Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21

S2S[<X/XANA tppICCtSuUH IoI
services rendered acting
undera law made by
~ Congress directing the
bestowal of them upon
deserving individuals,
IN gold or silver, according TO the degree of
bravery exhibited in the performance. 1t IL not
necessary that the recipient shall succeed In
rescuing anybody, but merely that the attempt
shall display the requisite quality Of daring and
earnest effort. According to the legal enact
ment covering such cases a trophy OF gold can
only be given when the savior has risked his
or her own life: That was the reason why only
nlver medal was granted to Miss Edith
Morgan OF Hamlin, Mich, who helped to
rescue eighteen persons from the wreck Ct the
City OF Toledo in 1878, in binding snow
storm, when the doomed ship was transformed
into an iceberg by the waves breaking oyer
her. 1t being impossible to launch q boat
shot bearing line was cast by gun over the
vessel, and all the people were fetched ashore
safely In the brooches buoy. Though she
| toiled In company with the men on the beach
for SIX hours to effect the rescue, the noble
Edith did not actually risk her life, and 80 she
got only silver medal, with the thanks of
Uncle Sam. This she declined, saying that il
what she had done was not worth a gold medal
she did not care for any.
The gold medal awarded for life saving is
worth about $40 for the metal merely that Il in
it, When such a trophy, whether of gold or
silver. is sent to anybody II is accompanied by
letter bearing the signature of the Secretary
Of the Treasury in his own writing. This
letter recites in detail the circumstances Of the
act OF heroism performed by the recipient. Just
rs II II were story with which the latter was
unacquainted. closing with few compliment
AIRY phrases. There Is a purpose in this A
medal has only an indefinite significance, but
the letter recalls the deed itself and is usually
more highly valued than the token. 1t can be
framed and hung upon the wall, where 1t can
be seen and will afford its own explanation
without obliging the owner to describe what he
or she has done at the expense Of that modesty
which proverbially chancterizes heroes and
heroines. The application for medal must be
supported by the sworn evidence Of individuals
who have witnessed the acts of bravery per-
formed.
LIEUT. REYNOLDS BRAVE FEAT.
One OF the most remarkable feats that ever
obtained the award of a gold medal was
performed by Lieut. l.. X. Reynolds of the
United States navy, now in command of the
Endeavor, formerly, when she was in the con-
| federste service, the Lady Davis, which was
brought to Washington from Norfolk the other
day. On November "a. 1879, the United States
steamer Constellation was hove to near the
Azores in terrific gale. At daylight a vessel
was seen ut u distance of several miles, flying
signal of distress. She subsequently, proved to
be the Hungarian bark Olive. Two boats were
dispatched from the Constellation to her relief
One OF them put back on account of heavy
sea. The other, under the command Of Lieut..
Reynolds, reached the sinking craft. So rough
was the sea that the men the bark were
obliged to jump overheard in order to get to
the boat which was unable to get alongside for
fear OF being stove. Nine Of them were thus
rescued and conveyed to the Constellation leav-
| ing three, for whom Lieut.. Reynolds made a
second trip, saving them also. Finally lest the
bark should remain floating danger to other
ships, Lieut. Reynolds swan to her. set her
afre In two places and then swan back to the
| boat
Quite Q romance Is connected with the loss of
the ship Franklin, which wrecked on Cape
Cod in le49 with sixty people aboard. She
| was discovered early in the MOI uing by Benia-
min +. Rich, youth of eighteen, who was out
hunting Tor ducks. He gave the alarm and the
| neighbors-most Of them seafnring men-gath-
cred to the rescue. whale boat was quickly
| manned and launched through the surf. under
command OF young Rich's father. 1t fetched
| boatlOad Of the unfortunates ashore, but the
elder Rich was disabled or the trip and the boy
| took command for second effort. Most of the
people were saved, but number were lost In
the struggle for life there were some pitiful
| scenes. One woman, clasping her baby to her
breast. chung to Delaying pin that was ixed in
the side OF the vessel when brutal sailor forced
loose her grasp In order to preserve himself.
She was drowned, but young Rich got the baby,
1t was purple with cold. its little hands fastsn
ing themselves in the blue cloth of his shirt as
| he carried it to land, but it was revived and
| lived.
There is dash Of humor even in tragedy
sometimes. In this case a fat woman. who
| weighed about 200 pounds, Ind embraced tho
bOwsprit and refused to let go. 80 that she had
to be dragged off by the heels into the water
| and then pulled into the boat. Subsequent de-
yelopments proved that the ship was wrecked
/ al fol- Tor fta of 3.
| surance. A few days later young Rich found a
satchel on the beach containing letters from the
owners, addressed to the captain of the vessel
| and suggesting to him that it would not be
bad scheme to lose the old craft 1t was shown
afterward that the captain deliberately ran her
| ashore. The owners brought suit for $50, 900
against the insurance companies, but ut the last
moment the papers which Rich had found were
exhibited in evidence and the case was thrown
out Of court ut once. The government did not
give medals for Hfe-saving i'll those days, but
Rich got one from the Humane Society Of Mas
sachusetts. He is now superintendent Of the
life-saying district which includes the eastern
shore of Virginia.
RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE HARTvELL.
One of the most wonderful rescues on record
was accomplished on the shore Of Lake Mich
igan October Is, 1850. The steamer j. H.
Hartvell struck about 500 yards from the land,
NJ far o. a shot line can reach. The surf men
OF hfe-saylng station near by, IL being night
and bitter cold, built bonfire against high
bluff opposite the wreck and erected huge let
tiers Of black driftwood, which showed against
| the white sand 80 that the shipwrecked people
could read the words, "Life boat coming" Be-
| cause the beach WAS submerged they were
obliged to drug the life boat around BY cir
cult Of several miles. There was no place to
launch 1t FROM and 70 they had to lower it
over cliff toa ledge 200 feNt below. Then it
was found useless in the sea- THAT was running
aud . shot line was thrown over tho wreck The
hreeches buoy failed to work because the line
got tangled in the floating wreckage and 90 the
life car WAS tried.
Unfortunately the hawser on which the life
car ran being fastened to the cross trees Of the
vessel the car dangled psrpendicularly upon
reaching the latter, so that only practiced
athlete could very well get into it. 1t seems
very easy to any one who reads about such
things to run an iron box or breeches buoy to
and fro between ship and the shore, when
once suspension bridge Of strong rope has
been established. But it must be remembered
that the wreck 10 not stationary object She
IL tossing and pitching, her masts describing an
| angle OF perhaps l20 degrees or more. At one
moment the rope bridge in all slack and the
next moment it is pulled taut SO suddenly ~ to
est the spray . Aging. In this instance the