Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-02
LIFE SAVING STATIONS
Additions and Improvements Necessary to
Better the Service.
1t is Alleged That the Service is
interrupted at the Time Most
Needed-PropOsed Relief.

In public debate the criticism is often
made that the government conducts its bus
mess in a way that would bring ruin and
disgrace upon any private enterprise. The
late accident at Fords Theater has been
pointed to as an instance of this sort Now
members Of Congress have taken up a
later case Of neglect and point to the great
loss of life in the recent hurricane as part
ly the result of the niggardliness of Con-
gress in failing to make proper appropria-
tions for the life saving service. A great
point Of weakness of this admirable system
is the short term of service of many of the
crews. The term is fixed by treasury reg
uIation and that regulation is based upon
the appropriation made by Congress. In
many localities now the term Of service of
some of these crews begins September
and ends May /. Senator Frye has at
various times sought to have the term OF
service made permanent and malntalned
the year round believing that the lives ana
property saved from shipwreck would more
than repay the money expended for the ex-
tension of the service. Especial enorts
were made in this direction during the
Forty ninth, Fiftieth and Fifty-hrst Con-
The real reason why the service has not
been extended is charged by the friends of
the service against the eTreasuryDepartment
which controls the work ana whlch u.s. they
saw governed by the old-fashioncd notions
relative to the storm season and raise IDEAS
about economy. The August storms along
the coast have been causing very serious
losses during the past five years. The TACT
that twenty-four men have been drowned
Off the New Jersey shore alone within a
line of ten miles during the recent storm
that preceded the hurricane, and that there
were four unoccupied life saving stations
within warning distance. has aroused con-
siderable comment on the "Reminiscences
Of the service. The trouble seems TO be that
the men are not kept on duty long enough.
There are about seven men TO each station,
and of the total of 1,sH comprising the
service only 102 remain on duty during the
entire year. OF the others 332 work eight
and IA half months; LOB. eight months. and
l55 FIVE months. With the exception of the
insignificant handful who work the year
round there are none of these men at work
between the 1st of May and the LIST of Sep
tember, while the records Of he depart
ments show that there have been almost as
many wrecks during the period of inter
mission as during the stormy period. The
department, 1t appears. still clings to the
idea that September is the proper month
to look for storms and crippled vessels be-
cause in former years the autumnal storms
began during the first week of September.
Investigation and meteorological records
have proven, though. that these storms now
come upon us earlier, and are now due any
time between August 20 and September i,
and each year the wind appears 20 blow
harder and the entire Atlantic shore front
is strewn with wrecks.
The only legislation resulting in the i'm
provement of the life saving service was the
increase of salaries of the men, which was
granted by the last Congress. and which
increased the appropriation annually for
that purpose by about $230,ooo. The expense
Of this service has grown wear by year as
1t has been extended, but the extension has
been in the number Of stations and not in
the extension of the terms of service The
appropriations have been as follows: 1856,
$926 Sce: 1887. 1884, 800: 1885, 1861 800; 1889, $780,
06S; 1890, $91l. .16o; 1891. S0l3.3S5; 1882. 81 064
SIS: 1898. N.314.0O0: 1894 Cthe current year,,
N,37o7f7
A number of Senators are IN receipt CT
letters from their constituents along the
coast urging them to take some action that
will still further improve the life saving
service, which even as it is is acknowledged
to be the finest and most complete I'm the
world. 1t Is not unlikely that bill with
that end In view will soon be introduced in
the Senate by Senator Hunton of Virginia.
The recent storm also directs attention to
an important bill introduced early this ses-
sion by Mr.. Frye, which appropriates s50-
900 for the purpose Of making experiments
as to the best means OF communicating te-
tween light house stations and lightboats
and the shore. so as to give warning of
vessels in distresA