Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-27
THE LIFE-sAvING SERVICE.
Resting Facts From the Annual Report
of Superintendent Kimball

of Superintendent Kimball
Mr. Kimball, superintendent Of the govern
mt hte-saying service. reports that at the
of the last fiscal year the establishment
raced 23S stations-17s on the Atlantic, 4s
HE lakes IL on the Pacific and at the Falls
Che Ohio at Louisville. ny.
The number of disasters to documented ves-
els within the scope of station operations dur
ns the year was ss1. There we're on board
hese vessels 3.I47 persons. Of whom los were
ayed and Al lost. The number Of ship
wrecked persons who received succor at the
tations was 55l, to whom l, Sic days renef In
HE aggregate was reported.
The estimated value of the vessels involved
In the disasters was si.s14, 600, and Of their
cargoes 81 OF. $50, making the total value OF
HE property imperied S6,9lO,3SO. OF this
kmount s5.677, $50 was saved and 81 49,. 400
lost The number OF vessels totally lost was
81. In addition to the foregoing, there were
during the wear l60 casualties to smaller craft,
such as sail boats. row boats, &C., on which
were S44 persons. 1856 Of whom were saved and
lost. The property involved in these cases 10
estimated at sllO.525. of which elO6.o70 was
The results Of all the disasters within the
scope of the service aggregate, therefore, as
follows:
Total number Of disasters. . 49l
Total value of property involved. u, 020. sos
Total value OF property saved ,1o3, $50
Total value of property lost. ,236, S45
Total number Of persons on board. 3,49l
Total number of persons saved. ..... SAL
Iotal number Of persons lost. 80
Total number OF persons succored at
stations oo1
Total number of days succor afforded. 1,5l6
Total number Of vessels lost. 81
In addition TO persons saved from vessels
there were forty others rescued who had
Fallen from whsryes, piers, &C., and who would
have persisted but for the timely assistance OF
the hfe-ssving service.
The crews saved without outside assistance
|16S vessels, vslued with their cargoes at
|f1 ,4S6 SI0 and assisted other efforts In saving
|seventy-nine vessels. valued with their cargoes
at u, 500. ITO. making the aggregate number OF
vessels which they saved and assisted to save
during the year 247, involving S3. 2SS. $50 of
property Assistance Of minor importance was
rendered to 223 other vessels in distress and
2l0 vessels were warned from danger by the
|signals of the patrolmen.
The cost of the maintenance Of the service
during the year was $40, 201.04- The saving Of
tmperiled property was proportionately
greater than in any former year with q single
Exception.
The following table gives summary Of the
Statistics Of the service from the introduction
of the present system in 1871 TO the Close Of the
fiscal year:
Number of disasters. 5,s4s
'aiue OF property invoived.-.-.... sS6, so, w
saved.---.-..... 81 .646, 962
90 80 lost. ga, III ,0O2
Number Of persons involved. - 1854
q" hives lost. 600
persons succored at
stations .................... s242
Number OF days succor afforded 24229
Since the last report stations have been es-
tablished and put in operation at Knobs
Beach (near Newburyport); Great Neck (Nan-
tucket Islandl, Mass; Marquette and Bots
Blanc Island, Mich, and Coos Bay, and at the
mouths of Cmpquah and Coquille rivers, Ore.
ton at Burnt Island (near the mouth of ST.
Georges rIver). Maine; Quonocontaug, r. l.;
fenwick 5 Island. Del, and llwaco beach, Wash
ington-
Extensive repairs have been made to twenty
SIX stations on the cost Of North Carolina and
Virginia, and similar work is being done upon
several of the stations between Cape Henlopen
and Cape Charles.
The sandy Hook, Seabrisht and Cold Spring
stations, New Jersey. and the Ocean City sta
non. Maryland, have been rebuilt
Considerable extension Of the service tele-
phone system has been made In connecting
stations IN the vicinity of cities with the local
systems. afiording ready means of obtaining
tugs ana other aids on occasions Of disaster,
and new line is being constructed connecting
the stations on the Rhode Island coast
The general superintendent invites attention
10 the embarrassment under which the service
labors owing to the frequent designations of
trained men who leave the service for better
compensation outside at less hazardous voca-
tons
He states that this exodus Of experienced
surfnlen. shown in the last report to be more
than 80 per cent, has continued during the
past year, and it is obvious that unless speedily
checked the efficiency Of the corps will be Sc
riously impaired Many who would otherwise
leave are retained by the hope of better wages
In the future, excited by former recommends
tons and by the merits Of the case, which they
think ought to be apparent.