather. who strain their waichful
eyes seward to make early discovery Of wrecks
or to flash their red warnings to endangered
vessels. Telephone lines connecting these
posts afford means of readily con-
s Setars 8, several crews to the
with telegraph lines of summoning from the
nearest ports steam tugs, revenue cutters or
other effective assistance to save vessels and
cargoes. When deliverances of the shipwrecked
are accomplished the stations are converted
into asylums where the rescued are supplied with
dry clothing, food and shelter and the MANNED
sick and frozen are tendeTly nursed II life is
lost rigid investigation is instituted to ascer-
tain whether any of the service corps are at
fault, or whether any means can be devised to
prevent the recurrence Of fatality under SINH
lar circumstances. secondary and subordi-
nate duty Is that OF saving property and of pro-
| tecting 1t until reclaimed by tie owner
The efhcacy OF the system is best illustrated
by the statement of the fact that the average
| loss OF HE per annum throughout the entire
domain OF the service now only about EQUALS
| the annual loss upon the New Jersey and Long
Island coasts alone during the twenty years i'm
| mediateiy preceding its inauguration, and this
| Notwithstanding the increased frequency of dis
asters consequent upon the vast growth of our
commerce. 1t should be remembered. too that
the system annually saves from destruction an
| amount OF property many times exceeding in
value the cost of its maintenance.
During the two decades of its existence up to
the close of the last fiscal year there occurred
within tho field of Its operations s. 943 disasters
| to vessels. OF the 1884 persons on board
1924 were saved, but coo lost 9242 ship
wrecked people were Dursed and succored at
the stations, Log days relief being afforded
them. The estimated value of the vessels and
their cargoes was So, 351. yS4. or this amount
81, $40, sS2 was saved and S24, Ill 900 lost In
addition to the benefcence implied by these
hgures, numerous disasters have been averted
by tie warning signals Of the patroimen to yes-
sells standing into danger. The number of such
warnings Is more than 200 annually.
AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER NATIONS
The unequaled successes of the service have
not only won for it a proud eminence at home,
but the fame of its achievements has spread to
every part of the civilized world, and other
maritime nations rapidly adopting its
methods and introducing its appliances Its
pre-eminence Is unquestioned. and it stands
today without rival among kindred institu-
tons. III ever the luster of its glory shall fade
| 1t will be only when the government fails to
uphold the mastery hands that now work its
miracles OF rescue. The danger of this is the
| only cloud that shadows the fair field of its
promise. That such danger is imminent is un-
| fortunately only too apparent. Already deci-
| nation in the ranks of tie experienced crews is
| working serious detriment. The fact is becop-
ing more manifest that men made of such stuff
| a the service requires cannot DE retained at a
pitiful stipend scarcely exceeding the wages paid
| TO the commonest day-laborers. Unframed re-
crults are fast taking the places OF tried and
| faithful veterans and unless this exchange is
| speedily checked serious calamity must befaiI
the establishment Let us hope that we have
not TO await the recurrence of horror like
that OF the Huron or the Metropolis But
whatever may happen the system has demon
strated Its worth beyond cayii.
Nh. Coxs WORK
The part taken by Mr.. Cox in LAYING the
| foundation for the attainment OF tho splendid
results i have shown naturally greatly en-
HANGED in his eoworkers the regard which the
exalted attributes of his character and the
noble achievements Of his life excited so gen.
orally in the hearts of his countrymen; but the
affection which their comradeship in the strue-
gies OF common cause. to which each was ar