Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-02-26
Appeals for surfmen.
New York World !

New York world.l
/ Rev. S. Edward Young, of the Westmin
stsr church, Asbury Park. who is endesv-
oring to raise by legislation the wages Of
the surfmen throughout the United States,
is meeting with much encouragement.
Mr.. Young's idea is to raise the wages Of
the life-savers to $500, and those of the
captains of the stations to $780, He has
received the Endorsement of every man
prominent in life-saving work, and every
| Congressman who has become acquainted
with the movement. United States Sena-
tor Rufus Blodgett of Long Branch, has
approved of the movement. Mr.. Young
| will go to Washington next week to con-
fer with the heads Of the life saving de-
partment there. He has studied the mat
ter thoroughly, gathering statistics and
other information. He has issued the fol
lowing appeal to the public:
About seventeen hundred life-saving
men keep ceaseless vigil along our 10000
miles of lake and ocean front. in one year
redeeming from the waves property valued
at 81 $50, $50 and human lives to the num-
! ber OF $3.50, recommItting safely to the
sea 492 stranded vessels, warning till out of
danger 229 more, rendering a multitude Of
minor services, dexterously manipulating
4 life-car and breeches-buoy with every ap-
| proved invention for their work, and bring
ing the life-boat from wrecks to shore
/ more than one thousand timeS-a record
/ virtually duplicated every year, Such
achievement is effected At the price Of per-
! lis almost countless. What days and
| nights of lonely watching! What trudg-
| ing through snow and rain and ice and
/ cutting blast; through treacherous inlets
OF the sea, over slippery precipices and
/ storm cleft beach What isolation from
| home and all that cheers the average life
What adventures with euroclydons in bold
attempt to rescue sinking souls The
| gloomier the night the more imperative is
the patrol the tiercer the tempest the more
as.duous the toll compelled to journey on
until his CO patroman from the nearest
station has been met and checks have been
exchanged in proof thereof. Sometimes n
surfman, disappointed from mile to mile
and wel-nigh wearied to despair. has found
/ his fellow -surfman, exhausted, drowned
or frozen, ard himself unable to give aid.
In one year twelve perished from injuries
| thus received. Members of surfman's
family are not allowed in the station. Only
I once week may he them and then
| only from sunrise to sunset. If sick he
I remains at the station and soon must furn
ish a substitute at his own expense or be
discharged.
/ 'Our Government pays these surfmen
/ $50 per month, and that only for period
ranging from four to eight months, yet
( demands that they be always ready for q
summons back to duty. and hence pre-
! cludes the possibility of their securing
I very remunerative employment elsewhere
! during the semi-recess. They provide and
/ cook their own food, and out of the $50
| per month received by a portion of them
| scarcely half the year purchase their own
uniforms, which they are required to wear.
4 Each fall an outlay of about $40 is ncCeS-
sary in order to reach the Government.
| examining physician, and If the surfmsn is
! pronounced unit for service, Il rule, he
| is simply cast off.
J "A private in our army. whose business
, 1t is to take life, receives. when disabled
never les. than $3.50 per Year As long as he
( lives A surfman, who business is to save
; life, receives, when disabled, his little sal
| airy of 5000 to 800 for, at most. two
years, and then all recognition of him
stops. soldiers widow receives not less
than $3.50 per year, and each child under
| sixteen years of age SPA per year coutin-
uelly, surfman's widow may receive
her dead husbands wages for two years
and then is left helpless, the children re-
! ceiving nothing additional
mo more arduous or perilous ocCupa-
/ tion exists than that of >urfman and few
50 useful. Surely 30 600 human lives and
so 600 600 saved in those few years since
the life saving service was constituted are
evidence sufficient that we can afford to re-
munerate more amply these faithful ser
wants.
when the New Era went down only
[ nf ah rI {
saved Now, out Of every 232 likewise en-
dangcred only one j. lost
The suggestion that were all surfmen
dismissed to-day other men could be found
to take their places at the same wages,
! ignores the fact that serious difficulty has
been experienced already in manning the
| Lake districts, and the fact is that to be q
good suriman man must possess extra
| ordinary qualities of body and brain, and
| especially courage, and must have long eX-
perience in the service Hundreds from
| love of their heroic work decline more lu-
crative positions.
Nv nat can you do towards securing jus
tice for these men and the keepers of sla-
tions Who are but little better provided
fol:
Sc First, let your Congressman and Sena-
tor know your mind upon the subject i'm
mediatcly. a. a caucus of Congressman and
Senators from life-saying station districts
is being arranged.
Second, enlist your tongue and pen in
the movement now insuSurated and indors-
ed by those prominent in the service, in
cludiDg the General Superintendent, untiI
larger wages and moderate pensions are
granted. Being of no political Importance,
the matter has been neglected.
AT one time the Royal Society of Eng