Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-12-07

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THROUGH TIE WOODS.
ing up and down the beach. mil, after mile,
clambering over rough hcadlands, wading
through snow and slush, facing the
storms and stumbling in the darkness
For the night patrol there are four watches
from sunset to : o'clock. from till mid
night from midnight to 4 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 Il dial that can
be marked only by means of key. This
key is hung to post ut the far end of his
beat, and thus he must go to the post in or
der to secure this automatic certification
of having performed his duty. The clock
also registers the time ut which the patrol
man reached the end of his beat.
Each patrolman carries lantern and a
number of rcd hand lights. II he discov-
ers wrecked vessel in distress or ship
running dangerously near tile shore, he ig-
mites his light, which sends forth a brilliant
red flame 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 $40 miles, or more than half of
all the coast line There are on this coast
lG5 life saving stations nearly one half of
these being on the shores of Long Island
and New Jersey. Here, within n distance
of 80 miles, are 30 life saving stations, and
they are a rule busiest of all the 80 sta
lions 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 quar-
ter OF a mile to five miles, and separated
from the mainland 10y narrow water open
inCs that sometimes extend into broad bays.
At distance of from I0u to 800 yards from
the shore it is burdcrrd by outlying sand
bars, over which in violent storms immense
walls OF surf continually break.
These shores, exposed to all casterly
storms, are constantly skirtel by vessels
bound to from the ports of New York,
Philadelphia and Wilmington, and by the
craft of the cua~tiug trade. Their sands
have always levied Il fearful tribute upon
pi,s>in. commerce. and are literally strewn
with the half buried and decay ing skeletons
of wrecked vessels. while the grlVeyards of
the coast villages and settlements abound
with unmarked mounds which tell n sad
tale of destruction of human life.
Medals of Honor.
Along this coast the recent storms Of
which You have read III the Geographic dis
patches found many victims, but not a
tenth part rs many As they would have
found but for the presence and gallant
/ efforts of the life saving crews.
Mouth after month the life saving service
! performs rcscues whose accounts deserve
! 10 bc 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 n page from
/ romance,
In the middle of winter, during fright
| full storm, the three maStCd schooner Kirk
| ham stranded Oh Rose and Crown shoal
| The sea running almost mountain
high. Ii was night when the vessel struck
and within an hour her bow was torn to
| pieces. The crew took to the rigging. Next
morning the wreck was discovered, but she
was Is miles from land. But what could
be done? Could any boat live in such a sea:
| Was it not madness to attempt a rescue Is
miles from the shore, amid such turbu.
lent torrent of breakers?
Fifteen Hours In the Rigging.
Keeper Chase did not stop to consider
these questions. lie promptly launched
his surfboat-an open boat, only % feet
long and p. feet deep-and put to sea. At
last he nearcd the wreck and saw that the
men were still hanging to the rigging. On
| account of the roughness of the ocean it
| was impossible to aid the schooner. II this
had been attempted, the surfboat would
| have been CACHED to pieces. So Keeper
| Chase dropped down near to the schooner
between seas, anchored his craft and threw
a small line attached to heaving stick on
board the wreck.
The sailors, though nearly dead from ex
posture, managed to attach II larger line to
this one. 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 line around his body and
Jumped overheard. No sooner had he been
hauled aboard than another followed his
example. Taking advantage of lulls in the
storm and pulling up between seas, man
after man was taken off in this manner till
all seven of the sailors we've rescued, afteI
haing IS hours ir the rigging. In an hour
the wreck went to pieces. The life saven
were in the nick of time.
| Now came the struggle for the shore
With II men on board the little boat wa
so badly crowded it became necessary t
throw mast and sail overheard. Darkness
came on. Six hours had elapsed since tn
boat left the wreck, and only one mile O
| the Il that lay between them and the shor
had been traversed. Though the mercur
/ stood Mt 20 degrees belovy zero, the mel
were forced to anchor and toss upon tn
waves till morning. Next morning, witt
, nil hands on board nearly dead from coli
and exposure, the gallant craft effected
landing For - hours her crew had beel
at work In awarding medal to hccpe
Chase the secretary of the treasury com
mended him for superb seamanship, I'm
erring Judgment and dauntless courage.
Was ever medal of honor moro worthil
bestowed?
A Thrilling Story.
One Of the most extraordinary incident
known to the history Of the life savin
service-one which illustrates the resource
: and peculiar adventures incident to thl
work for humanity-OccuTrcd some year
ago near the harbor of Frankfort, LAX
3 Michigan. The schooner Hartzell had gon
ashore at n dreadful spot, where the SUI
5 beat with wild fury against n crumbltn
, | cliff. The nearest life saving station wa
! 10 miles away, by rough and sandy roa'
: Messengers were dispatched to the station
and while waiting for the coming Of ii
! lifeboat the men and boys who had Rssen
bled at the scene of the wreck. acting VI
der the inspiration of btp'-