, 1892-05-14

statement concerning your public life, and
especially of your connection with the Or
igin Of the United States life saving service
and the monument recently erected upon
the New Jersey coast commemorative Of
the wreck Of the ''New Era, and your in
strumentality in originating that system,
and your service as governor Of Washing
ton territory" ?" DIR. VIM. A. Newell was
asked.
''I cannot we'll recount my public life,
which began with the first year of my man
hood, for it has been almost constant, ag-
gregating thirty years of unproftable
service, and very diversified. When the
Hon. Samuel s. Cox stated in my hearing
at public reception rendered to him by
our citizens in Columbia hall in this city,
that he had originated the system, the ne
cessity for which was impressed upon him
during astormy voyage over the Atlantic, I
was tempted to oyindicate myself, but did not
deem it to be necessary. Mr.. Cox did not
reach congress until several years after the
system had been thoroughly established,
and had accomplished some Of its greatest
achievements.
MY uncle, DR.. Hanlinson, familiar with
marine disasters from long residence on
the shore, gave ideas and announcement
to my originally crude plans, but was es-
peciaIly indebted to Captain James Ma
gin, for valuable suggestions, whilst he
spending the season at Washington, in
connection with maritime matters.
During the very first year of my practice
as physician | had occasion to spend a
tempestuous night on Long Beach, below
Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey. During the
night the Austrian brig, Count Perasto,
was wrecked Move the Mansion House.
The ship was driven high upon the strand,
broken wreck, and the captain and entire
crew, thirteen, were strewn stark stiff,
dead, upon the shore-for there were no
means for rescue. The gilded figure-head
of the count to this day adorns the peak of
the village mill at Manahawkin, holding
weird outlook upon the graves of the dead,
buried by the good people of that town,
This scene made an impression upon me
which L could not throw off. The ship
had been wrecked three hundred yards
from the beach 1t occurred to me that if
a line had been thrown across the ship to
establish communication with the shore
and boat worked back and forth that
some lives might have been saved. | ex-
perimented with bow and arrow to carry
a small line, then with a short
ened blunderbuss propelling ball with
line attached; then finally a short mortar
or carrOnade, which was a success and the
key to the whole system. A life car to be
run upon the cable was also my original
idea, as was every other article today in
use.
"A very few years after this wreck, in the
year 1916, had the honor to represent in
congress the Atlantic coast of New Jersey
from Sunday Hook to Great Egg harbor,
an important maritime border being one
side of an entering angle to New York bay,
,lr,r ,s,a19
leaving that port must pass. At the very
opening of the first session of the Both con-
gress introduced resolution that the
committee on commerce be instructed to
inquire whether any plan can be devised
whereby the dangerous navigation along
the coast of New Jersey, between Sandy
Hook and Little Egg harbor may be
furnished with additional safeguards to
life and property, and that they report by
bill or otherwise.
] made personal representation and APP
peal to nearly every member of the senate
and house, requesting their support of my
measure as a public necessity, and as
favor personally. Every one gave me sat
isfactory assurance of their supportincIud-
ing Mr.. Clay, Mr. Webster, Mr.. Calhoun,
Mr.. jeff Davis, Mr.. Douglass, Mr.. J. @.
Adams, Mr.. Lincoln, Mr.. Johnson, Mr.
Thadeus Stevens, and may mention at
much later service, Mr.. Hayes, Mr.. Gar
field, Mr.. Conkling and Mr.. Blaine.
On the 3rd day of August, 1848, made
an elaborate and exhaustive speech upon
the subject. l still hoped that the com
mittee on commerce might extend and
make a favorable report, but they were in
exorable and indeed became impatient at
my persistent importantly SO that / was
compelled to tack my little craft for more
propitious winds and on the 3rd of August,
when the light house appropriation
bill came up for debate and passage before
the committee of the whole house, offered
the following amendment: "For providing
surf boats, life boats, wickets, carronades,
lines, and othernecessary apparatus for the
better preservation of life and property
from shipwreck on the coast of New Jersey
between Sandy Hook and Little Egg har-
Dor, $4,000"
In presenting the amendment I re-
marked, "Mr, Chairman, / have laboredi
long and arduously for the adoption Of my
life-saYlng plan. The appropriation / ask
is small; make it freely and my constitu-
ents will bless you, all who go down to the
sea, subject to the perils of the deep, will
bless you, and lie who holds the winds in
the hollow of his hand will smile upon our
endeaYors in the sacred cause of human
ity." The amendment was unanimously
adopted; and truly Providence has smiled
upon the efforts Of this instrumentality
during the two score years of its existence,
III b14C 4CoSHC VI pSfOllbJ G1lOuSdl1O uuIldn
beings, who have escaped destruction upon
the shoals Of eternity, to inger a little
longer upon the shores of time.
Notwithstanding much improvement as
claimed, in its operations, and conceded,
the first triumph was the greatest when
crew, the entire list were landed in safety
upon Abseeom beach, New Jersey, from
the Scottish bark Ayrshire, during a
binding snoWst0rm in the night time, on
Christmas, 1849.
No government, nor board of underwrit-
ers, nor vessel owners, nor rescued passen-
gers, nor masters, nor mariners have ever
recognized my. agency in originating and
establishing this Institution, and therefore
am justified to place upon record in this
enduring manner my sole agency in estab-
fishing a system which I denominate ''the
American system of saving life and prop
erty from shipWreck.''
Captain Ottinger of the revenue marine
service was detailed to erect and equip sta
tion houses and to establish the system
into practical operation. With the small
appropriation secured, five houses were
erected upon the New Jersey coast, between
Sandy Hook and Little Egg harbor Dur
ing the succeeding session of the Both CON
gress, and during the 31st, [ obtained
larger appropriations without difficulty 81
delay, for the "Ayreshire" was an endur-
ing monitor. So that at this time there
are about three hundred station houses
upon our sea and lake shore, with the rec
ord of nearly two thousand lives saved an
nually and seventy millions of property.
For four years traversed the shore Of New
Jersey as superintendent of life saving sta
tions, inspecting their condition and sug-
gesting Improvements.
The service is well nigh perfected as it is
now considered possible that all the ealam-
tiles in the loss of life and property from
shipwreck upon the shores may be avoided
Indeed, there is scarcely a failure recorded