The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-01

Ess .6 ~ ~
THROUGH THE WOODS.
ing up and down the beach. mile after mile
cismb bering over rough headlands, wading
through snow and slush, facing the
storms and stumbling in the darkness
For the night patrol there are four watches
from sunset to s o'clock, from till mid
night, from midnight to and from to
sunrise.
The Red Flame.
Where the stations are SO far apart that
the patrolman cannot meet his neighbor,
he carries . clock which has dial that can
be marked only by means of key. This
key is hung to post at the far end of his
beat, and thus he must go to the post in Or
der to secure this automatic certifcation
of having performed his duty. The clock
also registers the time at which the patrol
man reached the end OF his beat
Each patrolman carries a lantern and a
number of red hand lights. If he discov-
ers q wrecked vessel in distress or a ship
running dangerously near the shore he ig-
mites his light, which sends forth brilliant
red fame, thus warning the people on the
Ship that they are too near the coast, or if
they have been wrecked that help is COM
ing The lookout at the station often sees
the red flame and gives the alarm to the
life saving crew without any loss of time.
Dangerous Places.
In this way the Atlantic coast is patrolled
every night for an aggregate distance Of
about 800 miles, or more than one-half Of
all the coast line There are on this coast
l65 life saving stations. nearly one-half Of
these being ON the shores of Long Island
and New Jersey. Here, within distance
of $50 miles, are so life saving stations, and
they are as rule busiest of all the 230 sta
tions maintained by the service in the
United States. These two coasts extend
nearly at right angles from the great port
of New York. where centers the commerce
of the western hemisphere.
This coast line throughout nearly its
whole length consists of a narrow strip of
sand beach, varying in width from a quar-
ter of mile to five miles, and separated
from the mainland by narrow water open
ings that sometimes extend into broad bays.
AT distance Of from 400 to 500 yards from
the shore it is bordered by outlying sand
bars, over which in violent storms immense
walls of surf continually break.
storms, are constantly skirted by vessels
bound to OF from the ports of New York,
Philadelphia and Wilmington, and by the
craft of the coasting trade Their sands
have always levied fearful tribute upon
passing commerce, and are literally strewn
with the half buried and decaying skeletons
of wrecked vessels, while the graveyards Of
the coast villages and settlements abound
with unmarked mounds which tell sad
tale of fdestruction of human life.
Medals of Honor.
Along this coast the recent storms Of
which you have read in the telegraphic dis
patches found many victims, but not
tenth part as many as they would have
found but for the presence and gallant
efforts of the life saving crews.
Month after month the life saving service
performs rescues whose accounts deserve
to be celebrated in song and story. Few of
these narratives find their way into the
newspapers in anything like adequate form.
One of the latest medals of honor granted
by the secretary of the treasury for heroic
life saving WAS awarded to Keeper Chase
of the Coskato station, Nantucket. The
story of that rescue. told even in the sim
plest language, reads like page from
romance.
In the middle Of winter, during fright
full storm, the three masted schooner Kirk
ham stranded on Rose and Crown shoaL
The sea was running almost mountain
high. 1t was night when the vessel struck,
and within an hour her low was torn to
pieces. The crew took 70 the rigging Next
morning the wreck was discovered, but she
was Is miles from land But what could
b. done, Could any boat live in such sea!
Was it not madness TO attempt rescue Is
miles from the shore, amid such turDu
lent torrent OF breakers.
Fifteen ours In tie Rigging.
Keeper Chase did not stop TO consider
these questions He promptly launched
his surfboat-an open boat, only q feet
long and 25a feet deep-end put to sea- At
last be neared the wreck and saw that the
men were still hanging &c the rigging On
account OF the roughness of the ocean it
was possible to aid the schooner. If this
had been attempted, the surfboat would
have been dashed TO pieces SO Keeper
Chase dropped down near 10 the schooner
between seas, anchored MS craft and threw
8 small line attached to a heavlng stick on
board the wreck
1se sailors, tEeuGn nearly ueAu iEola e1-
posure, managed to attach larger liEe 10
his ne, and It was pulled aboard the surf
boat. Thus the keeper and his crew were
able to draw nearer the wreck IN her lee
4 sailor tied a line around his body and
jumped overheard, No sooner had be been
haaisa aboard than another followed his
example Taking advantage ot luis II the
storm and pulling up between sees, man
after man was taken of IN this manner til
all seven Of the sailors were rescued, atteE
sssins, Is hours in the rigging ID IA heUr
the wreck went 30 piecss. The lie savers
were il the aicE OF time.
Now cam. the struggle for TIE shore
With II meu On board the little boat vas
SO badly cToy7aed il became necessary 20
throw mas. and sail overheard Darkness
came O. SIX hours hst elapsed since the
bost left the wreck. and only Cae nile e
the Is that lay bet Eeea thenl ar5 the shore
had been ;raverScd- Though the mercury
stood 4. ~ degrees bslow zero. the zlea
were forced 70 ancaer and toss upon tie
waves tin morning Next morning. with
al hands on board nearly dead fron coid
and exDoSare- tie gallant craft e1~NSed